[]AN HISTORY OF ANIMALS.

CHAP. I. Of Animals of the Hare Kind.

HAVING deſcribed in the laſt chapter a tribe of minute, fierce, rapacious animals, I come now to a race of minute animals, of a more harmleſs and gentle kind, that, without being enemies to any, are preyed upon by all. As Nature has fitted the former for hoſtility, ſo it has entirely formed the latter for evaſion; and as the one kind ſubſiſt by their courage and activity, ſo the other find ſafety from their ſwift⯑neſs and their fears. The Hare is the ſwifteſt animal in the world for the time it continues; and few quadrupedes can overtake even the [2] rabbit when it has but a ſhort way to run. To this claſs alſo we may add the ſquirrel, ſome⯑what reſembling the hare and rabbit in its form and nature, and equally pretty, inoffenſive, and pleaſing.

If we were methodically to diſtinguiſh animals of the hare kind from all others, we might ſay that they have but two cutting teeth above and two below, that they are covered with a ſoft downy fur, and that they have a buſhy tail. The combination of theſe marks might per⯑haps diſtinguiſh them tolerably well; whether from the rat, the beaver, the otter, or any other moſt nearly approaching in form. But, as I have declined all method that rather tends to embarraſs hiſtory than enlighten it, I am contented to claſs theſe animals together for no very preciſe reaſon, but becauſe I find a general reſemblance between them in their natural ha⯑bits, and in the ſhape of their heads and body. I call a ſquirrel an animal of the hare kind, be⯑cauſe it is ſomething like a hare. I call the Paca of the ſame kind, merely becauſe it is more like a rabbit than any other animal I know of. In ſhort, it is fit to erect ſome parti⯑cular ſtandard in the imagination of the reader, to refer him to ſome animal that he knows, in order to direct him in conceiving the figure of [3] ſuch as he does not know. Still, however, he ſhould be apprized that his knowledge will be defective without an examination of each par⯑ticular ſpecies; and that ſaying an animal is of this or that particular kind is but a very trifling part of its hiſtory.

Animals of the hare kind, like all others that feed entirely upon vegetables, are inoffenſive and timorous. As Nature furniſhes them with a moſt abundant ſupply, they have not that ra⯑pacity after food remarkable in ſuch as are often ſtinted in their proviſion. They are extremely active and amazingly ſwift, to which they chiefly owe their protection; for being the prey of every voracious animal, they are inceſſantly purſued. The hare, the rabbit, and the ſquirrel, are placed by Pyerius, in his Treatiſe of Ruminating Animals, among the number of thoſe that chew the cud; but how far this may be true I will not pretend to determine. Certain it is that their lips continually move whether ſleeping or waking. Nevertheleſs, they chew their meat very much before they ſwallow it, and for that reaſon I ſhould ſuppoſe that it does not want a ſecond maſtication. All theſe animals uſe their fore-paws like hands; they are remarkably ſalacious, and are furniſhed by Nature with more ample powers than moſt others for the buſineſs of pro⯑pagation. [4] They are ſo very prolific, that were they not thinned by the conſtant depredations made upon them by moſt other animals, they would quickly over-run the earth.

Of all theſe the hare is the largeſt, the moſt perſecuted, and the moſt timorous; all its muſcles are formed for ſwiftneſs; and all its ſenſes ſeem only given to direct its flight. It has very large prominent eyes, placed back⯑wards in its head, ſo that it can almoſt ſee be⯑hind it as it runs. Theſe are never wholly cloſed; but as the animal is continually upon the watch, it ſleeps with them open. The ears are ſtill more remarkable for their ſize; they are moveable and capable of being directed to every quarter; ſo that the ſmalleſt ſounds are readily received, and the animal's motions di⯑rected accordingly. The muſcles of the body are very ſtrong, and without fat, ſo that it may be ſaid to carry no ſuperfluous burthen of fleſh about it; the hinder feet are longer than the fore, which ſtill adds to the rapidity of its mo⯑tions; and almoſt all animals that are remark⯑able for their ſpeed, except the horſe, are formed in the ſame manner.

An animal ſo well formed for a life of eſcape might be ſuppoſed to enjoy a ſtate of tolerable ſecurity; but as every rapacious creature is its [5] enemy, it but very ſeldom lives out its natural term. Dogs of all kinds purſue it by inſtinct, and follow the hare more eagerly than any other animal. The cat and the weaſel kinds are con⯑tinually lying in ambuſh, and practiſing all their little arts to ſeize it; birds of prey are ſtill more dangerous enemies, as againſt them no ſwiftneſs can avail, nor retreat ſecure; but man, an ene⯑my far more powerful than all, prefers its fleſh to that of other animals, and deſtroys greater numbers than all the reſt. Thus purſued and perſecuted on every ſide, the race would long ſince have been totally extirpated, did it not find a reſource in its amazing fertility.

The hare multiplies exceedingly; it is in a ſtate of engendering at a few months old; the females go with young but thirty days, and ge⯑nerally bring forth three or four at a time^*. As ſoon as they have produced their young they are again ready for conception, and thus do not loſe any time in continuing the breed. But they are in another reſpect fitted in an extraordinary manner for multiplying their kind; for the fe⯑male, from the conformation of her womb, is often ſeen to bring forth, and yet to continue pregnant at the ſame time; or, in other words, to have young ones of different ages in her [6] womb together. Other animals never receive the male when pregnant, but bring forth their young at once. But it is frequently different with the hare; the female often, though already impregnated, admitting the male, and thus re⯑ceiving a ſecond impregnation. The reaſon of this extraordinary circumſtance is, that the womb in theſe animals is divided in ſuch a manner that it may be conſidered as a double organ, one ſide of which may be filled while the other remains empty. Thus theſe animals may be ſeen to couple at every period of their pregnancy, and even while they are bringing forth young laying the foundation of another brood.

The young of theſe animals are brought forth with their eyes open, and the dam ſuckles them for twenty days, after which they leave her, and ſeek out for themſelves^*. From this we obſerve, that the education theſe animals re⯑ceive is but trifling, and the family connexion but of ſhort duration. In the rapacious kinds the dam leads her young forth for months to⯑gether; teaches them the arts of rapine; and, although ſhe wants milk to ſupply them, yet keeps them under her care until they are able to hunt for themſelves. But a long connexion of this kind would be very unneceſſary as well [7] as dangerous to the timid animals we are de⯑ſcribing; their food is eaſily procured; and their aſſociations, inſtead of protection, would only expoſe them to their purſuers. They ſeldom, however, ſeparate far from each other, or from the place where they were produced; but make each a form at ſome diſtance, having a predi⯑lection rather for the place than each other's ſo⯑ciety. They feed during the night rather than by day, chuſing the moſt tender blades of graſs, and quenching their thirſt with the dew. They live alſo upon roots, leaves, fruits and corn, and prefer ſuch plants as are furniſhed with a milky juice. They alſo ſtrip the bark of trees during the winter, there being ſcarce any that they will not feed on, except the lime or the alder. They are particularly fond of birch, pinks, and parſley. When they are kept tame, they are fed with lettuce and other garden herbs; but the fleſh of ſuch as are thus brought up is always indifferent.

They ſleep or repoſe in their forms by day, and may be ſaid to live only by night^*. It is then that they go forth to feed and couple. They do not pair, however, but in the rutting ſeaſon, which begins in February; the male purſues and diſcovers the female by the ſagacity [8] of its noſe. They are then ſeen, by moon⯑light, playing, ſkipping, and purſuing each other; but the leaſt motion, the ſlighteſt breeze, the falling of a leaf is ſufficient to diſturb their revels; they inſtantly fly off, and each takes a ſeparate way.

As their limbs are made for running, they eaſily outſtrip all other animals in the beginning; and could they preſerve their ſpeed it would be impoſſible to overtake them; but as they ex⯑hauſt their ſtrength at their firſt efforts, and double back to the place they were ſtarted from, they are more eaſily taken than the fox, which is a much ſlower animal than they. As their hind legs are longer than the fore, they always chuſe to run up hill, by which the ſpeed of their purſuers is diminiſhed while theirs remains the ſame. Their motions are alſo without any noiſe, as they have the ſole of the foot furniſhed with hair; and they ſeem the only animals that have hair on the inſide of their mouths.

They ſeldom live above ſeven or eight years at the utmoſt; they come to their full perfec⯑tion in a year; and this multiplied by ſeven, as in other animals, gives the extent of their lives^*. It is ſaid, however, that the females live longer than the males: of this Mr. Buffon makes a [9] doubt; but I am aſſured that it is ſo. They paſs their lives, in our climate, in ſolitude and ſilence; and they ſeldom are heard to cry, ex⯑cept when they are ſeized or wounded. Their voice is not ſo ſharp as the note of ſome other animals, but more nearly approaching that of the ſqualling of a child. They are not ſo wild as their diſpoſitions and their habits ſeem to in⯑dicate; but are of a complying nature, and eaſily ſuſceptible of a kind of education. They are eaſily tamed. They even become fond and ca⯑reſſing, but they are incapable of attachment to any particular perſon, and never can be de⯑pended upon; for, though taken never ſo young, they regain their native freedom at the firſt opportunity. As they have a remarkable good ear, and ſit upon their hind legs, and uſe their fore-paws as hands, they have been taught to beat the drum, to dance to muſic, and go through the manual exerciſe.

But their natural inſtincts for their preſerva⯑tion are much more extraordinary than thoſe artificial tricks that are taught them. They make themſelves a form particularly in thoſe places where the colour of the graſs moſt re⯑ſembles that of their ſkin; it is open to the ſouth in winter and to the north in ſummer. The hare, when it hears the hounds at a di⯑ſtance, [10] flies for ſome time through a natural impulſe, without managing its ſtrength, or conſulting any other means but ſpeed for its ſafety. Having attained ſome hill or riſing ground, and left the dogs ſo far behind that it no longer hears their cries, it ſtops, rears on its hinder legs, and at length looks back to ſee if it has not loſt its purſuers. But theſe, having once fallen upon the ſcent, purſue ſlowly and with united ſkill, and the poor animal ſoon again hears the fatal tidings of their approach. Sometimes when ſore hunted it will ſtart a freſh hare, and ſquat in the ſame form; ſometimes it will creep under the door of a ſheep-cot, and hide among the ſheep; ſometimes it will run among them, and no vigilance can drive it from the flock; ſome will enter holes like the rabbit, which the hunters call going to vault; ſome will go up one ſide of the hedge and come down the other; and it has been known that an hare ſorely hunted has got upon the top of a cut quick-ſet hedge, and run a good way there⯑on, by which it has effectually evaded the hounds. It is no unuſual thing alſo for them to betake themſelves to furz buſhes, and to leap from one to another, by which the dogs are frequently miſled. However, the firſt doubling an hare makes is generally a key to [11] all its future attempts of that kind, the latter being exactly like the former. The young hares tread heavier, and leave a ſtronger ſcent than the old, becauſe their limbs are weaker; and the more this forlorn creature tires, the heavier it treads, and the ſtronger is the ſcent it leaves. A buck, or male hare, is known by its chuſing to run upon hard highways, feeding farther from the wood-ſides and making its doublings of a greater compaſs than the female. The male having made a turn or two about its form, frequently leads the hounds five or ſix miles on a ſtretch; but the female keeps cloſe by ſome covert ſide, turns, croſſes, and winds among the buſhes like a rabbit, and ſeldom runs directly forward. In general, however, both male and female regulate their conduct according to the weather. In a moiſt day they hold by the high⯑ways more than at any other time, becauſe the ſcent is then ſtrongeſt upon the graſs. If they come to the ſide of a grove or ſpring they for⯑bear to enter, but ſquat down by the ſide thereof until the hounds have overſhot them; and then, turning along their former path, make to their old form, from which they vainly hope for pro⯑tection.

Hares are divided, by the hunters, into mountain and meaſled hares. The former are [12] more ſwift, vigorous, and have their fleſh better taſted; the latter chiefly frequent the marſhes, when hunted keep among low grounds, and their fleſh is moiſt, white, and flabby. When the male and female keep one particular ſpot, they will not ſuffer any ſtrange hare to make its form in the ſame quarter, ſo that it is uſually ſaid that the more you hunt the more hares you ſhall have; for, having killed one hare, others come and take poſſeſſion of its form. Many of theſe animals are found to live in woods and thickets, but they are naturally fonder of the open country, and are conſtrained only by fear to take ſhelter in places that afford them neither a warm ſun nor an agreeable paſture. They are therefore, uſually ſeen ſtealing out of the edges of the wood to taſte the graſs that grows ſhorter and ſweeter in the open fields than under the ſhade of the trees; however, they ſeldom miſs of being purſued; and every excurſion is a new adventure. They are ſhot at by poachers; traced by their footſteps in the ſnow; caught in ſprings; dogs, birds, and cats, are all combined againſt them; ants, ſnakes, and adders, drive them from their forms, eſpecially in ſummer; even fleas, from which moſt other animals are free, perſecute this poor creature; and, ſo va⯑rious are its enemies, that it is ſeldom permitted [13] to reach even that ſhort term to which it is li⯑mited by nature.

The ſoil and climate have their influence upon this animal as well as on moſt others. In the countries bordering on the north pole, they become white in winter, and are often ſeen in great troops of four or five hundred, running along the banks of the river Irtiſh, or the Je⯑niſca, and as white as the ſnow they tread on. They are caught in toils for the ſake of their ſkins, which on the ſpot are ſold for leſs than ſeven ſhillings an hundred. Their fur is well known to form a conſiderable article in the hat manufacture; and we accordingly import vaſt quantities of it from thoſe countries where the hare abounds in ſuch plenty. They are found alſo entirely black, but theſe in much leſs quan⯑tity than the former^*; and even ſome have been ſeen with horns, though theſe but rarely^†.

The hares of the hot countries, particularly in Italy, Spain, and Barbary, are ſmaller than ours: thoſe bred in the Milaneſe country are ſaid to be the beſt in Europe^‡. There is ſcarce a country where this animal is not to be found, from the torrid zone to the neighbourhood of the polar circle. The natives of Guinea [14] knock them on the head as they come down to the ſides of the rivers to drink. They alſo ſur⯑round the place where they are ſeen in numbers, and clattering a ſhort ſtick, which every man carries, againſt that which the perſon next him carries, they diminiſh their circle gradually, till the hares are cooped up in the midſt. They then all together throw their ſticks in among them, and with ſuch deadly force, that they ſeldom fail of killing great numbers at a time^*.

The fleſh of this animal has been eſteemed as a delicacy among ſome nations, and is held in deteſtation by others. The Jews, the ancient Britains, and the Mahometans, all conſidered it as an unclean animal, and religiouſly ab⯑ſtained from it. On the contrary, there are ſcarce any other people, however barbarous, at preſent, that do not conſider it as the moſt agreeable food. Faſhion ſeems to preſide and govern all the ſenſes; what mankind at one time conſider as beautiful, fragrant, or ſa⯑voury, may at another time, or among another nation, be regarded as deformed, diſguſtful, or ill taſted. That fleſh which the ancient Romans ſo much admired as to call it the food of the wiſe, was, among the Jews and the Druids, thought unfit to be eaten; and even the mo⯑derns, [15] who like the Romans conſider the fleſh of this animal as a delicacy, have very different ideas as to dreſſing it. With us it is ſimply ſerv'd up without any ſeaſoning; but Apicius ſhews us the manner of dreſſing an hare in true Roman taſte, with parſley, rice, vinegar, cummin ſeed, and coriander^*.

CHAP. II. Of Animals of the Rat Kind.

WERE it neceſſary to diſtinguiſh animals of the rat kind from all others, we might deſcribe them as having two large cutting teeth, like the hare kind, in each jaw; as co⯑vered with hair; and as not ruminating. Theſe diſtinctions might ſerve to guide us, had we not too near an acquaintance with this noxious race to be miſtaken in their kind. Their numbers, their minuteneſs, their vicinity, their vaſt mul⯑tiplication, all ſufficiently contribute to preſs them upon our obſervation, and remind us of their exiſtence. Indeed, if we look through the different ranks of animals, from the largeſt to the ſmalleſt, from the great elephant to the diminutive mouſe, we ſhall find that we ſuffer greater injuries from the contemptible mean⯑neſs of the one, than the formidable invaſions of the other. Againſt the elephant, the rhi⯑noceros, or the lion, we can oppoſe united ſtrength; and by art make up the deficiencies of natural power: theſe we have driven into their native ſolitudes, and obliged to continue at a diſtance, in the moſt inconvenient regions and unhealthful climates. But it is otherwiſe [65] with the little teizing race I am now deſcribing: no force can be exerted againſt their unreſiſt⯑ing timidity; no arts can diminiſh their amaz⯑ing propagation: millions may be at once de⯑ſtroyed, and yet the breach be repaired in the ſpace of a very few weeks; and, in proportion as Nature has denied them force, it has ſup⯑plied the defect by their fecundity.

Of theſe, the animal beſt known at preſent, and in every reſpect the moſt miſchievous, is the Great Rat; which, though but a new comer into this country, has taken too ſecure a poſſeſſion to be ever removed. This hateful and rapacious creature, though ſometimes called the Rat of Norway, is utterly unknown in all the northern countries, and, by the beſt accounts I can learn, comes originally from the Levant. Its firſt arrival, as I am aſſured, was upon the coaſts of Ireland, in thoſe ſhips that traded in proviſions to Gibraltar; and perhaps we owe to a ſingle pair of theſe animals, the numerous progeny that now infeſts the whole extent of the Britiſh Empire.

This animal, which is called by Mr. Buffon the Surmalot, is in length about nine inches; its eyes are large and black; the colour of the head, and the whole upper part of the body, is of a light brown, mixed with tawny and aſh colour. The [66] end of the noſe, the throat and belly, are of a dirty white, inclining to a grey; the feet and legs are almoſt bare, and of a dirty pale fleſh colour; the tail is as long as the body, covered with minute duſky ſcales, mixed with a few hairs, and adds to the general deformity of its deteſtable figure. It is chiefly in the colour that this animal differs from the Black Rat, or the Common Rat, as it was once called; but now common no longer. This new invader, in a very few years after its arrival, found means to deſtroy almoſt the whole ſpecies, and to poſſeſs itſelf of their retreats.

But it was not againſt the Black Rat alone that its rapacity was directed; all other animals of inferior ſtrength ſhared the ſame misfortunes. The conteſt with the black rat was of ſhort continuance. As it was unable to contend, and had no holes to fly to for retreat, but where its voracious enemy could purſue, the whole race was ſoon extinguiſhed. The Frog alſo was an animal equally incapable of combat or defence. It had been deſignedly introduced into the kingdom of Ireland ſome years before the Norway rat; and it was ſeen to multiply amazingly. The inhabitants were pleaſed with the propagation of an harmleſs animal, that ſerved to rid their fields of inſects; and even [67] the prejudices of the people were in its fa⯑vour, as they ſuppoſed that the frog contributed to render their waters more wholeſome. But the Norway rat ſoon put a ſtop to their encreaſe; as theſe animals were of an amphibious nature, they purſued the frog to its lakes and took it even in its own natural element. I am, there⯑fore, aſſured, that the frog is once more almoſt extinct in that kingdom; and that the Norway rat, having no more enemies left there to deſtroy, is grown leſs numerous alſo.

We are not likely, therefore, to gain by the deſtruction of our old domeſtics, ſince they are replaced by ſuch miſchievous ſucceſſors. The Norway rat has the ſame diſpoſition to injure us, with much greater power of miſchief. It burrows in the banks of rivers, ponds, and ditches; and is every year known to do incre⯑dible damage to thoſe mounds that are raiſed to conduct ſtreams, or to prevent rivers from overflowing. In theſe holes, which it forms pretty near the edge of the water, it chiefly reſides during the ſummer, where it lives upon ſmall animals, fiſh, and corn. At the ap⯑proach of winter, it comes nearer the farm houſes; burrows in their corn, eats much, and damages ſtill more than it conſumes. But no⯑thing that can be eaten, ſeems to eſcape its [68] voracity. It deſtroys rabbits, poultry, and all kinds of game; and, like the polecat, kills much more than it can carry away. It ſwims with great eaſe, dives with great celerity, and eaſily thins the fiſh pond. In ſhort, ſcarce any of the feebler animals eſcape its rapacity, ex⯑cept the mouſe, which ſhelters itſelf in its little hole, where the Norway rat is too big to follow.

Theſe animals frequently produce from fif⯑teen to thirty at a time^*; and uſually bring forth three times a year. This great encreaſe would quickly be found to overrun the whole country, and render our aſſiduity to deſtroy them fruitleſs, were it not, happily for us, that they eat and deſtroy each other. The ſame inſatiable appetite that impels them to indiſcriminate carnage, alſo incites the ſtrongeſt to devour the weakeſt, even of their own kind. The large male rat generally keeps in an hole by itſelf, and is as dreaded by its own ſpecies, as the moſt formidable enemies. In this man⯑ner the number of theſe vermin is kept within due bounds; and when their encreaſe becomes injurious to us, it is repreſſed by their own ra⯑pacity.

[69]But beſide their own enmities among each other, all the ſtronger carnivorous quadrupedes have natural antipathies againſt them. The dog, though he deteſts their fleſh, yet openly declares his alacrity to purſue them; and attacks them with great animoſity. Such as are trained up to killing theſe vermin, diſpatch them often with a ſingle ſqueeze: but thoſe dogs that ſhew any heſitation, are ſure to come off but indif⯑ferently; for the rat always takes the advantage of a moment's delay, and, inſtead of waiting for the attack, becomes the aggreſſor, ſeizing its purſuer by the lip, and inflicting a very painful and dangerous wound. From the in⯑flammation, and other angry ſymptoms that attend this animal's bite, ſome have been led to think that it was in ſome meaſure venemous; but it is likely that the difficulty of the wound's healing, ariſes merely from its being deep and lacerated by the teeth, and is rather a con⯑ſequence of the figure of the inſtruments that inflict it, than any venom they may be ſup⯑poſed to poſſeſs.

The cat is another formidable enemy of this kind; and yet the generality of our cats neither care to attack it, nor to feed upon it when killed. The cat is a more prudent hunter than the dog, and will not be at the pains to take [70] or combat with an enemy that is not likely to repay her time and danger. Some cats, however, will purſue and take the rat; though often not without an obſtinate reſiſtance. If hungry alſo, the cat will ſometimes eat the head; but, in general, ſhe is merely content with her victory.

A foe much more dangerous to theſe vermin is the weaſel. This animal purſues them with avidity; and being pretty nearly of their own ſize, follows them into their holes, where a deſperate combat enſues. The ſtrength of each is pretty near equal; but the arms are very different. The rat, furniſhed with four long tuſks at the extremity of its jaw, rather ſnaps than bites; but the weaſel, where it once faſtens, holds, and continuing alſo to ſuck the blood at the ſame time, weakens its antagoniſt, and always obtains the victory. Mankind have contrived ſeveral other methods of deſtroying theſe noxious intruders; ferrets, traps, and par⯑ticularly poiſon: but of all other poiſons, I am told that the nux vomica, ground and mixed with meal, is the moſt certain, as it is the leaſt dangerous.

To this ſpecies I will ſubjoin as a variety, the Black Rat, mentioned above, greatly reſem⯑bling the former in figure, but very diſtinct in [71] nature, as appears from their mutual antipathy. This animal was formerly as miſchievous as it was common; but at preſent it is almoſt ut⯑terly extirpated by the great rat, one malady often expelling another. It is become ſo ſcarce, that I do not remember ever to have ſeen one. It is ſaid to be poſſeſſed of all the voracious and unnatural appetites of the former; though, as it is leſs, they may probably be leſs noxious. Its length is about ſeven inches; and the tail is near eight inches long. The colour of the body is of a deep iron grey, bordering upon black, except the belly, which is of a dirty cinereous hue. They have propagated in America in great numbers, being originally introduced from Europe; and as they ſeem to keep their ground wherever they get footing, they are now become the moſt noxious animals in that part of the world.

