[ Poe / Arthur Gordon Pym ]
Poe's hero begins his adventure by stowing away aboard a whaling ship; a mutiny leaves Pym trapped below deck, and he believes he's about to die:
Making a last strong effort, I at length breathed a faint ejaculation to God, and resigned myself to die. The sound of my voice seemed to arouse all the latent fury of the animal. He precipitated himself at full length upon my body; but what was my astonishment, when, with a long and low whine, he commenced licking my face and hands with the greatest eagerness, and with the most extravagant demonstration of affection and joy! I was bewildered, utterly lost in amazement — but I could not forget the peculiar whine of my Newfoundland dog Tiger, and the odd manner of his caresses I well knew. It was he. I experienced a sudden rush of blood to my temples- a giddy and overpowering sense of deliverance and reanimation. I rose hurriedly from the mattress upon which I had been lying, and, throwing myself upon the neck of my faithful follower and friend, relieved the long oppression of my bosom in a flood of the most passionate tears.
Tiger is mentioned twenty-some times in this short novel, too often for all instances to be listed here. One additional passage is worth reproducing, however, if only because of the somewhat surprising assertion that Newfoundlands were particularly well-known for their scent-tracking abilities:
Having got, after a long search, a small piece of the note, I put it to the dog's nose, and endeavored to make him understand that he must bring me the rest of it. To my astonishment, (for I had taught him none of the usual tricks for which his breed are famous,) he seemed to enter at once into my meaning, and, rummaging about for a few moments, soon found another considerable portion. Bringing me this, he paused awhile, and, rubbing his nose against my hand, appeared to be waiting for my approval of what he had done. I patted him on the head, when he immediately made off again. It was now some minutes before he came back — but when he did come, he brought with him a large slip, which proved to be all the paper missing — it having been torn, it seems, only into three pieces.