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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Curious Creatures in Zoology - -Author: John Ashton - -Release Date: April 12, 2013 [EBook #42508] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURIOUS CREATURES IN ZOOLOGY *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Jennifer Linklater and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -[Illustration: EX LIBRIS] - - - - -_PUBLISHER'S NOTE._ - -_Two hundred and ten copies of this Work printed on superfine Royal 8vo -paper. Each copy numbered. Type distributed._ - -_No. 175_ - - - - - CURIOUS - CREATURES - IN - ZOOLOGY - - With 130 Illustrations - throughout the Text - - JOHN ASHTON - - [Illustration] - - LONDON - JOHN C. NIMMO - 14, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND - 1890 - - - - -[Illustration] - -PREFACE. - - -"Travellers see strange things," more especially when their writing -about, or delineation of, them is not put under the microscope of modern -scientific examination. Our ancestors were content with what was given -them, and being, as a rule, a stay-at-home race, they could not confute -the stories they read in books. That age of faith must have had its -comforts, for no man could deny the truth of what he was told. But now -that modern travel has subdued the globe, and inquisitive strangers have -poked their noses into every portion of the world, "the old order -changeth, giving place to new," and, gradually, the old stories are -forgotten. - -It is to rescue some of them from the oblivion into which they were fast -falling, that I have written, or compiled, this book. I say compiled it, -for I am fonder of letting old authors tell their stories in their -old-fashioned language, than to paraphrase it, and usurp the credit of -their writings, as is too much the mode now-a-days. - -It is not given to every one to be able to consult the old Naturalists; -and, besides, most of them are written in Latin, and to read them -through is partly unprofitable work, as they copy so largely one from -another. But, for the general reader, selections can be made, and, if -assisted by accurate reproductions of the very quaint wood engravings, a -book may be produced which, I venture to think, will not prove tiring, -even to a superficial reader. - -Perhaps the greatest wonders of the creation, and the strangest forms of -being, have been met with in the sea; and as people who only -occasionally saw them were not draughtsmen, but had to describe the -monsters they had seen on their return to land, their effigies came to -be exceedingly marvellous, and unlike the originals. The Northern Ocean, -especially, was their abode, and, among the Northern nations, tales of -Kraken, Sea-Serpents, Whirlpools, Mermen, &c., &c., lingered long after -they were received with doubt by other nations; but perhaps the most -credulous times were the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when no -travellers' tales seem too gross for belief, as can well be seen in the -extreme popularity, throughout all Europe, of the "Voyages and Travels -of Sir John Maundeville," who, though he may be a myth, and his -so-called writings a compilation, yet that compilation represented the -sum of knowledge, both of Geography, and Natural History, of countries -not European, that was attainable in the first half of the fourteenth -century. - -All the old Naturalists copied from one another, and thus compiled -their writings. Pliny took from Aristotle, others quote Pliny, and so -on; but it was reserved for the age of printing to render their writings -available to the many, as well as to represent the creatures they -describe by pictures ("the books of the unlearned"), which add so much -piquancy to the text. - -Mine is not a learned disquisition. It is simply a collection of -zoological curiosities, put together to suit the popular taste of -to-day, and as such only should it be critically judged. - - JOHN ASHTON. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - -CONTENTS. - - - PAGE - - INTRODUCTORY 1 - - AMAZONS 23 - - PYGMIES 26 - - GIANTS 32 - - EARLY MEN 38 - - WILD MEN 44 - - HAIRY MEN 47 - - THE OURAN OUTAN 51 - - SATYRS 55 - - THE SPHYNX 61 - - APES 65 - - ANIMAL LORE 67 - - THE MANTICORA 71 - - THE LAMIA 74 - - THE CENTAUR 78 - - THE GORGON 83 - - THE UNICORN 87 - - THE RHINOCEROS 97 - - THE GULO 101 - - THE BEAR 105 - - THE FOX 125 - - THE WOLF 134 - - WERE-WOLVES 140 - - THE ANTELOPE 145 - - THE HORSE 146 - - THE MIMICK DOG 150 - - THE CAT 154 - - THE LION 156 - - THE LEONTOPHONUS--PEGASUS--CROCOTTA 157 - - THE LEUCROCOTTA--THE EALE--CATTLE FEEDING BACKWARDS 159 - - ANIMAL MEDICINE 160 - - THE SU 163 - - THE LAMB-TREE 165 - - THE CHIMÆRA 170 - - THE HARPY AND SIREN 171 - - THE BARNACLE GOOSE 174 - - REMARKABLE EGG 179 - - MOON WOMAN 180 - - THE GRIFFIN 180 - - THE PHOENIX 183 - - THE SWALLOW 186 - - THE MARTLET, AND FOOTLESS BIRDS 189 - - SNOW BIRDS 191 - - THE SWAN 193 - - THE ALLE, ALLE 194 - - THE HOOPOE AND LAPWING 196 - - THE OSTRICH 197 - - THE HALCYON 199 - - THE PELICAN 200 - - THE TROCHILUS 201 - - WOOLLY HENS 202 - - TWO-HEADED WILD GEESE 203 - - FOUR-FOOTED DUCK 203 - - FISH 206 - - MERMEN 206 - - WHALES 214 - - THE SEA-MOUSE 234 - - THE SEA-HARE 234 - - THE SEA-PIG 235 - - THE WALRUS 235 - - THE ZIPHIUS 238 - - THE SAW FISH 239 - - THE ORCA 239 - - THE DOLPHIN 242 - - THE NARWHAL 244 - - THE SWAMFISCK 245 - - THE SAHAB 247 - - THE CIRCHOS 247 - - THE REMORA 253 - - THE DOG-FISH AND RAY 255 - - THE SEA DRAGON 256 - - THE STING RAY 256 - - SENSES OF FISHES 258 - - ZOOPHYTES 259 - - SPONGES 260 - - THE KRAKEN 261 - - CRAYFISH AND CRABS 267 - - THE SEA-SERPENT 268 - - SERPENTS 278 - - WORMES AND DRAGONS 293 - - THE CROCODILE 311 - - THE BASILISK AND COCKATRICE 317 - - THE SALAMANDER 323 - - THE TOAD 326 - - THE LEECH 329 - - THE SCORPION 330 - - THE ANT 332 - - THE BEE 332 - - THE HORNET 333 - - INDEX 335 - -[Illustration] - - - - -CURIOUS CREATURES. - - -Let us commence our researches into curious Zoology with the noblest of -created beings, Man; and, if we may believe Darwin, he must have gone -through many phases, and gradual mutations, before he arrived at his -present proud position of Master and Conqueror of the World. - -This philosopher does not assign a high place in the animal creation to -proud man's protogenitor, and we ought almost to feel thankful to him -for not going further back. He begins with man as an Ascidian, which is -the lowest form of anything of a vertebrate character, with which we are -acquainted; and he says thus, in his "Descent of Man":-- - -"The most ancient progenitors in the kingdom of the Vertebrata, at which -we are able to obtain an obscure glance, apparently consisted of a group -of marine animals, resembling the larvæ of existing Ascidians. These -animals probably gave rise to a group of fishes, as lowly organised as -the lancelet; and from these the Ganoids, and other fishes like the -Lepidosiren, must have been developed. From such fish a very small -advance would carry us on to the amphibians. We see that birds and -reptiles were once intimately connected together; and the Monotremata -now, in a slight degree, connect mammals with reptiles. But no one can, -at present, say by what line of descent the three higher, and related -classes--namely, mammals, birds, and reptiles, were derived from either -of the two lower vertebrate classes, namely, amphibians, and fishes. In -the class of mammals the steps are not difficult to conceive which led -from the ancient Monotremata to the ancient Marsupials; and from these -to the early progenitors of the placental mammals. We may thus ascend to -the Lemuridæ; and the interval is not wide from these to the Simiadæ. -The Simiadæ then branched off into two great stems, the New World, and -Old World monkeys; and from the latter, at a remote period, Man, the -wonder and glory of the Universe, proceeded." - - * * * * * - -"We have thus far endeavoured rudely to trace the genealogy of the -Vertebrata, by the aid of their mutual affinities. We will now look to -man as he exists; and we shall, I think, be able partially to restore -during successive periods, but not in order of time, the structure of -our early progenitors. This can be effected by means of the rudiments -which man still retains, by the characters which occasionally make their -appearance in him through reversion, and by the aid of morphology and -embryology. The various facts to which I shall here allude, have been -given in the previous chapters. The early progenitors of man were no -doubt once covered with hair, both sexes having beards; their ears were -pointed and capable of movement; and their bodies were provided with a -tail, having the proper muscles. Their limbs and bodies were also acted -on by many muscles, which now only occasionally reappear, but are -normally present in the Quadrumana.... The foot, judging from the great -toe in the foetus, was then prehensile; and our progenitors, no doubt, -were arboreal in their habits, frequenting some warm, forest-clad land. -The males were provided with great canine teeth, which served them as -formidable weapons." - -In fact, as Mortimer Collins satirically, yet amusingly, wrote:-- - - "There was an APE, in the days that were earlier; - Centuries passed, and his hair became curlier, - Centuries more gave a thumb to his wrist,-- - Then he was MAN, and a POSITIVIST." - -[Illustration] - -The accompanying illustration, which seems to embody all the -requirements of Darwin, as representing our maternal progenitor, is from -an old book by Joannes Zahn, published in 1696--and there figures as -"Ourani Outains." - -[Illustration] - -Darwin says that the men of the period wore tails, and if they were no -longer than that in this illustration (which is copied from the same -book), they can hardly be said to be unbecoming--still that is a matter -for taste--they are certainly more graceful than if they had been -rat-like, or like a greyhound, or toy terrier. Many old authors speak of -tailed men in Borneo and Java, and not only were men so adorned, but -women. Peter Martyr says that in a region called Inzaganin, there is a -tailed race--these laboured under the difficulty of being unable to move -them like animals--but as he observes, they were stiff like those of -fishes and crocodiles--so much so, that when they wanted to sit down, -they had to use seats with holes in them. - -Ptolemy and Ctesias speak of them, and Pliny says there were men in -Ceylon who had long hairy tails, and were of remarkable swiftness of -foot. Marco Polo tells us: "Now you must know that in this kingdom of -Lambri[1] there are men with tails; these tails are of a palm in length, -and have no hair on them. These people live in the mountains, and are a -kind of wild men. Their tails are about the thickness of a dog's." Many -modern travellers have heard of hairy and tailed people in the Malay -Archipelago, and Mr. St. John, writing of Borneo, says that he met with -a trader who had seen and felt the tails of a race which inhabited the -north-east coast of the island. These tails were about four inches long, -and so stiff that they had to use perforated seats. The Chinese also -declare that in the mountains above Canton there is a race of tailed -men. M. de Couret wrote about the Niam Niams, tailed men, who, he says, -are living in Abyssinia or Nubia, having tails at least two inches long. -We all know the old Lord Monboddo's theory that mankind had originally -tails--nay, he went further, and said that some were born with them -now--a fact which will be partially borne out by any military medical -inspecting officer, who in the course of his practice has met with men -whose "os coccygis" has been prolonged, so as to form a pseudo tail, -which would unfit the man for the cavalry, although he would still be -efficient as an infantry soldier. - -Here is a very fine picture from a fresco at Pompeii representing tailed -men, or, maybe, æsthetic young Fauns, treading out the vintage. - -[Illustration] - -But tailed men are as nothing, compared to the wonderful beings that -peopled the earth in bygone times. It seems a pity that there are none -of them now living, and that, consequent upon never having seen them, we -are apt to imagine that they never existed, but were simply the -creatures of the writer's brain. They were articles of belief until -comparatively recent times, and were familiar in Queen Elizabeth's time, -as we learn from Othello's defence of himself (Act i. sc. 3):-- - - "And of the Cannibals that each other eat, - The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads - Do grow beneath their shoulders." - -They were thoroughly believed in, a century or two previously, in -connection with Geography, and, in the "Mappa Mundi" (one of the -earliest preserved English maps), now in Hereford Cathedral, which dates -from the very early part of the fourteenth century, nearly the whole of -the fanciful men hereafter mentioned are pourtrayed. - -[Illustration] - -Sluper, who wrote in 1572, gives us the accompanying picture of a -Cyclope, with the following remarks:-- - - "De Polipheme & de Ciclopiens - Tout mention Poetes anciens: - On dit encor que ce lignage dure - Auec vn oeil selon ceste figure." - -Pliny places the Cyclopes "in the very centre of the earth, in Italy -and Sicily;" and very likely there they might have existed, if we can -bring ourselves to believe the very plausible explanation that they were -miners, whose lanthorn, or candle, stuck in cap, was their one eye. At -all events we may consider Sluper's picture as somewhat of a fancy -portrait. - -Among the Scythians, inhabiting the country beyond the Palus Mæotis, was -a tribe which Herodotus (although he has been christened "The father of -lies") did not believe in, nor indeed in any one-eyed men, but Pliny, -living some 500 years after him, tells afresh the old story respecting -these wonderful human beings. "In the vicinity also of those who dwell -in the northern regions, and not far from the spot from which the north -wind arises, and the place which is called its cave, and is known by the -name of Geskleithron,[2] the Arimaspi are said to exist, a nation -remarkable for having but one eye, and that placed in the middle of the -forehead. This race is said to carry on a perpetual warfare with the -Griffins,[3] a kind of monster, with wings, as they are commonly -represented, for the gold which they dig out of the mines, and which -these wild beasts retain, and keep watch over with a singular degree of -cupidity, while the Arimaspi are equally desirous to get possession of -it." - -Milton mentions this tribe in "Paradise Lost," Book 2. - - "As when a Gryphon through the wilderness, - With winged course, o'er hill, or mossy dale, - Pursues the Arimaspian, who, by stealth, - Had from his wakeful custody purloin'd - The guarded gold." - -But there seems every probability that the story of the Gryphon was -invented by the goldfinders, in order to deter people from coming near -them, and interfering with their livelihood. There were, however, -smaller Arimaspians, which probably the Gryphons did not heed, for Pliny -tells us about the little thieves of mice. "In gold mines, too, their -stomachs are opened for this purpose, and some of the metal is always to -be found there, which they have pilfered, so great a delight do they -take in stealing!" Livy, also, twice mentions mice gnawing gold. - -[Illustration] - -There were Anthropophagi--cannibals--as there are now, but, of course, -they then lacked the luxury of cold missionary--and there were, besides, -many wonderful beings. "Beyond the other Scythian Anthropophagi, there -is a country called Abarimon, situate in a certain great valley of Mount -Imaus (_the Himalayas_), the inhabitants of which are a savage race, -whose feet are turned backwards, relatively to their legs; they possess -wonderful velocity, and wander about indiscriminately with the wild -beasts. We learn from Beeton, whose duty it was to take the measurements -of the routes of Alexander the Great, that this people cannot breathe in -any climate except their own, for which reason it is impossible to take -them before any of the neighbouring kings; nor could any of them be -brought before Alexander himself. - -The Anthropophagi, whom we have previously mentioned as dwelling ten -days' journey beyond the Borysthenes (_the Dneiper_), according to the -account of Isogonus of Nicæa, were in the habit of drinking out of human -skulls, and placing the scalps, with the hair attached, upon their -breasts, like so many napkins. The same author relates that there is, in -Albania, a certain race of men, whose eyes are of a sea-green colour, -and who have white hair from their earliest childhood (_Albinos_), and -that these people see better in the night than in the day. He states -also that the Sauromatæ, who dwell ten days' journey beyond the -Borysthenes, only take food every other day. - -Crates of Pergamus relates, that there formerly existed in the vicinity -of Parium, in the Hellespont (_Camanar, a town of Asia Minor_), a race -of men whom he calls Ophiogenes, and that by their touch they were able -to cure those who had been stung by serpents, extracting the poison by -the mere imposition of the hand. Varro tells us, that there are still a -few individuals in that district, whose saliva effectually cures the -stings of serpents. The same, too, was the case with the tribe of the -Psylli, in Africa, according to the account of Agatharcides; these -people received their name from Psyllus, one of their kings, whose tomb -is in existence, in the district of the Greater Syrtes (_Gulf of -Sidra_). In the bodies of these people, there was, by nature, a certain -kind of poison, which was fatal to serpents, and the odour of which -overpowered them with torpor; with them it was a custom to expose -children, immediately after their birth, to the fiercest serpents, and -in this manner to make proof of the fidelity of their wives; the -serpents not being repelled by such children as were the offspring of -adultery. This nation, however, was almost entirely extirpated by the -slaughter made of them, by the Nasamones, who now occupy their -territory. This race, however, still survives in a few persons, who are -descendants of those who either took to flight, or else were absent on -the occasion of the battle. The Marsi, in Italy, are still in possession -of the same power, for which, it is said, they are indebted to their -origin from the son of Circe, from whom they acquired it as a natural -quality. But the fact is, that all men possess, in their bodies, a -poison which acts upon serpents, and the human saliva, it is said, makes -them take to flight, as though they had been touched with boiling water. -The same substance, it is said, destroys them the moment it enters their -throat, and more particularly so, if it should be the saliva of a man -who is fasting. - -Above the Nasamones (_living near the Gulf of Sidra_), and the Machlyæ, -who border upon them, are found, as we learn from Calliphanes, the -nation of the Androgyni, a people who unite the two sexes in the same -individual, and alternately perform the functions of each. Aristotle -also states, that their right breast is that of a male, the left that of -a female. - -Isigonus and Nymphodorus inform us that there are, in Africa, certain -families of enchanters, who, by means of their charms, in form of -commendations, can cause cattle to perish, trees to wither, and infants -to die. Isigonus adds, that there are, among the Triballi, and the -Illyrii, some persons of this description, who, also, have the power of -fascination with the eyes, and can even kill those on whom they fix -their gaze for any length of time, more especially if their look denotes -anger: the age of puberty is said to be particularly obnoxious to the -malign influence of such persons. - -A still more remarkable circumstance is, the fact that these persons -have two pupils in each eye. Apollonides says, that there are certain -females of this description in Scythia, who are known as Bythiæ, and -Phylarcus states that a tribe of the Thibii in Pontus, and many other -persons as well, have a double pupil in one eye, and in the other the -figure of a horse. He also remarks, that the bodies of these persons -will not sink in water, even though weighed down by their garments. -Damon gives an account of a race of people, not very much unlike them, -the Pharnaces of Æthiopia, whose perspiration is productive of -consumption to the body of every person that it touches. Cicero also, -one of our own writers, makes the remark, that the glance of all women -who have a double pupil is noxious. - -To this extent, then, has nature, when she produced in man, in common -with the wild beasts, a taste for human flesh, thought fit to produce -poisons as well in every part of his body, and in the eyes of some -persons, taking care that there shall be no evil influence in existence, -which was not to be found in the human body. Not far from Rome, in the -territory of the Falisci, a few families are found, who are known by the -name of Hirpi. These people perform a yearly sacrifice to Apollo, on -Mount Soracte, on which occasion they walk over a burning pile of wood, -without being scorched even. On this account, by virtue of a decree of -the Senate, they are always exempted from military service, and from all -other public duties. - -Some individuals, again, are born with certain parts of the body endowed -with properties of a marvellous nature. Such was the case with King -Pyrrhus, the great toe of whose right foot cured diseases of the spleen, -merely by touching the patient. We are informed that this toe could not -be reduced to ashes together with the other portions of his body; upon -which it was placed in a temple. - -India and the region of Æthiopia, more especially, abounds in wonders. -In India the largest of animals are produced; their dogs, for instance, -are much bigger than those of any other country. The trees, too, are -said to be of such vast height that it is impossible to send an arrow -over them. This is the result of the singular fertility of the soil, the -equable temperature of the atmosphere, and the abundance of water; -which, if we are to believe what is said, are such, that a single fig -tree (_the banyan tree_) is capable of affording shelter to a whole -troop of horse. The reeds here (_bamboos_) are of such enormous length, -that each portion of them, between the joints, forms a tube, of which a -boat is made that is capable of holding three men. It is a well-known -fact, that many of the people here are more than five cubits in -height.[4] These people never expectorate, are subject to no pains, -either in the head, the teeth, and the eyes, and, rarely, in any other -parts of the body; so well is the heat of the sun calculated to -strengthen the constitution.... According to the account of Megasthenes, -dwelling upon a mountain called Nulo, there is a race of men who have -their feet turned backwards, with eight toes on each foot. - -On many of the mountains again, there is a tribe of men who have the -heads of dogs, and clothe themselves with the skins of wild beasts. -Instead of speaking, they bark; and, furnished with claws, they live by -hunting, and catching birds. According to the story, as given by -Ctesias, the number of these people is more than a hundred and twenty -thousand; and the same author tells us that there is a certain race in -India, of which the females are pregnant once only in the course of -their lives, and that the hair of the children becomes white the instant -they are born. He speaks also of another race of men who are known as -Monocoli,[5] who have only one leg, but are able to leap with surprising -agility. The same people are also called Sciapodæ,[6] because they are -in the habit of lying on their backs, during the time of extreme heat, -and protect themselves from the sun by the shade of their feet. These -people, he says, dwell not very far from the Troglodytæ (_dwellers in -caves_); to the west of whom again there is a tribe who are without -necks, and have eyes in their shoulders.[7] - -Among the mountainous districts of the eastern parts of India, in what -is called the country of the Catharcludi, we find the Satyr, an animal -of extraordinary swiftness. These go sometimes on four feet, and -sometimes walk erect; they have also the features of a human being. On -account of their swiftness, these creatures are never to be caught, -except that they are aged, or sickly. Tauron gives the name of -Choromandæ to a nation which dwells in the woods, and have no proper -voice. These people screech in a frightful manner; their bodies are -covered with hair, their eyes are of a sea-green colour, and their teeth -like those of a dog. Eudoxus tells us, that in the southern parts of -India, the men have feet a cubit in length, while the women are so -remarkably small that they are called Struthpodes.