To this alſo we may ſubjoin the Black Water Rat, about the ſame ſize with the latter, with a larger head, a blunter noſe, leſs eyes, and ſhorter ears, and the tip of its tail a little white. It was ſuppoſed by Ray to be web footed; but this has been found to be a miſtake, its toes pretty much reſembling thoſe of its kind. It never frequents houſes; but is uſually found on the banks of rivers, ditches and ponds, where [72] it burrows and breeds. It feeds on fiſh, frogs, and inſects; and in ſome countries it is eat on faſting days.

CHAP. III. Of Animals of the Hedge-hog, or prickly Kind.

ANIMALS of the Hedge-hog kind require but very little accuracy to diſtinguiſh them from all others. That hair which ſerves the generality of quadrupedes for warmth and or⯑nament, is partly wanting in theſe; while its place is ſupplied by ſharp ſpines or prickles, that ſerve for their defence. This general cha⯑racteriſtic, therefore, makes a much more ob⯑vious diſtinction than any that can be taken from their teeth or their claws. Nature, by this extraordinary peculiarity, ſeems to have ſe⯑parated them in a very diſtinguiſhed manner; ſo that, inſtead of claſſing the hedge-hog among the moles, or the porcupine with the hare, as ſome have done, it is much more natural and obvious to place them, and others approaching them in this ſtrange peculiarity, in a claſs by themſelves: nor let it be ſuppoſed, that while I thus alter their arrangement, and ſeparate them from animals with which they have been for⯑merly combined, that I am deſtroying any ſecret affinities that exiſt in nature. It is natural, in⯑deed, for readers to ſuppoſe, when they ſee two [100] ſuch oppoſite animals as the hare and the porcupine aſſembled together in the ſame groupe, that there muſt be ſome material rea⯑ſon, ſome ſecret connexion, for thus joining animals ſo little reſembling each other in appearance. But the reaſons for this union were very ſlight, and merely aroſe from a ſimi⯑litude in the fore teeth: no likeneſs in the in⯑ternal conformation; no ſimilitude in nature, in habitudes, or diſpoſition; in ſhort, nothing to faſten the link that combines them, but the ſimilitude in the teeth: this, therefore, may be eaſily diſpenſed with; and, as was ſaid, it will be moſt proper to claſs them according to their moſt ſtriking ſimilitudes.

The Hedge-hog, with an appearance the moſt formidable, is yet one of the moſt harmleſs animals in the world: unable or unwilling to offend, all its precautions are only directed to its own ſecurity; and it is armed with a thou⯑ſand points, to keep off the enemy, but not to invade him. While other creatures truſt to their force, their cunning, or their ſwiftneſs, this animal, deſtitute of all, has but one ex⯑pedient for ſafety; and from this alone it often finds protection. As ſoon as it perceives itſelf attacked, it withdraws all its vulnerable parts, rolls itſelf into a ball, and preſents nothing but its defenſive thorns to the enemy; thus, while [101] it attempts to injure no other quadrupede, they are equally incapable of injuring it: like thoſe knights, we have ſomewhere read of, who were armed in ſuch a manner, that they could neither conquer others, nor be themſelves over⯑come.

This animal is of two kinds; one with a noſe like the ſnout of an hog; the other, more ſhort and blunt, like that of a dog. That with the muzzle of a dog is the moſt common, being about ſix inches in length, from the tip of the noſe to the inſertion of the tail. The tail is little more than an inch long; and ſo concealed by the ſpines, as to be ſcarce viſible: the head, back, and ſides, are covered with prickles; the noſe, breaſt, and belly, are covered with fine ſoft hair^*; the legs are ſhort, of a duſky colour, and almoſt bare; the toes on each foot are five in number, long and ſeparated; the prickles are about an inch in length, and very ſharp pointed; their lower part is white, the middle black, and the points white: the eyes are ſmall, and placed high in the head; the ears are round, pretty large, and naked; the mouth is ſmall, but well furniſhed with teeth; theſe, however, it only uſes in chewing its food, [102] but neither in attacking or defending itſelf againſt other animals. Its only reliance in caſes of danger, is on its ſpines; the inſtant it per⯑ceives an enemy, it puts itſelf into a poſture of defence, and keeps upon its guard until it ſuppoſes the danger over. On ſuch occaſions, it immediately alters its whole appearance: from its uſual form, ſomewhat reſembling a ſmall animal, with a bunch on its back, the animal begins to bend its back, to lay its head upon its breaſt, to ſhut its eyes, to roll down the ſkin of its ſides towards the legs, to draw theſe up, and, laſtly, to tuck them in on every ſide, by drawing the ſkin ſtill cloſer. In this form, which the hedge-hog always puts on when diſturbed, it no way reſembles an animal, but rather a roundiſh maſs of prickles, impervious on every ſide. The ſhape of the animal thus rolled up, ſomewhat reſembles a cheſtnut in the huſk; there being, on one ſide, a kind of flat ſpace, which is that on which the head and legs have been tucked in.

Such is the uſual appearance of the hedge-hog, upon the approach of any danger. Thus rolled up in a lump, it patiently waits till its enemy paſſes by, or is fatigued with fruitleſs attempts to annoy it. The cat, the weaſel, the ferret, and the martin, quickly decline the combat; and the dog himſelf generally ſpends [103] his time in empty menaces, rather than in ef⯑fectual efforts. Every encreaſe of danger only encreaſes the animal's precautions to keep on its guard; its aſſailant vainly attempts to bite, ſince he thus more frequently feels than inflicts a wound; he ſtands enraged and barking, and rolls it along with his paws; ſtill, however, the hedge-hog patiently ſubmits to every indignity, but continues ſecure; and ſtill more to diſguſt its enemy with the conteſt, ſheds its urine, the ſmell of which is alone ſufficient to ſend him away. In this manner the dog, after barking for ſome time, leaves the hedge-hog where he found him; who perceiving the danger paſt, at length peeps out from its ball, and, if not in⯑terrupted, creeps ſlowly to its retreat.

The hedge-hog, like moſt other wild ani⯑mals, ſleeps by day, and ventures out by night. It generally reſides in ſmall thickets, in hedges, or in ditches covered with buſhes; there it makes an hole of about ſix or eight inches deep, and lies well wrapped up, in moſs, graſs, or leaves. Its food is roots, fruits, worms, and inſects. It is alſo ſaid to ſuck cattle, and hurt their udders; but the ſmallneſs of its mouth will ſerve to clear it from this reproach. It is ſaid alſo to be very hurtful in gardens and orchards, where it will roll itſelf in [104] an heap of fruit, and ſo carry a large quantity away upon its prickles; but this imputation is as ill grounded as the former, ſince the ſpines are ſo diſpoſed, that no fruit will ſtick upon them, even if we ſhould try to fix them on. It rather appears to be a very ſerviceable animal, in ridding our fields of inſects and worms, which are ſo prejudicial to vegetation.

Mr. Buffon, who kept theſe animals tame about his houſe, acquits them of the reproach of being miſchievous in the garden; but then he accuſes them of tricks, of which from the form and habits of this animal one would be never led to ſuſpect them. ‘"I have often," ſays he, "had the female and her young brought me about the beginning of June: they are generally from three to five in number: they are white in the beginning, and only the marks of their ſpines appear: I was willing to rear ſome of them, and accordingly put the dam and her young into a tub, with abundant proviſion beſide them; but the old animal, inſtead of ſuckling her young, devoured them all, one after another. On another occaſion, an hedge-hog that had made its way into the kitchen, diſcovered a little pot, in which there was meat prepared for boiling; the miſchievous animal drew out the meat, and left its excrements in [] Figure 9. The Hedge Hog.Figure 9. Fig. 1. without the Bristles.De Seve del.Iſ^c. Taylor sculp [104] [...] [] [...] [105] the ſtead. I kept males and females in the ſame apartment, where they lived together but never coupled. I permitted ſeveral of them to go about my garden; they did very little damage, and it was ſcarcely perceivable that they were there: they lived upon the fruits that fell from the trees; they dug the earth into ſhallow holes; they eat catterpillars, beetles, and worms; they were alſo very fond of fleſh, which they devoured boiled or raw."’

They couple in ſpring, and bring forth about the beginning of ſummer. They ſleep during the winter; and what is ſaid of their laying up proviſions for that ſeaſon, is conſe⯑quently falſe. They at no time eat much, and can remain very long without any food whatſo⯑ever. Their blood is cold, like all other animals that ſleep during the winter. Their fleſh is not good for food; and their ſkins are converted to ſcarce any uſe, except to muzzle calves, to keep them from ſucking.

CHAP. IV. Of Quadrupedes covered with Scales or Shells inſtead of Hair^*.

WHEN we talk of a quadrupede, the name ſeems to imply an animal covered with hair; when we mention a bird, it is natural to conceive a creature covered with feathers; when we hear of a fiſh, its ſcales are generally the firſt part that ſtrikes our imagination. Nature, however, owns none of our diſtinctions; various in all her operations, ſhe mixes her plans, groupes her pictures, and excites our wonder as well by her general laws as by her deviations. Quadru⯑pedes, which we have conſidered as making the firſt general claſs in animated nature, and next to man the moſt dignified tenants of the earth, are yet in many reſpects related to the claſſes beneath them, and do not in every reſpect pre⯑ſerve their uſual diſtinctions. Their firſt cha⯑racter, which conſiſts in having four feet, is [117] common to the lizard kind as well as to them. The ſecond prerogative, which is that of bring⯑ing forth living young, is found in the cetaceous tribe of fiſhes, and alſo in inſects without num⯑ber. Their third and laſt attribute, which ſeems more general and conſtant than the former, that of being covered with hair, is yet found in various other animals, and is deficient in quadrupedes themſelves. Thus we muſt be cautious of judging of the nature of animals from one ſingle character, which is always found incomplete; for it often happens that three or four of the moſt general characters will not ſuffice. It muſt be by a general enumeration of the parts that we can determine preciſely of the works of the creation; and, inſtead of de⯑finitions, learn to deſcribe. Had this method been followed, much of the diſguſt and the in⯑tricacy of hiſtory might have been avoided, and that time, which is now employed in combating error, laid out in the promoting of ſcience.

Were we to judge of nature from definitions only, we ſhould never be induced to ſuppoſe that there exiſted races of viviparous quadru⯑pedes deſtitute of hair, and furniſhed with ſcales and ſhells in their ſtead. However, nature, every way various, ſupplies us with many in⯑ſtances [118] of theſe extraordinary creatures; the old world has its quadrupedes covered with ſcales, and the new with a ſhell. In both they reſemble each other, as well in the ſtrangeneſs of their appetites as in their aukward conformation. Like animals but partially made up, and par⯑taking of different natures, they want thoſe in⯑ſtincts which animals formed but for one ele⯑ment alone are found to poſſeſs. They ſeem to be a kind of ſtrangers in nature, creatures taken from ſome other element, and capriciouſly thrown to find a precarious ſubſiſtence upon land.

The Pangolin, which is a native of the torrid climates of the ancient continent, is, of all other animals, the beſt protected from external in⯑jury by Nature. It is about three or four feet long, or, taking in the tail, from ſix to eight. Like the lizard, it has a ſmall head, a very long noſe, a ſhort thick neck, a long body, legs very ſhort, and a tail extremely long, thick at the inſertion, and terminating in a point. It has no teeth, but is armed with five toes on each foot, with long white claws. But what it is chiefly diſtinguiſhed by is its ſcaly covering, which in ſome meaſure hides all the proportions of its body. Theſe ſcales defend the animal on all parts, except the under part of the head and neck, under the ſhoulders, the breaſt, the belly, and the inner ſide of the legs; all which parts are covered with a ſmooth ſoft ſkin, with⯑out [] [...] [119] [...] [120] hair. Between the ſhells of this animal, at all the interſtices, are ſeen hairs like briſtles, brown at the extremity and yellow towards the root. The ſcales of this extraordinary creature are of different ſizes and different forms, and ſtuck upon the body ſomewhat like the leaves of an artichoak. The largeſt are found near the tail, which is covered with them like the reſt of the body. Theſe are above three inches broad, and about two inches long, thick in the middle and ſharp at the edges, and terminated in a roundiſh point. They are extremely hard, and their ſubſtance reſembles that of horn. They are convex on the outſide and a little con⯑cave on the inner; one edge ſticks in the ſkin, while the other laps over that immediately be⯑hind it. Thoſe that cover the tail conform to the ſhape of that part, being of a duſky brown colour, and ſo hard, when the animal has ac⯑quired its full growth, as to turn a muſquet-ball.

Thus armed, this animal fears nothing from the efforts of all other creatures, except man. The inſtant it perceives the approach of an enemy, it rolls itſelf up like the hedge-hog, and preſents no part but the cutting edges of its ſcales to the aſſailant. Its long tail, which, [121] at firſt view, might be thought eaſily ſeparable, ſerves ſtill more to encreaſe the animal's ſe⯑curity. This is lapped round the reſt of the body, and, being defended with ſhells even more cutting than any other part, the creature continues in perfect ſecurity. Its ſhells are ſo large, ſo thick, and ſo pointed, that they repel every animal of prey; they make a coat of ar⯑mour that wounds while it reſiſts, and at once protects and threatens. The moſt cruel, the moſt famiſhed quadrupede of the foreſt, the tiger, the panther, and the hyena, make vain attempts to force it. They tread upon, they roll it about, but all to no purpoſe; the pangolin remains ſafe within, while its invader almoſt always feels the reward of its raſhneſs. The fox often deſtroys the hedge-hog by preſſing it with his weight, and thus obliges it to put forth its noſe, which he in⯑ſtantly ſeizes, and ſoon after the whole body; but the ſcales of the pangolin effectually ſup⯑port it under any ſuch weight, while nothing that the ſtrongeſt animals are capable of doing can compel it to ſurrender. Man alone ſeems furniſhed with arms to conquer its obſtinacy. The Negroes of Africa, when they find it, beat it to death with clubs, and conſider its fleſh as a very great delicacy.

[122]But, although this animal be ſo formidable in its appearance, there cannot be a more harm⯑leſs inoffenſive creature when unmoleſted. It is even unqualified by Nature to injure larger animals, if it had the diſpoſition, for it has no teeth. It ſhould ſeem that the bony matter, which goes in other animals to ſupply the teeth, is exhauſted in this in ſupplying the ſcales that go to the covering of its body. However this be, its life ſeems correſpondent to its peculiar conformation. Incapable of being carnivorous, ſince it has no teeth, nor of ſubſiſting on ve⯑getables, which require much chewing, it lives entirely upon inſects, for which Nature has fitted it in a very extraordinary manner. As it has a long noſe, ſo it may naturally be ſuppoſed to have a long tongue; but, to encreaſe its length ſtill more, it is doubled in the mouth, ſo that when extended it is ſhot out to above a quarter of a yard beyond the tip of the noſe. This tongue is round, extremely red, and covered with an unctuous and ſlimy liquor, which gives it a ſhining hue. When the pangolin, therefore, approaches an ant hill, for theſe are the inſects on which it chiefly feeds, it lies down near it, concealing as much as poſſible the place of its retreat, and ſtretching out its long tongue [123] among the ants, keeps it for ſome time quite immoveable. Theſe little animals, allured by its appearance, and the unctuous ſubſtance with which it is imeared, inſtantly gather upon it in great numbers; and when the pangolin ſuppoſes a ſufficiency, it quickly withdraws the tongue, and ſwallows them at once. This peculiar manner of hunting for its prey is repeated either till it be ſatisfied, or till the ants, grown more cautious, will be allured to their deſtruction no longer. It is againſt theſe noxious inſects, therefore, that its only force or cunning is exerted; and were the Negroes but ſufficiently ſenſible of its utility in deſtroying one of the greateſt peſts to their country, they would not be ſo eager to kill it. But it is the nature of ſavage man to purſue the immediate good, with⯑out being ſolicitous about the more diſtant be⯑nefit they remove. They, therefore, hunt this animal, with the utmoſt avidity, for its fleſh; and, as it is ſlow and unable to eſcape in an open place, they ſeldom fail of deſtroying it. However, it chiefly keeps in the moſt obſcure parts of the foreſt, and digs itſelf a retreat in the clefts of rocks, where it brings forth its young, ſo that it is but rarely met with, and continues a ſolitary ſpecies, and an extraor⯑dinary inſtance of the varying of Nature.

[124]Of this animal, there is a variety which is called the Phatagin, much leſs than the former, being not above a foot long from the head to the tail, with ſhells differently formed, with its belly, breaſt, and throat covered with hair, in⯑ſtead of a ſmooth ſkin as in the former; but that by which it is peculiarly diſtinguiſhed is the ex⯑tent of its tail, which is above twice the length of its body. Both are found in the warm lati⯑tudes of the Eaſt, as well as in Africa; and, as their numbers are but few, it is to be ſuppoſed their fecundity is not great.

CHAP. V. Of Animals of the Bat Kind.

HAVING in the laſt chapter deſcribed a race of animals that unite the boundaries be⯑tween quadrupedes and inſects, I come in this to a very different claſs, that ſerve to fill up the chaſm between quadrupedes and birds. Some naturaliſts, indeed, have found animals of the bat kind ſo much partaking of the nature of both, that they have been at a loſs in which rank to place them, and have doubted, in giving the hiſtory of the Bat, whether it was a beaſt or a bird they were deſcribing. Theſe doubts, however, no longer exiſt; they are now univerſally made to take their place among quadrupedes, to which their bringing forth their young alive, their hair, their teeth, as well as the reſt of their habi⯑tudes and conformation, evidently entitle them. Pliny, Geſner, and Aldrovandus, who placed them among birds, did not conſider that they wanted every character of that order of animals, except the power of flying. Indeed, when this animal is ſeen with an aukward and ſtruggling motion, ſupporting itſelf in the air at the duſk of the evening, it preſents in ſome meaſure the [135] appearance of a bird; but naturaliſts, whoſe buſineſs it is to examine it more cloſely, to watch its habitudes, and inſpect into its forma⯑tion, are inexcuſable for concurring in the miſtake.

The bat in ſcarce any particular reſembles the bird, except in its power of ſuſtaining itſelf in the air. It brings forth its young alive; it ſuckles them; its mouth is furniſhed with teeth; its lungs are formed like thoſe of qua⯑drupedes; its inteſtines, and its ſkeleton, have a complete reſemblance, and even are, in ſome meaſure, ſeen to reſemble thoſe of mankind^*.

The bat moſt common in England, is about the ſize of a mouſe; or nearly two inches and an half long. The membranes that are uſually called wings, are, properly ſpeaking, an ex⯑tenſion of the ſkin all round the body, except the head, which, when the animal flies, is kept ſtretched on every ſide, by the four interior toes of the fore feet, which are enormouſly long, and ſerve like maſts that keep the can⯑vaſs of a ſail ſpread, and regulate its motions^†. The firſt toe is quite looſe, and ſerves as a heel when the bat walks, or as an hook, when it would adhere to any thing. The hind feet are diſengaged from the ſurrounding ſkin, [136] and divided into five toes, ſomewhat reſem⯑bling thoſe of a mouſe. The ſkin by which it flies is of a duſky colour. The body is covered with a ſhort fur, of a mouſe colour, tinged with red. The eyes are very ſmall; the ears like thoſe of a mouſe.

This ſpecies of the bat is very common in England. It makes its firſt appearance early in ſummer, and begins its flight in the duſk of the evening. It principally frequents the ſides of woods, glades, and ſhady walks; and is frequently obſerved to ſkim along the ſurface of pieces of water. It purſues gnats, moths, and nocturnal inſects of every kind. It feeds upon theſe; but will not refuſe meat, wherever it can find it. Its flight is a laborious, irre⯑gular movement; and if it happens to be in⯑terrupted in its courſe, it cannot readily pre⯑pare for a ſecond elevation; ſo that if it ſtrikes againſt any object, and falls to the ground, it is uſually taken. It appears only in the moſt pleaſant evenings, when its prey is generally abroad, and flies in purſuit with its mouth open. At other times it continues in its re⯑treat; the chink of a ruined building, or the hollow of a tree. Thus this little animal, even in ſummer, ſleeps the greateſt part of its time, never venturing out by day-light, nor in rainy [137] weather; never hunting in queſt of prey, but for a ſmall part of the night, and then return⯑ing to its hole. But its ſhort life is ſtill more abridged by continuing in a torpid ſtate during the winter. At the approach of the cold ſeaſon, the bat prepares for its ſtate of lifeleſs inactivity, and ſeems rather to chuſe a place where it may continue ſafe from interruption, than where it may be warmly or conveniently lodged. For this reaſon it is uſually ſeen hanging by its hooked claws to the roofs of caves, regardleſs of the eternal damps that ſurround it. The bat ſeems the only animal that will venture to remain in theſe frightful ſubterranean abodes, where it continues in a torpid ſtate, unaffected by every change of the weather. Such of this kind as are not provident enough to procure themſelves a deep retreat, where the cold and heat ſeldom vary, are ſometimes expoſed to great inconveniences, for the weather often becomes ſo mild in the midſt of winter as to warm them prematurely into life, and to allure them from their holes in queſt of food, when Nature has not provided a ſupply. Theſe, therefore, have ſeldom ſtrength to return; but, having exhauſted themſelves in a vain purſuit, after inſects which are not to be found, are deſtroyed by the owl, or any other animal that follows ſuch petty prey.

[138]The bat couples and brings forth in ſummer, generally from two to five at a time: of this I am certain, that I have found five young ones in a hole together; but whether they were the iſſue of one parent, I cannot tell. The female has but two nipples, and thoſe forward on the breaſt, as in the human kind. This was a ſuf⯑ficient motive for Linnaeus to give it the title of a Primas, to rank it in the ſame order with mankind; and to puſh this contemptible animal among the chiefs of the creation. Such ar⯑bitrary aſſociations produce rather ridicule than inſtruction, and render even method contemp⯑tible: however, we are to forgive too ſtrong an attachment to ſyſtem in this able naturaliſt, ſince his application to the particular hiſtory of the animal, counterbalances the defect^*.

From Linnaeus we learn, that the female makes no neſt for her young, as moſt birds and quadru⯑pedes are known to do. She is barely content with the firſt hole ſhe meets, where ſticking her⯑ſelf by her hooks againſt the ſides of her apart⯑ment, ſhe permits her young to hang at the nipple, and in this manner to continue for the firſt or ſecond day. When, after ſome time, the dam begins to grow hungry, and finds a neceſſity of ſtirring abroad, ſhe takes her little [139] ones and ſticks them to the wall, in the manner ſhe before hung herſelf; there they immoveably cling, and patiently wait till her return.

Thus far this animal ſeems cloſely allied to the quadrupede race. Its ſimilitude to that of birds is leſs ſtriking. As Nature has furniſhed birds with extremely ſtrong pectoral muſcles, to move the wings, and direct their flight, ſo has it alſo furniſhed this animal. As birds alſo have their legs weak, and unfit for the purpoſes of motion, the bat has its legs faſhioned in the ſame manner, and is never ſeen to walk, or, more properly ſpeaking, to puſh itſelf forward with its hind legs, but in caſes of extreme ne⯑ceſſity. The toes of the fore legs, or, if we may uſe the expreſſion, its extremely long fingers, extend the web like a membrane that lies between them; and this, which is ex⯑tremely thin, ſerves to lift the little body into the air: in this manner, by an unceaſing per⯑cuſſion, much ſwifter than that of birds, the animal continues, and directs its flight; how⯑ever, the great labour required in flying, ſoon fatigues it; for, unlike birds, which continue for days together upon the wing, the bat is tired in leſs than an hour, and then returns to its hole, ſatisfied with its ſupply, to enjoy the darkneſs of its retreat.

