Your readers might remember that recently you printed my article on 'The Saltash Area and D-Day'. I made a point that an official U.S. Army report commented that their Saltash — based servicemen 'mingled with the local people, that firm friendships developed, and that the Americans were even loved'.

In researching more about my home town of Saltash I came across an attributed source quoting a sad but moving and compassionate story. It appears that even our dogs are kind!

In Philip Porter's 'Around and About Saltash' historical notes and notions of 1905 he writes:

'Carew, the historian, wrote in 1768 about Saltash 'and if Pliny now lived, I suppose he would afford a roome in his natural history, to a dogge of this town, who(as I have learned by the faithful report of Master Thomas Parkins) used daily to fetch meat at his house there, and to carry the same unto a blinde mastiffe, that lay in a brake about the town: Yea (that more is) he would upon Sundayes conduct him thither to dinner, and the meals ended, guide him back to his couch and covert again'.

(The brake was all around the west of Port View near the Old Priory.)

Alternative version/updated English version:

In Philip Porter's 'Around and About Saltash' historical notes and notions of 1905, he tells a story which I have partially translated from 18th Century to 21st Century English.

'In 1768, Carew the historian wrote about Saltash:

'There was a dog in Saltash who every day, according to a Master Thomas Parkins, took meat from his house, and carried it to a blind mastiff living in a thicket.

On Sundays he would guide the mastiff to dinner at his house, and when the meal was finished, he would guide him back again to his lonely lair.

(The blind mastiff lived in a wooded area to the west of Port View, Saltash.)

Barry Brooking

Saltash

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