[8] - -Megasthenes places among the Nomades of India, a people who are called -Scyritæ. These have merely holes in their faces instead of nostrils, and -flexible feet, like the body of the serpent. At the very extremity of -India, on the eastern side, near the source of the river Ganges, there -is the nation of the Astomi, a people who have no mouths; their bodies -are rough and hairy, and they cover themselves with a down[9] plucked -from the leaves of trees. These people subsist only by breathing, and by -the odours which they inhale through the nostrils. They support -themselves neither upon meat nor drink; when they go upon a long journey -they only carry with them various odoriferous roots and flowers, and -wild apples, that they may not be without something to smell at. But an -odour, which is a little more powerful than usual, easily destroys -them.... - -Isogonus informs us that the Cyrni, a people of India, live to their -four-hundredth year; and he is of opinion that the same is the case also -with the Æthiopian Macrobii,[10] the Seræ, and the inhabitants of Mount -Athos. In the case of these last, it is supposed to be owing to the -flesh of vipers, which they use as food; in consequence of which they -are free also from all noxious animals, both in their hair and their -garments. - -[Illustration] - -According to Onesicritus, in those parts of India where there is no -shadow, the men attain the height of five cubits and two palms,[11] and -their life is prolonged to one hundred and thirty years; they die -without any symptoms of old age, and just as if they were in the middle -period of life. Pergannes calls the Indians, whose age exceeds one -hundred years, by the name of Gymnetæ;[12] but not a few authors style -them Macrobii. Ctesias mentions a tribe of them, known by the name of -Pandore, whose locality is in the valleys, and who live to their -two-hundredth year; their hair is white in youth, and becomes black in -old age. On the other hand, there are some people joining up to the -country of the Macrobii, who never live beyond their fortieth year, and -their females have children once only during their lives. This -circumstance is also mentioned by Agatharchides, who states, in -addition, that they live on locusts, and are very swift of foot. -Clitarchus and Megasthenes give these people the name of Mandi, and -enumerate as many as three hundred villages which belong to them. Their -women are capable of bearing children in the seventh year of their age, -and become old at forty. - -Artemidorus states that in the island of Taprobane (_Ceylon_) life is -prolonged to an extreme length, while at the same time, the body is -exempt from weakness. Among the Calingæ, a nation also of India, the -women conceive at five years of age, and do not live beyond their eighth -year. In other places again, there are men born with long hairy tails, -and of remarkable swiftness of foot; while there are others that have -ears so large as to cover the whole body. - -Crates of Pergamus states, that the Troglodytæ, who dwell beyond -Æthiopia, are able to outrun the horse; and that a tribe of the -Æthiopians, who are known as the Syrbotæ, exceed eight cubits in height -(_twelve feet_). There is a tribe of Æthiopian Nomades dwelling on the -banks of the river Astragus, towards the north, and about twenty days' -journey from the ocean. These people are called Menismini; they live on -the milk of the animal which we call cynocephalus (_baboon_), and rear -large flocks of these creatures, taking care to kill the males, except -such as they may preserve for the purposes of breeding. In the deserts -of Africa, men are frequently seen to all appearance, and then vanish in -an instant."[13] - -It may be said that these descriptions of men are only the belief about -the time of the Christian era, when Pliny lived--but it was the faith of -centuries, and we find, 1200 years after Pliny died, Sir John Mandeville -confirming his statements, and, as before stated, these wondrous -creatures were given in illustrations, both in the Mappa Mundi, and in -early printed books. Mandeville writes: "Many divers countreys & -kingdoms are in Inde, and it is called Inde, of a river that runneth -through it, which is called Inde also, and there are many precious -stones in that river Inde. And in that ryver men finde Eles of xxx foote -long, & men y^t dwell nere that river are of evill colour, yelowe & -grene.... - -"Then there is another yle that men call Dodyn, & it is a great yle. In -this yle are maner diverse of men y^t have evyll maners, for the father -eateth the son, & the son the father, the husband his wyfe, and the wyfe -hir husbande. And if it so be that the father be sicke, or the mother, -or any frend, the sonne goeth soone to the priest of the law & prayeth -him that he will aske of the ydoll if his father shall dye of that -sicknesse, or not. And then the priest and the son kneele down before -the ydole devoutly, & asketh him, and he answereth to them, and if he -say that he shall lyve, then they kepe him wel, and if he say that he -shall dye, then commeth the priest with the son, or with the wyfe, or -what frende that it be unto him y^t is sicke, and they lay their hands -over his mouth to stop his breath, & so they sley him, & then they smite -all the body into peces, & praieth all his frendes for to come and eate -of him that is dead, and they make a great feste thereof, and have many -minstrels there, and eate him with great melody. And so when they have -eaten al y^e flesh, then they take the bones, and bury them all singing -with great worship, and all those that are of his frendes that were not -at the eating of him, have great shame and vylany, so that they shall -never more be taken as frends. - -"And the king of this yle is a great lord and mightie, & he hath under -him liii greate Yles, and eche of them hath a king; and in one of these -yles are men that have but one eye, and that is in the middest of theyr -front, and they eat flesh & fishe all rawe. And in another yle dwell -men that have no heads, & theyr eyen are in theyr shoulders & theyr -mouth is on theyr breste. In another yle are men that have no head ne -eyen, and their mouth is in theyr shoulders. And in another yle are men -that have flatte faces, without nose, and without eyen, but they have -two small round holes in stede of eyen, and they have a flatte mouth -without lippes. And in that yle are men that have their faces all flat -without eyen, without mouth & without nose, but they have their eyen, -and their mouth, behinde on their shoulders. - -"And in another yle are foule men that have the lippes about the mouth -so greate, that when they sleepe in the sonne they cover theyr face with -the lippe. And in another yle are little men, as dwarfes, and have no -mouth, but a lyttle rounde hole & through that hole they eate their -meate with a pipe, & they have no tongue, & they speake not, but they -blow & whistle, and so make signes one to another. And in another yle -are wild men with hanging eares unto their shoulders. And in another yle -are wild men, with hanging eares & have feete lyke an hors & they run -faste, & they take wild beastes, and eate them. And in another yle are -men that go on theyr handes & feete lyke beasts & are all rough, and -will leape upon a tree like cattes or apes. And in another yle are men -that go ever uppon theyr knees marvaylosly, and have on every foote viii -Toes.... - -"There is another yle that men call Pitan, men of this lande till no -lande, for they eate nought, and they are smal, but not so smal as -Pigmes. These men live with smell of wild aples, & when they go far out -of the countrey, they beare apples with them, for anon, as they lose -the savour of apples they dye--they are not reasonable, but as wyld -beastes. And there is another yle where the people are all fethers,[14] -but the face and the palmes of theyr handes, these men go as well about -the sea, as on the lande, and they eate flesh and fish all raw.... In -Ethiope are such men that have but one foote, and they go so fast y^t it -is a great marvaill, & that is a large fote, that the shadow thereof -covereth y^e body from son or rayne, when they lye upon their backes; -and when their children be first borne they loke like russet, and when -they waxe olde then they be all black." - -There were also elephant-headed men. - -[Illustration] - -In the olden times were men who did not build themselves houses--but -sheltered themselves in caves, fissures of rocks, &c., and many are -the remains we find of their flint implements, and the bones, which -they used to split in order to extract the marrow of the animals they -had slain with their rude flint arrows and spears. These, in classical -times, were called Troglodytes (from the Greek [Greek: trôglodytai], -_dwellers in caves_). It was a generic term, although particularly -applied to uncivilised races on the banks of the Danube--those who dwelt -on the western coasts of the Red Sea--and Ethiopia. These latter could -not have led a particularly happy life, for Herodotus tells us that the -"Garamantes hunt the Ethiopian Troglodytes in four horse chariots; for -the Ethiopian Troglodytes are the swiftest of foot of all men of whom -we have heard any account given. The Troglodytes feed upon serpents and -lizards, and such kind of reptiles; they speak a language like no other, -but screech like bats." - -Pliny, as we have seen, speaks of an adder eating people, whose food -enables them to achieve extraordinary longevity, and Mandeville tells us -that "From this yle, men go to an yle that is called Tracota, where all -men are as beastes, & not reasonable, they dwell in caves, for they have -not wyt to make them houses--they eate adders, and they speake not, but -they make such a noyse as adders doe one to another, and they make no -force of ryches, but of a stone that hath forty colours, and it is -called Traconyt after that yle, they know not the vertue thereof, but -they covete it for the great fayreness." - -This stone was probably some kind of agate. It could not possibly have -been a topaz, as some have thought, as the context from Pliny will show. -"Topazos is a stone that is still held in very high estimation for its -green tints; indeed, when first it was discovered, it was preferred to -every other kind of precious stone. It so happened that some Troglodytic -pirates, suffering from tempest and hunger, having landed upon an island -off the coast of Arabia, known as Cytis, when digging there for roots -and grass, discovered this precious stone; such, at least, is the -opinion expressed by Archelaüs. Juba says that there is an island in -the Red Sea called _Topazos_, at a distance of three hundred stadia -from the mainland; that it is surrounded by fogs, and is often sought by -navigators in consequence; and that, to this, it received its present -name, the word _Topazin_[15] meaning "to seek" in the language of the -Troglodytæ.... At a later period a statue, four cubits in height, was -made of this stone.... Topazos is the largest of all the precious -stones." - -This shows that the Troglodytæ of Ethiopia had some commercial energy, -and they did a good trade in myrrh and other condiments. Pliny says that -the Troglodytæ traded among other things in cinnamon. They "after buying -it of their neighbours, carry it over vast tracts of sea, upon rafts, -which are neither steered by rudder nor drawn or impelled by oars or -sails. Nor yet are they aided by any of the resources of art, man alone, -and his daring boldness, standing in the place of all these; in addition -to which, they choose the winter season, about the time of the equinox, -for their voyage, for then a south-easterly wind is blowing; these winds -guide them in a straight course from gulf to gulf, and after they have -doubled the promontory of Arabia, the north-east wind carries them to a -port of the Gebanitæ, known by the name of Ocilia. Hence it is that they -steer for this port in preference, and they say that it is almost five -years before the merchants are able to effect their return, while many -perish on the voyage. In return for their wares, they bring back -articles of glass and copper, cloths, buckles, bracelets, and necklaces; -hence it is that this traffic depends more particularly upon the -capricious tastes and inclinations of the female sex." - -This shows that some, at least, of the Troglodytes had a commercial -spirit, and were in a comparative state of civilisation; in fact the -latter is thoroughly proved, when, a little later on, Pliny speaks of -Myrobalanum, "Among these various kinds, that which is sent from the -country of the Troglodytæ is the worst of all," thus showing that they -had reached the civilised pitch of adulteration! There are also several -notices of peculiarities connected with this people, which deserve a -passing glance. They had turtles with horns (or more probably fore-feet) -which resembled the branches of a lyre; with these they swam. These were -in all likelihood the tortoise-shell turtles, for they called them -_Chelyon_. The Troglodytæ worshipped them. Their cattle were not like -other oxen, for their horns pointed downwards to the ground, so that -they were obliged to feed with their heads on one side. These oxen -should have been crossed with those of Phrygia, whose horns were as -mobile as their ears. And they were the happy possessors of a lake, -called the _Unhealthy Lake_, which thrice a day became salt and bitter, -and then again fresh, and this went on both day and night. We can hardly -wonder that this _Lacus Insanus_ was full of white serpents thirty feet -long. - - - - -AMAZONS. - - -The race of Amazons or fighting women, is not yet extinct, as the -chronicles of every police court can tell, and as an organised body of -warlike soldiers--the King of Dahomey still keeps them up, or did until -very recently. According to Herodotus, the Greeks, after having routed -the Amazons, sailed away in three ships, taking with them as many -Amazons, as they had been able to capture alive--but, when fairly out at -sea, the ladies arose, stood up for women's rights, and cut all the -Greeks in pieces. But they had not reckoned on one little thing, and -that was, that none among them had the slightest idea of navigation; -they couldn't even steer or row--so they had to drift about, until they -came to Cremni (supposed to be near _Taganrog_), which was Scythian -territory. They signalised their landing by horse-stealing, and the -Scythians, not appreciating the joke, gave them battle, thinking they -were men; but an examination of the dead proved them to be of the other -sex. On learning this, the Scythians were far too gentlemanly to -continue the strife, and, little by little, they established the most -friendly relations with the Amazons. These ladies, however, objected to -go to the Scythians' homes, for, as they pertinently put it, "We never -could live with the women of your county, because we have not the same -customs with them. We shoot with the bow, throw the javelin, and ride on -horseback, and have never learnt the employments of women. But your -women do none of the things we have mentioned, but are engaged in -women's work, remaining in their wagons, and do not go out to hunt, or -anywhere else; we could not therefore consort with them. If, then, you -desire to have us for your wives, and to prove yourselves honest men, go -to your parents, claim your share of their property, then return, and -let us live by ourselves." - -This the young Scythians did, but, when they returned, the Amazons said -they were afraid to stop where they were, for they had deprived parents -of their sons, and besides, had committed depredations in the country, -so that they thought it but prudent to leave, and suggested that they -should cross the Tanais, or _Don_, and found a colony on the other side. -This their husbands acceded to, and when they were settled, their wives -returned to their old way of living--hunting, going to war with their -husbands, and wearing the same clothes--in fact they enjoyed an actual -existence, of which many women nowadays, fondly, but vainly dream. There -was a little drawback however--the qualification for a young lady's -presentation at court, consisted of killing a man, and, until that was -effected, she could not marry. - -Sir John Mandeville of course knew all about them, although he does not -pretend to have seen them, and this is what he tells us. "After the land -of Caldee, is the land of Amazony, that is a land where there is no man -but all women, as men say, for they wil suffer no man to lyve among -them, nor to have lordeshippe over them. For sometyme was a kinge in -that lande, and men were dwelling there as did in other countreys, and -had wives, & it befell that the kynge had great warre with them of -Sychy, he was called Colopius, and he was slaine in bataill and all the -good bloude of his lande. And this Queene, when she herd that, & other -ladies of that land, that the king and the lordes were slaine, they -gathered them togither and killed all the men that were lefte in their -lande among them, and sithen that time dwelled no man among them. - -"And when they will have any man, they sende for them in a countrey that -is nere theyr lande, and the men come, and are ther viii dayes, or as -the woman lyketh, & then they go againe, and if they have men children -they send them to theyr fathers, when they can eate & go, and if they -have maide chyldren they kepe them, and if they bee of gentill bloud -they brene[16] the left pappe[17] away, for bearing of a shielde, and, -if they be of little bloud, they brene the ryght pappe away for shoting. -For those women of that countrey are good warriours, and are often in -soudy[18] with other lordes, and the queene of that lande governeth well -that lande; this lande is all environed with water." - - - - -PYGMIES. - - -The antitheses of men--Dwarfs, and Giants--must not be overlooked, as -they are abnormal, and yet have existed in all ages. Dwarfs are -mentioned in the Bible, _Leviticus_ xxi. 20, where following the -injunction of "Let him not approach to offer the bread of his God"--are -mentioned the "crookbackt or dwarf." Dwarfs in all ages have been made -the sport of Royalty, and the wealthy; but it is not of them I write, -but of a race called the Pygmies, very small men who were descended from -Pygmæus. They are noted in the earliest classics, for even Homer -mentions them in his Iliad (B. 3, l. 3-6), which Pope translates:-- - - "So, when inclement winter vex the plain - With piercing frosts, or thick descending rain, - To warmer seas, the Cranes embody'd fly, - With noise, and order, through the mid-way sky; - To pigmy nations, wounds and death they bring, - And all the war descends upon the wing." - -Homer also wrote a poem, "Pygmæogeranomachia," about the Pygmies and -Cranes. The accompanying illustration is from a fresco at Pompeii. - -[Illustration] - -Aristotle says that they lived in holes under the earth, and came out in -the harvest time with hatchets, to cut down the corn, as if to fell a -forest, and went on goats and lambs of proportionable stature to -themselves to make war against certain birds, called Cranes by some, -which came there yearly from Scythia to plunder them. Pliny mentions -them several times, but especially in B. 7, c. 2. "Beyond these people, -and at the very extremity of the mountains, the Trispithami,[19] and -the Pygmies are said to exist; two races, which are but three spans in -height, that is to say, twenty-seven inches only. They enjoy a -salubrious atmosphere, and a perpetual spring, being sheltered by the -mountains from the northern blasts; it is these people that Homer has -mentioned as being waged war upon by Cranes. It is said that they are in -the habit of going down every spring to the sea-shore, in a large body, -seated on the backs of rams and goats, and armed with arrows, and there -destroy the eggs and the young of those birds; that this expedition -occupies them for the space of three months, and that otherwise it would -be impossible for them to withstand the increasing multitudes of the -Cranes. Their cabins, it is said, are built of mud, mixed with feathers -and egg shells." - -[Illustration] - -Mandeville thus describes them. "When men passe from that citie of -Chibens, they passe over a great river of freshe water, and it is nere -iiii mile brode, & then men enter into the lande of the great Caan. This -river goeth through the land of Pigmeens, and there men are of little -stature, for they are but three span long, and they are right fayre, -both men and women, though they bee little, and they live but viii[20] -yeare, and he that liveth viii yeare is holden right olde, and these -small men are the best workemen in sylke, and of cotton, in all maner of -thing that are in the worlde; and these smal men travail not, nor tyl -land, but they have amonge them great men, as we are, to travaill for -them, & they have great scorne of those great men, as we would have of -giaunts, or, of them, if they were among us." - -Ser Marco Polo warns his readers against _pseudo_ Pygmies. Says he: "I -may tell you moreover that when people bring over pygmies which they -allege to come from India, 'tis all a lie and a cheat. For those little -men, as they call them, are manufactured on this Island (_Sumatra_), and -I will tell you how. You see there is on the Island a kind of monkey -which is very small, and has a face just like a man's. They take these, -and pluck out all the hair, except the hair of the beard, and on the -breast, and then dry them, and stuff them, and daub them with saffron, -and other things, until they look like men. But you see it is all a -cheat; for nowhere in India, nor anywhere else in the world, were there -ever men seen so small as these pretended pygmies." - -But there are much more modern mention of these small folk. Olaus Magnus -not only reproduces the classical story, but tells of the Pygmies of -Greenland--the modern Esquimaux. These are also mentioned in Purchas his -Pilgrimage, as living in Iceland, "pigmies represent the most perfect -shape of man; that they are hairy to the uttermost joynts of the -fingers, and that the males have beards downe to the knees; but, -although they have the shape of men, yet they have little sense or -understanding, nor distinct speech, but make shew of a kinde of hissing, -after the manner of geese." - -But to bring the history of pygmies down to modern times--I quote from -"Giants and Dwarfs," by E. J. Wood, 1868, and I am thus particular in -giving my authority, as the news comes from America, whence, sometimes, -fact is mixed with fiction (pp. 246, 247, 248). "It is alleged by -contemporary newspapers, that in 1828 several burying-grounds, from half -an acre to an acre and a half in extent, were discovered in the county -of White, state of Tennessee, near the town of Sparta, wherein very -small people had been deposited in tombs or coffins of stone. The -greatest length of the skeletons was nineteen inches. The bones were -strong and well set, and the whole frames were well formed. Some of the -people appeared to have lived to a great age, their teeth being worn -smooth and short, while others were full and long. The graves were about -two feet deep; the coffins were of stone, and made by laying a flat -stone at the bottom, one at each side, or each end, and one over the -corpse. The dead were all buried with their heads toward the east, and -in regular order, laid on their backs, and with their hands on their -breasts. In the bend of the left arm was found a cruse, or vessel, that -would hold nearly a pint, made of ground stone, or shell, of a grey -colour, in which were found two or three shells. One of these skeletons -had about its neck ninety-four pearl beads. Near one of these -burying-places was the appearance of the site of an ancient town. - -Webber, in his 'Romance of Natural History,' refers to the diminutive -sarcophagi found in Kentucky and Tennessee; and he describes these -receptacles to be about three feet in length, by eighteen inches deep, -and constructed, bottom, sides, and top, of flat, unhewn stones. These -he conjectures to be the places of sepulture of a pigmy race, that -became extinct at a period beyond reach even of the tradition of the -so-called Indian aborigines. - -Newspapers for 1866 tell us that General Milroy, who had been spending -much time in