[140]If we conſider the bat as it is ſeen in our own country, we ſhall find it an harmleſs, inoffenſive creature. It is true that it now and then ſteals into a larder, and, like a mouſe, commits its petty thefts upon the fatteſt parts of the bacon. But this happens ſeldom; the general tenor of its induſtry is employed in purſuing inſects that are much more noxious to us than itſelf can poſſibly be; while its evening flight, and its unſteady wabbling motion, amuſe the ima⯑gination, and add one figure more to the pleaſing groupe of animated nature.

The varieties of this animal, eſpecially in our country, are but few; and the differences ſcarce worth enumeration. Naturaliſts mention the Long ear'd Bat, much leſs than that generally ſeen, and with much longer ears; the Horſe ſhoe Bat, with an odd protuberance round its upper lip, ſomewhat in the form of an horſe-ſhoe; the Rhinoceros Bat, with an horn growing from the noſe, ſomewhat ſimilar to that animal from whence it has the name. Theſe, with ſeveral others, whoſe varieties are too numerous, and differences too minute for a detail, are all in⯑offenſive, minute, and contemptible; incapable, from their ſize, of injuring mankind, and not ſufficiently numerous much to incommode him. But there is a larger race of bats, found in the [141] Eaſt and Weſt-Indies, that are truly for⯑midable; each of theſe is ſingly a dangerous enemy; but when they unite in flocks, they then become dreadful. Were the inhabitants of the African coaſts^*, ſays Des Marchais, to eat animals of the bat kind, as they do in the Eaſt-Indies, they would never want a ſupply of proviſions. They are there in ſuch numbers, that, when they fly, they obſcure the ſetting ſun. In the morning, at peep of day, they are ſeen ſticking upon the tops of the trees, and clinging to each other, like bees when they ſwarm, or like large cluſters of coco. The Europeans often amuſe themſelves with ſhoot⯑ing among this huge maſs of living crea⯑tures, and obſerving their embarraſſment when wounded. They ſometimes enter the houſes, and the Negroes are expert at killing them; but although theſe people ſeem for ever hungry, yet they regard the bat with horror, and will not eat it, though ready to ſtarve.

An animal not ſo formidable, but ſtill more miſchievous than theſe, is the American Vam⯑pyre. This is leſs than the former; but more deformed, and ſtill more numerous. It is furniſhed with an horn like the rhinoceros bat; and its ears are extremely long. The other kinds generally reſort to the foreſt, and the moſt deſerted places; but theſe come into towns and cities, and, after ſun-ſet, when they begin to fly, cover the ſtreets like a canopy^*. They are the common peſt both of men and animals; they effectually deſtroy the one, and often diſtreſs the other. ‘"They are," ſays Ulloa, "the moſt expert blood-letters in the world. The inhabitants of thoſe warm lati⯑tudes being obliged, by the exceſſive heats, to [144] leave open the doors and windows of the cham⯑bers where they ſleep, the vampyres enter, and if they find any part of the body expoſed, they never fail to faſten upon it. There they continue to ſuck the blood; and it often happens that the perſon dies under the opera⯑tion. They inſinuate their tooth into a vein, with all the art of the moſt experienced ſurgeon, continuing to exhauſt the body, until they are ſatiated. I have been aſſured," continues he, "by perſons of the ſtricteſt veracity, that ſuch an accident has happened to them; and that, had they not providentially awaked, their ſleep would have been their paſſage into eter⯑nity; having loſt ſo large a quantity of blood as hardly to find ſtrength to bind up the ori⯑fice. The reaſon why the puncture is not felt is, beſides the great precaution with which it is made, the gentle refreſhing agitation of the bat's wings, which contribute to encreaſe ſleep, and ſoften the pain."’

The purport of this account has been con⯑firmed by various other travellers; who all agree that this bat is poſſeſſed of a faculty of drawing the blood from perſons ſleeping; and thus often deſtroying them before they awake. But ſtill a very ſtrong difficulty re⯑mains [145] to be accounted for; the manner in which they inflict the wound. Ulloa, as has been ſeen, ſuppoſes that it is done by a ſingle tooth; but this we know to be impoſſible, ſince the animal cannot infix one tooth without all the reſt accompanying its motions; the teeth of the bat kind being pretty even, and the mouth but ſmall. Mr. Buffon therefore ſuppoſes the wound to be inflicted by the tongue; which, however, appears to me too large to inflict an unpainful wound; and even leſs qualified for that purpoſe than the teeth. Nor can the tongue, as Mr. Buffon ſeems to ſuppoſe, ſerve for the purpoſes of ſuction, ſince for this it muſt be hollow, like a ſyringe, which it is not found to be. I ſhould therefore ſuppoſe, that the animal is endowed with a ſtrong power of ſuction; and that, without inflicting any wound whatſoever, by continuing to draw, it enlarges the pores of the ſkin in ſuch a manner that the blood at length paſſes, and that more freely the longer the operation is continued; ſo that, at laſt, when the bat goes off, the blood con⯑tinues to flow. In confirmation of this opinion we are told, that where beaſts have a thick ſkin, this animal cannot injure them; whereas, in horſes, mules, and aſſes, they are very liable [146] to be thus deſtroyed. As to the reſt, theſe animals are conſidered as one of the great peſts of South America; and often prevent the peopling of many parts of that continent: having deſtroyed at Barja, and ſeveral other places, ſuch cattle as were brought there by the miſſionaries, in order to form a ſettle⯑ment.

CHAP. VI. Of Amphibious Quadrupedes.

THE gradations of Nature from one claſs of beings to another are made by imperceptible devi⯑ations. As we ſaw in the foregoing chapters qua⯑drupedes almoſt degraded into the inſect tribe, or mounted among the inhabitants of the air, we are at preſent to obſerve their approach to fiſhes, to trace the degrees by which they become more unlike terreſtrial animals, till the ſimilitude of the fiſh prevails over that of the quadrupede.

As in oppoſite armies the two bodies are di⯑ſtinct and ſeparated from each other, while yet between them are various troops that plunder on both ſides and are friends to neither, ſo be⯑tween terreſtrial and aquatic animals there are tribes that can ſcarce be referred to any rank, but lead an amphibious life between them. Sometimes in water, ſometimes on land, they ſeem fitted for each element, and yet completely adapted to neither. Wanting the agility of quadrupedes upon land, and the perſeverance of fiſhes in the deep, the variety of their powers only ſeems to diminiſh their force; and, though poſſeſſed of two different methods of living, [148] they are more inconveniently provided than ſuch as have but one.

All quadrupedes of this kind, though co⯑vered with hair in the uſual manner, are fur⯑niſhed with membranes between the toes, which aſſiſt their motion in the water. Their paws are broad and their legs ſhort, by which they are more completely fitted for ſwimming, for taking ſhort ſtrokes at a time they make them oftner and with greater rapidity. Some, how⯑ever, of theſe animals are more adapted to live in the water than others; but, as their power encreaſes to live in the deep, their unfitneſs for living upon land encreaſes in the ſame propor⯑tion. Some, like the otter, reſemble quadrupedes in every thing except in being in ſome meaſure web-footed; others depart ſtill further, in being, like the beaver, not only web-footed, but hav⯑ing the tail covered with ſcales, like thoſe of a fiſh. Others depart yet farther, as the ſeal and the morſe, by having the hind feet ſtuck to the body like fins; and others, as the lamentin, almoſt entirely reſemble fiſhes, by having no hind feet whatſoever. Such are the gradations of the amphibious tribe. They all, however, get their living in the water, either by habit or conformation; they all continue a long time under water; they all conſider that element as [149] their proper abode; whenever preſt by danger, they fly to the water for ſecurity; and, when upon land, appear watchful, timorous, and un⯑wieldy.

In the firſt ſtep of the progreſſion from land to amphibious animals, we find the Otter, re⯑ſembling thoſe of the terreſtrial kind in ſhape, hair, and internal conformation; reſembling the aquatic tribes in its manner of living, and in having membranes between the toes to aſſiſt it in ſwimming. From this peculiar make of its feet, which are very ſhort, it ſwims even faſter than it runs, and can overtake fiſhes in their own element. The colour of this animal is brown; and it is ſomewhat of the ſhape of an overgrown weaſel, being long, ſlender, and ſoft ſkinned. However, if we examine its figure in detail, we ſhall find it unlike any other animal hitherto deſcribed, and of ſuch a ſhape as words can but weakly convey. Its uſual length is about two feet long, from the tip of the noſe to the in⯑ſertion of the tail; the head and noſe are broad and flat; the mouth bears ſome ſimilitude to that of a fiſh; the neck is ſhort, and equal in thickneſs to the head; the body long; the tail broad at the inſertion, but tapering off to a point at the end; the eyes are very ſmall, and placed nearer the noſe than uſual in quadru⯑pedes. [150] The legs are very ſhort, but remarkably ſtrong, broad, and muſcular. The joints are articulated ſo looſely, that the animal is capable of turning them quite back, and bringing them on a line with the body, ſo as to perform the office of fins. Each foot is furniſhed with five toes, connected by ſtrong broad webs like thoſe of water fowl. Thus Nature, in every part, has had attention to the life of an animal whoſe food is fiſh, and whoſe haunts muſt neceſſarily be about water.

The otter has two different methods of fiſhing; the one by catching its prey from the bottom upward, the other by purſuing it into ſome little creek and ſeizing it there. In the former caſe, as this animal has longer lungs than moſt other quadrupedes, upon taking in a quantity of air, it can remain for ſome minutes at the bottom; and whatever fiſh paſſes over at that time is certainly taken; for, as the eyes of fiſh are placed ſo as not to ſee under them, the otter attacks them off their guard from be⯑low; and, ſeizing them at once by the belly, drags them on ſhore, where it often leaves them untouched, to continue the purſuit for hours together. The other method is chiefly practiſed in lakes and ponds, where there is no current; the fiſh thus taken are rather of the ſmaller kind, for the great ones will never be driven out of deep water.

In this manner the otter uſually lives during the ſummer, being furniſhed with a ſupply much greater than its conſumption; killing for its amuſement, and infecting the edges of the lake with quantities of dead fiſh, which it leaves there as trophies rather of its victory than its neceſſities. But in winter, when the lakes are [152] frozen over, and the rivers pour with a rapid torrent, the otter is often greatly diſtreſſed for proviſions; and is then obliged to live upon graſs, weeds, and even the bark of trees. It then comes upon land, and, grown courageous from neceſſity, feeds upon terreſtrial animals, rats, inſects, and even ſheep themſelves. Na⯑ture, however, has given it the power of con⯑tinuing a long time without food; and, although during that ſeaſon it is not rendered quite tor⯑pid, like the marmout or the dormouſe, yet it keeps much more within its retreat, which is uſually the hollow of a bank worn under by the water. There it often forms a kind of gal⯑lery, running for ſeveral yards along the edge of the water; ſo that when attacked at one end, it flies to the other, and often evades the fowler by plunging into the water at forty or fifty paces diſtance, while he expects to find it juſt before him.

We learn from Mr. Buffon that this animal, in France, couples in winter and brings forth in the beginning of ſpring. But it is certainly different with us, for its young are never found till the latter end of ſummer; and I have fre⯑quently, when a boy, diſcovered their retreats, and purſued them at that ſeaſon. I am, there⯑fore, more inclined to follow the account given [153] us of this animal by Mr. Lots, of the Academy of Stockholm, who aſſures us that it couples about the middle of ſummer, and brings forth, at the end of nine weeks, generally three or four at a time. This, as well as the generality of his other remarks on this ſubject, agrees ſo ex⯑actly with what I remember concerning it, that I will beg leave to take him for my guide, aſ⯑ſuring the reader that, however extraordinary the account may ſeem, I know it to be certainly true.

In the rivers and the lakes frequented by the otter, the bottom is generally ſtony and uneven, with many trunks of trees, and long roots ſtretching underneath the water^*. The ſhore alſo is hollow and ſcooped inward by the waves. Theſe are the places the otter chiefly chuſes for its retreat; and there is ſcarce a ſtone which does not bear the mark of its reſidence, as upon them its excrements are always made. It is chiefly by this mark that its lurking places are known, as well as by the quantity of dead fiſh that are found lying here and there upon the banks of the water. To take the old ones alive is no eaſy taſk, as they are extremely ſtrong, and there are few dogs that will dare to encounter them. They bite with great fierce⯑neſs, [154] and never let go their hold when they have once faſtened. The beſt way, therefore, is to ſhoot them at once, as they never will be thoroughly tamed; and, if kept for the purpoſes of fiſhing, are always apt to take the firſt opportunity of eſcaping. But the young ones may be more eaſily taken, and con⯑verted to very uſeful purpoſes. The otter brings forth its young generally under the hol⯑low banks, upon a bed of ruſhes, flags, or ſuch weeds as the place affords it in greateſt quan⯑tities. I ſee in the Britiſh Zoology a deſcription of its habitation, where that naturaliſt obſerves, ‘"that it burrows under ground, on the banks of ſome river or lake, and always makes the entrance of its hole under water, then works up to the ſurface of the earth, and there makes a minute orifice for the admiſſion of air; and this little air-hole is often found in the middle of ſome thicket."’ In ſome places this may be true, but I have never obſerved any ſuch con⯑trivance; the retreat, indeed, was always at the edge of the water, but it was only ſheltered by the impending bank, and the otter itſelf ſeemed to have but a ſmall ſhare in its formation. But, be this as it may, the young ones are always found at the edge of the water; and, if under the protection of the dam, ſhe teaches [155] them inſtantly to plunge, like herſelf, into the deep, and eſcape among the ruſhes or weeds that fringe the ſtream. At ſuch times, there⯑fore, it is very difficult to take them; for, though never ſo young they ſwim with great rapidity, and in ſuch a manner that no part of them is ſeen above water, except the tip of the noſe. It is only when the dam is abſent that they can be taken; and in ſome places there are dogs purpoſely trained for diſcovering their retreats. Whenever the dog comes to the place, he ſoon, by his barking, ſhews that the otter is there; which, if there be an old one, inſtantly plunges into the water, and the young all follow. But if the old one be abſent, they continue terrified, and will not venture forth but under her guidance and protection. In this manner they are ſecured and taken home alive, where they are carefully fed with ſmall fiſh and water. In proportion, however, as they gather ſtrength, they have milk mixed among their food, the quantity of their fiſh proviſion is retrenched, and that of vegetables is encreaſed, until at length they are fed wholly upon bread, which perfectly agrees with their conſtitution. The manner of training them up to hunt for fiſh requires not only aſſiduity but patience; however, their activity and uſe, when [156] taught, greatly repays the trouble of teaching; and, perhaps, no other animal is more bene⯑ficial to its maſter. The uſual way is, firſt to learn them to fetch as dogs are inſtructed; but, as they have not the ſame docility, ſo it requires more art and experience to teach them. It is uſually performed by accuſtoming them to take a truſs ſtuffed with wool, of the ſhape of a fiſh, and made of leather, in their mouths, and to drop it at the word of command; to run after it when thrown forward, and to bring it to their maſter. From this they proceed to real fiſh, which are thrown dead into the water, and which they are taught to fetch from thence. From the dead they proceed to the live, until at laſt the animal is perfectly inſtructed in the whole art of fiſhing. An otter thus taught is a very valuable animal, and will catch fiſh enough to ſuſtain not only itſelf but a whole family. I have ſeen one of theſe go to a gentleman's pond at the word of command, drive up the fiſh into a corner, and, ſeizing up the largeſt of the whole, bringing it off, in its mouth, to its maſter.

Otters are to be met with in moſt parts of the world, and rather differ in ſize and colour from each other, than in habitudes or confor⯑mation^*. In North America and Carolina [157] they are uſually found white, inclining to yellow. The Braſilian otter is much larger than ours, with a roundiſh head, almoſt like a cat. The tail is ſhorter, being but five inches long; and the hair is ſoft, ſhort, and black, except on the head, where it is of a dark brown, with a yel⯑lowiſh ſpot under the throat.

CHAP. VII. Of Animals of the Monkey Kind.

QUADRUPEDES may be conſidered as a numerous groupe, terminated on every ſide by ſome that but in part deſerve the name. On one quarter we ſee a tribe covered with quills, or furniſhed with wings, that lift them among the inhabitants of air; on another, we behold a diverſity cloathed with ſcales and ſhells, to rank with inſects; and ſtill, on a third, we ſee them deſcending into the waters, to live among the mute tenants of that element. We now come to a numerous tribe, that, leaving the brute creation, ſeem to make approaches even to humanity; that bear an aukward reſemblance of the human form, and diſcover ſome faint efforts at intellectual ſagacity.

Animals of the monkey claſs are furniſhed with hands inſtead of paws; their ears, eyes, eye-lids, lips, and breaſts, are like thoſe of man⯑kind; their internal conformation alſo bears ſome diſtant likeneſs; and the whole offers a picture that may well mortify the pride of ſuch as make their perſons alone the principal object of their admiration.

Theſe approaches, however, are gradual; and [188] ſome bear the marks of this our boaſted form, more ſtrongly than others.

In the Ape kind we ſee the whole external machine ſtrongly impreſſed with the human like⯑neſs, and capable of the ſame exertions: theſe walk upright, want a tail, have fleſhy poſteriors, have calves to their legs, and feet nearly like ours.

In the Baboon kind we perceive a more diſtant approach to the human form; the quadrupede mixing in every part of the animal's figure: theſe generally go upon all fours; but ſome, when upright, are as tall as a man; they have ſhort tails, long ſnouts, and are poſſeſſed of brutal fierceneſs.

The Monkey kind are removed a ſtep fur⯑ther: theſe are much leſs than the former, with tails as long, or longer than their bodies, and flattiſh faces.

Laſtly, the Maki and Opaſſum kind, ſeem to loſe all reſemblance of the human figure, ex⯑cept in having hands; their noſes are length⯑ened out, like thoſe of quadrupedes, and every part of their bodies totally different from the human; however, as they graſp their food, or other objects, with one hand, which quadru⯑pedes cannot do, this ſingle ſimilitude gives them an air of ſagacity, to which they have ſcarce any other pretenſions.

From this ſlight ſurvey it may be eaſily ſeen [189] that one general deſcription will not ſerve for animals ſo very different from each other: ne⯑vertheleſs, it would be fatiguing to the laſt de⯑gree, as their varieties are ſo numerous, and their differences ſo ſmall, to go through a particular deſcription of each. In this caſe it will be beſt to give an hiſtory of the foremoſt in each claſs; at the ſame time marking the diſtinctions in every ſpecies. By this we ſhall avoid a tedious repetition of ſimilar characters, and conſider the manners and the oddities of this phantaſtic tribe in general points of view; where we ſhall perceive how nearly they ap⯑proach to the human figure, and how little they benefit by the approximation.

The foremoſt of the Ape kind is the Ourang Outang, or Wild Man of the Woods. This name ſeems to have been given to various ani⯑mals, agreeing in one common character of walking upright, but coming from different countries, and of very different proportions and powers. The Troglodyte of Bontius, the Drill of Purchas, and the Pygmy of Tyſon, have all received this general name; and have been ranked, by ſome naturaliſts, under one general deſcription. If we read the accounts of many remote travellers, under this name we are preſented with a formidable animal, from [190] ſix to eight feet high; if we examine the books of ſuch as have deſcribed it nearer home, we find it a pigmy not above three. In this di⯑verſity we muſt be content to blend their va⯑rious deſcriptions into one general account; obſerving, at the ſame time, that we have no reaſon to doubt any of their relations, although we are puzzled which to follow.

The Ouran Outang, which, of all other ani⯑mals, moſt nearly approaches to the human race, is ſeen of different ſizes, from three to ſeven feet high. In general, however, its ſta⯑ture is leſs than that of a man; but its ſtrength and agility much greater. Travellers who have ſeen various kinds of theſe animals in their native ſolitudes, give us ſurprizing relations of their force, their ſwiftneſs, their addreſs, and their ferocity. Naturaliſts who have obſerved their form and manners at home, have been as much ſtruck with their patient, pliant, imitative diſpoſitions; with their appearance and con⯑formation, ſo nearly human. Of the ſmalleſt ſort of theſe animals we have had ſeveral, at different times, brought into this country, all nearly alike; but that obſerved by Dr. Tyſon, is the beſt known, having been deſcribed with the greateſt exactneſs.

The animal which was deſcribed by that [191] learned phyſician, was brought from Angola in Africa, where it had been taken in the internal parts of the country, in company with a female of the ſame kind, that died by the way. The body was covered with hair, which was of a coal black colour, more reſembling human hair than that of brutes. It bore a ſtill ſtronger ſimilitude in its different lengths; for in thoſe places where it is longeſt on the human ſpecies, it was alſo longeſt in this; as on the head, the upper lip, the chin, and the pubes. The face was like that of a man, the forehead larger, and the head round. The upper and lower jaw were not ſo prominent as in monkies; but flat, like thoſe of a man. The ears were like thoſe of a man in moſt reſpects; and the teeth had more reſemblance to the human, than thoſe of any other creature. The bending of the arms and legs were juſt the ſame as in a man; and, in ſhort, the animal, at firſt view, preſented a figure entirely human.

In order to diſcover its differences, it was ne⯑ceſſary to take a cloſer ſurvey; and then the imperfections of its form began to appear. The firſt obvious difference was in the flatneſs of the noſe; the next in the lowneſs of the forehead, and the wanting the prominence of the chin. The ears were proportionably too large; the [192] eyes too cloſe to each other; and the interval between the noſe and mouth too great. The body and limbs differed, in the thighs be⯑ing too ſhort, and the arms too long; in the thumb being too little, and the palm of the hand too narrow. The feet alſo were rather more like hands than feet; and the animal, if we may judge from the figure, bent too much upon its haunches.

When this creature was examined anato⯑mically, a ſurprizing ſimilitude was ſeen to prevail in its internal conformation. It differed from man in the number of its ribs, having thirteen; whereas, in man, there are but twelve. The vertebrae of the neck alſo were ſhorter, the bones of the pelvis narrower, the orbits of the eyes were deeper, the kidnies were round⯑er, the urinary and gall bladders were longer and ſmaller, and the ureters of a different figure. Such were the principal diſtinctions between the internal parts of this animal and thoſe of man; in almoſt every thing elſe they were entirely and exactly the ſame, and diſ⯑covered an aſtoniſhing congruity. Indeed, many parts were ſo much alike in confor⯑mation, that it might have excited wonder how they were productive of ſuch few advantages. The tongue, and all the organs of the voice, [193] were the ſame, and yet the animal was dumb; the brain was formed in the ſame manner with that of man, and yet the creature wanted rea⯑ſon: an evident proof (as Mr. Buffon finely ob⯑ſerves) that no diſpoſition of matter will give mind; and that the body, how nicely ſoever formed, is formed in vain, when there is not infuſed a ſoul to direct its operations.

Having thus taken a comparative view of this creature with man, what follows may be neceſſary to compleat the general deſcription. This animal was very hairy all behind, from the head downwards; and the hair ſo thick, that it covered the ſkin almoſt from being ſeen: but in all parts before, the hair was much thinner, the ſkin every where appeared; and in ſome places it was almoſt bare. When it went on all fours, as it was ſometimes ſeen to do, it appeared all hairy; when it went erect, it appeared before leſs hairy, and more like a man. Its hair, which in this particular animal was black, much more reſembled that of men than the fur of brutes; for, in the latter, be⯑ſides their long hair, there is uſually a finer and ſhorter intermixed; but in the ouran outang it was all of a kind; only about the pubes the hair was greyiſh, ſeemed longer, and ſomewhat different; as alſo on the upper lip and chin, [194] where it was greyiſh, like the hair of a beard. The face, hands, and ſoles of the feet, were without hair; and ſo was moſt part of the forehead: but down the ſides of the face the hair was thick, it being there about an inch and an half long, which exceeded that on any other part of the body. In the palms of its hands were remarkable thoſe lines which are uſually taken notice of in palmiſtry; and, at the tips of the fingers, thoſe ſpiral lines ob⯑ſerved in man. The palms of the hands were as long as the ſoles of the feet; and the toes upon theſe were as long as the fingers; the middle toe was the longeſt of all, and the whole foot differed from the human. The hinder feet being thus formed as hands, the animal often uſed them as ſuch; and, on the contrary, now and then made uſe of its hands inſtead of feet. The breaſts appeared ſmall and ſhrivelled, but exactly like thoſe of a man: the navel alſo appeared very fair, and in exact diſ⯑poſition, being neither harder nor more pro⯑minent than what is uſually ſeen in children. Such is the deſcription of this extraordinary creature; to which little has been added by ſucceeding obſervers, except that the colour of the hair is often found to vary: in that de⯑ſcribed by Edwards it was of a reddiſh brown.

