and the dogs never locate their towns or cities except where it grows in
abundance, as it is their only food.

We had proceeded but a short distance after reaching this beautiful
prairie, before we came upon the outskirts of the commonwealth. A few
scattered dogs were seen scampering in, and, by their short and sharp
yelps, giving a general alarm to the whole community.

The first cry of danger from the outskirts was soon taken up in the
centre of the city, and now nothing was to be seen in any direction but
a dashing and a scampering of the mercurial and excitable citizens of
the place, each to his lodge or burrow. Far as the eye could reach was
spread the city, and in every direction the scene was the same. We rode
leisurely along until we had reached the more thickly settled portion of
the city, when we halted, and after taking the bridles from our horses
to allow them to graze, we prepared for a regular attack upon its
inhabitants.

The burrows were not more than fifteen yards apart, with well-trodden
paths leading in different directions, and I even thought I could
discover something like regularity in the laying out of the streets. We
sat down upon a bank under the shade of a musqueet tree, and leisurely
surveyed the scene before us. Our approach had driven every one in our
immediate vicinity to his home; but some hundred yards off, the small
mound of earth in front of a burrow was each occupied by a dog sitting
straight up on his hinder legs, and coolly looking about him to
ascertain the cause of the recent commotion. Every now and then some
citizen, more venturous than his neighbour, would leave his lodge on a
flying visit to a companion, apparently to exchange a few words, and
then scamper back as fast as his legs would carry him.