Smith County, Tennessee, attending to some mining business, -discovered near Watertown in that county some remarkable graves, which -were disclosed by the washing of a small creek in its passage through a -low bottom. The graves were from eighteen inches to two feet in length, -most of them being of the smaller size, and were formed by an excavation -of about fifteen inches below the surface, in which were placed four -undressed slabs of rock--one in the bottom of the pit, one on each side, -and one on the top. Human skeletons, some with nearly an entire skull, -and many with well-defined bones, were found in them. The teeth were -very diminutive, but evidently those of adults. Earthen crocks were also -found with the skeletons. General Milroy could not gain any satisfactory -information respecting these pigmy graves. The oldest inhabitants of the -vicinity knew nothing of their origin or history, except that there was -a large number of similar graves near Statesville in the same county, -and also a little burial-ground at the mouth of Stone River, near the -city of Nashville. General Milroy deposited the bones found by him in -the State Library at Nashville." - -That a race of dwarfs live in Central Africa, is now well known. Ronzo -de Leo, who travelled in Africa, for many years with Dr. Livingstone, at -one time almost stood alone in his assertion of this fact. But he was -supported in his statement by G. Eugene Wolff, who had been in Central -Africa with Stanley, and he maintained that, on the southern branches of -the Congo, he had seen whole villages of Lilliputians, of whom the men -were not over four and a half feet high, whilst the women were a great -deal smaller. He described them as being both brave and cunning, expert -with bow and arrow, with which they readily bring down the African -bison, antelope, and even elephants. As trappers of small animals they -are unsurpassed. In a close pinch they use the lance with astonishing -dexterity, and an ordinary sling, in their hands, is wielded with -wonderful skill. - -These dwarfs collect the sap of the palm, with which they make soap. The -men are smooth-faced, and of a rich mahogany colour, while the hair is -short, and as black as night. Tens of thousands of them live on the -south branch of the Congo. - -Mr. Stanley in his expedition for the relief of Emin Pacha,[21] -encountered some tribes of these pigmies, but he does not agree with the -account which Mr. Wolff gives of them, who describes them as an affable, -kind-hearted people, of simple ways, and devoid of vicious tendencies to -a greater degree than most semi-barbaric races. The women are -industrious and amiable. - -Stanley, on the contrary, found them very annoying, and had a lively -recollection of their poisoned arrows--but, at the present writing, he -not having returned, and we, having no record but his letters, had -better suspend our judgment as to the habits and tempers of these small -people. - -Wolff says they stand in awe of their bigger neighbours, but are so -brave and cunning that, with all the odds of physique against them, the -pigmies are masters of the situation. - - - - -GIANTS. - - -This last sentence seems almost a compendium of _The History of Tom -Thumb_, for his wit enabled him to overcome the lubber-headed giants, in -every conflict he was engaged in with them--they were no match for him. -Take the Romances of Chivalry. Pacolet, and all the dwarfs, were endowed -with acute wits, and there was very little they could not compass--but -the giants! their ultimate fate was always to be slain by some knight, -and their imprisoned knights and damsels set free. A dwarf was a cleanly -liver, but a giant was turbulent, quarrelsome, lustful, and occasionally -cannibal. Fe Fi Fo Fum was the type of colossal man, and, as it is quite -a pleasure to whitewash their characters in these respects, I hasten to -do so before further discoursing on the subject of these great men. - -It is Olaus Magnus who thus tells us - - "Of the sobriety of Giants and Champions." - -[Illustration] - -"That most famous Writer of the _Danish_ affairs, _Saxo_, alleged -before, and who shall be often alleged hereafter, saith, that amongst -other mighty strong men in the _North_, who were as great as Giants, -there was one _Starchaterus Thavestus_, whose admirable and heroick -Vertues are so worthily extolled by him, that there were scarce any -like him in those dayes in all _Europe_, or in the whole World, or -hardly are now, or ever shall be. And amongst other Vertues he ascribes -to that high-spirited man, he mentions his sobriety, which is -principally necessary for valiant men: and I thought fit to annex that -peculiarly to this relation, that we may, as in a glass, see more -cleerly the luxury of this lustful age. For, as the same _Saxo_ -testifies, that valiant _Starchaterus_ loved frugality, and loved not -immoderate dainties. Alwayes neglecting pleasure, he respected Vertue, -imitating the antient manner of Continency, and he desired a homely -provision of his Diet; he hated costly suppers; wherefore hating -profusion in Diet, and feeding on smoaked and rank meat, he drove away -Hunger, with the greater appetite, as his meat was but of one kind, lest -he should remit and abate the force of his true Vertue, by the contagion -of outward Delights, as by some adulterate sweetness, or should abrogate -the Rule of antient Frugality, by unusual Superstitions for Gluttony. -Moreover, he could not endure to spend rost and boyled meat all at one -Meal; holding that to be a monstrous Food, that Cookery had tampered -with divers things together: Wherefore, that he might turn away the -Luxury of the _Danes_, that they borrowed from the _Germans_, that made -them so effeminate, amongst the rest he made Verses in his Country -Language." Omitting many of them, he sang thus: - - "_Starchaterus_ his Verses on _Frugality_. - - "Strong men do love raw meat; nor do they need, - Or love, on dainty Cates and Feasts to feed, - War is the thing they most delight to breed, - You may sooner bite off their beards that are - Full hard, and stiff with bristled, rugged, hair, - Than their wide mouths leave Milk their daily fare: - We fly from dainty Kitchins, and do fill - Our Bellies with rank Meats, and Countray swill, - Of old, men fed on boyl'd Meats, 'gainst their will. - A dish of Grass, that had no smack, did hold - Hog's and sheep's flesh together, hot or cold, - Nor to pollute their meats with mingling were they bold; - He that eats Cream we bid him for to be - Strong, and to have a mind that's bold and free. - - * * * * * - - Eleven Lords of elder time we were, - That waited on King Hachon, and at fare - _Helgo Begachus_ sat first in order there. - First dish he eat was a dry'd Gammon, and - A Crust as hard as Flint he took in hand, - This made his hungry, yawning stomach stand: - No man at Table fed on stinking meat, - But what was good and common, each man eat, - Content with simple fare, though nere so great; - The greatest were not Gluttons, nor yet fine, - The King himself full sparingly would dine. - No Drinks were used that did of Honey bost, - Beer was their common Liquor, _Ceres_ owest, - They fed on Meats were little boyl'd, no rost. - Each Table was with Meats but meanly drest, - Few Dishes on't, Antiquity thought best; - And in plain Fare each held himself most blest. - There were no Flagons, nor broad Bowls in use, - Nor painted Dishes grown to great abuse, - Each, at the Tap, did fill his wooden cruze. - No man, admirer of the former days, - Did use Tankards or Oxeys;[22] for their ways - Were sparing, almost empty Dishes this bewrays. - No Silver Basons, or guilt Cups were thought - Fit by the Host, and to the table brought, - To garnish, or by Ghests were vainly sought." - -By precept, and example, he induced many to Temperance and -Sobriety--but, in spite of his moderation in food and drink, he was a -most outrageous pirate, and Berserker. - -At last, however, old, and weary of life, he sought death, and meeting -Hatherus, son of a noble whom he had killed, begged him as a favour to -cut his head off--and the young man, obligingly consenting, his head was -severed from his body, and literally bit the ground. There are records -of many more Northern giants, but none of so edifying a life as -Starchaterus. - -Giants are plentiful in the Bible, the Emins, Anakims, and the -Zamzummims: there was Og, King of Bashan, whose iron bedstead was 9 -cubits long by 4 broad--_i.e._, 13 ft. 6 in. by 6 ft. That redoubtable -champion of the Philistines, Goliath of Gath, was six cubits and a span -high--_i.e._, 9 ft. 9 in. In 2 Samuel xxi. 15-22, we find mention made -of many giants. - -"15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David -went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the -Philistines; and David waxed faint. - -"16 And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giants, the weight of -whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being -girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. - -"17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the -Philistine, and killed him.... - -"18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with -the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which -was of the sons of the giant. - -"19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where -Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of -Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. - -"20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great -stature, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he -also was born to the giant. - -"21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah, the brother -of David, slew him. - -"22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of -David, and by the hand of his servants." - -But these were mere pigmies if we can believe M. Henrion, who in 1718 -calculated out the heights of divers notable persons--thus he found Adam -was 121 ft. 9 in. high, Eve 118 ft. 9 in., Noah 27 ft., Abraham 20 ft., -and Moses 13 ft. - -Putting aside the mythical classical giants, Pliny says: "The tallest -man that has been seen in our times, was one Gabbaras by name, who was -brought from Arabia by the Emperor Claudius; his height was nine feet -and as many inches. In the reign of Augustus, there were two persons, -Posio and Secundilla, by name, who were half a foot taller than him; -their bodies have been preserved as objects of curiosity in the Museum -of the Sallustian family." - -But it is reserved to Sir John Mandeville to have found the tallest -giants of, comparatively speaking, modern times. "And beyond that valey -is a great yle, where people as great as giaunts of xxviii fote long, -and they have no clothinge but beasts skyns that hang on them, and they -eate no bread, but flesh raw, and drink milke, and they have no houses, -& they ate gladlyer fleshe of men, than other, & men saye to us that -beyonde that yle is an yle where are greater giaunts as xlv or l fote -long, & some said l cubits long (_75 feet_) but I saw them not, and -among those giaunts are great shepe, and they beare great wolle, these -shepe have I sene many times." - - - - -EARLY MEN. - - -On the antiquity of man it is impossible to speculate, because we have -no data to go upon. We know that his earliest existence, of which we -have any cognisance, must have been at a period when the climate and -fauna of the Western continent was totally different to their present -state. Then roamed over the land, the elephant, rhinoceros, -hippopotamus, the Bos-primigenius, the reindeer, the cave bear, the -brown and the Arctic bears, the cave hyæna, and many other animals now -quite extinct. We know that man then existed, because we find his -handiwork in the shape of manufactured flint implements, mixed with the -bones of these animals--and, occasionally, with them human remains have -been found, but, as yet, no perfect skull has been found. There were two -types of man, the Dolicho Cephalous, or long-headed, and the Brachy -Cephalous, or round-headed--and, of these, the long-headed were of far -greater antiquity. - -All we can do is to classify man's habitation of this earth, as well as -we can, under certain well-defined, and known conditions. Thus, that -called the Stone Age, must be divided into two parts, that of the -roughly chipped flint implements--which is designated the _Palæolithic_ -period--and that of the polished and carefully finished stone arms and -implements, which necessarily show a later time, and a higher state of -civilisation--which is called the _Neolithic_ period. The next age is -that of bronze, when man had learned to smelt metals, and make moulds, -showing a great advance--and, finally, the Iron Age, in which man had -subdued the sterner metal to his will--and this age immediately precedes -History. - -The cave men were of undoubted antiquity--and were hunters of the wild -beasts that then overran Western Europe, and who split the bones of -those animals which they slew in order to obtain the marrow. Although -strictly belonging to the Palæolithic period, they manufactured out of -that stubborn material, flint, spear-heads, knives, scrapers--and, when -the bow had been invented, arrow-heads. Nor were they deficient in the -rudiments of art, as some tracings and carvings on pieces of the horns -of slaughtered animals, clearly show. Mr. Christie in digging in the -Dordogne caves found, at La Madelaine, engraved and carved pictures of -reindeer, an ibex, a mammoth, &c., all of them recognisable, and the -mammoth, a very good likeness. This was incised on a piece of mammoth -tusk. - -The lake men, judging by the remains found near their dwellings, -occupied their houses during the Stone and Bronze periods. Herodotus -mentions these curious dwellings. "But those around Mount Pangæus and -near the Doberes, the Agrianæ, Odomanti, and those who inhabit Lake -Prasias[23] itself, were not at all subdued by Megabazus. Yet he -attempted to conquer those who live upon the lake, in dwellings -contrived after this manner: planks, fitted on lofty piles, are placed -in the middle of the lake, with a narrow entrance from the mainland by -a single bridge. These piles that support the planks, all the citizens -anciently placed there at the common charge; but, afterwards, they -established a law to the following effect; whenever a man marries, for -each wife he sinks three piles, bringing wood from a mountain called -Orbelus; but every man has several wives. They live in the following -manner; every man has a hut on the planks, in which he dwells, with a -trap door closely fitted in the planks, and leading down to the lake. -They tie the young children with a cord round the foot, fearing lest -they should fall into the lake beneath. To their horses and beasts of -burden they give fish for fodder; of which there is such an abundance, -that, when a man has opened his trap-door, he lets down an empty basket -by a cord into the lake, and, after waiting a short time, draws it up -full of fish."[24] - -Here, then, we have a valuable record of the lake dwellings, and similar -ones have been found in the lake of Zurich. In 1854, owing to the -dryness and cold of the preceding winter, the water fell a foot below -any previous record: and, in a small bay between Ober Meilen and -Dollikon, the inhabitants took advantage to reclaim the soil thus left, -and add it to their gardens, by building a wall as far out as they -could--and they raised the level of the land thus gained, by dredging -the mud out of the lake. In the course of dredging they found deer -horns, tiles and various implements, and, the attention of an antiquary -having been directed to this find, he concluded that it was the site of -an ancient lake village. The lakes of Geneva, Constance, and -Neufchatel, have also yielded much that throws light on the habits and -intelligence of these lake men. They wove, they made pottery, they grew -and parched corn--nay they ground it, and made biscuits, they ate -apples, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, hazel and beech nuts, -and peas. They evidently fed on cereals, fruit, fish, and the flesh of -wild animals, for bones of the following animals have been found. Brown -bear, badger, marten, pine marten, polecat, wolf, fox, wild cat, beaver, -elk, urus, bison, stag, roe-deer, wild boar, marsh boar--whilst their -domestic animals were the boar, horse, ox, goat, sheep, and dog. These, -it must be remembered, range over a wide period, including the stone and -bronze ages. They wore ornaments, too, for pins, and bracelets have been -found. Lake dwellings have been found in Scotland, England, Italy, -Germany and France--so that this practice seems to have obtained very -widely. In Ireland they made artificial islands in the lakes, called -Crannoges, on which they erected their dwellings. Pile dwellings now -exist, and are inhabited in many parts of the world. - -We have other traces of prehistoric man in the shell mounds, -kjökkenmöddings, or kitchen middens, which still exist in Denmark, and -have been found in Scotland on the shores of the Moray Firth and Loch -Spynie; in Cornwall, and Devon, at St. Valéry at the mouth of the Somme, -in Australia, Tierra del Fuego, the Malay Peninsula, the Andaman -Islands, and North and South America, showing a very wide range. The -Danish kjökkenmöddings, when first thoroughly noticed, (of course, in -this century), were taken to be raised beaches--but when they were -examined, it was found that the shells were of four species of molluscs -or shell-fish,[25] that did not live together, and that they were -either full-grown, or nearly so. A stricter examination was made, and -the result was the finding of some flint implements, and bones marked by -knives, conclusively showing that man had had a hand in this collection -of shells--and the conclusion was come to that these were the sites of -villages of a prehistoric man, a hypothesis which was fully borne out by -the discovery, in some of them, of hearths bearing traces of having -borne fire. Thus, then, these refuse heaps were clearly the work of a -very ancient race, so poor, and backward, as to be obliged to live on -shell-fish--and these mounds were made by the shells which they threw -away. - -We can find a very great analogy between them and the Tierra del -Fuegans, when Darwin visited them, while with the surveying ships -_Adventure_ and _Beagle_, a voyage which took from 1832 to 1836; and, -when we read the following extracts from Darwin's account of the -expedition, we can fancy we have before us a vivid picture of the makers -of the kitchen middens. "The inhabitants, living chiefly upon -shell-fish, are obliged constantly to change their place of residence; -but they return at intervals to the same spots, as is evident from the -pile of old shells, which must often amount to some tons in weight. -These heaps can be distinguished at a long distance by the bright green -colour of certain plants which invariably grow on them.... The Fuegian -wigwam resembles, in size and dimensions, a haycock. It merely consists -of a few broken branches stuck in the ground, and very imperfectly -thatched on one side, with a few tufts of grass and rushes. The whole -cannot be so much as the work of an hour, and it is only used for a few -days.... At a subsequent period, the _Beagle_ anchored for a couple of -days under Wollaston Island, which is a short way to the northward. -While going on shore, we pulled alongside a canoe with six Fuegians. -These were the most abject and miserable creatures I anywhere beheld. On -the east coast, the natives, as we have seen, have guanaco cloaks, and, -on the west, they possess sealskins. Amongst the central tribes the men -generally possess an otter skin, or some small scrap about as large as a -pocket handkerchief, which is barely sufficient to cover their backs as -low down as their loins. It is laced across the breast by strings, and, -according as the wind blows, it is shifted from side to side. But these -Fuegians in the canoe were quite naked, and even one full-grown woman -was absolutely so. It was raining heavily, and the fresh water, together -with the spray, trickled down her body.... These poor wretches were -stunted in their growth, their hideous faces bedaubed with white paint, -their skins filthy and greasy, their hair entangled, their voices -discordant, their gestures violent and without dignity. Viewing such -men, one can hardly make oneself believe they are fellow-creatures and -inhabitants of the same world.... At night, five or six human beings, -naked, and scarcely protected from the wind and rain of this tempestuous -climate, sleep on the wet ground, coiled up like animals. Whenever it is -low water, they must rise to pick shell-fish from the rocks; and the -women, winter and summer, either dive and collect sea eggs, or sit -patiently in their canoes, and, with a baited hair line, jerk out small -fish. If a seal is killed, or the floating carcase of a putrid whale -discovered, it is a feast: such miserable food is assisted by a few -tasteless berries, and fungi. Nor are they exempt from famine, and, as a -consequence, cannibalism accompanied by parricide." - -This I believe to be as faithful a picture as can be drawn of the makers -of the shell mounds. - -But in Denmark, although shells formed by far the major part of these -middens, yet they ate other fish, the herring, dorse, dab, and eel. -Birds also were not despised by them, bones of swallows, the sparrow, -stork, capercailzie, ducks, geese, wild swans, and even of the great auk -(now extinct) have been found. Then of beasts they ate the stag, -roe-deer, wild boar, urus, dog, fox, wolf, marten, otter, lynx, wild -cat, hedgehog, bear, and mouse; beside which they lived on the seal, -porpoise, and water rat. - -Owing to the almost total absence of polished implements--and yet the -fact being that portions of one or two have been found--the makers of -these kjökkenmöddings, are classed as belonging to the later Palæolithic -period. - -Of the Bronze and Iron Ages there is no necessity to write, men were -emerging from their primæval barbarity--and all the gentle arts, though -undeveloped, were nascent. Men who could smelt metals, and mould, and -forge them, cannot be considered as utter barbarians, such as were the -long-headed men, with their chipped flint implements and weapons. - - - - -WILD MEN. - - -Sometimes a specimen of humanity has got astray in infancy, and has been -dragged up somehow in the woods, like Caspar Hauser, and Peter the Wild -Boy, and fiction supplies other instances, such as Romulus and Remus, -Orson, &c. Some of them were credited with being hairy as are the -accompanying wild man and woman, as they are portrayed in John Sluper's -book, where they are thus described:-- - -[Illustration] - -"L'HOMME SAUVAGE. - - "Combien que Dieu le createur seul sage, - A fait user les hommes de raison: - Icy voyez un vray homme sauvage, - Son corps vela est en toute saison." - -[Illustration] - -"LA FEMME SAUVAGE. - - "Femme sauvage a l'oeil humain, non sainte, - Ainsi qu'elle est sur le naturel lieu, - Au naturel vous est icy depeinte, - Comme voyez qu'il appert a votre vue." - -When Cæsar came to Britain for the second time, he found the Britons, -although to a great extent civilised, having cavalry and charioteers (so -many of the latter, that Cassivelaunus left about 4000 to watch the -Romans), and knowing the art of fortification, yet in themselves, only -just emerging from utter barbarism--the colouring and shaving of -themselves showed that they had vanity, and were making, after their -fashion, the most of their personal charms. Cæsar (Book v. 14) writes: -"Of all these _tribes_, by far the most civilised are those who inhabit -Kent, which district is altogether maritime; nor do they differ much -from the Gallic customs. Most of those in the interior do not sow corn, -but live on flesh and milk, and are clad in skins. All the Britons, in -truth, dye themselves with woad, which produces a bluish colour, and on -this account they are of a more frightful aspect in battle. They have -flowing hair, and every part of the body shaved, except the head and the -upper lip. Ten, and _even_ twelve of them have wives in common between -them, and chiefly brothers with brothers, and fathers with sons; but, if -there is any offspring, they are considered to be the children of those -by whom each virgin was first espoused." - - - - -HAIRY MEN. - - -If, as we may conjecture from the above, the ancient Briton was "a -rugged man, o'ergrown with hair," his full-dress toilette must have -occupied some time. But extreme hairiness in human beings is by no means -singular, and