[195]From a picture ſo like that of the human ſpecies, we are naturally led to expect a cor⯑reſponding mind; and it is certain, that ſuch of theſe animals as have been ſhewn in Europe, have diſcovered a degree of imitation beyond what any quadrupede can arrive at.

That of Tyſon was a gentle, fond, harmleis creature. In its paſſage to England, thoſe that it knew on ſhip-board it would embrace with the greateſt tenderneſs, opening their boſoms, and claſping its hands about them. Monkies of a lower ſpecies it held in utter averſion; it would always avoid the place where they were kept in the ſame veſſel; and ſeemed to conſider itſelf as a creature of higher extraction. After it was taken, and a little uſed to wear cloaths, it grew very fond of them; a part it would put on without any help, and the reſt it would carry in its hands to ſome of the company, for their aſſiſtance. It would lie in a bed, place its head on the pillow, and pull the cloaths up⯑wards, as a man would do.

That which was ſeen by Edwards, and de⯑ſcribed by Buffon, ſhewed even a ſuperior de⯑gree of ſagacity. It walked, like all of its kind, upon two legs, even though it carried burthens. Its air was melancholly, and its deportment grave. Unlike the baboon or monkey, whoſe [196] motions are violent and appetites capricious, who are fond of miſchief and obedient only from fear, this animal was ſlow in in its mo⯑tions, and a look was ſufficient to keep it in awe. I have ſeen it, ſays Mr. Buffon, give its hand to ſhow the company to the door: I have ſeen it ſit at table, unfold its napkin, wipe its lips, make uſe of the ſpoon and the fork to carry the victuals to its mouth, pour out its drink into a glaſs, touch glaſſes when invited, take a cup and ſaucer and lay them on the table, put in ſugar, pour out its tea, leave it to cool be⯑fore drinking, and all this without any other inſtigation than the ſigns or the command of its maſter, and often of its own accord. It was gentle and inoffenſive; it even approached ſtrangers with reſpect, and came rather to re⯑ceive careſſes than to offer injuries. It was par⯑ticularly fond of ſugared comfits, which every body was ready to give it; and, as it had a de⯑fluxion upon the bread, ſo much ſugar contri⯑buted to encreaſe the diſorder and ſhorten its life. It continued at Paris but one ſummer, and died in London. It ate indiſcriminately of all things, but it preferred dry and ripe fruits to all other aliments. It would drink wine, but in ſmall quantities, and gladly left it for milk, tea, or any other ſweet liquor.

[197]Such theſe animals appeared when brought into Europe. However, many of their extra⯑ordinary habits were probably the reſult of edu⯑cation, and we are not told how, long the in⯑ſtructions they received for this purpoſe were continued. But we learn from another account that they take but a very ſhort time to come to a great degree of imitative perfection. Mr. L. Broſſe bought two young ones, that were but a year old, from a Negroe; and theſe at that early age diſcovered an aſtoniſhing power of imitation^*. They even then ſat at the table like men, ate of every thing without diſtinc⯑tion, made uſe of their knife, ſpoon, and fork, both to eat their meat and help themſelves. They drank wine and other liquors. When carried on ſhipboard, they had ſigns for the cabbin boys expreſſive of their wants; and whenever theſe neglected attending upon them as they deſired, they inſtantly flew into a paſ⯑ſion, ſeized them by the arm, bit them, and kept them down. The male was ſea-ſick, and required attendance like an human creature; he was even twice bled in the arm; and every time afterwards when he found himſelf out of order, he ſhewed his arm, as deſirous of being relieved by bleeding.

[198]Pyrard relates, that in the province of Sierra Leona, in Africa, there are a kind of apes, called Baris, which are ſtrong and muſcular, and which, if properly inſtructed when young, ſerve as very uſeful domeſtics. They uſually walk upright; they pound at a mortar; they go to the river to fetch water, this they carry back in a little pitcher, on their heads; but if care be not taken to receive the pitcher at their return, they let it fall to the ground, and then, ſeeing it broken, they begin to lament and cry for their loſs. Le Compte's account is much to the ſame purpoſe of an ape, which he ſaw in the Streights of Molucca. ‘"It walked upon its two hind feet, which it bent a little, like a dog that had been taught to dance. It made uſe of its hands and arms as we do. Its viſage was not much more diſagreeable than that of an Hottentot; but the body was all over covered with a woolly hair of different colours. As to the reſt, it cried like a child; all its outward ac⯑tions were ſo like the human, and the paſſions ſo lively and ſignificant, that dumb men could ſcarce better expreſs their conceptions and de⯑ſires. It had alſo that expreſſion of paſſion or joy which we often ſee in children, ſtamping with its feet, and ſtriking them againſt the ground, to ſhew its ſpight, or when refuſed [199] any thing it paſſionately longed for. Although theſe animals," continues he, "are very big, for that I ſaw was four feet high, their nimble⯑neſs is incredible. It is a pleaſure beyond expreſſion to ſee them run up the tackling of a ſhip, where they ſometimes play as if they had a knack of vaulting peculiar to themſelves, or as if they had been paid, like our rope-dancers, to divert the company. Sometimes, ſuſpended by one arm, they poize themſelves, and then turn all of a ſudden round about a rope, with as much quickneſs as a wheel, or a ſling put into motion. Sometimes holding the rope ſuc⯑ceſſively with their long fingers, and, letting their whole body fall into the air, they run full ſpeed from one end to the other, and come back again with the ſame ſwiftneſs. There is no poſture but they imitate, nor motion but they perform. Bending themſelves like a bow, rolling like a bowl, hanging by the hands, feet, and teeth, according to the different fan⯑cies with which their capricious imagination ſupplies them. But what is ſtill more amazing than all is, their agility to fling themſelves from one rope to another, though at thirty, forty, and fifty feet diſtance."’

Such are the habitudes and the powers of the ſmaller claſs of theſe extraordinary creatures; [200] but we are preſented with a very different pic⯑ture in thoſe of a larger ſtature and more muſ⯑cular form. The little animals we have been deſcribing, which are ſeldom found above four feet high, ſeem to partake of the nature of dwarfs among the human ſpecies, being gentle, aſſiduous, and playful, rather fitted to amuſe than terrify. But the gigantic races of the Ourang Outang, ſeen and deſcribed by travellers, are truly formidable; and in the gloomy foreſts, where they are only found, ſeem to hold undiſ⯑puted dominion. Many of theſe are as tall or taller than a man; active, ſtrong and intrepid, cunning, laſcivious and cruel. This redoubtable rival of mankind is found in many parts of Africa, in the Eaſt-Indies, in Madagaſcar, and in Borneo^*. In the laſt of theſe places, the people of quality courſe him as we do the ſtag; and this ſort of hunting is one of the favourite amuſements of the king himſelf. This creature is extremely ſwift of foot, endowed with extra⯑ordinary ſtrength, and runs with prodigious celerity. His ſkin is all hairy, his eyes ſunk in his head, his countenance ſtern, his face tanned, and all his lineaments, though exactly human, harſh and blackened by the ſun. In Africa this creature is even ſtill more formidable. Battel calls [201] him the Pongo, and aſſures us that in all his proportions he reſembles a man, except that he is much larger, even to a gigantic ſtate. His face reſembles that of a man, the eyes deep ſunk in the head, the hair on each ſide ex⯑tremely long, the viſage naked and without hair, as alſo the ears and the hands. The body is lightly covered, and ſcarcely differing from that of a man, except that there are no calves to the legs. Still, however, the animal is ſeen to walk upon his hinder legs, and in an erect poſture. He ſleeps under trees, and builds himſelf an hut, which ſerves to protect him againſt the ſun and the rains of the tropical climates, of which he is a native. He lives only upon fruits, and is no way carnivorous. He cannot ſpeak, although furniſhed with greater inſtinct than any other animal of the brute creation. When the Negroes make a fire in the woods, this animal comes near and warms him⯑ſelf by the blaze. However, he has not ſkill enough to keep the flame alive by feeding it with fuel. They go together in companies; and if they happen to meet one of the human ſpecies, remote from ſuccour, they ſhew him no mercy. They even attack the elephant, which they beat with their clubs, and oblige to leave that part of the foreſt which they claim [202] as their own. It is impoſſible to take any of theſe dreadful creatures alive, for they are ſo ſtrong that ten men would not be a match for but one of them. None of this kind, therefore, are taken except when very young, and theſe but rarely, when the female happens to leave them behind, for in general they keep clung to the breaſt, and adhere both with legs and arms. From the ſame traveller we learn, that when one of theſe animals dies, the reſt cover the body with a quantity of leaves and branches. They ſometimes alſo ſhew mercy to the human kind. A Negroe boy, that was taken by one of theſe, and carried into the woods, continued there a whole year, without receiving any in⯑jury^*. From another traveller we learn, that theſe animals often attempt to ſurprize the fe⯑male Negroes as they go into the woods, and frequently keep them againſt their wills for the pleaſure of their company, feeding them very plentifully all the time. He aſſures us that he knew a woman of Loango that had lived among theſe animals for three years. They grow from ſix to ſeven feet high, and are of unequalled ſtrength. They build ſheds, and make uſe of clubs for their defence. Their faces are broad, their noſes flat, their ears without a tip, [203] their ſkins are more bright than that of a Mul⯑latoe, and they are covered on many parts of the body with long and tawny coloured hair. Their belly is large, their heels flat, and yet riſing behind. They ſometimes walk upright, and ſometimes upon all fours, when they are phantaſtically diſpoſed.

From this deſcription of the Ouran Outang, we perceive at what a diſtance the firſt animal of the brute creation is placed from the very loweſt of the human ſpecies. Even in countries peopled with ſavages, this creature is conſidered as a beaſt; and in thoſe very places where we might ſuppoſe the ſmalleſt difference between them and mankind, the inhabitants hold it in the greateſt contempt and deteſtation. In Borneo, where this animal has been ſaid to come to its greateſt perfection, the natives hunt it in the ſame manner as they purſue the elephant or the lion, while its re⯑ſemblance to the human form procures it neither pity nor protection. The gradations of Nature in the other parts of nature are minute and in⯑ſenſible; in the paſſage from quadrupedes to fiſhes we can ſcarce tell where the quadrupede ends and the fiſh begins; in the deſcent from beaſts to inſects we can hardly diſtinguiſh the ſteps of the progreſſion; but in the aſcent from brutes to man, the line is ſtrongly drawn, well [204] marked, and unpaſſable. It is in vain that the Ouran Outang reſembles man in form, or imi⯑tates many of his actions; he ſtill continues a wretched, helpleſs creature, pent up in the moſt gloomy part of the foreſt, and, with regard to the proviſion for his own happineſs, inferior even to the elephant or the beaver in ſagacity. To us, indeed, this animal ſeems much wiſer than it really is. As we have long been uſed to meaſure the ſagacity of all actions by their ſimilitude to our own, and not their fitneſs to the animal's way of living, we are pleaſed with the imitations of the ape, even though we know they are far from contributing to the convenience of its ſituation. An ape, or a quadrupede, when under the tramels of human education, may be an admirable object for human curioſity, but is very little advanced by all its learning in the road to its own felicity. On the contrary, I have never ſeen any of theſe long inſtructed animals that did not, by their melancholly air, appear ſenſible of the wretch⯑edneſs of their ſituation. Its marks of ſeeming ſagacity were merely relative to us and not to the animal; and all its boaſted wiſdom was merely of our own making.

The animal next to theſe, and to be placed in the ſame claſs, is the Ape, properly ſo called, or the Pithekos of the ancients. This is much leſs than the former, being not above a foot and an half high, but walks erect, is without a tail, and is eaſily tamed.

The laſt of the ape kind is the Cynocephalus, or the Magot of Buffon. This animal wants a tail, like the former, although there is a ſmall protuberance at that part, which yet is rather formed by the ſkin than the bone. It differs alſo in having a large callous red rump. The face is prominent, and approaches more to that of quadrupedes than of man. The body is covered with a browniſh hair, and yellow on the belly. It is about three feet and an half, or four feet high, and is a native of moſt parts of Africa and the Eaſt. As it recedes from man in its form, ſo alſo it appears different in its diſpoſitions, being ſullen, vicious, and un⯑tractable^*.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Elephant.

HAVING gone through the deſcription of thoſe quadrupedes that, by reſembling each other in ſome ſtriking particular, admit of being grouped together and conſidered under one point of view, we now come to thoſe inſulated ſorts that bear no ſimilitude with the reſt, and that to be diſtinctly deſcribed muſt be ſeparately con⯑ſidered.

The elephant is ſeen from ſeven to no leſs than fifteen feet high. Whatever care we take to imagine a large animal beforehand, yet the firſt ſight of this huge creature never fails to ſtrike us with aſtoniſhment, and in ſome meaſure to exceed our idea. Having been uſed to ſmaller animals, we have ſcarce any conception of its magnitude; for a moving column of fleſh, four⯑teen feet high, is an object ſo utterly different from thoſe we are conſtantly preſented with, that to be conceived it muſt be actually ſeen. Such, I own, were the ſuggeſtions that natu⯑rally aroſe to me when I firſt ſaw this animal, and yet for the ſight of which I had taken care to prepare my imagination. I found my ideas fall as ſhort of its real ſize as they did of its real figure; neither the pictures I had ſeen, nor the deſcriptions I had read, giving me adequate conceptions of either.

It would, therefore, be impoſſible to give an idea of this animal's figure by a deſcription; which, even aſſiſted by the art of the engraver, will but confuſedly repreſent the original. In general it may be obſerved, that the forehead is [254] very high and riſing, the ears very large and dependant, the eyes extremely ſmall, the pro⯑boſcis, or trunk, long, the body round and full, the back riſing in an arch, and the whole ani⯑mal ſhort in proportion to its height. The feet are round at the bottom; on each foot there are five flat horny riſings, which ſeem to be the ex⯑tremities of the toes, but do not appear out⯑wardly. The hide is without hair, full of ſcratches and ſcars, which it receives in its paſ⯑ſage through thick woods and thorny places. At the end of the tail there is a tuft of hair, a foot and a half long. The female is leſs than the male, and the udder is between the fore⯑legs. But a more accurate, as well as a more entertaining deſcription of the parts, will natu⯑rally occur in the hiſtory of their uſes.

Of all quadrupedes, the elephant is the ſtrongeſt, as well as the largeſt; and yet, in a ſtate of nature, it is neither fierce nor for⯑midable^*. Mild, peaceful, and brave, it never abuſes its power or its ſtrength, and only uſes its force for its own protection, or that of its community. In its native deſarts, the elephant is ſeldom ſeen alone, but appears to be a ſocial [255] friendly creature. The oldeſt of the company conducts the band; that which is next in ſe⯑niority brings up the rear. The young, the weak, and the ſickly, fall into the center; while the females carry their young, and keep them from falling by means of their trunks. They maintain this order only in dangerous marches, or when they deſire to feed in cultivated grounds; they move with leſs precaution in the foreſts and ſolitudes; but without ever ſeparat⯑ing, or removing ſo far aſunder as to be in⯑capable of lending each other any requiſite aſ⯑ſiſtance. Nothing can be more formidable than a drove of elephants as they appear at a diſtance in an African landſcape; wherever they march, the foreſt ſeems to fail before them; in their paſſage, they bear down the branches upon which they feed; and, if they enter into an incloſure, they deſtroy all the labours of the huſbandman in a very ſhort time. Their in⯑vaſions are the more diſagreeable as there is no means of repelling them; ſince it would require a ſmall army to attack the whole drove when united. It now and then happens that one or two is found lingering behind the reſt, and it is againſt theſe that the art and force of the hunters are united; but an attempt to moleſt the whole body would certainly be fatal. They [256] go forward directly againſt him who offers the inſult, ſtrike him with their tuſks, ſeize him with their trunks, fling him into the air, and then trample him to pieces under their feet. But they are thus dreadful only when offended, and do no manner of perſonal injury when ſuf⯑fered to feed without interruption. It is even ſaid that they are mindful of injuries received; and, when once moleſted by man, ſeek all oc⯑caſions for the future to be revenged; they ſmell him with their long trunks at a diſtance; follow him with all their ſpeed upon the ſcent; and, though ſlow to appearance, they are ſoon able to come up with and deſtroy him.

In their natural ſtate, they delight to live along the ſides of rivers, to keep in the deepeſt vales, to refreſh themſelves in the moſt ſhady foreſts and watery places. They cannot live far from the water; and they always diſturb it before they drink. They often fill their trunk with it, either to cool that organ, or to divert themſelves by ſpurting it out like a fountain. They are equally diſtreſſed by the extremes of heat and cold; and, to avoid the former, they frequently take ſhelter in the moſt obſcure re⯑ceſſes of the foreſt, or often plunge into the water, and even ſwim from the continent into iſlands ſome leagues diſtant from the ſhore.

[257]Their chief food is of the vegetable kind, for they loath all kind of animal diet. When one among their number happens to light upon a ſpot of good paſture, he calls the reſt, and in⯑vites them to ſhare in the entertainment; but it muſt be a very copious paſture indeed that can ſupply the neceſſities of the whole band. As with their broad and heavy feet they ſink deep wherever they go, they deſtroy much more than they devour; ſo that they are fre⯑quently obliged to change their quarters, and to migrate from one country to another. The Indians and Negroes, who are often incom⯑moded by ſuch viſitants, do all they can to keep them away, making loud noiſes, and large fires round their cultivated grounds; but theſe precautions do not always ſucceed; the ele⯑phants often break through their fences, deſtroy their whole harveſt, and overturn their little habitations. When they have ſatisfied them⯑ſelves, and trod down or devoured whatever lay in their way, they then retreat into the woods in the ſame orderly manner in which they made their irruption.

Such are the habits of this animal conſidered in a ſocial light; and, if we regard it as an in⯑dividual, we ſhall find its powers ſtill more ex⯑traordinary. With a very aukward appearance, [] [...] [257] [...] [258] it poſſeſſes all the ſenſes in great perfection, and is capable of applying them to more uſeful purpoſes than any other quadrupede. The elephant, as we obſerved, has very ſmall eyes, when compared to the enormous bulk of its body. But, though their minuteneſs may at firſt ſight appear deformed, yet, when we come to examine them, they are ſeen to exhibit a va⯑riety of expreſſion, and to diſcover the various ſenſations with which it is moved. It turns them with attention and friendſhip to its maſter; it ſeems to reflect and deliberate; and as its paſ⯑ſions ſlowly ſucced each other, their various workings are diſtinctly ſeen.

The elephant is not leſs remarkable for the excellence of its hearing. Its ears are extremely large, and greater in proportion than even thoſe of an aſs. They are uſually dependent; but it can readily raiſe and move them. They ſerve alſo to wipe its eyes, and to protect them againſt the duſt and flies that might otherwiſe incom⯑mode them. It appears delighted with muſic, and very readily learns to beat time, to move in meaſure, and even to join its voice to the ſound of the drum and the trumpet.

This animal's ſenſe of ſmelling is not only exquiſite, but it is in a great meaſure pleaſed with the ſame odours that delight mankind. [259] The elephant gathers flowers with great plea⯑ſure and attention; it picks them up one by one, unites them into a noſegay, and ſeems charmed with the perfume. The orange flower ſeems to be particularly grateful both to its ſenſe of taſte and ſmelling; it ſtrips the tree of all its verdure, and eats every part of it, even to the branches themſelves. It ſeeks in the meadows the moſt odoriferous plants to feed upon; and in the woods it prefers the coco, the banana, the palm, and the ſago tree, to all others. As the ſhoots of theſe are tender and filled with pith; it eats not only the leaves and the fruits, but even the branches, the trunk, and the whole plant to the very roots.

But it is in the ſenſe of touching that this animal excels all others of the brute creation, and perhaps even man himſelf. The organ of this ſenſe lies wholly in the trunk, which is an inſtrument peculiar to this animal, and that ſerves it for all the purpoſes of an hand. The trunk is, properly ſpeaking, only the ſnout lengthened out to a great extent, hollow like a pipe, and ending in two openings, or noſtrils, like thoſe of an hog. An elephant of fourteen feet high has the trunk about eight feet long and five feet and an half in circumference at the mouth, where it is thickeſt. It is hollow [260] all along, but with a partition running from one end of it to the other; ſo that though out⯑wardly it appears like a ſingle pipe, it is in⯑wardly divided into two. This fleſhy tube is compoſed of nerves and muſcles, covered with a proper ſkin of a blackiſh colour, like that of the reſt of the body. It is capable of being moved in every direction, of being lengthened and ſhortened, of being bent or ſtreightened, ſo pliant as to embrace any body it is applied to, and yet ſo ſtrong that nothing can be torn from the gripe. To aid the force of this graſp, there are ſeveral little eminences, like a cater⯑pillar's feet, on the underſide of this inſtrument, which without doubt contribute to the ſen⯑ſibility of the touch as well as to the firmneſs of the hold. Through this trunk the animal breathes, drinks, and ſmells, as through a tube; and at the very point of it, juſt above the noſtrils, there is an extenſion of the ſkin, about five inches long, in the form of a finger, and which in fact anſwers all the purpoſes of one; for, with the reſt of the extremity of the trunk, it is capable of aſſuming different forms at will, and conſequently of being adapted to the mi⯑nuteſt objects. By means of this, the elephant can take a pin from the ground, untie the knots of a rope, unlock a door, and even write with [261] a pen. ‘"I have myſelf ſeen," ſays Aelian, "an elephant writing Latin characters on a board, in a very orderly manner, his keeper only ſhew⯑ing him the figure of each letter. While thus employed, the eyes might be obſerved ſtudiouſly caſt down upon the writing, and exhibiting an appearance of great ſkill and erudition."’ It ſometimes happens that the object is too large for the trunk to graſp; in ſuch a caſe the ele⯑phant makes uſe of another expedient as ad⯑mirable as any of the former. It applies the extremity of the trunk to the ſurface of the object, and, ſucking up its breath, lifts and ſuſtains ſuch a weight as the air in that caſe is capable of keeping ſuſpended. In this manner this inſtrument is uſeful in moſt of the purpoſes of life; it is an organ of ſmelling, of touching, and of ſuction; it not only provides for the animal's neceſſities and comforts, but it alſo ſerves for its ornament and defence.

But, though the elephant be thus admirably ſupplied by its trunk, yet, with reſpect to the reſt of its conformation, it is unwieldy and help⯑leſs. The neck is ſo ſhort that it can ſcarce turn the head, and muſt wheel round in order to diſcover an enemy from behind. The hun⯑ters that attack it upon that quarter, generally thus eſcape the effects of its indignation; and [262] find time to renew their aſſaults while the ele⯑phant is turning to face them The legs are, indeed, not ſo inflexible as the neck, yet they are very ſtiff and bend not without difficulty. Thoſe before ſeem to be longer than the hinder; but, upon being meaſured, are found to be ſomething ſhorter. The joints, by which they bend, are nearly in the middle, like the knee of a man; and the great bulk which they are to ſupport makes their flexure ungainly. While the elephant is young, it bends the legs to lie down or to riſe; but when it grows old, or ſickly, this is not performed without human aſ⯑ſiſtance; and it becomes, conſequently, ſo incon⯑venient, that the animal chuſes to ſleep ſtand⯑ing. The feet, upon which theſe maſſy co⯑lumns are ſupported; form a baſe ſcarce broader than the legs they ſuſtain. They are divided into five toes, which are covered beneath the ſkin, and none of which appear to the eye; a kind of protuberance like claws are only ob⯑ſerved, which vary in number from three to five. The apparent claws vary; the internal toes are conſtantly the ſame. The ſoal of the foot is furniſhed with a ſkin as thick and hard as horn, and which completely covers the whole under part of the foot.

