Upon reaching out my hand toward him, I then invariably found him lying on his back, with his paws uplifted.

This conduct, so frequently repeated, appeared strange, and I could in no manner account for it.

As the dog seemed distressed, I concluded that he had received some injury; and, taking his paws in my hands, I examined them one by one, but found no sign of any hurt.

I then supposed him hungry, and gave him a large piece of ham, which he devoured with avidity--afterward, however, resuming his extraordinary manoeuvres.

I now imagined that he was suffering, like myself, the torments of thirst, and was about adopting this conclusion as the true one, when the idea occurred to me that I had as yet only examined his paws, and that there might possibly be a wound upon some portion of his body or head.