very many cases are recorded in medical books. Many of us -may remember the Spanish dancer, Julia Pastrana, whose whole body was -hairy, and who had a fine beard. She had a child on whom the hair began -to grow, like its mother; and, but a few years back, there was a hairy -family exhibited in London--their faces being covered with hair, as is -the case of the _Puella pilosa_, or Hairy Girl--given by Aldrovandus in -his _Monstrorum Historia_. - -[Illustration] - -She was aged twelve years, and came from the Canary Isles, together with -her father (aged 40), her brother (20), and her sister (8), all as -hairy one as the other. They were brought over by Marius Casalius, and -first shown at Bologna, so that this is no doubt a faithful likeness, as -Aldrovandus lived and died in that city. He gives other examples, but -not so well authenticated as this. - -There were two wonderful hairy people at Ava, in Burmah, who are -described by two most trustworthy eye-witnesses, John Crawford, in his -"Journal of an Embassy from the Governor-General of India to the Court -of Ava"--and in 1855, by Captain Henry Youle, in his "Narrative of the -Mission sent by the Governor-General of India to the Court of Ava." They -were father and daughter, respectively named Shu-Maon, and Maphoon. The -father may strictly be said to have had neither eyelashes, eyebrows, nor -beard, because the whole of his face, including the interior and -exterior of his ears, were covered with long silky silvery grey hair. -His whole body, except his hands and feet, was covered with hair of the -same texture and colour as that now described, but generally less -abundant; it was most plentiful over the spine and shoulders, where it -was five inches long; over the breast, about four inches, and was most -scanty on the arms, legs, thighs, and abdomen. - -Of the daughter, Captain Youle writes: "The whole of Maphoon's face was -more or less covered with hair. On a part of the cheek, and between the -nose and mouth, this was confined to a short down, but over all the rest -of the face was a thick silky hair of a brown colour, paleing about the -nose and chin, four or five inches long. At the alæ of the nose, under -the eye, and on the cheek bone this was very fully developed; but it was -in, and on, the ear, that it was most extraordinary. Except the upper -tip, no part of the ear was visible. All the rest was filled and veiled -with a large mass of silky hair, growing apparently out of every part of -the external organ, and hanging a pendant lock to a length of eight or -ten inches. The hair over her forehead was brushed so as to blend with -the hair of the head, the latter being dressed (as usual with her -countrywomen) _à la Chinoise_; it was not so thick as to conceal her -forehead. - -"The nose, densely covered with hair, as no animal's is, that I know of, -and with long locks curving out, and pendant like the wisps of a fine -Skye-terrier's coat, had a most strange appearance. The beard was pale -in colour, and about four inches in length, seemingly very soft and -silky." - -Maphoon, when Captain Youle saw her, had two children, one, the eldest, -perfectly normal, the other, who was very young, was evidently taking -after its mother. - -The Aïnos, an aboriginal tribe in the north of Japan, who are looked -down upon by the Japanese as dogs, have always been reputed as being -covered with hair. Mr. W. Martin Wood read a paper before the -Ethnological Society of London[26] respecting them, and he said, "Esau -himself could not have been a more hairy man than are these Aïnos. The -hair forms an enormous bush, and it is thick and matted. Their beards -are very thick and long, and the greater part of their face is covered -with hair which is generally dark in colour; they have prominent -foreheads, and mild, dark eyes, which somewhat relieve the savage aspect -of their visage. Their hands and arms, and, indeed, the greater part of -their bodies, are covered with an abnormal profusion of hair." - -This, however, has been questioned, notably by Mr. Barnard Davis, whose -paper may be read in the 3rd vol. of the "Memoirs of the Anthropological -Society of London"--and he quotes from several travellers, to prove that -the hairyness of the Aïnos had been exaggerated. However, Miss Bird in -her "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan" may fairly be said to have put the -subject at rest, for she visited, and travelled in the Aïno country. -She, certainly, disproves the theory that, as a race, they were hairy, -although she confesses that some were--as, for instance (p. 232), "They -wore no clothing, but only one was hairy," and, writing from Biratori, -Yezo (p. 255), she says, "The men are about the middle height, -broad-chested, broad-shouldered, thick set, very strongly built, the -arms and legs short, thick, and muscular, the hands and feet large. The -bodies, and especially the limbs of many, are covered with short, -bristly hair. I have seen two boys whose backs are covered with fur as -fine, and soft, as that of a cat." Again (p. 283), "The profusion of -black hair, and a curious intensity about their eyes, coupled with the -hairy limbs and singularly vigorous _physique_, give them a formidably -savage appearance; but the smile, full of 'sweetness and light,' in -which both eyes and mouth bear part, and the low, musical voice, softer -and sweeter than anything I have previously heard, make me, at times, -forget that they are savages at all." - - - - -THE OURAN OUTAN. - - -Transition from hirsute humanity to the apes, is easy, and natural--and -we need only deal with the Simiinæ, which includes the Orang, the -Chimpanzee, and the Gorilla. These are the largest apes, and nearest -approach to man--but, although they may be tailless, yet there is that -short great toe which prevents any acceptation of their humanity. The -orang is exclusively an inhabitant of Borneo and Sumatra, and in those -two islands it may be found in the swampy forests near the coast. It -grows to a large size, for an ape, about four feet four inches high, but -is neither so large, nor so strong, as the Gorilla. Compared with man, -its arms seem to be as extravagantly long, as its legs are ridiculously -short. When wild, it feeds entirely on vegetable diet, and makes a kind -of house, or nest, in trees, interweaving the branches, so as to obtain -shelter. They do not stand confinement well, being languid and -miserable--but, in their native wildness, they can, if necessity arises, -fight well in their own defence. A. R. Wallace, in his "Malay -Archipelago; the Land of the Orang Utan and the Bird of Paradise," tells -the following story of its combativeness. - -"A few miles down the river there is a Dyak house, and the inhabitants -saw a large orang feeding on the young shoots of a palm by the river -side. On being alarmed, he retreated towards the jungle, which was close -by, and a number of the men, armed with spears and choppers, ran out to -intercept him. The man who was in front, tried to run his spear through -the animal's body, but the orang seized it in his hands, and in an -instant got hold of the man's arm, which he seized in his mouth, making -his teeth meet in the flesh above the elbow, which he tore and lacerated -in a dreadful manner. Had not the others been close behind, the man -would have been seriously injured, if not killed, as he was quite -powerless; but they soon destroyed the creature with their spears and -choppers. The man remained ill for a long time, and never fully -recovered the use of his arm." - -It is called the Simia Satyrus; probably on its presumed lustfulness, -certainly not on account of its resemblance to the satyr of antiquity. - -Gesner gives us his idea of the orang, presenting us with the -accompanying figure of the Cercopithecus, and quotes Cardanus as saying -that the Cercopithecus or Wild-man, is singularly made, having the -height and form of a man, with legs like man's--and is covered all over -with hair. No animal can withstand it, with the exception of man, to -whom, when in its own regions, it is not inferior. It loves boys and -women. - -[Illustration] - -Pliny speaks of the Satyr Ape thus: "Among the mountainous districts of -the eastern parts of India, in what is called the country of the -Catharcludi, we find the Satyr, an animal of extraordinary swiftness. -They go sometimes on four feet, and sometimes walk erect; they have, -also, the features of a human being. On account of their swiftness, -these creatures are never to be caught, except when they are aged, or -sickly," and, in another place, he says, "The Sphyngium and the Satyr -stow away food in the pouches of their cheeks, after which they will -take out piece by piece in their hands, and eat it." - -Topsell has mixed up the Simia Satyrus with the classical satyr, having -legs and horns like goats; but he evidently alludes to the former in -this passage. "The _Satyres_ are in the Islands _Satiridæ_, which are -three in number, right over against India on the farther side of the -_Ganges_; of which _Euphemus Car_ rehearseth this history: that when he -sailed unto _Italy_, by the rage of winde and evill weather, they were -driven to a coast unnavigable, where were many desart Islandes, -inhabited of wild men, and the marriners refused to land upon some -Islands, having heretofore had triall of the inhumaine and uncivill -behaviour of the inhabitants, so that they brought us to the _Satyrian -Islands_, where we saw the inhabitants red, and had tayles joyned to -their backs, not much lesse than horsses. These, being perceived by the -marriners to run to the shippes, and lay hold on the women that were in -them, the shipmen, for feare, took one of the Barbarian women, and set -her on the land among them, whom in most odious and filthy manner, they -abused, whereby they found them to be very bruit beasts." - -[Illustration] - -He gives us his idea of the Simia Satyrus, which must have been an -accomplished animal, for not only could it, apparently, play upon the -pipe, but it had a handy pouch for the reception of the fruit (in lieu -of coppers) which it doubtless would receive as guerdon for its -performance. - - - - -SATYRS. - - -He also mentions and delineates a curious Ape which closely resembles -the classical Satyr: "Under the _Equinoctiall_, toward the East and -South, there is a kind of Ape called _Ægopithecus_, an Ape like a Goate. -For there are Apes like Beares, called _Arctopitheci_, and some like -Lyons, called _Leontopitheci_, and some like Dogs, called _Cynocephali_, -as is before expressed; and many other which have a mixt resemblance of -other creatures in their members. - -[Illustration] - -"Amongst the rest there is a beast called PAN; who in his head, face, -horns, legs, and from the loynes downward resembleth a Goat, but in his -belly, breast, and armes, an Ape: such a one was sent by the King of -_Indians_ to Constantine, which, being shut up in a cave or close place, -by reason of the wildnesse thereof, lived there but a season, and when -it was dead and bowelled, they pouldred it with spices, and carried it -to be seene at Constantinople: the which beast having beene seene of the -ancient Græcians, were so amazed at the strangenesse thereof, that they -received it for a God, as they did a Satyre, and other strange beasts." - -I have said that Topsell has mixed the Ape and the Satyr, -inextricably--but as his version has the charm of description and -anecdote, I give it with little curtailment. - -"As the _Cynocephali_, or _Baboun_ Apes have given occasion to some to -imagine (though falsly) there were such men, so the _Satyre_, a most -rare and seldom seene beast, hath occasioned other to thinke it was a -Devil; and the Poets with their Apes, the Painters, Limners, and -Carvers, to encrease that superstition, have therefore described him -with hornes on his head, and feet like Goates, whereas Satires have -neither of both. And it may be that Devils have at some time appeared to -men in this likenes, as they have done in the likeness of the -_Onocentaure_ and wild Asse, and other shapes; it being also probable -that Devils take not any dænomination or shape from Satyres, but rather -the Apes themselves, from Devils whom they resemble, for there are many -things common to the Satyre Apes, and devilish Satyres, as their human -shape, their abode in solitary places, their rough hayre, and lust to -women, wherewith all other Apes are naturally infected; but especially -Satyres.... - -"Peradventure the name of Satyre is more fitly derived from the Hebrew, -_Sair, Esa._ 34, whereof the plural is _Seirim, Esa._ 13, which is -interpreted monsters of the Desart, or rough hairy Fawnes; and when -Iisim is put to _Seir_, it signifieth Goats. - -"The _Chaldæans_, for _Seirim_, render _Schedin_; that is, evill -devills; and the _Arabians_, _lesejathin_, that is _Satanas_: the -_Persyans_, _Devan_, the _Illyrians_, _Devadai_, and _Dewas_: the -_Germans_, _Teufel_. They which passed through the world, and exercised -dauncing and other sports for _Dionisius_, were called Satyres, and -sometimes _Tytiri_, because of their wanton songes; sometimes _Sileni_ -(although the difference is, that the smaller and younger beasts are -called _Satiri_, the elder, and greater, _Sileni_;) Also _Bacchæ_ and -_Nymphæ_, wherefore _Bacchus_ is pictured riding in a chariot of vine -branches, _Silenus_ ridinge beside him on an Asse, and the _Bacchæ_ or -_Satyres_ shaking togetheer their staulkie Javelines and Paulmers.[27] -By reason of their leaping they are called _Scirti_, and the anticke or -satyrical dauncing, _Sicinnis_, and they also sometimes _Sicinnistæ_; -sometimes _Ægipanæ_; wherefore _Pliny_ reporteth, that among the -westerne _Ethiopians_, there are certain little hilles full of the -_Satirique Ægipanæ_, and that, in the night-time they use great fires, -piping and dansing, with a wonderful noise of Tymbrels and Cymbals; and -so also in _Atlas_ amongest the Moores, whereof there was no footing, -remnant, or appearance, to be found in the daytime. - -"... There are also _Satires_ in the Eastern mountaines of _India_, in -the country of the _Cartaduli_, and in the province of the _Comari_ and -_Corudæ_, but the _Cebi_ spoken of before, bred in _Ethiopia_, are not -_Satyres_ (though faced like them:) nor the _Prasyan_ Apes, which -resemble _Satyres_ in short beards. There are many kindes of these -_Satyres_ better distinguished by names than any properties naturall -known unto us. Such are the _Ægipanæ_, before declared, _Nymphes_ of the -Poets, _Fawnes_, _Pan_ and _Sileni_, which, in time of the Gentiles were -worshipped for Gods; and it was one part of their religion to set up the -picture of a Satyre at their dores and gates, for a remedy against the -bewitching of envious persons. - -"... Satyres have no humaine conditions in them, nor any other -resemblance of men besides their outward shape; though _Solinus_ speakes -of them like as of men. They carry their meate under their chin as in a -store house, and from thence being hungry, they take it forth to eat, -making it ordinary with them every day, which is but annuall in the -_Formicæ_ lions; being of very unquiet motions above other Apes. They -are hardly taken, except sicke, great with yong, old or asleepe; for -_Sylla_ had a _Satyre_ brought him, which was taken asleepe neare -_Apollonia_, in the holy place _Nymphæum_, of whom he (by divers -interpreters) demanded many questions, but received no answer, save only -a voice very much like the neighing of a horse, wherof he being afraid, -sent him away alive. - -"_Philostratus_ telleth another history, how that _Apollonius_ and his -colleagues, supping in a village of _Ethiopia_, beyond the fall of -_Nilus_, they heard a sudden outcry of women calling to one another; -some saying, _Take him_, others, _Follow him_; likewise provoking their -husbands to helpe them: the men presently tooke clubs, stones, or what -came first to hand, complaining of an injury done unto their wives. Now -some ten moneths before, there had appeared a fearfull shew of a Satyre, -raging upon their women, and had slain two of them, with whom he was in -love: the companions of _Apollonius_ quaked at the hearing hereof, and -_Nilus_, one of them, swore (by _Jove_) that they being naked and -unarmed, could not be able to resist him in his outragious lust, but -that he would accomplish his wantonnes as before: yet, said -_Apollonius_, there is a remedy to quaile these wanton-leaping beasts, -which men say _Midas_ used (for _Midas_ was of kindred to _Satyres_, as -appeared by his eares). This _Midas_ heard his mother say, that -_Satyres_ loved to be drunke with wine, and then sleep soundly, and -after that, be so moderate, mild and gentle, that a man might thinke -they had lost their first nature. - -"Whereupon he put wine into a fountain neere the highway, whereof, when -the _Satyre_ had tasted, he waxed meeke suddenly, and was overcome. Now -that we thinke not this a fable (saith _Apollonius_) let us go to the -Governor of the Towne, and inquire of him whether there be any wine to -be had that we may offer it to the _Satyre_, wherunto all consented, and -they filled foure great _Egyptian_ earthen vessels with wine, and put it -in the fountain where their cattel were watred: this done, _Apollonius_ -called the _Satyre_, secretly thretning him, and the _Satire_, inraged -with the savour of the wine came; after he had drunke thereof, Now, said -_Apollonius_, let us sacrifice to the _Satyre_, for he sleepeth, and so -led the inhabitants to the dens of the _Nymphs_, distant a furlong from -the towne, and shewed them the _Satyre_ saying; Neither beat, cursse, or -provoke him henceforth, and he shall never harme you. - -"It is certaine, that the devills do many waies delude men in the -likeness of _Satyres_; for, when the drunken feasts of _Bacchus_ were -yearely celebrated in _Parnassus_, there were many sightes of _Satyres_, -and voyces, and sounding of cymbals heard: yet it is likely that there -are men also like Satyres, inhabiting in some desart places; for _S. -Ierom_, in the life of _Paul the Eremite_, reporteth that there appeared -to _S. Anthony_, an _Hippocentaure_ such as the Poets describe, and -presently he saw, in a rocky valley adjoining, a little man having -croked nostrils, hornes growing out of his forhed, and the neather part -of his body had Goat's feet; the holy man, not dismayed, taking the -shield of faith, and the breastplate of righteousnesse, like a good -souldior of Christ, pressed toward him, which brought him some fruites -of palmes as pledges of his peace, upon which he fed in the journey; -which Saint _Anthony_ perceiving, he asked him who he was, and received -this answere; I am a mortall creature, one of the inhabitants of this -Desart, whom the Gentiles (deceived with error) doe worship, and call -_Fauni_, _Satyres_, and _Incubi_: I am come in ambassage from our -flocke, intreating that thou would'st pray for us unto the common GOD, -who came to save the world; the which words were no sooner ended, but he -ran away as fast as any foule could fly. And least this should seeme -false, under _Constantine_ at _Alexandria_ there was such a man to be -seene alive, and was a publick spectacle to all the World; the carcasse -thereof, after his death, was kept from corruption by heat, through -salt, and was carried to _Antiocha_ that the Emperor himself might see -it. - -[Illustration] - -"_Satyres_ are very sildom seene, and taken with great difficulty, as is -before saide: for there were two of these founde in the woods of -_Saxony_ towards _Dacia_, in a desart, the female was killed by the -darts of the hunters, and the biting of Dogs, but the male was taken -alive, being in the upper parts like a man, and in the neather partes -like a Goat, but all hairy throughout: he was brought to be tame, and -learned to go upright, and also to speake some wordes, but with a voice -like a Goat, and without all reason. - -[Illustration] - -"The famous learned man _George Fabricius_, shewed me this shape of a -monstrous beast that is fit to be joyned to the story of _Satyres_. -There was, (saide he,) in the territory of the Bishop of _Salceburgh_, -in a forrest called _Fannesbergh_, a certaine foure-footed beast, of a -yellowish carnation colour, but so wilde that he would never be drawne -to looke upon any man, hiding himselfe in the darkest places, and beeing -watched diligently, would not be provoked to come forth so much as to -eate his meate--so that in a very short time it was famished. The hinder -legs were much unlike the former, and also much longer. It was taken -about the year of the Lord, one thousand five hundred, thirty, whose -image being here so lively described, may save us further labour in -discoursing of his maine and different parts and proportion." - - - - -THE SPHYNX. - - -"The SPHYNGA or _Sphinx_, is of the kind of Apes, but his breast up -to his necke, pilde and smooth without hayre: the face is very round, -yet sharp and piked, having the breasts of women, and their favor, or -visage, much like them: In that part of the body which is bare with out -haire, there is a certaine red thing rising in a round circle, like -millet seed, which giveth great grace & comeliness to their coulour, -which in the middle part is humaine: Their voice is very like a man's, -but not articulate, sounding as if one did speake hastily, with -indignation or sorrow. Their haire browne, or swarthy coulour. They -are bred in _India_, and _Ethiopia_. In the promontory of the farthest -_Arabia_ neere _Dira_, are _Sphinges_, and certaine _Lyons_, called -_Formicæ_, so, likewise, they are to be found amongest the _Trogloditæ_. - -[Illustration] - -"As the _Babouns_ and _Cynocephali_ are more wilde than other Apes, so -the _Satyres_ and _Sphynges_ are more meeke and gentle, for they are not -so wilde that they will not bee tamed, nor yet so tame, but they will -revenge their own harmes; as appeared by that which was slayne in a -publike spectacle among the _Thebanes_. They carrye their meat in the -store houses of their own chaps or cheeks, taking it forth when they are -hungry, and so eat it. - -[Illustration] - -"The name of this _Sphynx_ is taken from 'binding,' as appeareth by -the Greek notation, or else of delicacie and dainty nice loosnesse, -(wherefore there were certain common strumpets called _Sphinctæ_, -and the _Megarian Sphingas_ was a very popular phrase for notorious -harlots), hath given occasion to the poets to faigne a certaine monster -called _Sphynx_, which they say was thus derived. _Hydra_ brought foorth -the _Chimæra_, _Chimæra_ by _Orthus_, the _Sphynx_, and the _Nemæan_ -Lyon: now, this _Orthus_ was one of _Geryon's_ dogges. This _Sphynx_ -they make a treble formed monster, a Mayden's face, a Lyon's legs, and -the wings of a fowle; or, as _Ansonius_ and _Varinus_ say, the face -and head of a mayde, the body of a dogge, the winges of a byrd, the -voice of a man, the clawes of a Lyon, and the tayle of a dragon: and -that she kept continually in the _Sphincian_ mountaine; propounding -to all travailers that came that way an _Ænigma_, or Riddle, which -was this: _What was the creature that first of all goeth on foure -legges; afterwards on two, and, lastly, on three_: and all of them that -could not dissolve that Riddle, she presently slew, by taking them, -and throwing them downe headlong, from the top of a Rocke. At last -_Oedipus_ came that way, and declared the secret, that it _was a man, -who in his infancy creepeth on all foure_, afterward, _in youth, goeth -upon two legs_, and last of all, _in olde age taketh unto him a staffe -which maketh him to goe, as it were, on three legs_; which the monster -hearing, she presently threwe down herselfe from the former rocke, and -so she ended. Whereupon Oedipus is taken for a subtill and wise opener -of mysteries. - -"But the truth is, that when _Cadmus_ had married an _Amazonian_ woman, -called _Sphynx_, and, with her, came to _Thebes_, and there slew _Draco_ -their king, and possessed his kingdom, afterwards there was a sister -unto _Draco_ called _Harmona_, whom _Cadmus_ married, _Sphynx_ being yet -alive. She, in revenge, (being assisted by many followers,) departed -with great store of wealth into the mountaine _Sphincius_, taking with -her a great Dogge, which _Cadmus_ held in great account, and there made -daily incursions or spoiles upon his people. Now, _ænigma_, in the -_Theban_ language, signifieth an inrode, or warlike incursion, wherfore -the people complained in this sort. _This GRECIAN SPHINX robbeth us, in -setting up with an ÆNIGMA, but no man knoweth after what manner she -maketh this ÆNIGMA._ - -"_Cadmus_ hereupon made proclamation, that he would give a very -bountifull reward unto him that would kill _Sphinx_, upon which occasion -the Corinthian _Oedipus_ came unto her, being mounted on a swift -courser, and accompanied with some _Thebans_ in the night season, slue -her. Other say that _Oedipus_ by counterfaiting friendshippe, slue her, -making shew to be of her faction; and _Pausanius_ saith, that the former -Riddle, was not a Riddle, but an Oracle of _Apollo_, which _Cadmus_ had -received, whereby his posterity should be inheritors of the _Theban_ -kingdome; and whereas _Oedipus_, being the son of _Laius_, a former king -of that countrey, was taught the Oracle in his sleepe, he recouvered -the kingdome usurped by _Sphinx_ his sister, and, afterwards, unknown, -married his mother Jocasta. - -"But the true morall of this poetical fiction is by that learned -_Alciatus_, in one of his emblems, deciphered; that her monstrous treble -formed shape signified her lustfull pleasure under a Virgin's face, her -cruell pride, under the Lyon's clawes, her winde-driven leuitye, under -the Eagles, or birdes feathers, and I will conclude with the wordes of -_Suidas_ concerning such monsters, that the _Tritons_, _Sphinges_, and -_Centaures_, are the images of those things, which are not to be founde -within the compasse of the whole world." - - - - -APES. - - -Sluper, who could soar to the height of delineating a Cyclops, is equal -to the occasion when he has to deal with Apes, and here he gives us an -Ape which, unfortunately, does not seem to have survived to modern -times--namely, one which wove for itself coarse cloth, probably of -rushes; had a cloak of skin, and walked upright, with the aid of a -walking-stick, and was so genteel, that, having no boots, he seems to -have blacked his feet. And thus he sings of it: - - "Pres le Peru par effect le voit on, - Dieu a donné au Singe telle forme. - Vestu dejonc, s'appuyant d'un baston, - Estãt debout, chose aux hõmes cõforme." - -[Illustration] - -Before quitting the subject of Apes, I cannot refrain from noticing -another of this genus mentioned by Topsell, and that is the -Arctopithecus or Bear Ape:--"There is in America a very deformed beast, -which the inhabitants call _Haut_ or _Hauti_, and the Frenchmen -_Guenon_, as big as a great Affrican Monkey. His belly hangeth very low, -his head and face like unto a childes, and being taken, it will sigh -like a young childe. His skin is of an ashe-colour, and hairie like a -Beare: he hath but three clawes on a foote, as longe as foure fingers, -and like the thornes of Privet, whereby he climbeth up into the highest -trees, and for the most part liveth of the leaves of a certain tree, -beeing of an exceeding heighth, which the _Americans_ call _Amahut_, and -thereof this beast is called _Haut_. Their tayle is about three fingers -long, having very little haire thereon; it hath beene often tried, that -though it suffer any famine, it will not eate the fleshe of a living -man, and one of them was given me by a French-man, which I kept alive -sixe and twenty daies, and at the last it was killed by Dogges, and in -that time when I had set it abroad in the open ayre, I observed that, -_although it often rained, yet was that beast never wet_.