To the reſt of the elephant's incumbrances may [263] be added its enormous tuſks, which are unſer⯑viceable for chewing, and are only weapons of defence. Theſe, as the animal grows old, become ſo heavy, that it is ſometimes obliged to make holes in the walls of its ſtall to reſt them in, and eaſe itſelf of the fatigue of their ſupport. It is well known to what an amazing ſize theſe tuſks grow; they are two in number, proceeding from the upper jaw, and are ſometimes found above ſix feet long. Some have ſuppoſed them to be rather the horns than the teeth of this animal; but, beſides their greater ſimilitude to bone than to horn, they have been indiſputably found to grow from the upper jaw, and not from the frontal bones, as ſome have thought proper to aſſert^*. Some alſo have aſſerted, that theſe tuſks are ſhed in the ſame manner as the ſtag ſheds its horns; but it is very probable, from their ſolid conſiſtence, and from their accidental defects, which often appears to be the effect of a ſlow decay, that they are as fixt as the teeth of other animals are generally found to be. Cer⯑tain it is that the elephant never ſheds them in a domeſtic ſtate, but keeps them till they be⯑come inconvenient and cumbrous to the laſt degree. An account of uſes to which theſe [264] teeth are applied, and the manner of chuſing the beſt ivory, belongs rather to an hiſtory of the arts than of nature.

This animal is equally ſingular in other parts of its conformation; the lips and the tongue in other creatures ſerve to ſuck up and direct their drink or their food; but in the elephant they are totally inconvenient for ſuch purpoſes; and it not only gathers its food with its trunk, but ſup⯑plies itſelf with water by the ſame means. When it eats hay, as I have ſeen it frequently, it takes up a ſmall wiſp of it with the trunk, turns and ſhapes it with that inſtrument for ſome time, and then directs it into the mouth, where it is chewed by the great grinding teeth, that are large in proportion to the bulk of the animal. This pacquet, when chewed, is ſwallowed, and never ruminated again as in cows or ſheep, the ſtomach and inteſtines of this creature more re⯑ſembling thoſe of an horſe. Its manner of drinking is equally extraordinary. For this purpoſe, the elephant dips the end of its trunk into the water, and ſucks up juſt as much as fills that great fleſhy tube compleatly. It then lifts up its head with the trunk full, and turning the point into its mouth, as if it intended to ſwallow trunk and all, it drives the point below the opening of the wind-pipe. The trunk being [265] in this poſition and ſtill full of water, the ele⯑phant then blows ſtrongly into it at the other end, which forces the water it contains into the throat, down which it is heard to pour with a loud gurgling noiſe, which continues till the whole is blown down. From this manner of drinking, ſome have been led into an opinion that the young elephant ſucks with its trunk and not with its mouth; this, however, is a fact which no traveller has hitherto had an op⯑portunity of ſeeing, and it muſt be referred to ſome future accident to determine.

The hide of the elephant is as remarkable as any other part. It is not covered over with hair as in the generality of quadrupedes, but is nearly bare. Here and there indeed, a few briſtles are ſeen growing in the ſcars and wrinkles of the body, and very thinly ſcattered over the reſt of the ſkin; but in general the head is dry, rough, and wrinkled, and reſembling more the bark of an old tree than the ſkin of an animal. This grows thicker every year; and, by a conſtant addition of ſubſtance, it at length contracts that diſorder well known by the name of the ele⯑phantiaſis, or Arabian leproſy; a diſeaſe to which man, as well as the elephant, is often ſubject. In order to prevent this, the Indians rub the elephant with oil, and frequently bathe [266] it to preſerve its pliancy. To the inconve⯑niences of this diſorder is added another, ariſing from the great ſenſibility of thoſe parts that are not callous. Upon theſe the flies ſettle in great abundance, and torment this animal unceaſ⯑ingly; to remedy which, the elephant tries all its arts; uſes not only its tail and trunk in the natural manner to keep them off, but even takes the branch of a tree, or a bundle of hay, to ſtrike them off with. When this fails, it often gathers up the duſt with its trunk, and thus covers all the ſenſible places. In this man⯑ner it has been ſeen to duſt itſelf ſeveral times a day, and particularly upon leaving the bath.

Water is as neceſſary to this animal as food itſelf. When in a ſtate of nature, the elephant rarely quits the banks of the river, and often ſtands in water up to the belly. In a ſtate of ſervitude, the Indians take equal care to pro⯑vide a proper ſupply; they waſh it with great addreſs; they give it all the conveniences for lending aſſiſtance to itſelf; they ſmooth the ſkin with a pumice ſtone, and then rub it over with oils, eſſences, and odours.

It is not to be wondered at that an animal furniſhed with ſo many various advantages, both of ſtrength, ſagacity, and obedience, ſhould be taken into the ſervice of man. We accord⯑ingly [267] find that the elephant, from time immemo⯑rial, has been employed either for the purpoſes of labour, of war, or of oſtentation; to encreaſe the grandeur of eaſtern princes, or to extend their dominions. We have hitherto been deſcribing this animal in its natural ſtate; we now come to conſider it in a different view, as taken from the foreſt and reduced to human obedience. We are now to behold this brave harmleſs crea⯑ture as learning a leſſon from mankind, and in⯑ſtructed by him in all the arts of war, maſſacre, and devaſtation. We are now to behold this half reaſoning animal led into the field of battle, and wondering at thoſe tumults and that madneſs which he is compelled to encreaſe. The elephant is a native of Africa and Aſia, being found neither in Europe nor America. In Africa he ſtill retains his natural liberty. The ſavage inhabitants of that part of the world, inſtead of attempting to ſubdue this powerful creature to their neceſſities, are happy in being able to protect themſelves from his fary. For⯑merly, indeed, during the ſplendour of the Carthaginian empire, elephants were uſed in their wars; but this was only a tranſitory gleam of human power in that part of the globe; the natives of Africa have long ſince degenerated, and the elephant is only known among them [268] from his devaſtations. However, there are no elephants in the northern parts of Africa at preſent, there being none found on this ſide of Mount Atlas. It is beyond the river Senegal that they are to be met with in great numbers, and ſo down to the Cape of Good Hope, as well as in the heart of the country. In this extenſive region they appear to be more numerous than in any other part of the world. They are there leſs fearful of man; leſs retired into the heart of the foreſts, they ſeem to be ſenſible of his im⯑potence and ignorance; and often come down to ravage his little labours. They treat him with the ſame haughty diſdain which they ſhew to other animals, and conſider him as a miſ⯑chievous little being, that fears to oppoſe them openly.

But, although theſe animals are moſt plentiful in Africa, it is only in Aſia that the greateſt elephants are found, and rendered ſubſervient to human command. In Africa, the largeſt do not exceed ten feet high; in Aſia they are found from ten to fifteen. Their price en⯑creaſes in proportion to their ſize; and when they exceed a certain bulk, like jewels, their value then riſes as the fancy is pleaſed to eſtimate.

The largeſt are entirely kept for the ſervice [269] of princes; and are maintained with the utmoſt magnificence, and at the greateſt expence. The uſual colour of the elephant is a duſky black, but ſome are ſaid to be white; and the price of one of theſe is ineſtimable. Such a one is peculiarly appropriated for the monarch's own riding; he is kept in a palace, attended by the nobles, and almoſt adored by the people^*. Some have ſaid that theſe white elephants are larger than the reſt^†; others aſſert, that they are leſs; and ſtill others entirely doubt their exiſtence.

As the art of war is but very little improved in Aſia, there are few princes of the eaſt who do not procure and maintain as many elephants as they are able, and place great confidence on their aſſiſtance in an engagement. For this purpoſe, they are obliged to take them wild in their native foreſts, and tame them; for the ele⯑phant never breeds in a ſtate of ſervitude. It is one of the moſt ſtriking peculiarities in this extraordinary creature, that his generative pow⯑ers totally fail when he comes under the dominion of man; as if he ſeemed unwilling to propagate a race of ſlaves, to encreaſe the pride of his con⯑queror. There is, perhaps, no other quadrupede that will not breed in its own native climate, if [270] indulged with a moderate ſhare of freedom; and we know, that many of them will copulate in every climate. The elephant alone has never been ſeen to breed; and though he has been re⯑duced under the obedience of man for ages, the duration of pregnancy, in the female^*, ſtill re⯑mains a ſecret. Ariſtotle, indeed, aſſerts, that ſhe goes two years with young; that ſhe con⯑tinues to ſuckle her young for three years, and that ſhe brings forth but one at a time: but he does not inform us of the manner in which it was poſſible for him to have his information. From authorities equally doubtful, we learn, that the little one is about as large as a wild boar, the inſtant it is brought forth; that its tuſks do not yet appear; but that all the reſt of its teeth are apparent; that, at the age of ſix months, it is as large as an ox, and its tuſks pretty well grown; and that it continues, in this manner, for near thirty years, advancing to maturity. All this is doubtful; but it is certain, that, in [271] order to recruit the numbers which are con⯑ſumed in war, the princes of the eaſt are every year obliged to ſend into the foreſts, and to uſe various methods to procure a freſh ſupply. Of all theſe numerous bands, there is not one that has not been originally wild; nor one that has not been forced into a ſtate of ſubjection. Men themſelves are often content to propagate a race of ſlaves, that paſs down in this wretched ſtate through ſucceſſive generations; but the elephant, under ſubjection, is unalterably bar⯑ren; perhaps from ſome phyſical cauſes, which are as yet unknown.

The Indian princes having vainly endea⯑voured to multiply the breed of elephants, like that of other animals, have been, at laſt, con⯑tent to ſeparate the males from the females, to prevent thoſe acceſſes of deſire, which debilitated, without multiplying the ſpecies. In order to take them wild in the woods, a ſpot of ground is fixed upon, which is ſurrounded with a ſtrong palliſade. This is made of the thickeſt and the ſtrongeſt trees; and ſtrengthened by croſs bars, which give firmneſs to the whole. The poſts are fixed at ſuch diſtances from each other, that a man can eaſily paſs between them; there being only one great paſſage left open, through which an elephant can eaſily come; and [272] which is ſo contrived as to ſhut behind, as ſoon as the beaſt is entered. To draw him into this encloſure, it is neceſſary firſt to find him out in the woods; and a female elephant is conducted along into the heart of the foreſt, where it is obliged by its keeper to cry out for the male. The male very readily anſwers the cry, and haſtens to join her; which the keeper per⯑ceiving, obliges her to retreat, ſtill repeating the ſame cry, until ſhe leads the animal into the encloſure already deſcribed, which ſhuts the moment he is entered. Still, however, the female proceeds calling, and inviting, while the male proceeds forward in the encloſure, which grows narrower all the way, and until the poor animal finds himſelf completely ſhut up, without the power of either advancing or retreating; the female, in the mean time, being let out by a private way, which ſhe has been previouſly accuſtomed to. The wild elephant, upon ſeeing himſelf entrapped in this manner, inſtantly attempts to uſe violence; and, upon ſeeing the hunters, all his former deſires only turn to fury. In the mean time, the hunters, having fixed him with cords, attempt to ſoften his indignation, by throwing buckets of water upon him in great quantities, rubbing the body with leaves, and pouring oil down his ears. Soon [273] after, two tame elephants are brought, a male and a female, that careſs the indignant animal with their trunks; while they ſtill continue pouring water to refreſh it. At laſt, a tame elephant is brought forward, of that number which is employed in inſtructing the new comers, and an officer riding upon it, in order to ſhew the late captive that it has nothing to fear. The hunters then open the encloſure; and, while this creature leads the captive along, two more are joined on either ſide of it, and theſe compel it to ſubmit. It is then tied by cords to a maſſy pillar provided for that purpoſe, and ſuffered to remain in that poſition for about a day and a night, until its indignation be wholly ſubſided. The next day it begins to be ſomewhat ſubmiſſive; and, in a fortnight, is completely tamed like the reſt. The females are taken when accompanying the males; they often come into theſe encloſures, and they ſhortly after ſerve as decoys to the reſt. But this method of taking the elephant, differs, according to the abilities of the hunter; the Negroes of Africa, who hunt this animal merely for its fleſh, are content to take it in pit⯑falls; and often to purſue it in the defiles of a mountain, where it cannot eaſily turn, and ſo wound it from behind till it falls.

[274]The elephant, when once tamed, becomes the moſt gentle and obedient of all animals. It ſoon conceives an attachment for the perſon that attends it, careſſes him, obeys him, and ſeems to anticipate his deſires. In a ſhort time it begins to comprehend ſeveral of the ſigns made to it, and even the different ſounds of the voice; it perfectly diſtinguiſhes the tone of command from that of anger or approbation, and it acts accordingly. It is ſeldom deceived in its maſter's voice; it receives his orders with attention, and executes them with prudence, eagerly, yet without precipitation. All its mo⯑tions are regulated; and its actions ſeem to par⯑take of its magnitude; being grave, majeſtic, and ſecure. It is quickly taught to kneel down, to receive its rider; it careſſes thoſe it knows with its trunk; with this ſalutes ſuch as it is ordered to diſtinguiſh, and with this, as with an hand, helps to take up a part of its load. It ſuffers itſelf to be arrayed in harneſs; and ſeems to take a pleaſure in the finery of its trappings. It draws either chariots, cannon, or ſhipping, with ſurprizing ſtrength and perſeverance; and this with a ſeeming ſatisfaction, provided that it be not beaten without a cauſe, and that its maſter appears pleaſed with its exertions.

The elephant's conductor is uſually mounted [275] upon its neck, and makes uſe of a rod of iron to guide it, which is ſometimes pointed, and at others bent into a hook. With this the animal is ſpurred forward, when dull or diſ⯑obedient; but, in general, a word is ſufficient to put the gentle creature into motion, eſpe⯑cially when it is acquainted with its conductor. This acquaintance is often perfectly neceſſary; for the elephant frequently takes ſuch an af⯑fection to its keeper, that it will obey no other: and it has been known to die for grief, when, in ſome ſudden fit of madneſs, it has killed its conductor. We are told, that one of theſe, that was uſed by the French forces in India for the drawing their cannon, was promiſed, by the conductor, a reward, for having per⯑formed ſome painful ſervice; but being diſap⯑pointed of its expectations, it ſlew him in a fury. The conductor's wife, who was a ſpec⯑tator of this ſhocking ſcene, could not reſtrain her madneſs and deſpair; but running with her two children in her arms, threw them at the elephant's feet, crying out, that ſince it had killed her huſband, it might kill her and her children alſo. The elephant, ſeeing the child⯑ren at its feet, inſtantly ſtopped, and mode⯑rating its fury, took up the eldeſt with its trunk, and placing him upon its neck, adopted [276] him for its conductor, and obeyed him ever after with great punctuality.

But it is not for drawing burthens alone, that the elephants are ſerviceable in war; they are often brought into the ranks, and compelled to fight in the moſt dangerous parts of the field of battle. There was a time, indeed, in India, when they were much more uſed in war than at preſent. A century or two ago, a great part of the dependance of the general, was upon the number and the expertneſs of his elephants; but of late, ſince war has been contented to adopt fatal inſtead of formidable arts, the elephant is little uſed, except for drawing cannon, or tranſporting proviſions. The princes of the country are pleaſed to keep a few for orna⯑ment, or for the purpoſes of removing their ſeraglios: but they are ſeldom led into a field of battle, where they are unable to withſtand the diſcharge of fire-arms, and have been often found to turn upon their employers. Still, however, they are uſed in war, in the more re⯑mote parts of the eaſt; in Siam, in Cochin China, in Tonquin, and Pegu. In all theſe places, they not only ſerve to ſwell the pomp of ſtate, being adorned with all the barbarian ſplendour that thoſe countries can beſtow, but they are actually led into the field of battle, [277] armed before with coats of mail, and loaded on the back each with a ſquare tower, contain⯑ing from five combatants to ſeven. Upon its neck ſits the conductor, who goads the animal into the thickeſt ranks, and encourages it to encreaſe the devaſtation: wherever it goes, nothing can withſtand its fury; it lev [...]s the ranks with its immenſe bulk, flings ſuch as op⯑poſe it into the air, or cruſhes them to death under its feet. In the mean time, thoſe who are placed upon its back, combat as from an emi⯑nence, and fling down their weapons with double force, their weight being added to their ve⯑locity. Nothing, therefore, can be more dread⯑ful, or more irreſiſtible, than ſuch a moving machine, to men unacquainted with the modern arts of war; the elephant, thus armed and con⯑ducted, raging in the midſt of a field of battle, inſpires more terror than even thoſe machines that deſtroy at a diſtance, and are often moſt fatal, when moſt unſeen. But this method of combating, is rather formidable than effectual: poliſhed nations have ever been victorious over thoſe ſemi-barbarous troops that have called in the elephant to their aſſiſtance, or attempted to gain a victory by merely aſtoniſhing their op⯑poſers. The Romans quickly learned the art of opening their ranks, to admit the elephant; [278] and thus ſeparating it from aſſiſtance, quickly compelled its conductors to calm the animal's fury, and to ſubmit. It ſometimes alſo hap⯑pened that the elephant became impatient of control; and, inſtead of obeying its conductor, turned upon thoſe forces it was employed to aſſiſt. In either caſe, there was a great deal of preparation to very little effect; for a ſingle elephant is known to conſume as much as forty men in a day.

At preſent, therefore, they are chiefly employed in carrying or drawing burthens, throughout the whole Peninſula of India; and no animal can be more fitted by nature for this employment. The ſtrength of an elephant is equal to its bulk, for it can, with great eaſe, draw a load that ſix horſes could not remove: it can readily carry upon its back three or four thouſand weight; upon its tuſks alone it can ſupport near a thouſand: its force may alſo be eſtimated from the velocity of its motion, compared to the maſs of its body. It can go, in its ordinary pace, as faſt as an horſe at an eaſy trot; and, when puſhed, it can move as ſwiftly as an horſe at full gallop. It can travel with eaſe fifty or ſixty miles a day; and when hard preſſed, almoſt double that quantity. It may be heard trotting on at a great diſtance; it [279] is eaſy alſo to follow it by the track, which is deeply impreſſed on the ground, and from fifteen to eighteen inches in diameter.

In India they are alſo put to other very diſ⯑agreeable offices; for in ſome courts of the more barbarous princes, they are uſed as execu⯑tioners; and this horrid taſk they perform with great dexterity: with their trunks they are ſeen to break every limb of the criminal at the word of command; they ſometimes trample him to death, and ſometimes impale him on their enor⯑mous tuſks, as directed. In this the elephant is rather the ſervant of a cruel maſter, than a voluntary tyrant, ſince no other animal of the foreſt is ſo naturally benevolent and gentle; equally mindful of benefits as ſenſible of neg⯑lect, he contracts a friendſhip for his keeper, and obeys him even beyond his capacity.

In India, where they were at one time em⯑ployed in launching ſhips, a particular elephant was directed to force a very large veſſel into the water: the work proved ſuperior to its ſtrength, but not to its endeavours; which, however, the keeper affected to deſpiſe. ‘"Take away," ſays he, "that lazy beaſt, and bring another better fitted for ſervice."’ The poor animal inſtantly upon this redoubled its efforts, fractured its ſcull, and died upon the ſpot.

[280]In Deli, an elephant, paſſing along the ſtreets, put his trunk into a taylor's ſhop, where ſeveral people were at work. One of the per⯑ſons of the ſhop, deſirous of ſome amuſement, pricked the animal's trunk with his needle, and ſeemed highly delighted with this ſlight pu⯑niſhment. The elephant, however, paſſed on without any immediate ſigns of reſentment; but coming to a puddle filled with dirty water, he filled his trunk, returned to the ſhop, and ſpurted the contents over all the finery upon which the taylors were then employed.

An elephant in Adſmeer, which often paſſed through the bazar or market, as he went by a certain herb-woman, always received from her a mouthful of greens. Being one day ſeized with a periodical fit of madneſs, he broke his fetters, and, running through the market, put the crowd to flight; and, among others, this woman, who in her haſte forgot a little child at her ſtall. The elephant recollecting the ſpot where his benefactreſs was accuſtomed to fit, took up the infant gently in his trunk, and conveyed it to a place of ſafety.

At the Cape of Good Hope it is cuſtomary to hunt thoſe animals for the ſake of their teeth. Three horſemen, well mounted, and armed with lances, attack the elephant alter⯑nately, [281] each relieving the other, as they ſee their companion preſſed, till the beaſt is ſub⯑dued. Three Dutchmen, brothers, who had made large fortunes by this buſineſs, deter⯑mined to retire to Europe, and enjoy the fruits of their labours; but they reſolved, one day be⯑fore they went, to have a laſt chace, by way of amuſement: they met with their game, and began their attack in the uſual manner; but, unfortunately, one of their horſes falling, hap⯑pened to fling his rider; the enraged elephant inſtantly ſeized the unhappy huntſman with his trunk, flung him up to a vaſt height in the air, and received him upon one of his tuſks as he fell; and then turning towards the other two brothers, as if it were with an aſpect of revenge and inſult, held out to them the impaled wretch, writhing in the agonies of death.

The teeth of the elephant are what produces the great enmity between him and mankind; but whether they are ſhed, like the horns of the deer, or whether the animal be killed to obtain them, is not yet perfectly known. All we have as yet certain is, that the natives of Africa, from whence almoſt all our ivory comes, aſſure us, that they find the greateſt part of it in their foreſts; nor would, ſay they, the teeth of an elephant recompence them for their trouble [282] and danger in killing it: notwithſtanding, the elephants which are tamed by man, are never known to ſhed their tuſks; and from the hard⯑neſs of their ſubſtance, they ſeem no way ana⯑logous to deers horns.

The teeth of the elephant are very often found in a foſſile ſtate. Some years ago, two great grinding-teeth, and part of the tuſk of an elephant, were diſcoved, at the depth of forty-two yards, in a lead mine in Flintſhire^*.

The tuſks of the Mammouth, ſo often found foſſile in Siberia, and which are converted to the purpoſes of ivory, are generally ſuppoſed to belong to the elephant: however, the animal muſt have been much larger in that country than it is found at preſent, as thoſe tuſks are often known to weigh four hundred pounds; while thoſe that come from Africa, ſeldom ex⯑ceed two hundred and fifty. Theſe enormous tuſks are found lodged in the ſandy banks of the Siberian rivers; and the natives pretend that they belong to an animal which is four times as large as the elephant.

There have lately been diſcovered ſeveral enormous ſkeletons, five or ſix feet beneath the ſurface, on the banks of the Ohio, not remote from the river Miume in America, ſeven [283] hundred miles from the ſea-coaſt. Some of the tuſks are near ſeven feet long; one foot nine inches in circumference at the baſe, and one foot near the point; the cavity at the root or baſe, nineteen inches deep. Beſides their ſize, there are yet other differences: the tuſks of the true elephant have ſometimes a very ſlight la⯑teral bend; theſe have a larger twiſt, or ſpiral curve, towards the ſmaller end: but the great and ſpecific difference conſiſts in the ſhape of the grinding-teeth; which, in theſe newly found, are faſhioned like the teeth of a carnivorous animal; not flat and ribbed tranſverſely on their ſurface, like thoſe of the modern elephant, but furniſhed with a double row of high and conic proceſſes, as if intended to maſticate, not to grind their food. A third difference is in the thigh bone, which is of a great diſproportionable thickneſs to that of the elephant; and has alſo ſome other anatomical variations. Theſe foſſile bones have been alſo found in Peru and the Brazils; and, when cut and poliſhed by the workers in ivory, appear, in every reſpect, ſimilar. It is the opinion of Doctor Hunter that they muſt have belonged to a larger animal than the elephant; and differing from it, in being carnivorous. But as yet this formidable [284] creature has evaded our ſearch; and if, indeed, ſuch an animal exiſts, it is happy for man that it keeps at a diſtance; ſince what ravage might not be expected from a creature, endued with more than the ſtrength of the elephant, and all the rapacity of the tiger!

