THE BREED PYRENEAN MASTIFF
REPORT PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL
"LA ILUSTRACIÓN ESPAÑOLA Y AMERICANA".
YEAR XXIII, NUMBER 32. MADRID, AUGUST 30, 1879.
"The lad has mounted and the mules galloping down the hill to find the true level of life, regular pressure of the atmosphere, natural air. The establishment spa houses disappear in a sudden turn: Panticosa is a reminder: a few days and end of spring we have experienced in this country petrified: soon envelop the peaks of the Pyrenees in their blankets of snow, I pity those who spend all year in these barren heights. The summer sees these mountains, but staying here since late September to June is equivalent to winter in a straw.
Upon exiting the spa, we said goodbye to friends who were still finishing their season care, and gave some affectionate pat on the back woolly of Serrano, formidable and beautiful mastiff, white and cinnamon, with León and Sultán shares custody of these mountains throughout the year. Serrano is not an ordinary dog, but their appearance, despite being handsome, is not significant between the beautiful breed of mastiffs in the Aragonese Pyrenees; to prove it, I will relate a true episode in its history, such us has referred to us person who be worth full credit.
Last winter was very cruel and extremely deadly to cats of the establishment; only one survived to their peers, through the horrible crisis of the cold and hunger, mercy the munificence of Serrano, who saw him exhausted and weak, not only feed him with a part of its ration, but han the patience to get to the sun when he did, taking him in his huge mouth, and by withdrawing a war place as soon as the sun set.
The friendship of men tends to be more selfish, and rarely which has secured his ration remembers his neighbor.
It is true that among us has given the example of an individual who complained about not having friends, and gradually died in defiance of all of them.
We find the beatiful ideal of frendship be as well treated as was the cat dying by the Mastiff of Panticosa."
Photograph courtesy of Rafael Malo Alcrudo