[28] When it is -tame, it is very loving to a man, and desirous to climbe uppe to his -shoulders, which those naked _Amerycans_ cannot endure, by reason of the -sharpnesse of his Clawes." - - - - -ANIMAL LORE. - - -We are indebted to Pliny for much strange animal lore--which, however, -will scarcely bear the fierce light of modern investigation. Thus, he -tells us of places in which certain animals are not to be found, and -narrates some very curious zoological anecdotes thereon. "It is a -remarkable fact, that nature has not only assigned different countries -to different animals, but that even in the same country it has denied -certain species to certain localities. In Italy, the dormouse is found -in one part only, the Messian forest. In Lycia, the gazelle never passes -beyond the mountains which border upon Syria; nor does the wild ass in -that vicinity pass over those which divide Cappadocia from Cilicia. On -the banks of the Hellespont, the stags never pass into a strange -territory, and, about Arginussa, they never go beyond Mount Elaphus; -those upon the mountains, too, have cloven ears. In the island of -Poroselene, the weasels will not so much as cross a certain road. In -Boeotia, the moles, which were introduced at Lebadea, fly from the very -soil of that country, while in the neighbourhood, at Orchomenus, the -very same animals tear up all the fields. We have seen coverlets for -beds made of the skin of these creatures, so that our sense of religion -does not prevent us from employing these ominous animals for the -purposes of luxury. - -"When hares have been brought to Ithaca, they die as soon as ever they -touch the shore, and the same is the case with rabbits, on the shores of -the island of Ebusus; while they abound in the vicinity, Spain namely, -and the Balearic isles. In Cyrene, the frogs were formerly dumb, and -this species still exists, although croaking ones were carried over -there from the Continent. At the present day, even, the frogs of the -island of Seriphos are dumb; but when they are carried to other places, -they croak; the same thing is also said to have taken place at -Sicandrus, a lake of Thessaly. In Italy, the bite of a shrew-mouse is -venomous; an animal which is not to be found in any region beyond the -Apennines. In whatever country it exists, it always dies immediately if -it goes across the rut made by a wheel. Upon Olympus, a mountain of -Macedonia, there are no wolves, nor yet in the isle of Crete. In this -island there are neither foxes nor bears, nor, indeed, any kind of -baneful animal, with the exception of the phalangium, a species of -spider. It is a thing still more remarkable, that in this island there -are no stags, except in the district of Cydon; the same is the case with -the wild boar, the woodcock, and the hedgehog." - -He further tells us of animals which will injure strangers only, as also -animals which injure the natives only. - -"There are certain animals which are harmless to the natives of the -country, but destroy strangers; such as the little serpents at -Tirynthus, which are said to spring out of the earth. In Syria, also, -and especially on the banks of the Euphrates, the serpents never attack -the Syrians when they are asleep, and even if they happen to bite a -native who treads upon them, their venom is not felt; but to persons of -any other country they are extremely hostile, and fiercely attack them, -causing a death attended with great torture. On this account the Syrians -never kill them. On the contrary, on Latmos, a mountain of Caria, as -Aristotle tells us, strangers are not injured by the scorpions, while -the natives are killed by them." - -He also throws some curious light, unknown to modern zoologists, on the -antipathies of animals one to another. He says:--"There will be no -difficulty in perceiving that animals are possessed of other instincts -besides those previously mentioned. In fact, there are certain -antipathies, and sympathies among them, which give rise to various -affections, besides those which we have mentioned in relation to each -species, in its appropriate place. The Swan and the Eagle are always at -variance, and the Raven and the Chloreus seek each other's eggs by -night. In a similar manner, also, the Raven and the Kite are perpetually -at war with one another, the one carrying off the other's food. So, -too, there are antipathies between the Crow and the Owl, the Eagle and -the Trochilus; between the last two, if we are to believe the story, -because the latter has received the title of 'the king of birds;' the -same, again, with the Owlet and all the smaller birds. - -"Again, in relation to the terrestrial animals, the Weasel is at enmity -with the Crow, the Turtle-dove with the Pyrallis, the Ichneumon with the -Wasp, and the Phalangium with other Spiders. Among aquatic animals, -there is enmity between the Duck and the Seamew, the Falcon known as the -'Harpe,' and the Hawk called the 'Triorchis.' In a similar manner, too, -the Shrew-mouse and the Heron are ever on the watch for each other's -young; and the Ægithus, so small a bird as it is, has an antipathy for -the Ass; for the latter, when scratching itself, rubs its body against -the brambles, and so crushes the bird's nest; a thing of which it stands -in such dread, that, if it only hears the voice of the Ass when it -brays, it will throw its eggs out of the nest, and the young ones, -themselves, will, sometimes, fall to the ground in their fright; hence -it is that it will fly at the Ass, and peck at its sores with its beak. - -"The Fox, too, is at war with the Nisus, and Serpents with Weasels and -Swine. Æsalon is the name given to a small bird that breaks the eggs of -the Raven, and the young of which are anxiously sought by the Fox; -while, in its turn, it will peck at the young of the Fox, and even the -parent itself. As soon as the Ravens espy this, they come to its -assistance, as though against a common enemy. The Acanthis, too, lives -among the brambles; hence it is that it also has an antipathy to the -Ass, because it devours the bramble blossoms. The Ægithus and the -Anthus, too, are at such mortal enmity with each other, that it is the -common belief that their blood will not mingle; and it is for this -reason that they have the bad repute of being employed in many magical -incantations. The Thos and the Lion are at war with each other; and, -indeed, the smallest objects and the greatest, just as much. -Caterpillars will avoid a tree that is infested with Ants. The Spider, -poised in its web, will throw itself on the head of a Serpent, as it -lies stretched beneath the shade of the tree where it has built, and, -with its bite, pierce its brain; such is the shock, that the creature -will hiss from time to time, and then, seized with vertigo, coil round -and round, while it finds itself unable to take to flight, or so much as -to break the web of the spider, as it hangs suspended above; this scene -only ends with its death." - - - - -THE MANTICORA. - - -Of curious animals, other than Apes, depicted as having some approach to -the human countenance, perhaps the most curious is the Manticora. It is -not a _parvenu_; it is of ancient date, for Aristotle mentions it. -Speaking of the dentition of animals, he says:--"None of these genera -have a double row of teeth. But, if we may believe Ctesias, there are -some which have this peculiarity, for he mentions an Indian animal -called Martichora, which had three rows of teeth in each jaw; it is as -large and rough as a lion, and has similar feet, but its ears and face -are like those of a man; its eye is grey, and its body red; it has a -tail like a land Scorpion, in which there is a sting; it darts forth the -spines with which it is covered, instead of hair, and it utters a noise -resembling the united sound of a pipe and a trumpet; it is not less -swift of foot than a stag, and is wild, and devours men." - -Pliny also quotes Ctesias, but he slightly diverges, for he says it has -azure eyes, and is of the colour of blood; he also affirms it can -imitate the human speech. _Par parenthèse_ he mentions, in conjunction -with the Manticora, another animal similarly gifted:--"By the union of -the hyæna with the Æthiopian lioness, the Corocotta is produced, which -has the same faculty of imitating the voices of men and cattle. Its gaze -is always fixed and immoveable; it has no gums in either of its jaws, -and the teeth are one continuous piece of bone; they are enclosed in a -sort of box, as it were, that they may not be blunted by rubbing against -each other." - -_Mais, revenons à nos moutons_, or rather Mantichora. Topsell, in making -mention of this beast, recapitulates all that Ctesias has said on the -subject, and adds:--"And I take it to be the same Beast which _Avicen_ -calleth _Marion_, and _Maricomorion_, with her taile she woundeth her -Hunters, whether they come before her or behinde her, and, presently, -when the quils are cast forth, new ones grow up in their roome, -wherewithal she overcometh all the hunters; and, although India be full -of divers ravening beastes, yet none of them are stiled with a title of -_Andropophagi_, that is to say, Men-eaters; except onely this -_Mantichora_. When the Indians take a Whelp of this beast, they fall to -and bruise the buttockes and taile thereof, so that it may never be fit -to bring (_forth_) sharp quils, afterwards it is tamed without peril. -This, also, is the same beast which is called _Leucrocuta_, about the -bignesse of a wilde Asse, being in legs and hoofes like a Hart, having -his mouth reaching on both sides to his eares, and the head and face -of a female like unto a Badgers. It is also called _Martiora_, which in -the Parsian tongue, signifieth a devourer of men." - -[Illustration] - -Du Bartas, in "His First Week, or the Birth of the World," mentions our -friend as being created:-- - - "Then th' _Vnicorn_, th' _Hyæna_ tearing tombs, - Swift _Mantichor'_, and _Nubian Cephus_ comes; - Of which last three, each hath, (as heer they stand) - Man's voice, Man's visage, Man like foot and hand." - -It is mentioned by other writers--but I have a theory of my own about -it, and that is, that it is only an idealised laughing hyæna. - - - - -THE LAMIA. - - -The Lamiæ are mythological--and were monsters of Africa, with the face -and breast of a woman, the rest of the body like that of a serpent; they -allured strangers, that they might devour them; and though not endowed -with the faculty of speech, their hissings were pleasing. Some believed -them to be evil spirits, who, in the form of beautiful women, enticed -young children, and devoured them; according to some, the fable of the -Lamiæ is derived from the amours of Jupiter with a beautiful woman, -Lamia, whom Juno rendered deformed, and whose children she destroyed; -Lamia became insane, and so desperate, that she ate up all the children -which came in her way. - -Topsell, before entering upon the natural history of the Lamia, as an -animal, tells the following story of it as a mythological being:--"It -is reported of _Menippus_ the Lycian, that he fell in love with a -strange woman, who at that time seemed both beautifull, tender, and -rich, but, in truth, there was no such thing, and all was but a -fantastical ostentation; she was said to insinuate her selfe, into -his familiaritie after this manner: as he went upon a day alone from -_Corinth_ to _Senchræa_, hee met with a certaine phantasme, or spectre -like a beautifull woman, who tooke him by the hand, and told him she -was a _Phoenician_ woman, and of long time had loved him dearely, -having sought many occasions to manifest the same, but could never -finde opportunitie untill that day, wherefore she entreated him to -take knowledge of her house, which was in the Suburbes of _Corinth_, -therewithall pointing unto it with her finger, and so desired his -presence. The young man seeing himselfe thus wooed by a beautiful woman, -was easily overcome by her allurements, and did oftimes frequent her -company. - -"There was a certaine wise man, and a Philosopher, which espied the -same, and spake unto _Menippus_ in this manner, 'O formose, et a -formorsis, expetitie mulieribus, ophin thalpies, cai se ophis,' that is -to say, 'O fair _Menippus_, beloved of beautiful women, art thou a -serpent, and dost nourish a serpent?' by which words he gave him his -first admonition, or incling of a mischiefe; but not prevayling, -_Menippus_ proposed to marry with this spectre, her house to the outward -shew, being richly furnished with all manner of houshold goods; then -said the wise man againe unto _Menippus_, 'This gold, silver, and -ornaments of house, are like to _Tantalus_ Apples, who are said by -_Homer_ to make a faire shew, but to containe in them no substance at -all; even so, whatsoever you conceave of this riches, there is no matter -or substance in the things which you see, for they are onely inchaunted -images, and shadowes, which that you may beleeve, this your neate bride -is one of the _Empusæ_, called _Lamia_, or _Mormolicæ_, wonderfull -desirous of commerce with men, and loving their flesh above measure; but -those whom they doe entice, afterwards they devoure without love or -pittie, feeding upon their flesh.' At which words the wise man caused -the gold and silver plate, and household stuffe, cookes, and servants to -vanish all away. Then did the spectre like unto one that wept, entreate -the wise man that he would not torment her, nor yet cause her to -confesse what manner of person she was; but he on the other side being -inexorable, compelled her to declare the whole truth, which was, that -she was a Phairy, and that she purposed to use the companie of -_Menippus_, and feede him fat with all manner of pleasures, to the -extent that, afterward, she might eate up and devour his body, for all -their kinde love was only to feed upon beautiful yong men.... - -"To leave therefore these fables, and come to the true description of -the _Lamia_, we have in hand. In the foure and thirty chapter of Esay, -we do find this called a beast _Lilith_ in the Hæbrew, and translated by -the auncients _Lamia_, which is threatened to possesse _Babell_. -Likewise in the fourth chapter of the Lamentations, where it is said in -our English translation, that the Dragons lay forth their brests, in -Hæbrew they are called _Ehannum_, which, by the confession of the best -interpreters, cannot signifie Dragons, but rather Sea calves, being a -generall word for strange wilde beasts. How be it the matter being wel -examined, it shall appeare that it must needes be this Lamia, because of -her great breastes, which are not competible either to the Dragon, or -Sea calves; so then, we wil take it for graunted, by the testimony of -holy Scripture, that there is such a beast as this _Cristostinius_. -_Dion_ also writeth that there are such beasts in some parts of _Libia_, -having a Woman's face, and very beautifull, also very large and comely -shapes on their breasts, such as cannot be counterfeited by the art of -any painter, having a very excellent colour in their fore parts, without -wings, and no other voice but hissing like Dragons: they are the -swiftest of foote of all earthly beasts, so as none can escape them by -running, for, by their celerity, they compasse their prey of beastes, -and by their fraud they overthrow men. For when they see a man, they lay -open their breastes, and by the beauty thereof, entice them to come -neare to conference, and so, having them within their compasse, they -devoure and kill them. - -[Illustration] - -"Unto the same things subscribe _Cælius_ and _Giraldus_, adding also, -that there is a certaine crooked place in _Libia_ neare the Sea-shore, -full of sand like to a sandy Sea, and all the neighbor places thereunto -are deserts. If it fortune at any time, that through shipwrack, men come -there on shore, these beasts watch uppon them, devouring them all, which -either endevour to travell on the land, or else to returne backe againe -to Sea, adding also, that when they see a man they stand stone still, -and stir not til he come unto them, looking down upon their breasts or -to the ground, whereupon some have thought, that seeing them, at their -first sight have such a desire to come neare them, that they are drawne -into their compasse, by a certaine naturall magicall witchcraft.... The -hinderparts of the beast are like unto a Goate, his fore legs like a -Beares, his upper parts to a woman, the body scaled all over like a -Dragon, as some have affirmed by the observation of their bodies, when -_Probus_, the Emperor, brought them forth unto publike spectacle; also -it is reported of them, that they devoure their own young ones, and -therefore they derive their name _Lamia_, of _Lamiando_; and thus much -for this beast." - - - - -THE CENTAUR. - - -This extraordinary combination of man and animal is very ancient--and -the first I can find is Assyrian. Mr. W. St. Chad Boscawen, in one of -his British Museum Lectures (afterwards published under the title of -_From under the Dust of Ages_), speaking of the seasons and the zodiacal -signs, in his lecture on _The Legend of Gizdhubar_, says:--"Gizdhubar -has a dream that the stars of heaven are falling upon him, and, like -Nebuchadnezzar, he can find no one to explain the hidden meaning to -him. He is, however, told by his huntsman, Zaidu, of a very wise -creature who dwells in the marshes, three days' journey from Erech.... -The strange being, whom this companion of the hero is despatched to -bring to the Court, is one of the most interesting in the Epic. He is -called Hea-bani--'he whom Hea has made.' This mysterious creature is -represented on the gems, as half a man, and half a bull. He has the -body, face, and arms of a man, and the horns, legs, hoofs, and tail of a -bull. Though in form rather resembling the satyrs, and in fondness for, -and in association with the cattle, the rustic deity Pan, yet in his -companionship with Gizdhubar, and his strange death, he approaches -nearer the Centaur Chiron, who was the companion of Heracles. - -"By his name he was the son of Hea, whom Berosus identifies as Cronos, -as Chiron was the son of Cronos. Like Chiron, he was celebrated for his -wisdom, and acted as the counsellor of the hero, interpreting his -dreams, and enabling him to overcome the enemies who attacked him. -Chiron met his death at the hand of Heracles, one of whose poisoned -arrows struck him, and, though immortal, he would not live any longer, -and gave his immortality to Prometheus.... Zeus made Chiron among the -stars a Sagittarius. Here again we have a striking echo of the Chaldæan -legend, in the Erech story. According to the arrangement of tablets, the -death of Hea-bani takes place under the sign of Sagittarius, and is the -result of some fatal accident during the combat between Gizdhubar and -Khumbaba. Like the Centaurs, before his call to the Court of Gizdhubar, -Hea-bani led a wild and savage life. It is said on the tablets 'that he -consorted with the wild beasts. With the gazelles he took his food by -night, and consorted with the cattle by day, and rejoiced his heart -with the creeping things of the waters.' - -"Hea-Bani was true and loyal to Gizdhubar, and when Istar (the Assyrian -Venus), foiled in her love for Gizdhubar, flew to heaven to see her -father Anu (the Chaldæan Zeus), and to seek redress for the slight put -upon her, the latter created a winged bull, called 'The Bull of Heaven,' -which was sent to earth. Hea-Bani, however, helps his lord, the bull is -slain, and the two companions enter Erech in triumph. Hea-Bani met with -his death when Gizdhubar fought Khumbaba, and 'Gizdhubar for Hea-Bani -his friend wept bitterly and lay on the ground.'" - -[Illustration] - -Thus, centuries before the Romans had emerged from barbarism, we have -the prototype of the classical Centaur, the man-horse. The fabled -Centaurs were a people of Thessaly--half-men, half-horses--and their -existence is very cloudy. Still, they were often depicted, and the two -examples of a male and female Centaur, from a fresco at Pompeii, are -charmingly drawn. It will be seen that both are attended by Bacchantes -bearing thyrses--a delicate allusion to their love of wine; for it was -owing to this weakness that their famous battle with the Lapithæ took -place. The Centaurs were invited to the marriage of Hippodamia with -Pirithous, and, after the manner of cow-boys "up town," they got -intoxicated, were very rude, and even offered violence to the women -present. That, the good knights, Sir Hercules and Sir Theseus, could not -stand, and with the Lapithæ, gave the Centaurs a thrashing, and made -them retire to Arcadia. They had a second fight over the matter of wine, -for the Centaur Pholus gave Hercules to drink of wine meant for him, but -in the keeping of the Centaurs, and these ill-conditioned animals -resented it, and attacked Hercules with fury. They were fearfully -punished, and but few survived. - -[Illustration] - -Pliny pooh-poohs the mythical origin of the Centaurs, and says they were -Thessalians, who dwelt along Mount Pelion, and were the first to fight -on horseback. Aldrovandus writes that, according to Licosthenes, there -were formerly found, in the regions of the Great Tamberlane, Centaurs of -such a form as its upper part was that of a man, with two arms -resembling those of a toad, and he gives a drawing from that author, -so that the reader might diligently meditate whether such an animal was -possible in a natural state of things; but the artist