CHAP. IX. Of the Rhinoceros.

[285] NEXT to the elephant, the Rhinoceros is the moſt powerful of animals. It is uſually found twelve feet long, from the tip of the noſe to the inſertion of the tail; from ſix to ſeven feet high; and the circumference of its body is nearly equal to its length. It is, there⯑fore, equal to the elephant in bulk; and if it appears much ſmaller to the eye, the reaſon is, that its legs are much ſhorter. Words can convey but a very confuſed idea of this ani⯑mal's ſhape; and yet there are few ſo remark⯑ably formed: its head is furniſhed with an horn, growing from the ſnout, ſometimes three feet and an half long; and but for this, that part would have the appearance of the head of an hog; the upper lip, however, is much longer in proportion, ends in a point, is very pliable, ſerves to collect its food, and deliver it into the mouth: the ears are large, erect, and pointed; the eyes are ſmall and piercing; the ſkin is naked, rough, knotty, and, lying upon the body in folds, after a very peculiar faſhion: there are two folds very remarkable; one above [] [...] [285] [...] [286] the ſhoulders, and another over the rump: the ſkin, which is of a dirty brown colour, is ſo thick as to turn the edge of a ſcymitar, and to reſiſt a muſquet-ball: the belly hangs low; the legs are ſhort, ſtrong and thick, and the hoofs divided into three parts, each pointing forward.

Such is the general outline of an animal that appears chiefly formidable from the horn grow⯑ing from its ſnout; and formed rather for war, than with a propenſity to engage. This horn, is ſometimes found from three to three feet and an half long, growing from the ſolid bone, and ſo diſpoſed, as to be managed to the greateſt advantage. It is compoſed of the moſt ſolid ſubſtance; and pointed ſo as to in⯑flict the moſt fatal wounds. The elephant, the boar, or the buffalo, are obliged to ſtrike tranſ⯑verſely with their weapons; but the rhinoceros employs all his force with every blow; ſo that the tiger will more willingly attack any other animal of the foreſt, than one whoſe ſtrength is ſo juſtly employed. Indeed, there is no force which this terrible animal has to apprehend: defended, on every ſide, by a thick horny hide, which the claws of the lion or the tiger are unable to pierce, and armed before with a weapon that even the elephant does not chuſe [287] to oppoſe. The miſſioners aſſure us, that the elephant is often found dead in the foreſts, pierced with the horn of a rhinoceros; and though it looks like wiſdom to doubt whatever they tell us, yet I cannot help giving credit to what they relate on this occaſion, particularly when confirmed by Pliny. The combat between theſe two, the moſt formidable animals of the foreſt, muſt be very dreadful. Emanuel, king of Portugal, willing to try their ſtrength, actually oppoſed them to each other; and the elephant was defeated.

But though the rhinoceros is thus formi⯑dable by nature, yet imagination has not failed to exert itſelf, in adding to its terrors. The ſcent is ſaid to be moſt exquiſite; and it is affirmed, that it conſorts with the tiger. It is reported alſo, that when it has overturned a man, or any other animal, it continues to lick the fleſh quite from the bone with its tongue, which is ſaid to be extremely rough. All this, however, is fabulous: the ſcent, if we may judge from the expanſion of the olfactory nerves, is not greater than that of an hog, which we know to be indifferent; it keeps company with the tiger, only becauſe they both frequent watery places in the burning climates where they are bred; and as to its rough [288] tongue, that is ſo far from the truth, that no animal of near its ſize has ſo ſoft a one. ‘"I have often felt it myſelf," ſays Ladvocat, in his deſcription of this animal; "it is ſmooth, ſoft, and ſmall, like that of a dog; and to the feel it appears as if one paſſed the hand over velvet. I have often ſeen it lick a young man's face who kept it; and both ſeemed pleaſed with the action."’

The rhinoceros which was ſhewn at London in 1739, and deſcribed by Doctor Parſons, had been ſent from Bengal. Though it was very young, not being above two years old, yet the charge of his carriage and food from India, coſt near a thouſand pounds. It was fed with rice, ſugar, and hay: it was daily ſupplied with ſeven pounds of rice, mixed with three of ſugar, di⯑vided into three, portions; it was given great quantities of hay and graſs, which it chiefly preferred; its drink was water, which it took in great quantities. It was of a gentle diſ⯑poſition, and permitted itſelf to be touched and handled by all viſitors, never attempting miſchief, except when abuſed, or when hungry; in ſuch a caſe, there was no method of ap⯑peaſing its fury, but by giving it ſomething to eat. When angry, it would jump up againſt the walls of its room, with great violence; and, [289] many efforts to eſcape, but ſeldom attempted to attack its keeper, and was always ſubmiſſive to his threats. It had a peculiar cry, ſomewhat a mixture between the grunting of a hog, and the bellowing of a calf.

The age of theſe animals is not well known; it is ſaid by ſome, that they bring forth at three years old, and if we may reaſon from analogy, it is probable they ſeldom live till above twenty. That which was ſhewn in London, was ſaid by its keeper, to be eighteen years old, and even at that age, he pretended to conſider it as a young one; however, it died ſhortly after, and that probably in the courſe of nature.

The Rhinoceros is a native of the deſarts of Aſia and Africa, and is uſually found in thoſe extenſive foreſts, that are frequented by the elephant and the lion. As it ſubſiſts entirely up⯑on vegetable food, it is peaceful and harmleſs among its fellows of the brute creation; but, though it never provokes to combat, it equally diſdains to fly. It is every way fitted for war, but reſts content in the conſciouſneſs of its ſecurity. It is particularly fond of the prickly branches of trees, and is ſeen to feed upon ſuch thorny ſhrubs as would be dangerous to other animals, either to gather, or to ſwallow. The prickly points of theſe, however, may only [290] ſerve to give a poignant reliſh to this animal's palate, and may anſwer the ſame grateful ends in ſeaſoning its banquet, that ſpices do in heightening ours.

In ſome parts of the kingdom of Aſia, where the natives are more deſirous of appearing war⯑like than ſhewing themſelves brave, theſe ani⯑mals are tamed, and led into the field to ſtrike terror into the enemy; but they are always an unmanageable and reſtive animal, and probably more dangerous to the employers, than thoſe whom they are brought to oppoſe.

The method of taking them, is chiefly watching them, till they are found either in ſome moiſt or marſhy place, where, like hogs, they are fond of ſleeping and wallowing. They then deſtroy the old one with fire-arms, for no weapons, that are thrown by the force of man, are capable of entering this animal's hide. If, when the old one is deſtroyed, there happens to be a cub, they ſeize and tame it: theſe animals are ſometimes taken in pit-falls, cover⯑ed with green branches, laid in thoſe paths which the Rhinoceros makes in going from the foreſt to the river ſide.

There are ſome varieties in this animal, as in moſt others; ſome of them are found in Africa with a double horn, one growing above [291] the other; this weapon, if conſidered in itſelf, is one of the ſtrongeſt, and moſt dangerous, that nature furniſhes to any part of the animal creation. The horn is entirely ſolid, formed of the hardeſt bony ſubſtance, growing from the upper maxilary bone, by ſo ſtrong an apo⯑phyſe, as ſeemingly to make but one part with it. Many are the medicinal virtues that are aſcribed to this horn, when taken in powder, but theſe qualities have been attributed to it, without any real foundation, and make only a ſmall part of the many fables which this ex⯑traordinary animal has given riſe to.

CHAP. X. The Hippopotamos.

THE hippopotamos is an animal as large, and not leſs formidable than the Rhinoceros; its legs are ſhorter, and its head rather more bulky than that of the animal laſt deſcribed. We have had but few opportunities in Europe of examining this formidable creature mi⯑nutely, its dimenſions, however, have been pretty well aſcertained, by a deſcription given us by Zerenghi, an Italian ſurgeon, who procured one of them to be killed on the banks of the river Nile. By his account it appears, that this terrible animal, which chiefly reſides in the waters of that river, is above ſeventeen feet long, from the extre⯑mity of the ſnout, to the inſertion of the tail; above ſixteen feet in circumference round the body, and above ſeven feet high: the head is near four feet long, and above nine feet in cir⯑cumference. The jaws open about two feet wide, and the cutting teeth, of which it hath four in each jaw, are above a foot long.

[293]Its feet, in ſome meaſure, reſemble thoſe of the elephant, and are divided into four parts. The tail is ſhort, flat, and pointed; the hide is amazingly thick, and though not capable of turning a muſket ball, is impenetrable to the blow of a ſabre; the body is covered over with a ſew ſcattered hairs, of a whitiſh colour. The whole figure of the animal is ſomething between that of an ox and a hog, and its cry is ſomething between the bellowing of the one, and the grunting of the other.

This animal, however, though ſo terribly furniſhed for war, ſeems no way diſpoſed to make uſe of it's prodigious ſtrength againſt an equal enemy; itchiefly reſides at the bottom of the great rivers and lakes of Africa; the Nile, the Niger, and the Zara; there it leads an in⯑dolent kind of life, and ſeems ſeldom diſpoſed for action, except when excited by the calls of hunger. Upon ſuch occaſions, three or four of them are often ſeen at the bottom of a river, near ſome cataract, forming a kind of line, and ſeizing upon ſuch fiſh as are forced down by the violence of the ſtream. In that element they purſue their prey with great ſwiftneſs and perſeverance; they ſwim with much force, and remain at the bottom for thirty or forty minutes without riſing to take breath. They traverſe the [294] the bottom of the ſtream, as if walking upon land, and make a terrible devaſtation where they find plenty of prey. But it often happens, that this animal's fiſhy food is not ſupplied in ſuffi⯑cient abundance, it is then forced to come up⯑on land, where it is an awkward and unweildy ſtranger; it moves but ſlowly, and, as it ſeldom forſakes the margin of the river, it ſinks at every ſtep it takes; ſometimes, however, it is forced, by famine, up into the higher grounds, where it commits dreadful havock among the plantations of the helpleſs natives, who ſee their poſſeſſions deſtroyed, without daring to reſiſt their invader. Their chief method is, by lighting fires, ſtriking drums, and raiſing a cry to frighten it back to its favourite element; and, as it is extremely timorous upon land, they generally ſucceed in their endeavours. But if they happen to wound, or otherways irritate it too cloſely, it then becomes formid⯑able to all that oppoſe it: it overturns what⯑ever it meets, and brings forth all its ſtrength, which it ſeemed not to have diſcovered before that dangerous occaſion. It poſſeſſes the ſame inoffenſive diſpoſition in its favourite element, that it is found to have upon land; it is never found to attack the mariners in their boats, as they go up or down the ſtream; but ſhould [295] they inadvertently ſtrike againſt it, or otherwiſe diſturb its repoſe, there is much danger of its ſending them, at once, to the bottom. ‘"I have ſeen, ſays a mariner, as we find it in Dampier, one of theſe animals open its jaws, and ſeizing any boat between his teeth, at once, bite and ſink it to the bottom. I have ſeen it upon another occaſion, place itſelf under one of our boats, and riſing under it, overſet it with ſix men which were in it; who, however, happily received no other injury."’ Such is the great ſtrength of this animal; and from hence, pro⯑bably, the imagination has been willing to match it in combat againſt others more fierce and equally formidable. The crocodile and ſhark have been ſaid to engage with it, and yield an eaſy victory; but as the ſhark is only found at ſea, and the hippopotomos never ventures beyond the mouth of freſh-water rivers, it is moſt probable that theſe engage⯑ments never occurred; it ſometimes happens, indeed, that the princes of Africa amuſe them⯑ſelves with combats, on their freſh-water lakes, between this and other formidable animals; but whether the rhinoceros or the crocodile are of this number, we have not been particularly informed. If this animal be attacked at land, and finding itſelf incapable of vengeance from [296] the ſwiftneſs of its enemy, it immediately returns to the river, where it plunges in head foremoſt, and after a ſhort time riſes to the ſurface, loudly bellowing, either to invite or intimidate the enemy; but though the negroes will venture to attack the ſhark, or the crocodile, in their natural element, and there deſtroy them, they are too well appriſed of the force of the hippo⯑potamos to engage it; this animal, therefore, continues the uncontrouled maſter of the river, and all others fly from its approach and become an eaſy prey.

As the hippopotomos lives upon fiſh and ve⯑getables, ſo it is probable the fleſh of terreſtrial animals may be equally grateful: the natives of Africa aſſert, that it has often been found to devour children and other creatures that it was able to ſurpriſe upon land; yet it moves but ſlowly, almoſt every creature, endued with a common ſhare of ſwiftneſs, is able to eſcape it; and this animal, therefore, ſeldom ventures from the river ſide, but when preſſed by the neceſſities of hunger, or of bringing forth its young.

The female always comes upon land to bring forth, and it is ſuppoſed that ſhe ſeldom pro⯑duces above one at a time; upon this occaſion, theſe animals are particularly timorous, and [297] dread the approach of a terreſtrial enemy; the inſtant the parent hears the ſlighteſt noiſe, it daſhes into the ſtream, and the young one is ſeen to follow it with equal alacrity.

The young ones are ſaid to be excellent eat⯑ing; but the negroes, to whom nothing that has life comes amiſs, find an equal delicacy in the old. Dr. Pocock has ſeen their fleſh ſold in the ſhambles, like beef; and it is ſaid, that their breaſt, in particular, is as delicate eating as veal. As for the reſt, theſe animals are found in great numbers, and as they produce very faſt, their fleſh, might ſupply the countries where they are found, could thoſe barbarous regions produce more expert huntſmen; it may be remarked, however, that this creature, which was once in ſuch plenty at the mouth of the Nile, is now wholly unknown in Lower Egypt, and is no where to be found in that river, except above the cataracts.

CHAP. XI. The Camelopard.

WERE we to be told of an animal ſo tall, that a man on horſeback could with eaſe ride under its belly, without ſtooping, we ſhould hardly give credit to the relation; yet, of this extraordinary ſize is the camelopard, an animal that inhabits the Deſarts of Africa, and the ac⯑counts of which are ſo well aſcertained, that we cannot deny our aſſent to their authority. It is no eaſy matter to form an adequate idea of this creature's ſize, and the oddity of its formation. It exhibits ſomewhat the ſlender ſhape of the deer, or the camel, but deſtitute of their ſymme⯑try, or their eaſy power of motion The head ſomewhat reſembles that of the deer, with two round horns, near a footlong, and which it is pro⯑bable, it ſheds as deer are found to do; its neck reſembles that of a horſe; its legs and feet, thoſe of the deer; but with this extra⯑ordinary difference, that the fore legs are near twice as long as the hinder. As theſe creatures []

[298] [...] [] [...] [299] have been found eighteen feet high, and ten from the ground to the top of the ſhoulders, ſo allowing three feet for the depth of the body ſeven feet remains, which is high enough to admit a man mounted upon a middle ſized horſe. The hinder part, however, is much lower, ſo that when the animal appears ſtand⯑ing, and at reſt, it has ſomewhat the appearance of a dog ſitting, and this formation of its legs, gives it an awkward and laborious motion; which, though ſwift, muſt yet be tireſome. For this reaſon, the camelopard is an animal very rarely found, and only finds refuge in the moſt internal deſart regions of Africa. The dimen⯑ſions of a young one, as they were accurately taken by a perſon, who examined its ſkin, that was brought from the Cape of Good Hope, were found to be as follow: the length of the head, was one foot eight inches; the height of the fore leg, from the ground to the top of the ſhoulder, was ten feet; from the ſhoulder, to the top of the head, was ſeven; the height of the hind leg, was eight feet five inches; and from the top of the ſhoulder, to the inſertion of the tail, was juſt ſeven feet long.

No animal, either from its diſpoſition, or its formation, ſeems leſs fitted for a ſtate of natural [300] hoſtility; its horns are blunt, and even knobbed at the ends; its teeth are made entirely for vegetable paſture; its ſkin is beautifully ſpeckled with white ſpots, upon a browniſh ground; it is timorous and harmleſs, and not⯑withſtanding its great ſize, rather flies from, than reſiſts the ſlighteſt enemy; it partakes very much of the nature of the camel, which it ſo nearly reſembles; it lives entirely upon vegeta⯑bles, and when grazing, is obliged to ſpread its fore legs very wide, in order to reach its paſture; its motion is a kind of pace, two legs on each ſide moving at the ſame time, whereas in other animals they move tranſ⯑verſely. It often lies down with its belly to the earth, and like the camel, has a callous ſub⯑ſtance upon its breaſt, which, when repoſed, defends it from injury. This animal was known to the ancients, but has been very rarely ſeen in Europe. One of them was ſent from the Eaſt to the Emperor of Germany, in the year 1559, but they have often been ſeen tame at Grand Cairo, in Egypt; and I am told, there are two there at preſent. When ancient Rome was in its ſplendour, Pompey exhibited, at one time, no leſs than ten, upon the theatre. It was the barbarous pleaſure of the people, at that [301] time, to ſee the moſt terrible, and the moſt ex⯑traordinary animals produced in combat againſt each other. The lion, the lynx, the tiger, the elephant, the hippopotamos, were all let looſe promiſcuouſly, and were ſeen to inflict indiſcri⯑minate deſtruction.

CHAP. XII. The Camel, and the Dromedary.

THESE names do not make two diſtinct kinds, but are only given to a variety of the ſame animal, which has, however, ſubſiſted time immemorial. The principal, and perhaps the only ſenſible difference, by which thoſe two races are diſtinguiſhed, conſiſts in this, that the camel has two bunches upon his back, whereas the dromedary has but one; the latter alſo, is neither ſo large, nor ſo ſtrong, as the camel. Theſe two races, however, produce with each other, and the mixed breed formed between them is conſidered the beſt, the moſt patient, and the moſt indefatigable of all the kind.

The camel is the moſt temperate of all ani⯑mals, and it can continue to travel ſeveral days without drinking. In thoſe vaſt deſarts, where the earth is every where dry and ſandy, where there are neither birds nor beaſts, neither inſects nor vegetables, where nothing is to be ſeen but hills of ſand and heaps of bones, there the camel travels, poſting forward, without requir⯑ing either drink or paſture, and is often found ſix or ſeven days without any ſuſtenance what⯑ſoever. Its feet are formed for travelling upon ſand, and utterly unfit for moiſt or marſhy places; the inhabitants, therefore, find a moſt uſeful aſſiſtant in this animal, where no other could ſubſiſt, and by its means, croſs thoſe de⯑ſarts [204] with ſafety, which would be unpaſſable by any other method of conveyance.

An animal, thus formed for a ſandy and deſart region, cannot be propagated in one of a different nature. Many vain efforts have been tried to propagate the camel, in Spain; they have been tranſported into America, but have multiplied in neither. It is true, in⯑deed, that they may be brought into theſe countries, and may, perhaps, be found to pro⯑duce there, but the care of keeping them is ſo great, and the accidents to which they are expoſed, from the changeableneſs of the cli⯑mate, are ſo many, that they cannot anſwer the care of keeping. In a few years alſo, they are ſeen to degenerate; their ſtrength and their patience forſake them; and inſtead of making the riches, they become the burthen of their keepers.

But it is very different in Arabia, and thoſe countries where the camel is turned to uſeful purpoſes. It is there conſidered as a ſacred animal, without whoſe help, the natives could neither ſubſiſt, traffick, or travel; its milk makes a part of their nouriſhment; they feed upon its fleſh particularly when young; they clothe themſelves with its hair, which it is ſeen to molt regularly once a year, and if they fear an [305] invading enemy, their camels ſerve them in flight, and in a ſingle day, they are known to travel above an hundred miles. Thus, by means of the camel, an Arabian finds ſafety in his de⯑ſarts; all the armies upon earth might be loſt in the purſuit of a flying ſquadron of this country, mounted upon their camels, and taking refuge in ſolitudes where nothing interpoſes to ſtop their flight, or to force them to wait the in⯑vader. Nothing can be more dreary than the aſpect of theſe ſandy plains, that ſeem entirely forſaken of life and vegetation: wherever the eye turns, nothing is preſented but a ſterril and duſty ſoil, ſometimes torn up by the winds, and moving in great waves along, which, when viewed from an eminence, reſemble leſs the earth than the ocean; here and there a few ſhrubs appear that only teach us to wiſh for the grove that remind us of the ſhade in theſe ſultry climates, without affording its re⯑freſhment; the return of morning, which, in other places, carries an idea of chearfulneſs here ſerves only to enlighten the endleſs and dreary waſte, and to preſent the tra⯑veller with an unfiniſhed proſpect of his forlorn ſituation; yet in this chaſm of nature, by the help of the camel, the Arabian finds ſafety and ſubſiſtance There are here and there [306] found ſpots of verdure, which, though remote from each other, are, in a manner, ap⯑proximated by the labour and induſtry of the camel. Thus theſe deſarts, which preſent the ſtranger with nothing but objects of danger and ſterility, afford the inhabitant protection, food, and liberty. The Arabian lives independant and tranquil in the midſt of his ſolitudes; and, inſtead of conſidering the vaſt ſolitudes ſpread round him as a reſtraint upon his happineſs, he is, by experience, taught to regard them as the ramparts of his freedom.

The camel is eaſily inſtructed in the methods of taking up and ſupporting his burthen; their legs, a few days after they are produced, are bent under their belly; they are in this manner loaded, and taught to riſe; their burthen is every day thus encreaſed, by inſenſible degrees, till the animal is capable of ſupporting a weight adequate to its force: the ſame care is taken in making them patient of hunger and thirſt: while other animals receive their food at ſtated times, the camel is reſtrained for days together, and theſe intervals of famine are encreaſed in proportion as the animal ſeems capable of ſuſtain⯑ing them. By this method of education, they live five or ſix days without food or water; and their ſtomach is formed moſt admirably by [307] nature, to fit them for long abſtinence: beſides the four ſtomachs, which all animals have, that chew the cud, (and the camel is of the number) it has a fifth ſtomach, which ſerves as a reſervoir, to hold a greater quantity of wa⯑ter than the animal has an immediate occaſion for. It is of a ſufficient capacity to contain a large quantity of water, where the fluid remains without corrupting, or without being adulterat⯑ed by the other aliments: when the camel finds itſelf preſſed with thirſt, it has here an eaſy reſource for quenching it; it throws up a quantity of this water by a ſimple contraction of the muſcles, into the other ſtomachs, and this ſerves to macerate its dry and ſimple food; in this manner, as it drinks but ſeldom, it takes in a large quantity at a time, and travellers, when ſtraightened for water, have been often known to kill their camels for that which they expected to find within them.

In Turky, Perſia, Arabia, Barbary, and Egypt, their whole commerce is carried on by means of camels, and no carriage is more ſpeedy, and none leſs expenſive in theſe coun⯑tries. Merchants and travellers unite them⯑ſelves into a body, furniſhed with camels, to ſecure themſelves from the inſults of the rob⯑bers that infeſt the countries in which they [308] live. This aſſemblage is called a caravan, in which the numbers are ſometimes known to amount to above ten thouſand, and the num⯑ber of camels is often greater than thoſe of the men: each of theſe animals is loaded according to his ſtrength, and he is ſo ſenſible of it him⯑ſelf, that when his burthen is too great, he remains ſtill upon his belly, the poſture in which he is loaden, refuſing to riſe, till his burthen be leſſened or taken away. In general, the large camels are capable of carrying a thouſand weight, and ſometimes twelve hun⯑dred; the dromedary from ſix to ſeven. In theſe trading journies, they travel but ſlowly, their ſtages are generally regulated, and they ſeldom go above thirty, or at moſt about five and thirty miles a day. Every evening, when they arrive at a ſtage, which is uſually ſome ſpot of verdure, where water and ſhrubs are in plenty, they are permitted to feed at liberty; they are then ſeen to eat as much in an hour, as will ſupply them for twenty-four, they ſeem to prefer the coarſeſt weeds to the ſofteſt paſture, the thiſtle, the nettle, the caſia, and other prickly vegetables, are their favourite food; but their drivers take care to ſupply them with a kind of paſte compoſition, which ſerves as a more permanent nouriſhment. As theſe animals [309] have often gone the ſame track, they are ſaid to know their way preciſely, and to purſue their paſſage when their guides are utterly aſtray: when they come within a few miles of their baiting-place, in the evening, they ſagaciouſly ſcent it at a diſtance, and encreaſing their ſpeed, are often ſeen to trot, with vivacity to their ſtage.