seems to have -forgotten the fore-legs. - -[Illustration] - - "The Onocentaur is a monstrous beast; - Supposed halfe a man, and halfe an Asse, - That never shuts his eyes in quiet rest, - Till he his foes deare life hath round encompast. - Such were the Centaures in their tyrannie, - That liv'd by Humane flesh and villanie." - - --CHESTER. - - - - -THE GORGON. - - -In the title-page of one edition of "The Historie of Foure-footed -Beastes" (1607) Topsell gives this picture of the Gorgon; and he says, -respecting this curious animal, the following:--"Among the manifold and -divers sorts of Beasts which are bred in Affricke, it is thought that -the _Gorgon_ is brought foorth in that countrey. It is a feareful and -terrible beast to behold: it hath high and thicke eie-lids, eies not -very great, but much like an Oxes or Bugils, but all fiery bloudy, which -neyther looke directly forwarde, nor yet upwards, but continuallye downe -to the earth, and therefore are called in Greeke _Catobleponta_. From -the crowne of their head downe to their nose, they have a long hanging -mane, which makes them to look fearefully. It eateth deadly and -poysonfull hearbs, and if at any time he see a Bull, or other creature -whereof he is afraid, he presently causeth his mane to stand upright, -and, being so lifted up, opening his lips, and gaping wide, sendeth -forth of his throat a certaine sharpe and horrible breath, which -infecteth, and poysoneth the air above his head, so that all living -creatures which draw the breath of that aire are greevously afflicted -thereby, loosing both voyce and sight, they fall into leathall and -deadly convulsions. It is bred in _Hesperia_ and _Lybia_. - -[Illustration] - -"The Poets have a fiction that the _Gorgones_ were the Daughters of -_Medusa_ and _Phorcynis_, and are called _Steingo_, and by _Hesiodus_, -_Stheno_, and _Eyryale_ inhabiting the _Gorgadion_ Ilands in the -_Æthiopick Ocean_, over against the gardens of _Hesperia_. _Medusa_ is -said to have the haires of his head to be living Serpentes, against whom -_Perseus_ fought, and cut off his hed, for which cause he was placed in -heaven on the North side of the _Zodiacke_ above the Waggon, and on the -left hand holding the _Gorgons_ head. The truth is that there were -certaine _Amazonian_ women in _Affricke_ divers from the _Scythians_, -against whom _Perseus_ made warre, and the captaine of those women was -called _Medusa_, whom _Perseus_ overthrew, and cut off her head, and -from thence came the Poet's fiction describing Snakes growing out of it -as is aforesaid. These _Gorgons_ are bred in that countrey, and have -such haire about their heads, as not onely exceedeth all other beastes, -but also poysoneth, when he standeth upright. Pliny calleth this beast -_Catablepon_,[29] because it continually looketh downwards, and saith -all the parts of it are but smal excepting the head, which is very -heavy, and exceedeth the proportion of his body, which is never lifted -up, but all living creatures die that see his eies. - -"By which there ariseth a question whether the poison which he sendeth -foorth, proceede from his breath, or from his eyes. Whereupon it is more -probable, that like the Cockatrice, he killeth by seeing, than by the -breath of his mouth, which is not competible to any other beasts in the -world. Besides, when the Souldiers of _Marius_ followed _Iugurtha_, -they saw one of these _Gorgons_, and, supposing it was some sheepe, -bending the head continually to the earth, and moving slowly, they set -upon him with their swords, whereat the Beast, disdaining, suddenly -discovered his eies, setting his haire upright, at the sight whereof the -Souldiers fel downe dead. - -"_Marius_, hearing thereof, sent other souldiers to kill the beaste, but -they likewise died, as the former. At last the inhabitantes of the -countrey, tolde the Captaine the poyson of this beast's nature, and that -if he were not killed upon a Sodayne, with onely the sight of his eies -he sent death into his hunters: then did the Captaine lay an ambush of -souldiers for him, who slew him sodainely with their speares, and -brought him to the Emperour, whereupon _Marius_ sent his skinne to Rome, -which was hung up in the Temple of _Hercules_, wherein the people were -feasted after the triumphes; by which it is apparent that they kill with -their eies, and not with their breath.... - -"But to omit these fables, it is certaine that sharp poisoned sightes -are called _Gorgon Blepen_, and therefore we will followe the Authoritie -of _Pliny_ and _Athenæus_. It is a beast set all over with scales like a -Dragon, having no haire except on his head, great teeth like Swine, -having wings to flie, and hands to handle, in stature betwixt a Bull and -a Calfe. - -"There be Ilandes called _Gorgonies_, wherein these monster-_Gorgons_ -were bredde, and unto the daies of _Pliny_, the people of that countrey -retained some part of their prodigious nature. It is reported by -_Xenophon_, that _Hanno_, King of _Carthage_, ranged with his armie in -that region, and founde there, certaine women of incredible swiftenesse -and perniscitie of foote. Whereof he tooke two onely of all that -appeared in sight, which had such roughe and sharp bodies, as never -before were seene. Wherefore, when they were dead, he hung up their -skinnes in the Temple of _Juno_, for a monument of their straunge -natures, which remained there untill the destruction of _Carthage_. By -the consideration of this beast, there appeareth one manifest argument -of the Creator's devine wisdome and providence, who hath turned the eies -of this beaste downeward to the earth, as it were thereby burying his -poyson from the hurt of man; and shaddowing them with rough, long and -strong haire, that their poysoned beames should not reflect upwards, -untill the beast were provoked by feare or danger, the heavines of his -head being like a clogge to restraine the liberty of his poysonfull -nature, but what other partes, vertues or vices, are contained in the -compasse of this monster, God onely knoweth, who, peradventure, hath -permitted it to live uppon the face of the earth, for no other cause but -to be a punishment and scourge unto mankind; and an evident example of -his owne wrathfull power to everlasting destruction. And this much may -serve for a description of this beast, untill by God's providence, more -can be known thereof." - - - - -THE UNICORN. - - -What a curious belief was that of the Unicorn! Yet what mythical animal -is more familiar to Englishmen? In its present form it was not known to -the ancients, not even to Pliny, whose idea of the Monoceros or Unicorn -is peculiar. He describes this animal as having "the head of a stag, the -feet of an elephant, the tail of the boar, while the rest of the body -is like that of the horse: it makes a deep lowing noise, and has a -single black horn, which projects from the middle of its forehead, two -cubits in length. This animal, it is said, cannot be taken alive." - -Until James VI. of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I., the -Unicorn, as it is now heraldically portrayed (which was a supporter to -the arms of James IV.) was almost unknown--vide _Tempest_, iii. 3. 20:-- - - "_Alonzo._ Give us kind keepers, heavens: what were these? - - _Sebastian._ A living drollery. Now I will believe that there are - unicorns." - -Spenser, who died before the accession of James I., and therefore did -not write about the supporters of the Royal Arms, alludes (in his -_Faerie Queene_) to the antagonism between the Lion and the Unicorne. - - "Likë as the lyon, whose imperial poure - A proud rebellious unicorn defyes, - T'avoide the rash assault, and wrathful stoure - Of his fiers foe, him to a tree applyes, - And when him rouning in full course he spyes, - He slips aside: the whiles that furious beast, - His precious horne, sought of his enimyes, - Strikes in the stroke, ne thence can be released, - But to the victor yields a bounteous feast." - -Pliny makes no mention of the Unicorn as we have it heraldically -represented, but speaks of the Indian Ass, which, he says, is only a -one-horned animal. Other old naturalists, with the exception of Ælian, -do not mention it as our Unicorn--and his description of it hardly -coincides. He says that the Brahmins tell of the wonderful beasts in the -inaccessible regions of the interior of India, among them being the -Unicorn, "which they call _Cartazonon_, and say that it reaches the -size of a horse of mature age, possesses a mane and reddish-yellow hair, -and that it excels in swiftness through the excellence of its feet and -of its whole body. Like the elephant it has inarticulate feet, and it -has a boar's tail; one black horn projects between the eyebrows, not -awkwardly, but with a certain natural twist, and terminating in a sharp -point." - -[Illustration] - -Guillim, who wrote on heraldry in 1610, gives, in his Illustrations, -indifferently the tail of this animal, as horse or ass; and, as might be -expected from one of his craft, magnifies the Unicorn exceedingly:--"The -Unicorn hath his Name of his one Horn on his Forehead. There is another -Beast of a huge Strength and Greatness, which hath but one Horn, but -that is growing on his Snout, whence he is called _Rinoceros_, and both -are named _Monoceros_, or _One horned_. It hath been much questioned -among Naturalists, which it is that is properly called the Unicorn: And -some hath made Doubt whether there be any such Beast as this, or no. -But the great esteem of his Horn (in many places to be seen) may take -away that needless scruple.... - -"Touching the invincible Nature of this Beast, _Job_ saith, '_Wilt thou -trust him because his Strength is great, and cast thy Labour unto him? -Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it -into thy Barn?_' And his Vertue is no less famous than his Strength, in -that his Horn is supposed to be the most powerful Antidote against -Poison: Insomuch as the general Conceit is, that the wild Beasts of the -Wilderness use not to drink of the Pools, for fear of the venemous -Serpents there breeding, before the Unicorn hath stirred it with his -Horn. Howsoever it be, this Charge may very well be a Representation -both of Strength or Courage, and also of vertuous Dispositions and -Ability to do Good; for to have Strength of Body, without the Gifts and -good Qualities of the Mind, is but the Property of an Ox, but where both -concur, that may truly be called Manliness. And that these two should -consort together, the Ancients did signify, when they made this one -Word, _Virtus_, to imply both the Strength of Body, and Vertue of the -Mind.... - -"It seemeth, by a Question moved by _Farnesius_, That the Unicorn is -never taken alive; and the Reason being demanded, it is answered 'That -the greatness of his Mind is such, that he chuseth rather to die than to -be taken alive: Wherein (saith he) the Unicorn and the valiant-minded -Souldier are alike, which both contemn Death, and rather than they will -be compelled to undergo any base Servitude or Bondage, they will lose -their Lives.'... - -"The Unicorn is an untameable Beast by Nature, as may be gathered from -the Words of _Job, chap. 39_, '_Will the Unicorn serve thee, or will he -tarry by thy Crib? Can'st thou bind the Unicorn with his Band to labour -in the Furrow, or will he plough the Valleys after thee?'_" - -Topsell dilates at great length on the Unicorn. He agrees with Spenser -and Guillim, and says:--"These Beasts are very swift, and their legges -have no Articles (_joints_). They keep for the most part in the desarts, -and live solitary in the tops of the Mountaines. There was nothing more -horrible than the voice or braying of it, for the voice is strain'd -above measure. It fighteth both with the mouth and with the heeles, with -the mouth biting like a Lyon, and with the heeles kicking like a -Horse.... He feereth not Iron nor any yron Instrument (as _Isodorus_ -writeth) and that which is most strange of all other, it fighteth with -his owne kind, yea even with the females unto death, except when it -burneth in lust for procreation: but unto straunger Beasts, with whome -he hath no affinity in nature, he is more sotiable and familiar, -delighting in their company when they come willing unto him, never -rising against them; but, proud of their dependence and retinue, keepeth -with them all quarters of league and truce; but with his female, when -once his flesh is tickled with lust, he groweth tame, gregall, and -loving, and so continueth till she is filled and great with young, and -then returneth to his former hostility." - -There was a curious legend of the Unicorn, that it would, by its keen -scent, find out a maiden, and run to her, laying its head in her lap. -This is often used as an emblem of the Virgin Mary, to denote her -purity. The following is from the Bestiary of Philip de Thaun, and, as -its old French is easily read, I have not translated it:-- - - "Monoceros est Beste, un corne ad en la teste, - Purceo ad si a nun, de buc ad façun; - Par Pucele est prise; or vez en quel guize. - Quant hom le volt cacer et prendre et enginner, - Si vent hom al forest ù sis riparis est; - Là met une Pucele hors de sein sa mamele, - Et par odurement Monosceros la sent; - Dunc vent à la Pucele, et si baiset la mamele, - En sein devant se dort, issi veut à sa mort; - Li hom suivent atant ki l'ocit en dormant - U trestont vif le prent, si fais puis sun talent. - Grant chose signifie."... - -Topsell, of course, tells the story:--"It is sayd that Unicorns above -all other creatures, doe reverence Virgines and young Maides, and that -many times at the sight of them they grow tame, and come and sleepe -beside them, for there is in their nature a certaine savor, wherewithall -the Unicornes are allured and delighted; for which occasion the _Indian_ -and _Ethiopian_ hunters use this stratagem to take the beast. They take -a goodly, strong, and beautifull young man, whom they dresse in the -Apparell of a woman, besetting him with divers odoriferous flowers and -spices. - -"The man so adorned they set in the Mountaines or Woods, where the -Unicorne hunteth, so as the wind may carrie the savor to the beast, and -in the meane season the other hunters hide themselves: the Unicorne -deceaved with the outward shape of a woman, and sweete smells, cometh to -the young man without feare, and so suffereth his head to bee covered -and wrapped within his large sleeves, never stirring, but lying still -and asleepe, as in his most acceptable repose. Then, when the hunters, -by the signe of the young man, perceave him fast and secure, they come -uppon him, and, by force, cut off his horne, and send him away alive: -but, concerning this opinion wee have no elder authoritie than -_Tzetzes_, who did not live above five hundred yeares agoe, and -therefore I leave the reader to the freedome of his owne judgment, to -believe or refuse this relation; neither is it fit that I should omit -it, seeing that all writers, since the time of _Tzetzes_, doe most -constantly beleeve it. - -"It is sayd by _Ælianus_ and _Albertus_, that, except they bee taken -before they bee two yeares old they will never bee tamed; and that the -Thrasians doe yeerely take some of their Colts, and bring them to their -King, which he keepeth for combat, and to fight with one another; for -when they are old, they differ nothing at all from the most barbarous, -bloodie, and ravenous beasts. Their flesh is not good for meate, but is -bitter and unnourishable." - -It is hardly worth while to go into all the authorities treating of -the Unicorn; suffice it to say, that it was an universal belief that -there were such animals in existence, for were not their horns in proof -thereof? and were they not royal presents fit for the mightiest of -potentates to send as loving pledges one to another? for it was one -of the most potent of medicines, and a sure antidote to poison. And -they were very valuable, too, for Paul Hentzner--who wrote in the time -of Queen Elizabeth--says that, at Windsor Castle, he was shown, among -other things, the horn of an Unicorn of above eight spans and a half in -length, _i.e._, about 6-1/2 feet, valued at £10,000. Considering that -money was worth then about three times what it is now, an Unicorn's horn -was a right royal gift. - -Topsell, from whom I have quoted so much, is especially voluminous and -erudite on Unicorns; indeed, in no other old or new author whom I have -consulted are there so many facts (?) respecting this fabled beast to be -found. Here is his history of those horns then to be found in Europe:-- - -"There are two of these at _Venice_ in the Treasurie of S. _Marke's_ -Church, as _Brasavolus_ writeth, one at _Argentoratum_, which is -wreathed about with divers sphires.[30] There are also two in the -Treasurie of the King of _Polonia_, all of them as long as a man in his -stature. In the yeare 1520, there was found the horne of a _Unicorne_ in -the river _Arrula_, neare _Bruga_ in Helvetia, the upper face or out -side whereof was a darke yellow; it was two cubites (_3 feet_) in -length, but had upon it no plights[31] or wreathing versuus. It was very -odoriferous (especially when any part of it was set on fire), so that it -smelt like muske: as soone as it was found, it was carried to a Nunnery -called _Campus regius_, but, afterwards by the Governor of _Helvetia_, -it was recovered back againe, because it was found within his -teritorie.... - -"Another certaine friend of mine, being a man worthy to be beleeved, -declared unto me that he saw at _Paris_, with the Chancellor, being Lord -of _Pratus_, a peece of a Unicorn's horn, to the quantity of a cubit, -wreathed in tops or spires, about the thicknesse of an indifferent -staffe (the compasse therof extending to the quantity of six fingers) -being within, and without, of a muddy colour, with a solide substance, -the fragments whereof would boile in the Wine although they were never -burned, having very little or no smell at all therein. - -"When _Joannes Ferrerius_ of _Piemont_ had read these thinges, he wrote -unto me, that, in the Temple of _Dennis_, neare unto _Paris_, that there -was a Unicorne's horne six foot long, ... but that in bignesse, it -exceeded the horne at the Citty of _Argentorate_, being also holow -almost a foot from that part which sticketh unto the forehead of the -Beast, this he saw himselfe in the Temple of S. _Dennis_, and handled -the horne with his handes as long as he would. I heare that in the -former yeare (which was from the yeare of our Lord), 1553, when -_Vercella_ was overthrown by the French, there was broght from that -treasure unto the King of France, a very great Unicorn's horne, the -price wherof was valued at fourscore thousand Duckets.[32] - -"_Paulus Poæius_ describeth an Unicorne in this manner; That he is a -beast, in shape much like a young Horse, of a dusty colour, with a maned -necke, a hayry beard, and a forehead armed with a Horne of the quantity -of two Cubits, being seperated with pale tops or spires, which is -reported by the smoothnes and yvorie whitenesse thereof, to have the -wonderfull power of dissolving and speedy expelling of all venome or -poison whatsoever. - -"For his horne being put into the water, driveth away the poison, that -he may drinke without harme, if any venemous beast shall drinke therein -before him. This cannot be taken from the Beast, being alive, for as -much as he cannot possible be taken by any deceit: yet it is usually -seene that the horne is found in the desarts, as it happeneth in Harts, -who cast off their olde horne thorough the inconveniences of old age, -which they leave unto the Hunters, Nature renewing an other unto them. - -"The horne of this beast being put upon the Table of Kinges, and set -amongest their junkets and bankets, doeth bewray the venome, if there be -any suche therein, by a certaine sweat which commeth over it. Concerning -these hornes, there were two seene, which were two cubits in length, of -the thicknesse of a man's Arme, the first at _Venice_, which the Senate -afterwards sent for a gift unto _Solyman_ the Turkish Emperor: the other -being almost of the same quantity, and placed in a Sylver piller, with a -shorte or cutted[33] point, which _Clement_ the Pope or Bishop of -_Rome_, being come unto _Marssels_ brought unto _Francis_ the King, for -an excellent gift."... They adulterated the real article, for sale. -"_Petrus Bellonius_ writeth, that he knewe the tooth of some certaine -Beast, in time past, sold for the horne of a Unicorne (what beast may be -signified by this speech I know not, neither any of the French men which -do live amongst us) and so smal a peece of the same, being adulterated, -sold 'sometimes for 300 Duckets.' But, if the horne shall be true and -not counterfait, it doth, notwithstanding, seeme to be of that creature -which the Auncientes called by the name of an Unicorne, especially -_Ælianus_, who only ascribeth to the same this wonderfull force against -poyson and most grievous diseases, for he maketh not this horne white as -ours doth seeme, but outwardly red, inwardly white, and in the Middest -or secretest part only blacke." - -Having dilated so long upon the Unicorn, it would be a pity not to give -some idea of the curative properties of its horn--always supposing that -it could be obtained genuine, for there were horrid suspicions abroad -that it might be "the horne of some other beast brent in the fire, some -certaine sweet odors being thereunto added, and also imbrued in some -delicious and aromaticall perfume. Peradventure also, Bay by this means, -first burned, and afterwards quenched, or put out with certaine sweet -smelling liquors." To be of the proper efficacy it should be taken new, -but its power was best shown in testing poisons, when it sweated, as did -also a stone called "the Serpent's tongue." And the proper way to try -whether it was genuine or not, was to give Red Arsenic or Orpiment to -two pigeons, and then to let them drink of two samples; if genuine, no -harm would result--if adulterated, or false, the pigeons would die. - -It was also considered a cure for Epilepsy, the Pestilent Fever or -Plague, Hydrophobia, Worms in the intestines, Drunkenness, &c., -&c.,--and it also made the teeth clean and white;--in fact, it had so -many virtues that "no home should be without it." - -And all this about a Narwhal's horn! - - - - -THE RHINOCEROS. - - -The true Unicorn is, of course, the Rhinoceros, and this picture of it -is as early an one as I can find, being taken from Aldrovandus de Quad, -A.D. 1521. Gesner and Topsell both reproduce it, at later dates, but -_reversed_. The latter says that Gesner drew it from the life at -Lisbon--but having Aldrovandus and the others before me, I am bound to -give the palm to the former, and confess the others to be piracies. It -is certain, however, that whoever drew this picture of a Rhinoceros must -have seen one, either living or stuffed, for it is not too bizarre. - -[Illustration] - -Topsell approaches this animal with an awe and reverence, such as he -never shows towards any other beast; indeed, he gets quite solemn over -it, and he thus commences his _Apologia_:--"But for my part, which write -the English story, I acknowledge that no man must looke for that at my -hands, which I have not received from some other: for I would bee -unwilling to write anything untrue, or uncertaine out of mine owne -invention; and truth on every part is so deare unto mee, that I will not -lie to bring any man in love and admiration with God and his works, for -God needeth not the lies of men: To conclude, therefore, this Præface, -as the beast is strange, and never seene in our countrey, so my eyesight -cannot adde anything to the description; therefore harken unto that -which I have observed out of other writers." - -They were very rare beasts, among the early Roman Emperors, but in the -later Empire they were introduced into the Circus, but many centuries -rolled on before we, in England, were favoured with a sight of this -great animal. Topsell had not seen one, and he wrote in 1607, so we -accept his _Apologia_ with all his errors:--"_Oppianus_ saith that there -was never yet any distinction of sexes in these _Rhinocerotes_; for all -that ever have been found were males, and not females, but from hence -let no body gather that there are no females, for it were impossible -that the breede should continue without females. - -"When they are to fight they whet their horne upon a stone, and there -is not only a discord between these beasts and Elephants for their food, -but a natural description and enmity: for it is confidently affirmed, -that when the Rhinoceros which was at _Lisborne_, was brought into the -presence of an Elephant, the Elephant ran away from him. How and what -place he overcometh the Elephant, we have shewed already in his story, -namely, how he fastneth his horne in the soft part of the Elephantes -belly. He is taken by the same meanes that the _Unicorne_ is taken, for -it is said by _Albertus_, _Isodorus_, and _Alumnus_, that above all -other creatures they love Virgins, and that unto them they will come be -they never so wilde, and fall a sleepe before them, so being asleepe -they are easily taken, and carried away. All the later Physitians do -attribute the vertue of the _Unicorn's_ horne to the _Rhinocereos_ -horn." - -Ser Marco Polo, speaking of Sumatra, or, as he called it, Java the Less, -says in that island there are numerous unicorns. "They have hair like -that of a buffalo, feet like those of an elephant, and a horn in the -middle of the forehead, which is black and very thick. They do no -mischief, however, with the horn, but with the tongue alone; for this is -covered all over with long and strong prickles, (and when savage with -any one they crush him under their knees, and then rasp him with their -tongue). The head resembles that of a wild boar, and they carry it ever -bent towards the ground. They delight much to abide in mire and mud. -'Tis a passing ugly beast to look upon, and is not in the least like -that which our stories tell us of as being caught in the lap of a -virgin; in fact, 'tis altogether different from what we fancied." - - - - -THE GULO. - - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus thus describes the Gulo or Gulon:--"Amongst all creatures -that are thought to be insatiable in the Northern parts of _Sweden_, the -_Gulo_ hath his name to be the principall; and in the vulgar tongue they -call him _Jerff_, but in the _German_ language _Vielfras_; in the -Sclavonish speech _Rossamaka_, from his much eating, and the Latin name -is _Gulo_, for he is so called from his gluttony. He is as great as a -great Dog, and his ears and face are like a Cat's: his feet and nails -are very sharp; his body is hairy, with long brown hair, his tail is -like the Foxes, but somewhat shorter, but his hair is thicker, and of -this they make brave Winter Caps. Wherefore this Creature is the most -voracious; for, when he finds a carcasse, he devours so much, that his -body, by over-much meat, is stretched like a Drum, and finding a -streight (_narrow_) passage between Trees, he presseth between them, -that he may discharge his body by violence; and being thus emptied, he -returns to the carcasse, and fills himself top full; and then he -presseth again through the same narrow passage, and goes back to the -carkasse, till he hath devoured it all; and then he hunts eagerly for -another. It is supposed he was created by nature to make men blush, who -eat and drink till they spew, and then feed again, eating day and night, -as _Mechovita_ thinks in his _Sarmatia_. The flesh of this Creature is -altogether uselesse for man's food; but his skin is very commodious and -pretious. For it is of a white brown black colour, like a damask cloth -wrought with many figures; and it shews the more beautiful, as by the -Industry of the Artist it is joyn'd with other garments in the likenesse -or colour. Princes and great men use this habit in Winter, made like -Coats; because it quickly breeds heat, and holds it long; and that not -onely in _Swethland_, and _Gothland_, but in _Germany_, where the rarity -of these skins makes them to be more esteemed, when it is prised in -ships among other Merchandise. - -"The Inhabitants are not content to let these skins be transported into -other Countries, because, in Winter, they use to entertain their more -noble guests in these skins; which is a sufficient argument that they -think nothing more comely and glorious, than to magnifie at all times, -and in all orders their good guests, and that in the most vehement cold, -when amongst other good turns they cover their beds with these skins. - -"And I do not think fit to overpasse, that when men sleep under these -skins, they have dreams that agree with the nature of that Creature, and -have an insatiable stomach, and lay snares for other Creatures, and -prevent them themselves. It may be that it is as they that eat hot -Spices, Ginger or Pepper seem to be inflamed; and they that eat Sugar -seem to be choked in water. There seems to be another secret of Nature -in it, that those who are clothed in those Skins, seem never to be -satisfied. - -"The guts of this Creatures are made into strings for Musicians, and -give a harsh sound, which the Natives take pleasure in; but these, -tempered with sweet sounding strings, will make very good Musick. Their -hoofs made like Circles, and set upon heads subject to the Vertigo, and -ringing ears, soon cure them. The Hunters drink the blood of this beast -mingled with hot water; also seasoned with the best Honey, it is drunk -at Marriages. The fat, or tallow of it, smeered on putrid Ulcers for an -ointment is a sudden cure. Charmers use the teeth of it. The hoofs, -newly taken off, will drive away Cats and Dogs, if they do but see it, -as birds fly away, if they spy but the Vultur or the Bustard. - -"By the Hunter's various Art, this Creature is taken onely in regard of -his pretious skin; and the way is this;--They carry into the wood a -fresh Carkasse; where these beasts are wont to be most commonly; -especially in the deep snows (for in Summer their skins are nothing -worth) when he smels this he falls upon it, and eats till he is forced -to crush his belly close between narrow trees, which is not without -pain; the Hunter, in the mean time, shoots, and kills him with an arrow. - -"There is another way to catch this Beast, for they set Trees, bound -asunder with small cords, and these fly up when they eat the Carkasse, -and strangle them; or else he is taken, falling into pits dug upon one -side, if the Carkasse be cast in, and he is compelled by hunger to feed -upon it. And there is hardly any other way to catch him with dogs, since -his claws are so sharp, that dogs dare not encounter with him, that -fear not to set upon the most fierce Wolves." - -Of this animal Topsell says:--"This beast was not known by the ancients, -but hath bin since discovered in the Northern parts of the world, and -because of the great voracity thereof, it is called _Gulo_, that is, a -devourer; in imitation of the Germans, who call such devouring Creatures -_Vilsruff_, and the Swedians _Cerff_, and in _Lituania_ and _Muscovia_ -it is called _Rossomokal_. It is thought to be engendered by a _Hyæna_ -and a _Lionesse_, for in quality it resembleth a _Hyæna_, and it is the -same which is called _Crocuta_: it is a devouring and unprofitable -creature having sharper teeth than other creatures. Some thinke it is -derived from a wolf and a dog, for it is about the bignesse of a dog. It -hath the face of a Cat, the body and taile of a Foxe; being black of -colour; his feet and nailes be most sharp, his skin rusty, the haire -very sharp, and it feedeth upon dead carkases." - -He then describes its manner of feeding, evidently almost literally -copying Olaus Magnus, and thus continues:--"There are of these beastes -two kindes, distinguished by coulour, one blacke, and the other like a -Wolfe: they seldom kill a man or any live beastes, but feede upon -carrion and dead carkasses, as is before saide, yet, sometimes, when -they are hungry, they prey upon beastes, as horses and such like, and -then they subtlely ascend up into a tree, and when they see a beast -under the same, they leape downe upon him and destroy him. A Beare is -afraide to meete them, and unable to match them, by reason of their -sharpe teeth. - -"This beast is tamed, and nourished, in the courts of Princes, for no -other cause than for an example of incredible voracitie. When he hath -filled his belly, if he can find no trees growing so neare another, as -by sliding betwixte them, hee may expell his excrements, then taketh he -an Alder-tree, and with his forefeete rendeth the same asunder, and -passeth through the middest of it, for the cause aforesaid. When they -are wilde, men kill them with bowes and guns, for no other cause than -for their skins, which are pretious and profitable, for they are white -spotted, changeably interlined like divers flowers, for which cause the -greatest princes, and richest nobles use them in garments in the Winter -time; such are the Kings of _Polonia_, _Swede-land_, _Goat-land_, and -the princes of _Germany_. Neither is there any skinne which will sooner -take a colour, or more constantly retaine it. The outward appearance of -the saide skinne is like to a damaskt garment, and besides this outward -parte there is no other memorable thing woorthy observation in this -ravenous beast, and therefore, in _Germany_, it is called a foure-footed -Vulture." - -As a matter of fact, the Glutton or Wolverine, which is not unlike a -small bear, can consume (while in confinement) thirteen pounds of meat -in a day. In its wild state, if the animal it has killed is too large -for present consumption, it carries away the surplus, and stores it up -in a secure hiding-place, for future eating. - - - - -THE BEAR. - - -As Pliny not only uses all Aristotle's matter anent Bears, but puts it -in a consecutive, and more readable form, it is better to transcribe his -version than that of the older author. - -"Bears couple in the beginning of winter. The female then retires by -herself to a separate den, and then brings forth, on the thirtieth day, -mostly five young ones. When first born, they are shapeless masses of -white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being -prominent. The mother then licks them into proper shape.[34] The male -remains in his retreat for forty days, the female four months. If they -happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and -shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain, and is lined with soft -leaves. During the first fourteen days they are overcome by so deep a -sleep, that they cannot be aroused by wounds even. They become -wonderfully fat, too, while in this lethargic state. This fat is much -used in medicine, and it is very useful in preventing the hair from -falling off.[35] At the end of these fourteen days they sit up, and find -nourishment by sucking their fore paws. They warm their cubs, when cold, -by pressing them to the breast, not unlike the way in which birds brood -over their eggs. It is a very astonishing thing, but Theophrastus -believes it, that if we preserve the flesh of the bear, the animal being -killed in its dormant state, it will increase in bulk, even though it -may have been cooked. During this period no signs of food are to be -found in the stomach of the animal, and only a very slight quantity of -liquid; there are a few drops of blood only, near the heart, but none -whatever in any other part of the body. They leave their retreat in the -spring, the males being remarkably fat; of this circumstance, however, -we cannot give any satisfactory explanation, for the sleep, during which -they increase so much in bulk, lasts, as we have already stated, only -fourteen days. When they come out, they eat a certain plant, which is -known as _Aros_, in order to relax the bowels, which would otherwise -become in a state of constipation; and they sharpen the edges of their -teeth against the young shoots of the trees. - -"Their eyesight is dull, for which reason in especial, they seek the -combs of bees, in order that from the bees stinging them in the throat, -and drawing blood, the oppression in the head may be relieved. The head -of the bear is extremely weak, whereas, in the lion, it is remarkable -for its strength: on which account it is, that when the bear, impelled -by any alarm, is about to precipitate itself from a rock, it covers its -head with its paws. In the arena of the Circus they are often to be seen -killed by a blow on the head with the fist. The people of Spain have a -belief, that there is some kind of magical poison in the brain of the -bear, and therefore burn the heads of those that have keen killed in -their public games; for it is averred, that the brain, when mixed with -drink, produces, in man, the rage of the bear. - -"These animals walk on two feet, and climb trees backwards. They can -overcome the bull, by suspending themselves, by all four legs, from his -muzzle and horns, thus wearing out its powers by their weight. In no -other animal is stupidity found more adroit in devising mischief." - -Olaus Magnus, in writing about bears, gives precedence to the white, or -Arctic bear, and gives an insight into the religious life of the old -Norsemen, who, when converted, thought their most precious things none -too good for the "Church." If we consider the risk run in obtaining a -white bear's skin, and the privations and cold endured in getting it, we -may look upon it as a Norse treasure. "Silver and Gold have I none; but -such as I have, give I unto thee." He gives a short, but truthful -account of their habits, and winds up his all too brief narration -thus:--"These white Bear Skins are wont to be offered by the Hunters, -for the high Altars of Cathedrals, or Parochial Churches, that the -Priest celebrating Mass standing, may not take cold of his feet, when -the Weather is extream cold. In the Church at _Nidrosum_, which is the -Metropolis of the Kingdom of _Norway_, every year such white Skins are -found, that are faithfully offered by the Hunters Devotion, whensoever -they take them, and Wolves-Skins to buy Wax-Lights, and to burn them in -honour of the Saints." - -Olaus Magnus is very veracious in his dealings with White Bears, but he -morally retrogrades when he touches upon the Black and Brown Bears. The -illustrations of this portion of Olaus Magnus are exceedingly graphic. -In treating of the cunning used in killing bears, he says:--"In killing -black and cruel Bears in the Northern Kingdoms, they use this way, -namely, that when, in Autumn the Bear feeds on certain red ripe Fruit -(_Query Cranberries_) on trees that grow in Clusters like Grapes, either -going up into the Trees, or standing on the ground, and pulling down the -Trees, the cunning Hunter, with broad Arrows from a Crosse-bow shoots -at him, and these pierce deep; and he is so suddenly moved with this -fright, and wound received, that he presently voids backward all the -Fruit he ate, as Hailstones; and presently runs upon an Image of a man -made of wood, that is set purposely before him, and rends and tears -that, till another Arrow hit him, that gives him his death's wound, shot -by the Hunter that hides himself behind some Stone or Tree. For when he -hath a wound, he runs furiously, at the sight of his blood, against all -things in his way, and especially the Shee-Bear, when she suckleth her -Whelps. - -[Illustration] - -"The Bears watch diligently for the passing of Deer; and chiefly, the -Shee-Bear when she hath brought forth her Whelps; who not so much for -Hunger, as for fearing of losing her Whelps, is wont to fall cruelly -upon all she meets. For, she being provoked by any violence, far exceeds -the force of the He-Bear, and Craft, that she may revenge the loss of -her Young. For she lyes hid amongst the thick boughs of Trees, and -young Shoots; and if a Deer, trusting to the glory of his horns, or -quick smell, or swift running, come too neare that place unawares, she -suddenly falls out upon him to kill him; and if he first defend himself -with his horns, yet he is so tired with the knots and weight of them, -being driven by the rage of the Bear, that he is beaten to the ground, -that losing force and life, he falls down a prey to be devoured. Then -she will set upon the Bull with his horns, using the same subtilty, and -casts herself upon his back; and when the Bull strives with his horns to -cast off the Bear, and to defend himself, she fasteneth on his horns and -shoulders with her paws, till, weary of the weight he falls down dead. -Then laying the Bull on his back like a Wallet, she goes on two feet -into the secret places of the Woods to feed upon him. But when, in -Winter she is hunted, she is betrayed by Dogs, or by the prints of her -feet in the Snow, and can hardly escape from the Hunters that run about -her from all sides." - -[Illustration] - -Magnus then retails the usual fables about bears licking their young -into shape, their building houses, &c., &c., after which he discourses -about the bear and hedgehog, a story which has nothing to do with the -picture. It is described as "the Battail between the Hedge-Hog, and the -Bear." - -[Illustration] - -"Though the _Urchin_ have sharp pointed prickles, whereby he gathereth -Apples to feed on, and these he hides in hollow Trees, molesting the -_Bear_ in his Den: yet is he oppressed by the cunning and weight of the -_Bear_: namely when the Urchin roles himself up round as a ball, that -there is nothing but his prickles to come at: yet with this means he -cannot prevail against the _Bear_, which opens him, to revenge the wrong -he did her in violating her Lodging. Nor can the _Bear_ eat the -_Hedge-Hog_, it is such miserable poor and prickly meat. Wherefore -returning again into his Cave, he sleeps, and grows fat, living by -sucking his paw. - -"The _Bears_ also fight against the _Bores_, but seldome get the -victory, because they can better defend themselves with their Tusks, -than the _Bull_ or the _Deer_ can by their Horns, or running swiftly. -The strong _Horses_ keep off the _Bears_ with their biting and kicking, -from the _Mares_ that are great with _Foals_. Young _Colts_ save -themselves by running, but they will always hold this fear, and so -become unprofitable for the Wars. Wherefore they use this stratagem: -some Souldier puts on a Bear's skin, and meets them, by reason that they -are horses that the Bears have hunted." - -[Illustration] - -The Northern Bears seem to have been wonderful creatures, for they used -to go mad after eating Mandragora, and then they were in the habit of -making a meal off ants, by way of recovering their sanity. They were -then, as now, noted for their love of honey, and this illustration -depicts them as coming out of, and going into the ground after bees and -honey; nay, it would seem as if they even invaded the barrels put up in -the trees to serve as hives. But man was more cunning than they, and a -good bear-skin in those cold regions, had a value far exceeding honey. - -"Since that in the Northern Countries, especially _Podolia_, _Russia_, -and places adjacent, because of the great multitude of Bees, the Hives -at home will not contain them, the Inhabitants willingly let them fly -unto hollow Trees, made so by Nature, or by Art, that they may increase -there. Wherefore mortal stratagems are thus prepared for Bears, that use -to steal honey (for they having a most weak head, as a Lion hath the -strongest, for sometimes they will be killed with a blow under their -ear); namely a Woodden Club set round with Iron points is hung over the -hole the Bees come forth of, from some high bough, or otherwise; and -this, being cast upon the head of the greedy Bear that is going to steal -the honey, kills him striving against it; so he loseth his life, flesh, -and skin to the Master, for a little honey. Their flesh is salted up -like Hog's flesh, Stag's flesh, Elk's, or Ranged deer's flesh, to eat in -Camps, and the Tallow of them is good to cure any wounds." - -[Illustration] - -Every one of my readers, who is not a Scotsman, will appreciate the -delicate musical taste of the bear, in the matter of bagpipes--Bruin -cannot stand the skirling, and, in the illustration, seems to be -remonstrating with the piper. - -"It is well enough known that Bears, Dolphins, Stags, Sheep, Calves and -Lambs, are much delighted with Musick: and, again, they are to be driven -from their Heards by some harsh sounding Pipes, or Horns, that when they -hear the sound they will be gone into the Woods, a great way off. Now -the Shepheards of the Cattel know this well enough: they will play upon -their two horned Pipes continually, which sometimes are taken away by -Bears, until such time as the Bear is forced by Hunger to go away to get -his food. Wherefore they take a Goat's Horn, and sometimes a Cow's Horn, -and make such a horrid noise, that they scare the wild beasts, and so -return safe to their dispersed flocks. This two horned Pipe, which in -their tongue they call _Seec-Pipe_, they carry to the fields with them, -for they have learned by use, that their Flocks and Heards will feed the -better and closer together. - -[Illustration] - -"The _Russians_ and _Lithuanians_ are more near to the Swedes and Goths -on the Eastern parts: and these hold it a singular delight, to have -always the most cruel Beasts bred up tame with them, and made obedient -to their commands in all things. Wherefore to do this the Sooner, they -keep them in Caves, or tyed with Chains, chiefly Bears newly taken in -the Woods, and half starve them; and they appoint one or two Masters, -cloathed one like the other, to carry Victuals to them, that they may be -accustomed to play with them, and handle them when they are loose. Also -they play on Pipes sweetly, and with this they are much taken: and thus -they use them to sport and dance, and then, when the Pipes sound -differently, they are taught to lift up their legs, as by a more sharp -sign, to end the Dance with, that they may go on their hinder feet, with -a Cap in their fore feet, held out to the Women and Maids, and others -that saw them dance, and ask a reward for their dancing; and, if it is -not given freely, they will murmure, as they are directed by their -Master, and will nod their heads, as desiring them to give more money: -So the Master of these Bears, that cannot speak the language of other -countries, will get a good gain by his dumb Beast. Nor doth this seem to -be done onely because that these should live by this small gain; for the -Bearherds that lead these Bears, are, at least, ten or twelve lusty men; -and in their company, sometimes, there go Noblemen's sons, that they may -learn the manners, fashions, and distances of places, the Military Arts, -and Concord of Princes, by these merry Pastimes. But since they were -found, in _Germany_, to spoil Travellers, and to cast them to their -Bears to eat, most strict Laws are made against them, that they may -never come there again. - -"There is another Sport, when Bears taken, are put into a Ship, and shew -merry pastimes in going up and down the Ropes, and sometimes are -profitable for some unexpected accident. For Histories of the -Provincials mention, that it hapned, that one was thus freed from a -Pirate that was like to set upon him; for the Pirate coming on, was -frighted at it, when he saw afar off, men, as he supposed, going up and -down the Ropes, from the Top Mast, as the manner is to defend the Ship. -Whereas they were but young Bears, playing on the Ropes. But the most -pleasant sight of all is, that when the Bears look out of the Ship into -the Waters, a great number of Sea Calves will come and gaze upon them, -that you would think an innumerable Company of Hogs swam about the Ship, -and they are caught by the Sea men with long Spears, with Hooks, and a -Cord tyed to them; and so are also the other Beasts, that come to help -the Sea Calves, taken, and crying like to Hogs. Also the Bears are let -down to swim, that they may catch these wandering Sea-Calves, or else, -when it thunders, and the weather is tempestuous, they be taken above -Water. - -[Illustration] - -"But that tame Bears may not onely be kept unprofitably to feed, and -make sport, they are set to the Wheels in the Courts of great men, that -they may draw up Water out of deep Wells; and that in huge Vessels made -for this purpose, and they do not help alone this Way, but they are set -to draw great Waggons, for they are very strong in their Legs, Claws, -and Loins; nor is it unfit to make them go upright, and carry burdens of -Wood, and such like, to the place appointed, or they stand at great -men's doors, to keep out other hurtful Creatures. When they are young, -they will play wonderfully with Boys, and do them no hurt." - -Topsell goes through the usual stories of bears licking their cubs into -shape, and subsisting by sucking their claws--but he also affords us -much information about bears, which we do not find in modern Natural -Histories:--"At what time they come abroad, being in the beginning of -May, which is the third moneth from the Spring. The old ones being -almost dazled with long darknes, comming into light againe, seeme to -stagger and reele too and fro, and then for the straightnesse of their -guts, by reason of their long fasting, doe