The patience of this animal is moſt extraor⯑dinary; and it is probable, that its ſufferings are great, for when it is loaded, it ſends forth moſt lamentable cries, but never offers to reſiſt the tyrant that oppreſſes it. At the ſlighteſt ſign, it bends its knees and lies upon its belly, ſuffer⯑ing itſelf to be loaded in this poſition; by this practice the burthen is more eaſily laid upon it, than if lifted up while ſtanding; at another ſign it riſes with its load, and the driver getting upon its back, between the two panniers, which, like hampers, are placed upon each ſide, he encourages the camel to proceed with his voice and with a ſong. In this manner the creature proceeds contentedly forward, with a ſlow un⯑eaſy walk, of about four miles an hour, and when it comes to its ſtage, lies down to be unloaded, as before.

Mr. Buffon ſeems to conſider the camel to be the moſt domeſticated of all other creatures, [310] and to have more marks of the tyranny of man imprinted on its form. He is of opinion, that this animal is not now to be found in a ſtate of nature, that the humps on its back, the calo⯑ſities upon its breaſt, and its legs, and even the great reſervoir for water, are all marks of long ſervitude and domeſtic conſtraint. The deformities he ſuppoſes to be perpetuated by generation, and what at firſt was accident at laſt becomes nature. However this be, the humps upon the back grow large in proportion as the animal is well fed, and if examined, they will be found compoſed of a ſubſtance not unlike the udder of a cow.

The inhabitants generally leave but one male to wait on ten females, the reſt they caſtrate; and though they thus become weaker, they are more manageable and patient. The female receives the male in the ſame poſi⯑tion as when theſe animals are loaded; ſhe goes with young for about a year, and, like all other great animals, produces but one at a time. The camel's milk is abundant and nouriſhing, and mixed with water makes a principle part of the beverage of the Arabians. Theſe animals begin to engender at three years of age, and they ordinarily live from forty to fifty years. The genital part of the male reſembles that of [311] the bull, but is placed pointing backwards, ſo that its urine ſeems to be ejected in the manner of the female. This, as well as the dung, and al⯑moſt every part of this animal, is converted to ſome uſeful purpoſe by the keepers. Of the urine falmoniac is made; and of the dung, lit⯑ter for the horſes, and fire, for the purpoſe of dreſſing their victuals. Thus, this animal alone ſeems to compriſe within itſelf, a variety of qualities, any one of which ſerves to render other quadrupedes abſolutely neceſſary for the welfare of man; like the elephant, it is man⯑ageable and tame; like the horſe, it gives the rider ſecurity; it carries greater burthens than the ox, or the mule, and its milk is furniſhed in as great abundance as that of the cow; the fleſh of the young ones is ſuppoſed to be as deli⯑cate as veal; their hair is more beautiful, and more in requeſt than wool; while even of its very excrements, no part is uſeleſs.

CHAP. XIV. The Lama.

AS almoſt all the quadrupedes of America are ſmaller than the reſembling ones of the ancient continent, ſo the lama, which may be conſi⯑dered as the camel of the new world, is every way leſs than that of the old. This animal, like that deſcribed in the former chapter, ſtands high upon its legs, has a long neck, a ſmall head, and reſembles the camel, not only in its natural mildneſs, but its aptitude for ſervitude, its moderation, and its patience. The Ameri⯑cans early found out its uſeful qualities, and availed themſelves of its labours: like the camel, it ſerves to carry goods over places in⯑acceſſible to other beaſts of burthen; like that it is obedient to its driver, and often dies under, but never reſiſts his cruelty.

Of theſe animals, ſome are white, others black, but they are moſtly brown; its face re⯑ſembles that of the camel, and its height is about equal to that of an aſs. They are not found in the ancient continent, but en⯑tirely [313] belong to the new; nor are they found ſpread over all America, but are found chiefly upon thoſe mountains, that ſtretch from New Spain to the Streights of Magellan. They inhabit the higheſt regions of the globe, and ſeem to require purer air than animals of a lower ſituation are found to enjoy. Peru ſeems to be the place where they are found in greateſt plenty. In Mexico, they are introduced rather as curioſities than beaſts of burthen; but in Potoſi, and other provinces of Peru, they make the chief riches of the Indians and Spaniards who rear them: their fleſh is excellent food; their hair or rather wool, may be ſpun into beautiful cloathing, and they are capable, in the moſt rugged and dangerous ways, of carrying burthens not ex⯑ceeding a hundred weight, with the greateſt ſafety. It is true indeed that they go but ſlowly, and ſeldom above fifteen miles a day; their tread is heavy, but ſure, they deſcend precipices, and find footing among the moſt craggy rocks where even men can ſcarce ac⯑company them; they are, however, but feeble animals, and after four or five days labour, they are obliged to repoſe for a day or two. They are chiefly uſed in carrying the riches of the mines of Potoſi, and we are told that there [314] are above three hundred thouſand of theſe animals in actual employ.

This animal, as was ſaid before, is above three feet high, and the neck is three feet long, the head is ſmall and well proportioned, the eyes large, the noſe long, the lips thick, the upper divided, and the lower a little depending, like all thoſe animals that feed upon graſs, it wants the upper cutting teeth; the ears are four inches long, and move with great agility; the tail is but five inches long, it is ſmall, ſtrait, and a little turned up at the end; it is cloven footed, like the ox, but it has a kind of ſpear⯑like appendage behind, which aſſiſts it in mov⯑ing over precipices and rugged ways; the wool on the back is ſhort, but long on the ſides and the belly; it reſembles the camel in the for⯑mation of the genital parts in the male, ſo that it makes urine backwards; it couples alſo in the ſame manner, and though it finds much difficulty in the action, it is ſaid to be much inclined to venery. A whole day is often paſſed, before this neceſſary buſineſs can be compleated, which is ſpent in growling, quarrelling, and ſpitting at each other; they ſeldom produce above one at a time, and their age never extends above ten or twelve years at fartheſt.

[315]Though the lama is no way comparable to the camel, either for ſize, ſtrength, or per⯑ſeverance, yet the Americans find a ſubſtitute in it, with which they ſeem perfectly content⯑ed. It appears formed for that indolent race of maſters, which it is obliged to ſerve; it re⯑quires no care, nor no expence in the attending or providing for its ſuſtenance; it is ſupplied with a warm covering, and therefore does not require to be houſed; ſatisfied with vegetables and graſs, it wants neither corn nor hay to ſubſiſt it; it is not leſs moderate in what it drinks, and exceeds even the camel in tem⯑perance. Indeed, of all other creatures, it ſeems to require water leaſt, as it is ſupplied by nature with ſaliva in ſuch large quantities, that it ſpits it out on every occaſion: this ſaliva ſeems to be the only offenſive weapon that the harmleſs creature has to teſtify its reſentment. When overloaded, or fatigued, and driven on by all the torturing acts of its keeper, it falls on its belly, and pours out againſt him, a quantity of this fluid; which, though probably no way hurtful, the Indians are much afraid of They ſay, that wherever it falls, it is of ſuch an acrimonious nature, that it will either burn the ſkin, or cauſe very dangerous erup⯑tions.

[316]Such are theſe animals in their domeſtic ſtate; but as they are found wild in very great numbers, they exhibit marks of great force and agility, in their ſtate of nature. The ſtag is ſcarcely more ſwift, or the goat, or the ſhamoy a better climber. All its ſhapes are more delicate and ſtrong; its colour is tawney, and its wool is but ſhort; in their native for⯑reſts, they are gregarious animals, and are often ſeen in flocks of two or three hundred at a time. When they perceive a ſtranger, they regard him at firſt with aſtoniſhment, without marking any fear or ſurprize; but ſhortly, as if by common conſent, they ſnuff up the air, ſomewhat like horſes, and at once, by a common flight take refuge on the tops of the mountains; they are fonder of the northern than the ſouthern ſide of the Andes; they often climb above the ſnowy tracts of the mountain, and ſeem vigorous in proportion to the cold⯑neſs of their ſituation. The natives hunt the wild lama for the ſake of its fleece. If the dogs ſurprize one upon the plain, they are generally ſucceſsful; but if once the lama ob⯑tains the rocky precipice of the mountain, the hunters are obliged to deſiſt in their purſuit.

The lama ſeems to be the largeſt of the camel kind in America; there are others, which are [317] called guanacoes and pacos, that are ſmaller and weaker, but endued with the ſame nature, and formed pretty much in the ſame manner. They ſeem to bear the ſame proportions to each other, that the horſe does to the aſs, and are employed with the ſame de⯑gree of ſubordination. The wool, however, of the paco, ſeems to be the moſt valuable, and it is formed into ſtuffs, not inferiour to ſilk, either in price or beauty. The natural colour of the paco, is that of a dried roſe leaf; the manufacturers ſeldom give its wool any other dye, but form it into quilts and carpets, which exceed thoſe from the Levant. This manufacture forms a very conſiderable branch of commerce in South America, and probably too, might be extended to Europe, were the beauty, and the durability of what is thus wrought up ſuffi⯑ciently known.

CHAP. XV. The Nyl-ghau.

THIS animal, the name of which is pro⯑nounced nylgaw is a native of India, and has but lately been imported into Europe; it ſeems to be of a middle nature, between the cow and the deer, and carries the appearance of both in its form. In ſize, it is as much ſmaller than the one, as it is larger than the other; its body, horns, and tail, are not unlike thoſe of a bull; and the head, neck, and legs, are very like thoſe of a deer. The colour, in ge⯑neral, is aſh or grey, from a mixture of black hairs and white; all along the ridge or edge of the neck, the hair is blacker, larger, and more erect, making a ſhort thin and upright mane. Its horns are ſeven inches long, they are ſix inches round at the root, growing ſmaller by degrees, they terminate in a blunt point. The bluntneſs of theſe, together with the form of its head and neck, might incline us to ſuppoſe it was of the deer kind; but, as it never ſheds its horns, it has a greater affinity to the cow.

[319]From the diſpoſition of that brought over to this country, which has been very accurately and minutely deſcribed by Dr. Hunter, their manners were harmleſs and gentle. Although in its native wildneſs, it is ſaid to be fierce and vicious, this ſeemed pleaſed with every kind of familiarity, and always licked the hand that ſtroked, or gave it bread, and never once attempted to uſe its horns offenſively; it ſeemed to have much de⯑pendance on its organs of ſmell, and ſnuffed keenly, and with noiſe, whenever any perſon came within ſight; it did ſo likewiſe, when any food or drink was brought to it; and was ſo eaſily offended with ſmells, or ſo cautious, that it would not taſte the bread which was offered, when the hand happened to ſmell ſtrong of turpentine. Its manner of fighting is very par⯑ticular. It was obſerved, at Lord Clive's, where two males were put into a little incloſure, that, while they were at a conſiderable diſtance from each other, they prepared for the attack, by falling upon their fore-knees, then they ſhuffled towards each other, with a quick pace, keeping ſtill upon their fore-knees; and when they were come within ſome yards, they made a ſpring and darted againſt each other. The intrepidity and force with which they dart againſt any object, appeared by the ſtrength with which [320] one of them attempted to over-turn a poor labourer who unthinkingly ſtood on the outſide of the pales of its incloſure. The Nyl ghau, with the quickneſs of lightning, darted againſt the wood-work with ſuch vio⯑lence, that he broke it to pieces, and broke off one of his horns cloſe to the root, which occa⯑ſioned the animal's death. At all the places in India where we have ſettlements, they are conſidered as rarities, and brought from the diſtant interiour parts of the country. The Emperor, ſometimes, kills them in ſuch num⯑bers, as to diſtribute quarters of them to all his omrahs; which ſhews that they are internally wild and in plenty, and eſteemed good or dili⯑cious food. The nyl-ghaus, which have been brought to England, have been moſt, if not all of them, received from Surat or Bombay; and they ſeem to be leſs uncommon in that part of India, than in Bengal; which gives room for a conjecture, that they may be indigenous, per⯑haps in the province of Guzarat, one of the moſt weſtern and the moſt conſiderable of the Hindoſtan empire, lying to the northward of Surat, and ſtretching away to the Indian ocean.

CHAP. XVI. The Bear.

[321]OF the bear, there are three different kinds, the brown bear of the Alps, the black bear of North-America, which is ſmaller, and the great Greenland, or white bear. Theſe, tho' diffe⯑rent in their form, are no doubt of the ſame original, and owe their chief variations to food and climate. They have all the ſame habitudes, being equally carnivorous, treacherous and cruel. It has been ſaid indeed, that the black bear of America, rejects animal food, but of the contrary I am certain, as I have often ſeen the young ones, which are brought over to London, prefer fleſh to every kind of veget⯑able aliment.

The brown bear, is properly an inhabitant of the temperate climates; the black finds ſub⯑ſiſtance in the northern regions of Europe and America, while the great white bear takes re⯑fuge in the moſt icy climates, and lives where ſcarce any other animal can find ſubſiſtence.

[322]The brown bear ^* is not only ſavage but ſo⯑litary; he takes refuge in the moſt unfrequent⯑ed parts, and the moſt dangerous precipices of uninhabited mountains. It chuſes its den in the moſt gloomy parts of the foreſt, in ſome cavern that has been hollowed by time, or in the hollow of ſome old enormous tree. There it retires alone, and paſſes ſome months of the winter without proviſions, or without ever ſtir⯑ring abroad. However this animal is not intirely deprived of ſenſation like the bat, or the dor⯑mouſe, but ſeems rather to ſubſiſt upon the exuberance of its former fleſh, and only feels the calls of appetite, when the fat it had ac⯑quired in ſummer, begins to be entirely waſted away. In this manner, when the bear retires to its den, to hide for the winter, it is ex⯑tremely fat, but at the end of forty or fifty days, when it comes forth to ſeek for freſh nouriſhment, it ſeems to have ſlept all its fleſh away. It is a common report, that during this time, they live by ſucking their paws, which is a vulgar error that ſcarce requires confuta⯑tion. Theſe ſolitary animals couple in au⯑tumn, but the time of geſtation with the fe⯑male is ſtill unknown; the female takes great care to provide a proper retreat for her young, [323] ſhe ſecures them in the hollow of a rock, and provides a bed of hay in the warmeſt part of the den; ſhe brings forth in winter, and the young ones begin to follow her in ſpring. The male and female, by no means inhabit the ſame den; they have each their ſeparate retreat, and ſeldom are ſeen together but upon the acceſſes of genial deſire.

The voice of the bear is a kind of growl, interrupted with rage, which is often caprici⯑ouſly exerted; and tho' this animal ſeems gen⯑tle and placid to its maſter, when tamed; yet it is ſtill to be diſtruſted and managed with caution, as it is often treacherous and reſentful without a cauſe.

This animal is capable of ſome degree of in⯑ſtruction. There are few but have ſeen it dance in aukward meaſures upon its hind feet, to the voice or the inſtrument of its leader; and it muſt be confeſſed that the dancer is of⯑ten found to be the beſt performer of the two. I am told, that it is firſt taught to perform in this manner, by ſetting it upon hot plates of iron, and then playing to it, while in this un⯑eaſy ſituation.

The bear, when come to maturity, can ne⯑ver be tamed; it then continues in its native fierceneſs, and tho' caged, ſtill formidably im⯑potent, [324] at the approach of its keeper flies to meet him. But notwithſtanding the fierce⯑neſs of this animal, the natives in thoſe coun⯑tries where it is found, hunt it with great perſeverance and alacrity. The leaſt danger⯑ous method of taking it is by intoxicating it, by throwing brandy upon honey, which it ſeems to be chiefly fond of, and ſeeks for in the hollow of trees. In Canada, where the black bears are very common, and where their dens are made in trees, that are hollow towards the top, they are taken by ſetting fire to their retreats, which are often above thirty feet from the ground. The old one is generally ſeen firſt to iſſue from her den, and is ſhot by the hunters. The young ones, as they deſcend, are caught in a nooſe, and are either kept or killed for proviſion. Their paws are ſaid to be a great delicacy, and their hams are well enough known at the tables of the luxurious here. Their fat alſo, which ſtill preſerves a certain degree of fluidity, is ſuppoſed to be an efficacious remedy in white or indolent tumours, tho' probably very little ſuperior to hogs lard.

The white bear, ſeems the only animal, that by being placed in the coldeſt climate, grows larger than thoſe that live in the temperate zones. All other ſpecies of animated nature, diminiſh as they approach the poles, and ſeem contracted in their ſize, by the rigours of the ambient atmoſphere, but the bear, being un⯑moleſted in theſe deſolate climates, and meet⯑ing no animal, but what he can eaſily con⯑quer, finding alſo a ſufficient ſupply of fiſhy proviſions, he grows to an enormous ſize, and as the lion is the tyrant of an African foreſt, ſo the bear remains undiſputed maſter of the icy mountains in Spitzbergen and Green⯑land. When our mariners land upon thoſe [326] ſhores, in ſuch parts as have not been frequent⯑ed before, the white bears come down to view them with an aukward curioſity; they ap⯑proach ſlowly, ſeeming undetermined whether to advance or retreat, and being naturally a timorous animal, they are only urged on by the conſcious experience of their former vic⯑tories; however, when they are ſhot at, or wounded, they endeavour to fly, or finding that impracticable, they make a fierce and deſ⯑perate reſiſtance till they die. As they live upon fiſh and ſeals, their fleſh is too ſtrong for food, and the captors have nothing but the ſkin, to reward them, for the dangers incur⯑red in the engagement.

The number of theſe animals that are found about the north-pole, if we conſider the ſcar⯑city thereof, of all other terreſtrial creatures is very amazing. They are not only ſeen at land, but often on ice-floats, ſeveral leagues at ſea. They are often tranſported in this manner to the very ſhores of Iceland, where they no ſoon⯑er land, but all the natives are in arms to re⯑ceive them. It often happens, that when a greenlander and his wife are paddling out at ſea, by coming too near an ice-float, a white bear unexpectedly jumps into their boat, and if he does not overſet it, ſits calmly where [327] he firſt came down, and like a paſſenger, ſuf⯑fers himſelf to be rowed along. It is probable the poor little greenlander is not very fond of his new gueſts, however he makes a virtue of neceſſity, and hoſpitably rows him to ſhore.

As this animal lives chiefly upon fiſh, ſeals, and dead whales, it ſeldom removes far from the ſhore. When forced by hunger, it often ventures into the deep, ſwims after ſeals, and devours whatever it can ſeize; it is however but a bad ſwimmer, and it is often hunted in this manner by boats, till it is fatigued, and at laſt deſtroyed. It often happens a battle en⯑ſues between a bear and a morſe or a whale, as the latter are more expert in their own element, they generally prove victorious. However, when the bear can find a young whale, it re⯑pays him for the danger he incurs of meeting with the parent.

CHAP. XVII. The Badger.

THE badgers legs are ſo ſhort, that its belly ſeems to touch the ground; this however is but a deceitful appearance, as it is cauſed by the length of the hair, which is very long all over the body, and makes it ſeem much more bulky that it really is. It is a ſolitary ſtupid animal, that finds refuge, remote from man, and digs itſelf a deep hole, with great aſſiduity. It ſeems to avoid the light, and ſeldom quits its retreat by day, only ſtealing out at night to find ſub⯑ſiſtence. It burrows in the ground very eaſy, its legs being ſhort and ſtrong, and its claws, ſtiff and horny. As it continues to bury itſelf, and throw the earth behind it, to a great diſ⯑tance, and thus forms to itſelf a winding hole, at the bottom of which it remains in ſafety. As the fox is not ſo expert at digging into the earth, it often takes poſſeſſion of that which has been quitted by the badger, and ſome ſay, forces it from its retreat, by laying its excre⯑ments at the mouth of the badger's hole.

[329]This animal, however, is not long in making itſelf a new habitation, from which it ſeldom ventures far, as it flies but ſlowly, and can find ſafety only in the ſtrength of its retreat. When it is ſurprized by the dogs at ſome diſtance from its hole, it then combats with deſperate reſolution; it falls upon its back, defends itſelf on every ſide, and ſeldom dies unrevenged in the midſt of its enemies.

The badger, like the fox, is a carnivorous animal, and nothing that has life can come amiſs to it. It ſleeps the greateſt part of its time, and thus without being a voracious feed⯑er, it ſtill keeps fat, particularly in winter. They always keep their hole very clear, and when the female brings forth, ſhe makes a com⯑fortable warm bed of hay, at the bottom of her hole for the reception of her young. She brings forth in ſummer, generally to the num⯑ber of three or four, which ſhe feeds at firſt with her milk, and afterwards with ſuch petty prey as ſhe can ſurprize. She ſeizes the young rab⯑bets in their warren, robs birds neſts, finds out where the wild bees have laid up their honey, and brings all to her expecting brood.

The young ones when taken are eaſily tamed, but the old ſtill continues ſavage and incorri⯑gible; the former, after a ſhort time, play with [330] the dogs, follow their maſter about the houſe, but ſeem of all other animals the moſt fond of the fire. They often approach it ſo cloſely, that they burn themſelves in a dangerous man⯑ner. They are ſometimes alſo ſubject to the mange, and have a gland under their tail, which ſcents pretty ſtrongly. The poor of ſome countries eat their fleſh; which, tho' fat, is at beſt, but rank and ill taſted.

CHAP. XVIII. The Tapir

[331]THERE ſeems to be a rude, but inferiour reſemblance between many animals of the old and the new world. The congar of America, reſembles the tiger in natural ferocity, tho' far inferior in its dimenſions. The lama bears ſome affinity to the camel, but is far behind it in ſtrength and utility. The tapir may be conſidered as the hippopotamos of the New Continent, but, degraded both as to its ſize and ferocity.

This animal bears ſome diſtant reſemblance in its form to a mule. It has a long ſnout, which it lengthens or contracts at pleaſure. Its ears are ſmall, long, and pendant. Its neck and tail are ſhort, and its claws ſtrong and firm, of which it has four upon each foot. Its ſkin is thick, and covered with brown hair, and the natives make ſhields of it, which can⯑not be pierced by an arrow.

This animal may in ſome meaſure be termed amphibious, as it chiefly reſides in the water. [] [...] [331] [...] [332] It differs however from all others of this kind, in feeding entirely upon vegetables, and not making this element the place of its depreda⯑tions. It feeds upon the paſtures by the river⯑ſide, and as it is very timorous, the inſtant it hears the leaſt noiſe, it plunges into the ſtream. They are greatly ſought after by the natives, as their fleſh is conſidered as a delicacy, and thought by ſome not inferior to beef,

CHAP. XIX. The Racoon.

[333]THE racoon, which ſome authors have called the Jamaica rat, is about the ſize of a ſmall bad⯑ger; its body is ſhort and bulky; its fur is fine, long and thick, blackiſh at the ſurface, and grey towards the bottom; the noſe is rather ſhorter, and more pointed than that of a fox; the eyes large and yellow, the teeth reſembling thoſe of a dog, the tail thick, but tapering to⯑wards a point, regularly marked with rings of black, and at leaſt as long as the body; the fore-feet are much ſhorter than the hinder, both armed with five ſharp claws, with which, and his teeth, the animal makes a vigorous reſiſtance. Like the ſquirrel, it makes uſe of its paws to hold its food while eating, but it dif⯑fers from the monkey-kind, which uſe only but one hand on thoſe occaſions, whereas the racoon and the ſquirrel, uſe both; as wanting the thumb, their paws ſingly are unfit for graſping or holding; tho' this animal be ſhort and bulky, it is however very active; its [] [...] [333] [...] [334] pointed claws, enable it to climb trees with great facility; it runs on the trunk with the ſame ſwiftneſs that it moves upon the plain, and ſports among the moſt extreme branches with great agility, ſecurity and eaſe; it moves forward chiefly by bounding, and tho' it pro⯑ceeds in an oblique direction, it has ſpeed e⯑nough moſt frequently to eſcape its purſuers.

This animal is a native of the ſouthern parts of America, nor have any travellers mentioned its being found in the Ancient Continent. But in the climates of which it is a native; it is found in noxious abundance, particularly in Jamaica, where it keeps in the mountains, and where it often deſcends to feed upon the plan⯑tations of ſugar-cane. The planters of theſe climates, conſider theſe animals as one of their greateſt miſeries; they have contrived various methods of deſtroying them, yet ſtill they pro⯑pagate in ſuch numbers, that neither traps nor fire-arms can ſet them free; ſo that a ſwarm of theſe famiſhed creatures are found to do more injury in a ſingle night, than the labours of a month can repair.

But tho', when wild they are thus troubleſome, in a ſtate of tameneſs no animal is more harm⯑leſs or amuſing; they are capable of being in⯑ſtructed in various little amuſing tricks. The [335] racoon is playful and cleanly, and is very eaſily ſupported; it eats of every thing that's given it, and if left to itſelf, no cat can be a better pro⯑vider; it examines every corner, eats of all fleſh, either boiled or raw, eggs, fruits or corn, inſects themſelves cannot eſcape it, and if left at liber⯑ty in a garden, it will feed upon ſnails, worms and beetles; but it has a particular fondneſs for ſweets of every kind, and to be poſſeſt of theſe in its wild ſtate, it incurs every danger. Though it will eat its proviſions dry, it will for choice dip them in water if it happens to be in the way; it has one particularity which few other animals have been found to poſſeſs, it drinks as well by lapping, like the dog, as by ſucking like the horſe.

CHAP. XX. The Coatimondi.

THE firſt peculiarity with which this animal ſtrikes the ſpectator, is the extreme length of its ſnout, which in ſome meaſure reſembles that of the hog, but elongated to a ſurprizing degree; it bears ſome diſtant reſemblance to the animal laſt deſcribed, except that the neck and the body are longer, the fur ſhorter, and the eyes ſmaller; but its principal diſtinction, as was ſaid before, conſiſts in the ſhape of its noſe, the upper jaw being an inch longer than the lower, and the ſnout, which is moveable in every diviſion, turning up at the end. Like the racoon, it ſets up on its hinder legs with great eaſe, and in this poſition, with both paws, carries the food to its mouth.

It ſeems poſſeſt of the ſame playful qualities, and indiſcriminate appetites with the animal deſcribed in the laſt chapter; if left at liberty in a ſtate of tameneſs, it will purſue the poul⯑try, and deſtroy every living thing that it has ſtrength to conquer; tho' it is playful with its keeper, yet it ſeems obſtinately bent againſt receiving any inſtruction, and neither threats nor careſſes can induce it to practiſe any arts to which it is not naturally inclined. When it ſleeps, it rolls itſelf up in a lump, and in that poſition often continues for fourteen or fifteen hours together.

CHAP. XXI. Of the Ant-Bear.

THERE are many animals that live upon ants in Africa and America; the pangolin or ſcaly lizard of Guinea may be conſidered among this number; but there are a greater variety in America, which makes thoſe minute inſects their only ſubſiſtence. Though they are of different figures and ſizes, yet in general they go under one common name of the ant-bear; the peculiar length and ſlenderneſs of their ſnout, their ſingular appetites, and their man⯑ner of taking their prey, ſtriking us too ſtrong⯑ly to attend to the minute differences of their ſize or form.

The ſnout is produced in ſo diſproportionate a manner, that the length of it makes near a fourth part of the whole figure. A horſe has one of the longeſt heads of any animal we know, and yet the ant-bear has one above twice as long, in proportion to its body. The ſnout of this animal is almoſt round and cylindrical; it is extremely ſlender, and is ſcarce thicker near the eyes than at its extremity. The mouth is very ſmall, the noſtrils are very cloſe to each other, the eyes are little, in proportion to the length of the noſe, the neck is ſhort, the tongue is extremely long, ſlender, and flatted on both ſides; this it keeps generally doubled up in the mouth, and is the only inſtrument by [340] which it finds ſubſiſtence; for the whole of this tribe are entirely without teeth, and find ſafety only in the remoteneſs and ſecurity of their retreat.

If we examine through the various regions of the earth, we ſhall find that all the moſt active, ſprightly, [...]nd uſeful quadrupedes have been gathered round man, and either ſerved his pleaſures, or ſtill maintained their indepen⯑dence by their vigilance, their cunning, or their induſtry. It is in the remote ſolitudes that we are to look for the helpleſs, the deformed, and the monſtrous births of nature. Theſe wretch⯑ed animals being incapable of defending them⯑ſelves, either by their agility, or their natural arms, fall a prey to every creature that attacks them; they therefore retire for ſafety into the darkeſt foreſts, or the moſt deſart mountains, where none of the bolder, or ſwifter animals chuſe to reſide.

It may well be ſuppoſed that an animal ſo helpleſs as the ant-bear is, with legs too ſhort to fit it for flight, and unprovided with teeth to give it a power of reſiſtance, is neither nu⯑merous, nor often ſeen; its retreats are in the moſt barren and uncultivated parts of South-America. It is a native only of the new con⯑tinent, and intirely unknown to the old. It [341] lives chiefly in the woods, and hides itſelf un⯑der the fallen leaves. It ſeldom ventures from its retreat, and the induſtry of an hour ſup⯑plies it with ſufficient food for ſeveral days to⯑gether. Its manner of procuring its prey, is one of the moſt ſingular in all natural hiſtory; as its name implies, it lives entirely upon ants and inſects; theſe, in the countries where it is bred, are found in the greateſt abundance, and often build themſelves hills, five or ſix feet high, where they live in community. When this animal approaches an ant-hill, it creeps ſlowly forward on its belly, taking every pre⯑caution to keep itſelf concealed, till it comes within a proper diſtance of the place where it intends to make its banquet; there lying cloſe⯑ly along at its length, it thruſts forth its round red tongue, which is often two feet long, acroſs the path of theſe buſy inſects, and there lets it lye motionleſs for ſeveral minutes together. The ants of that country, ſome of which are half an inch long, conſidering it as a piece of fleſh accidentally thrown before them, come forth and ſwarm upon it in great numbers, but wherever they touch, they ſtick; for this in⯑ſtrument is covered with a ſlimy fluid, which like bird-lime, entangles every creature that lights upon it. When therefore the ant-bear [342] has found a ſufficient number for one morſel, it inſtantly draws in the tongue, and devours them all in a moment; after which it ſtill con⯑tinues in its poſition, practiſing the ſame arts until its hunger is entirely appeaſed; it then retires to its hiding-place once more, where it continues in indolent exiſtence, till again excited by the calls of hunger.

Such is the luxurious life of a creature, that ſeems of all others the moſt helpleſs and deformed. It finds ſafety in its hiding-places from its enemies, and an ample ſup⯑ply in ſome neighbouring ant-hill, for all its appetites. As it only tries to avoid its pur⯑ſuers, it is ſeldom diſcovered by them; yet helpleſs as this animal is, when driven to an extremity, though without teeth, it will fight with its claws, with great obſtinacy. With theſe arms alone, it has often been found to oppoſe the dog, and even the Jaguar. It throws itſelf upon its back, faſ⯑tens upon its enemy with all its claws, ſticks with great ſtrength and perſeverance, and even after killing its invader, which is ſometimes the caſe, does not quit its hold, but remains faſtened upon him with vindic⯑tive deſperation.

CHAP. XXII. Of the Sloth.

[343]OF the ſloth there are two different kinds, diſtinguiſhed from each other by their claws; the one, which in its native country is called the unan, having only two claws upon each foot, and being without a tail; the other, which is called the ai, having a tail and three claws upon each foot. The unan has the ſnout longer, the ears more apparent, and the fur very different from the other. It differs alſo in the number of its ribs, this having forty-ſix, while the ai has but twenty-eight. Theſe dif⯑ferences, however, which though very appa⯑rent, have been but little regarded in the de⯑ſcription of two animals which ſo ſtrongly re⯑ſemble each other in the general out-lines of their figure, in their appetites, and their help⯑leſs formation.

They are both, therefore, deſcribed under the common appellation of the ſloth, and their habitudes well deſerve our wonder and curio⯑ſity. [] [...] [343] [...] [344] Nature ſeems cramped and conſtrained in their formation; other animals are often in⯑dolent from choice, theſe are ſlow from neceſſi⯑ty; the ai, from which I ſhall take my deſcrip⯑tion, and from which the other differs only in the ſlight particulars above-mentioned, and in being rather more active, is of about the ſize of a badger. Its fur is coarſe and ſtaring, ſome⯑what reſembling dried graſs; the tail very ſhort, and ſcarce appearing; the mouth extending from ear to ear; the eye dull and heavy; the feet armed with three claws each, and made ſo ſhort, and ſet on ſo aukwardly, that a few paces is often the journey of a week; but though the feet are ſhort, they are ſtill longer than its legs, and theſe proceed from the body in ſuch an oblique direction, that the ſole of the foot ſeldom touches the ground. When the animal therefore is compelled to make a ſtep forward, it ſcrapes on the back of the nails along the ſurface, and wheeling the limbs circularly about, yet ſtill touching the ground, it at length places its foot in a progreſſive poſition; the other three limbs are all brought about with the ſame dif⯑ficulty; and thus it is ſeen to move, not above three feet in an hour. In fact, this poor crea⯑ture ſeldom changes place but by conſtraint, and when impelled by the ſevereſt ſtings of hunger.

[345]The ſloth ſeems to be the meaneſt and moſt ill-formed of all thoſe animals that chew the cud; it lives entirely upon vegetable food, on the leaves, the fruit, and the flowers of trees, and often even on the very bark, when nothing elſe is left on the tree for its ſubſiſtence. Like all other ruminant animals, it has four ſtomachs; and theſe requiring a large ſhare of proviſion to ſupply them, it generally ſtrips a tree of all its verdure in leſs than a fortnight. Still how⯑ever it keeps aloft, unwilling to deſcend, while any thing remains that can ſerve it for food; it therefore falls to devouring the bark, and thus in a ſhort time kills the tree upon which it found its ſupport. Thus deſtitute of pro⯑viſions above, and crawling ſlowly from branch to branch, in hopes of finding ſomething ſtill left, it is at laſt obliged to encounter all the dangers that attend it below. Though it is formed by nature for climbing a tree with great pain and difficulty, yet it is utterly unable to deſcend; it therefore is obliged to drop from the branches to the ground, and as it is inca⯑pable of exerting itſelf to break the violence of its deſcent, it drops like a ſhapeleſs heavy maſs, and feels no ſmall ſhock in the fall. There, after remaining ſome time torpid, it prepares for a journey to ſome neighbouring tree; but [346] this of all migrations is the moſt tedious, dan⯑gerous, and painful; it often takes a week in crawling to a tree not fifty yards diſtant; it moves with imperceptible ſlowneſs, and often baits by the way. All motions ſeem to torture it, every ſtep it takes it ſets forth a moſt plaintive, melancholy cry, which from ſome diſtant ſimilitude to the human voice, excites a kind of diſguſt, mixed with pity. This plaintive ſound ſeems its chief defence, few quadrupedes appear willing to interrupt its pro⯑greſs, either that the fleſh is offenſive, or that they are terrified at its cries. When at length they reach their deſtined tree, they mount it with much greater eaſe than when they moved upon the plain. They fall to with famiſhed appetite, and as before, deſtroy the very ſource that ſupplies them.

How far theſe may be conſidered as the un⯑finiſhed productions of nature, I will not take upon me to determine; if we meaſure their happineſs by our ſenſations, nothing, it is cer⯑tain, can be more miſerable; but it is probable, conſidered with regard to themſelves, they may have ſome ſtores of comfort unknown to us, which may ſet them upon a level with ſome other inferior ranks of the creation; if a part of their life be expoſed to pain and labour, it [347] is compenſated by a larger portion of plenty, indolence, and ſafety. In fact, they are formed very differently from all other quadrupedes, and it is probable, they have different enjoy⯑ments. Like birds, they have but one com⯑mon vent for the purpoſes of propagation, excrement, and urine. Like the tortoiſe, which they reſemble, in the ſlowneſs of their motion, they continue to live ſome time af⯑ter their nobler parts are wounded, or even taken away. They bear the marks of all thoſe comely-formed animals, that like rude machines are not eaſily diſcompoſed.

^* Its note, according to Kircher, is an aſ⯑cending and deſcending hexachord, which it utters only by night; its look is ſo piteous, as to move compaſſion; it is alſo accompa⯑nied with tears, that diſſuade every body from injuring ſo wretched a being. Its ab⯑ſtinence from food is remarkably powerful; one that had faſtened itſelf by its feet to a pole, and was ſo ſuſpended croſs two beams, remained forty days without meat, drink, or ſleep; the ſtrength of its feet is ſo great, that whatſoever it ſeizes on, cannot poſſibly be freed from its claws. A dog was let [348] looſe at the above-mentioned animal, taken from the pole; after ſome time the ſloth laid hold of the dog with its feet, and held him four days, till he periſhed with hun⯑ger.

CHAP. XXIII. The Gerbua.

THIS animal as little reſembles a qua⯑drupede, as that which has been deſcribed in a former chapter. If we ſhould ſuppoſe a bird, diveſted of its feathers, and walking upon its legs, it might give us ſome idea of its figure. It has four feet indeed, but in running or reſting, it never makes uſe of any but the hinder. The number of legs, however, do not much contribute to any animal's ſpeed; and the gerbua, though pro⯑perly ſpeaking, furniſhed but with two, is one of the ſwifteſt creatures in the world.

The gerbua is not above the ſize of a large rat, and its head is ſloped ſomewhat in the manner of a rabbit, the teeth alſo are formed like thoſe of the rat kind, there being two cutting teeth in each jaw; it has a very long tail, tufted at the end; the head, the back, and ſides are covered with large aſh-coloured ſoft hair; the breaſt and belly is whitiſh, but what moſt de⯑ſerves [350] our attention in the formation of this lit⯑tle animal, is the legs; the fore-legs are not an inch long, with four claws and a thumb upon each, while the hinder-legs are two inches and a quarter, and exactly reſemble thoſe of a bird, there being but three toes, the middlemoſt of which is longeſt.

The gerbua is found in Egypt, Barbary, Pa⯑leſtine, and the deſarts between Buſſerah and Aleppo; its hind-legs, as was ſaid before, are only uſed in running, while the fore-paws, like thoſe of a ſquirrel, graſp its food, and in ſome meaſure perform the office of hands. It is of⯑ten ſeen by travellers as they paſs along the deſarts, croſſing their way, and jumping ſix or eight feet at every bound, and going ſo ſwiftly, that ſcarce any other quadrupede is able to over⯑take them. They are a lively, harmleſs race of animals, living entirely upon vegetables, and burrowing like rabbits in the ground. Mr. Pennant tells us of two that were lately brought to London, that burrowed almoſt through the brick wall of the room where they were kept; they came out of their hole at night for food, and when caught, were much fatter and ſlicker than when confined to their burrows. A variety of this animal is found alſo in Siberia and Cir⯑caſſia, and is moſt probably, common enough [351] over all Aſia. They are more expert diggers than even the rabbit itſelf; and when purſued for a long time, if they cannot eſcape by their ſwiftneſs, they try to make a hole inſtantly in the ground, in which they often bury themſelves deep enough to find ſecurity before their purſuers come up. Their burrows, in ſome places, are ſo thick, as to be dangerous to travellers, the horſes perpetually falling in them. It is a provident little animal, and lays up for the winter. It cuts graſs in heaps of a foot ſquare, which when dried, it carries into its burrow, therewith to ſerve it for food, or to keep its young warm during the rigours of the winter.

But of all animals of this kind, that which was firſt diſcovered and deſcribed by Mr. Banks, is the moſt extraordinary. He calls it the kan⯑guroo; and though from its general outline, and the moſt ſtriking peculiarities of its figure, it greatly reſembles the gerbua, yet it entirely differs, if we conſider its ſize, or thoſe minute diſtinctions which direct the makers of ſyſtems in aſſorting the general ranks of nature.

The largeſt of the gerbua kind which are to be found in the ancient continent, do not ex⯑ceed the ſize of a rabbit. The kanguroo of New Holland, where it is only to be found, is [351] [...] [352] often known to weigh above ſixty pounds, and muſt conſequently be as large as a ſheep. Al⯑though the ſkin of that which was ſtuffed and brought home by Mr. Banks, was not much above the ſize of a hare, yet it was greatly ſuperiour to any of the gerbua kind that have been hitherto known, and very different in ma⯑ny particulars. The ſnout of the gerbua, as has been ſaid, is ſhort and round, that of the new-diſcovered animal long and ſlender; the teeth alſo entirely differ; for as the gerbua has but two cutting teeth in each jaw, making four in all, this animal, beſides its cutting teeth, has four canine teeth alſo; but what makes a more ſtriking peculiarity, is the formation of its low⯑er jaw, which, as the ingenious diſcoverer ſup⯑poſes, is divided into two parts, which open and ſhut like a pair of ſciſſars, and cut graſs, probably this animal's principal food. The head, neck, and ſhoulders are very ſmall in proportion to the other parts of the body; the tail is nearly as long as the body, thick near the rump, and tapering towards the end, the ſkin is covered with a ſhort fur, excepting the head and the ears, which bear a ſlight reſemblance to thoſe of the hare. We are not told, how⯑ever, from the formation of its ſtomach, to what claſs of quadrupedes it belongs, from its eating [353] graſs, which it has been ſeen to do; one would be apt to rank it among the ruminant animals, but from the canine teeth which it is found to have, we may on the other hand ſuppoſe it to bear ſome relation to the carnivorous. Upon the whole, however, it can be claſſed with none more properly, than with animals of the ger⯑bua kind, as its hind legs are ſo much longer than the fore; it moves alſo preciſely in the ſame manner, taking great bounds of ten or twelve feet at a time, and thus ſometimes eſcap⯑ing even the fleeteſt greyhound, with which Mr. Banks purſued it. One of them, that was killed, proved to be good food; but a ſecond, which weighed eighty-four pounds, and was not yet come to its full growth, was found to be much inferior.

With this laſt deſcribed and laſt diſcovered animal, I ſhall conclude the hiſtory of quadru⯑pedes, which of all parts of natural knowledge ſeems to have been deſcribed the moſt accurate⯑ly. As theſe, from their figure, as well as their ſagacity, bear the neareſt reſemblance to man, and from their uſes or enmities are the moſt reſpectable parts of the inferior creation, ſo it was his intereſt, and his pleaſure, to make him⯑ſelf acquainted with their hiſtory. It is proba⯑ble therefore that time, which enlarges the ſphere [354] of our knowledge in other parts of learning, can add but very little to this. The addition of a new quadrupede to the catalogue already known, is of no ſmall conſequence, and hap⯑pens but ſeldom; for the number of all is ſo few, that wherever a new one is found, it becomes an object worthy our beſt attention. It may take refuge in its native deſarts from our purſuits, but not from our curioſity.

But it is very different with the inferior ranks of the creation; the claſſes of birds, of fiſhes, and of inſects, are all much more nume⯑rous, and more incompletely known. The quadrupede is poſſeſſed of no arts of eſcaping, which we are not able to overcome; but the bird removes itſelf by its ſwiftneſs, the fiſhes find protection in their native element, and in⯑ſects are ſecured in their minuteneſs, num⯑bers, and variety. Of all theſe therefore, we have but a very inadequate catalogue, and though the liſt be already very large, yet every hour is adding to its extent.

In fact, all knowledge is pleaſant only as the object of it contributes to render man happy, and the ſervices of quadrupedes being ſo very neceſſary to him in every ſituation, he is particularly intereſted in their hiſtory: with⯑out their aid, what a wretched and forlorn [355] creature would he have been! the principal part of his food, his cloathing, and his amuſements are derived wholly from them, and he may be conſidered as a great lord, ſometimes cheriſh⯑ing his humble dependants, and ſometimes ter⯑rifying the refractory, to contribute to his de⯑light and conveniencies.

The horſe and the aſs, the elephant, the ca⯑mel, the lama, and the rein-deer, contribute to eaſe his fatigues, and to give him that ſwiftneſs which he wants from nature. By their aſſiſtance, he changes place without labour; he attains health without wearineſs; his pride is inlarged by the elegance of equipage, and other animals are purſued with a certainty of ſucceſs. It were happy indeed for man, if while converting theſe quadrupedes to his own benefit, he had not turned them to the deſtruction of his fellow-creatures; he has employed ſome of them for the purpoſes of war, and they have conformed to his noxious ambition with but too fatal an obedience.

The cow, the ſheep, the deer, and all their varieties, are neceſſary to him, though in a dif⯑ferent manner. Their fleſh makes the princi⯑pal luxuries of his table, and their wool or ſkins the chief ornament of his perſon. Even thoſe nations that are forbid to touch [356] any thing that has life, cannot wholly diſpenſe with their aſſiſtance. The milk of theſe ani⯑mals makes a principal part of the food of every country, and often repairs thoſe conſti⯑tutions that have been broken by diſeaſe or intemperance.

The dog, the cat, and the ferret, may be conſidered as having deſerted from their fellow-quadrupedes, to liſt themſelves under the con⯑duct and protection of man. At his command they exert all their ſervices againſt ſuch ani⯑mals as they are capable of deſtroying, and follow them into places where he himſelf wants abilities to purſue.

As there is thus a numerous tribe, that he has taken into protection, and that ſup⯑plies his neceſſities and amuſements, ſo there is alſo a ſtill more numerous one, that wages an unequal combat againſt him, and thus call forth his courage and his induſtry. Were it not for the lion, the tyger, the panther, the rhinoceros, and the bear, he would ſcarce know his own powers, and the ſuperiority of human art over brutal fierceneſs. Theſe ſerve to excite, and put his nobler paſſions into motion. He attacks them in their retreat, faces them with reſolution, and ſeldom fails of coming off with a victory. He thus be⯑comes [357] hardier and better in the ſtruggle, and learns to know and to value his own ſupe⯑riority.

As the laſt mentioned animals are called forth by his boldeſt efforts, ſo the numerous tribe of the ſmaller vermin kind excite his continual vigilance and caution; his various arts and powers have been no where more manifeſt, than in the extirpation of thoſe that multiply with ſuch prodigious fecundity. Neither their agility nor their minuteneſs can ſecure them from his purſuits; and though they may infeſt, they are ſeldom found materially to injure him.

In this manner we ſee, that not only human want is ſupplied, but that human wit is ſhar⯑pened, by the humbler partners of man in the creation. By this we ſee, that not only their benefits, but their depredations are uſeful, and that it has wiſely pleaſed Providence to place us like victors in a ſubdued country, where we have all the benefit of conqueſt, without being ſo ſecure, as to run into the ſloth and exceſſes of a certain and undiſturbed poſſeſſion. It ap⯑pears therefore, that thoſe writers who are con⯑tinually finding immediate benefit in every pro⯑duction, ſee but half way into the general ſyſ⯑tem of nature. Experience muſt every hour [538] inform us, that all animals are not formed for our uſe; but we may be equally well aſſured, that thoſe conveniencies which we want from their friendſhip, are well repaid by that vigilance which we procure from their enmity.