eat the herbe _Arum_, called -in English _Wake-Robbin_, or _Calves-foot_, being of very sharpe and -tart taste, which enlargeth their guts, and so, being recovered, they -remaine all the time their young are with them, more fierce, and cruell -than at other times. And concerning the same _Arum_, called also -_Dracunculus_, and _Oryx_, there is a pleasant vulgar tale, whereby some -have conceived that Beares eat this herbe before their lying secret, and -by vertue thereof (without meat, or sence of cold) they passe away the -whole winter in sleepe. - -"There was a certaine cow-heard, in the Mountains of _Helvetia_, which, -comming downe a hill, with a great caldron on his backe, he saw a beare -eating a root which he had pulled up with his feet; the cowheard stood -still till the beare was gone, and afterward came to the place where the -beast had eaten the same, and, finding more of the same roote, did -likewise eat it; he had no sooner tasted thereof, but he had such a -desire to sleepe, that hee could not containe himselfe, but he must -needs lie down in the way, and there fell a sleep, having covered his -heade with the caldron, to keep himself from the vehemency of the colde, -and there slept all the Winter time without harme, and never rose againe -till the spring time; which fable if a man will beleeve, then, -doubtlesse, this hearbe may cause the Beares to be sleepers, not for -fourteene dayes, but for fourscore dayes together. - -"The ordinary food of Beares is fish; for the Water beare, and others -will eate fruites, Apples, Grapes, Leaves, and Pease, and will breake -into bee hives sucking out the honey; likewise Bees, Snayles and Emmets, -and flesh, if it bee leane, or ready to putrifie; but, if a Beare doe -chance to kill a swine, or a Bull, or Sheepe, he eateth them presentlie, -whereas other beasts eate not hearbes, if they eate flesh: likewise they -drinke water, but not like other beastes, neither sucking it, or lapping -it, but as it were, even bitinge at it. - -"They are exceeding full of fat or Larde-greace, which some use -superstitiouslie beaten with oile, wherewith they anoint their -grape-sickles when they go to vintage, perswading themselves that if no -bodie knows thereof, their tender vine braunches shall never be consumed -by catterpillers. - -"Others attribute this to the vertue of Beare's blood, and -_Theophrastus_ affirmeth, that if beare's grease be kept in a vessell, -at such time as the beares lie secret, it will either fill it up, or -cause it to runne over. The flesh of beares is unfit for meate, yet some -use to eate it, after it hath been twice sodden; other eat it baked in -pasties, but the truth is, it is better for medicine than food. -_Theophrastus_ likewise affirmeth, that at the time when beares lie -secret, their dead flesh encreaseth, which is kept in houses, but -beare's fore feet are held for a verie delicate and well tasted foode, -full of sweetnes, and much used by the German Princes. - -"And because of the fiercenesse of this beast, they are seldome taken -alive, except they be very young, so that some are killed in the -Mountaines by Poyson, the Country being so steepe and rocky that hunters -cannot followe them; some taken in ditches of the earth and other -ginnes. _Oppianus_ relateth that neare _Tygris_ and _Armenia_, the -inhabitauntes use this Stratigem to take Beares. - -"The people go often to the Wooddes to find the Denne of the Beare, -following a leam hound, whose nature is, so soone as he windeth the -beast, to barke, whereby his leader discovereth the prey, and so draweth -off the hounde with the leame; then come the people in great multitude, -and compasse him about with long nets, placing certaine men at each end: -then tie they a long rope to one side of the net, as high from the -ground, as the small of a Man's belly; whereunto are fastned divers -plumes and feathers of vultures, swannes, and other resplendant coloured -birdes, which, with the wind make a noise or hissing, turning over and -glistering; on the other side of the net they build foure little hovels -of greene boughes, wherein they lay foure men covered all over with -greene leaves; then, all being prepared, they sound their Trumpets, and -wind their horns; at the noise whereof the beare ariseth, and in his -fearefull rage runneth too and fro as if he sawe fire: the young men, -armed, make unto him, the beare, looking round about, taketh the -plainest way toward the rope hung full of feathers, which, being -stirred, and haled by those that holde it, maketh the beare much affraid -with the ratling and hissing thereof, and so flying from that side halfe -mad, runneth into the nets, where the keepers entrap him so cunningly, -that he seldome escapeth. - -"When a Beare is set upon by an armed man, he standeth upright, and -taketh the man betwixt his forefeet, but he, being covered all over with -yron plates can receive no harm, and then may easily, with a sharpe -knife or dagger pierce thorough the heart of the beast. - -"If a shee beare having young ones be hunted, shee driveth her Whelpes -before her, untill they be wearied, and then, if she be not prevented, -she climbeth uppon a tree, carrying one of her young in her mouth, and -the other on her backe. A Beare will not willingly fight with a man, -but, being hurt by a man, he gnasheth his teeth, and licketh his -forefeete, and it is reported by an Ambassador of _Poland_, that when -the _Sarmatians_ finde a beare, they inclose the whole Wood by a -multitude of people standing not above a cubit one from another; then -cut they downe the outmost trees, so that they raise a Wall of wood to -hemme in the Beares; this being effected, they raise the Beare, having -certaine forkes in their hands, made for that purpose, and, when the -Beare approacheth, they, (with those forkes) fall upon him, one keeping -his head, another one leg, other his body, and so, with force, muzzle -him and tie his legges, leading him away. The Rhætians use this policy -to take Wolves and Beares; they raise up great posts, and crosse them -with a long beame laded with heavy weightes, unto the which beame they -fasten a corde with meat therein, whereunto the beast comming, and -biting at the meat, pulleth downe the beame upon her owne pate. - -"The inhabitants of _Helvetia_ hunt them with mastiffe Dogges, because -they should not kill their cattell left at large in the fielde in the -day time; They likewise shoote them with gunnes, giving a good summe of -money to them that can bring them a slaine beare. The _Sarmatians_ use -to take Beares by this sleight; under those trees wherein bees breed, -they plant a great many of sharpe pointed stakes, putting one hard into -the hole wherein the bees go in and out, whereunto the Beare climbing, -and comming to pull it forth, to the end that she may come to the hony, -and being angry that the stake sticketh so fast in the hole, with -violence plucketh it foorth with both her fore feet, whereby she looseth -her holde, and falleth downe upon the picked stakes, whereupon she -dieth, if they that watch for her come not to take her off. There was -reported by _Demetrius_, Ambassador at _Rome_, from the King of _Musco_, -that a neighbor of his, going to seek hony, fell into a hollow tree, up -to the brest in hony, where he lay two days, being not heard by any man -to complain; at length came a great Beare to this hony, and, putting his -head into the tree, the poore man tooke hold thereof, whereat, the -Beare, suddenly affrighted, drew the man out of that deadly danger, and -so ranne away for feare of a worse creature. - -"But, if there be no tree wherein Bees doe breed neere to the place -where the Beare abideth, then they use to annoint some hollow place of a -tree with hony, whereinto Bees will enter and make hony combes, and when -the Beare findeth them, she is killed as aforesaide. In _Norway_ they -use to saw the tree almost asunder, so that when the beast climbeth it, -she falleth downe upon piked stakes laid underneath to kill her; and -some make a hollow place in a tree, wherein they put a great pot of -water, having annointed it with hony, at the bottome wherof are fastened -certaine hookes bending downeward, leaving an easie passage for the -beare to thrust in her head to get the honie, but impossible to pull it -foorth againe alone, because the hookes take holde on her skinne; this -pot they binde fast to a tree, whereby the Beare is taken alive and -blinde folded, and though her strength breake the corde or chaine -wherewith the pot is fastened, yet can shee not escape or hurt any bodie -in the taking, by reason her head is fastened in the pot. - -"To conclude, other make ditches or pits under Apple trees, laying upon -their mouth rotten stickes, which they cover with earth, and strawe -uppon it herbes, and when the beare commeth to the Apple tree, she -falleth into the pit and is taken. - -"The herbe _Wolfebaine_ or _Liberdine_ is poison to Foxes, Wolves, Dogs, -and Beares, and to all beasts that are littered blind, as the _Alpine -Rhætians_ affirme. There is one kinde of this called _Cyclamine_, which -the _Valdensians_ call _Tora_, and with the juice thereof they poison -their darts, whereof I have credibly received this story; That a certain -_Valdensian_, seeing a wilde beare, having a dart poysond heerewith, did -cast it at the beare, being farre from him, and lightly wounded her, it -being no sooner done, but the beare ran to and fro in a wonderful -perplexitie through the woods, unto a verie sharpe cliffe of a rocke, -where the man saw her draw her last breath, as soon as the poison -entered to her hart, as he afterward found by opening of her bodie. The -like is reported of henbane, another herb. But there is a certaine -blacke fish in _Armenia_ full of poison, with the pouder whereof they -poison figs, and cast them in those places where wilde beastes are most -plentifull, which they eat, and so are killed. - -"Concerning the industrie or naturall disposition of a beare, it is -certaine that they are very hardlie tamed, and not to be trusted though -they seeme never so tame; for which cause there is a storie of _Diana_ -in _Lysias_, that there was a certaine beare made so tame, that it went -uppe and downe among men, and woulde feede with them, taking meat at -their handes, giving no occasion to feare or mistrust her cruelty; on a -daye, a young mayde playing with the Beare, lasciviously did so provoke -it, that he tore her in pieces; the Virgin's brethren seeing the -murther, with their Dartes slew the Beare, whereupon followed a great -pestilence through all that region: and when they consulted with the -Oracle, the paynim God gave answeare, that the plague could not cease -untill they dedicated some virginnes unto _Diana_ for the Beare's sake -that was slaine; which, some interpreting that they should sacrifice -them, _Embarus_, upon condition the priesthoode might remaine in his -family, slewe his onely daughter to end the pestilence, and for this -cause the virgins were after dedicated to _Diana_ before their marriage, -when they were betwixt ten and fifteene yeare olde, which was performed -in the moneth of _January_, otherwise they could not be married: yet -beares are tamed for labours, and especially for sports among the -_Roxalani_ and _Libians_, being taught to draw water with wheeles out of -the deepest wels; likewise stones upon sleds, to the building of wals. - -"A prince of _Lituania_ nourished a Beare very tenderly, feeding her -from his table with his owne hand, for he had used her to be familiar in -his court, and to come into his owne chamber, when he listed, so that -she would goe abroad into the fields and woods, returning home againe of -her owne accord, and with her hand or foote rub the Kinge's chamber -doore to have it opened, when she was hungry, it being locked. It -happened that certaine young Noble men conspired the death of this -Prince, and came to his chamber doore, rubbing it after the custome of -the beare, the King not doubting any evill, and supposing it had bene -his beare, opened the doore, and they presently slewe him.... - -"There are many naturall operations in Beares. _Pliny_ reporteth, that, -if a woman bee in sore travaile of child-birth, let a stone, or arrow, -which hath killed a man, a beare, or a bore, be throwne over the house -wherein the Woman is, and she shall be eased of her paine. There is a -small worme called _Volvox_, which eateth the vine branches when they -are young, but if the vine-sickles be annointed with Beare's blood, that -worme will never hurt them. If the blood or greace of a Beare be set -under a bed, it will draw unto it all the fleas, and so kill them by -cleaving thereunto. But the vertues medicinall are very many; and first -of all, the blood cureth all manner of bunches and apostems in the -flesh, and bringeth haire upon the eyelids if the bare place be -annointed therewith. - -"The fat of a Lyon is most hot and dry, and next to a Lyon's a -Leopard's; next to a Leopard's a Beare's; and next to a Beare's, a -Bul's. The later Physitians use it to cure convulsed and distracted -parts, spots, and tumors in the body. It also helpeth the paine of the -loins, if the sicke part be annointed therewith, and all ulcers in the -legges or shinnes, when a plaister is made thereof with bole armoricke. -Also the ulcers of the feet, mingled with allome. It is soveraigne -against the falling of the haire, compounded with wilde roses. The -Spaniards burne the braines of beares, when they die in any publicke -sports, holding them venemous; because, being drunke, they drive a man -to be as mad as a beare; and the like is reported of the heart of a -Lyon, and the braine of a Cat. The right eie of a beare dried to pouder, -and hung about children's neckes in a little bag, driveth away the -terrour of dreames, and both the eyes whole, bound to a man's left arme, -easeth a quartan ague. - -"The liver of a sow, a lamb, and a bear put togither, and trod to pouder -under one's shoos, easeth and defendeth cripples from inflamation: the -gall being preserved and warmed in water, delivereth the bodie from -Colde, when all other medicine faileth. Some give it, mixt with Water, -to them that are bitten with a mad Dogge, holding it for a singular -remedie, if the party can fast three daies before. It is also given -against the palsie, the king's evill, the falling sickenesse, an old -cough, the inflamation of the eies, the running of the eares, delevery -in child birth, the Hæmorrhods, the weaknes of the backe, and the -palsie: and that women may go their full time, they make ammulets of -Bear's nails, and cause them to weare them all the time they are with -Child." - - - - -THE FOX. - - -By Englishmen, the Fox has been raised to the height of at least a -demigod--and his cult is a serious matter attended with great minutiæ of -ritual. Englishmen and Foxes cannot live together, but they live for one -another, the man to hunt the fox, the fox to be hunted. If there be a -fox anywhere, even in the Campagna at Rome, and there are sufficient -Englishmen to get up a scratch pack of hounds, there must "bold Reynard" -be tortured with fear and exertion, only, in all probability, to die a -cruel death in the end. In the Peninsular War, a pack of foxhounds -accompanied the army; in India, failing foxes, they take the nearest -substitute, the jackal; and in Australia, _faute de mieux_, they hunt -the Dingo, or native dog. No properly constituted Englishman could ever -compass the death of a poor fox, otherwise than by hunting. The -Vulpecide--in any other manner--is, in an English county, a social -leper--he is a thing _anathema_. Running away with a neighbour's wife -may be condoned by county society, at least, among the men, but with -them the man that shoots foxes is a very pariah, and it were good for -that man had he never been born. - -Every other nation, even from historic antiquity, has reckoned the Fox -as among the ordinary _feræ naturæ_, to be killed, when met with, for -the sake only of his skin, for his flesh is not toothsome: and when he -arrives at the dignity of a silver or a black fox, his fur enwraps royal -personages, as being of extreme value. - -The Fox is noted everywhere for its "_craftiness_," and was so famed -long before the epic of Reineke Fuchs was evolved, and, indeed, this may -be said to be its principal attribute. Many are the stories told by -country firesides of his stratagems, both in plundering and in his -endeavours to escape from his enemies. Indeed, no country ought to be -able to compare in Fox lore with our own. Its sagacity, cunning, or call -it what you like, dates far back. Pliny tells us that "in Thrace, when -all parts are covered with ice, the foxes are consulted, an animal, -which, in other respects, is baneful from its Craftiness. It has been -observed, that this animal applies its ear to the ice, for the purpose -of testing its thickness; hence it is, that the inhabitants will never -cross frozen rivers and lakes, until the foxes have passed over them and -returned." - -The Fox is most abundant in the northern parts of Europe, and therefore -we hear more about him from the pages of Olaus Magnus, Gessner, and -Topsell. - -[Illustration] - -The former says:--"When the fox is pressed with hunger, Cold and Snow, -and he comes near men's houses, he will bark like a dog, that house -creatures may come nearer to him with more confidence. Also, he will -faign himself dead, and lie on his back, drawing in his breath, and -lolling out his tongue. The birds coming down, unawares, to feed on the -carkasse, are snapt up by him, with open mouth. Moreover, when he is -hungry, and finds nothing to eat, he rolls himself in red earth, that he -may appear bloody; and, casting himself on the earth, he holds his -breath, and when the birds see that he breaths not, and that his tongue -hangs forth of his mouth, they think he is dead; but so soon as they -descend, he draws them to him and devours them. - -"Again, when he sees that he cannot conquer the Urchin, for his -prickles, he lays him on his back, and so rends the soft part of his -body. Sometimes fearing the multitude of wasps, he counterfeits and -hides himself, his tail hanging out: and when he sees that they are all -busie, and entangled in his thick tail, he comes forth, and rubs them -against a stone or Tree, and kills them and eats them. The same trick, -almost, he useth, when he lyes in wait for crabs and small fish, running -about the bank, and he lets down his tail into the water, they admire at -it, and run to it, and are taken in his fur, and pull'd out. Moreover, -when he hath fleas, he makes a little bundle of soft hay wrapt in hair, -and holds it in his mouth; then he goes by degrees into the water, -beginning with his tail, that the fleas fearing the water, will run up -all his body till they come at his head: then he dips in his head, that -they may leap into the hay; when this is done, he leaves the hay in the -water, and swims forth. - -"But when he is hungry, he will counterfeit to play with the Hare, which -he presently catcheth and devoureth, unlesse the Hare escape by flight, -as he often doth. Sometimes he also escapes from the dogs by barking, -faigning himself to be a dog, but more surely when he hangs by a bough, -and makes the dogs hunt in vain to find his footing. He is also wont to -deceive the Hunter and his dogs, when he runs among a herd of Goats, and -goes for one of them, leaping upon the Goat's back, that he may sooner -escape by the running of the Goat, by reason of the hatefull Rider on -his back. The other Goats follow, which the Hunter fearing to molest, -calls off his Dogs that many be not killed. - -"If he be taken in a string, he will sometime bite off his own foot, and -so get away. But, if there be no way open he will faign himself dead, -that being taken out of the snare, he may run away. Moreover, when a dog -runs after him, and overtakes him, and would bite him, he draws his -bristly tail through the dog's mouth, and so he deludes the dog till he -can get into the lurking places of the Woods. I saw also in the Rocks of -_Norway_ a Fox with a huge tail, who brought many Crabs out of the -water, and then he ate them. And that is no rare sight, when as no fish -like Crabs will stick to a bristly thing let down into the water, and to -dry fish, laid on the rocks to dry. They that are troubled with the -Gowt, are cured by laying the warm skin of this beast about the part, -and binding it on. The fat, also, of the same creature, laid smeered -upon the ears or lims of a gowty person, heals him; his fat is good for -all torments of the guts, and for all pains, his brain often given to a -child will preserve it ever from the Falling-sicknesse. These and -such-like simple medicaments the North Country people observe." - -A portion of the above receives a curious corroboration from Mr. P. -Robinson in his book, _The Poets' Beasts_. Speaking of the Lynx, he -says:--"But it is not, as is supposed, 'untamable.' The Gækwar of Baroda -has a regular pack of trained lynxes, for stalking and hunting pea-fowl, -and other kinds of birds. I have, myself, seen a tame lynx that had been -taught to catch crows--no simple feat--and its strategy was as diverting -as its agility amazing. It would lie down with the end of a string in -its mouth, the other end being fast to a stake, and pretend to be -asleep, dead asleep, drunk, chloroformed, anything you like that means -profound and gross slumber. A foot or so off would be lying a piece of -meat, or a bone. - -"The crows would very soon discover the bone, and collecting round in a -circle, would discuss the probabilities of the lynx only shamming, and -the chances of stealing his dinner. The animal would take no notice -whatever, but lie there looking so limp and dead, that at last one crow -would make so bold as to come forward. The others let it do so alone, -knowing that afterwards there would be a free fight for the plunder, and -the thief, probably, not enjoy it, after all. So the delegate would -advance with all the caution of a crow--and nothing exceeds it--until -within seizing distance. There it would stop, flirt its wings nervously, -stoop, take a last long look at the lynx to make sure that it really -_was_ asleep, and then dart like lightning at the bone. But, if the crow -was as quick as lightning, the lynx was as swift as thought, and lo! the -next instant there was the beast sitting up with the bird in its -mouth!... - -"Next time it had to practise a completely different manoeuvre. The same -crows are not to be 'humbugged' a second time by a repetition of the -being-dead trick. So the lynx, when a sufficient number of the birds had -assembled, would take the string in its mouth, and run round and round -the stake, at the extreme limit of its tether, as if it were tied. The -crows, after their impudent fashion, would close in. They thought they -knew the exact circumference of the animal's circle, and getting as -close to the dangerous line as possible, without actually transgressing -it, would mock and abuse the supposed betethered brute. But all of a -sudden, the circling lynx would fly out at a tangent, right into the -thick of his black tormentors, and, as a rule, bag a brace, right and -left." - -Topsell gives some curious particulars of the Fox, and, speaking of -their earths, he says:--"These dens have many caves in them, and -passages in and out, that when the Terrars shall set upon him in the -earth, he may go forth some other way, and forasmuch as the Wolfe is an -enemy to the Foxe, he layeth in the mouth of his den, an Herbe (called -Sea-onyon) which is so contrary to the nature of a Wolfe, and he so -greatly terrified therewith, that hee will never come neere the place -where it groweth, or lyeth; the same is affirmed of the Turtle to save -her young ones, but I have not read that Wolves will prey upon Turtles, -and therefore we reject that as a fable.... If a Foxe eat any meat -wherein are bitter Almondes, they die thereof, if they drinke not -presently: and the same thing do Aloes in their meate worke uppon them, -as _Scaliger_ affirmeth upon his owne sighte or knowledge. _Apocynon_ or -Bear-foot given to dogs, wolves, Foxes, and all other beasts which are -littered blind, in fat, or any other meat, killeth them, if vomit helpe -them not, which falleth out very seldome, and the seeds of this hearbe -have the same operation. It is reported by _Democritus_, that, if wilde -rue be secretly hunge under a Hen's wing, no Fox will meddle with her, -and the same writer also declareth for approoved, that, if you mingle -the gal of a Fox, or a Cat, with their ordinary foode, they shall -remaine free from the danger of these beasts. - -"The medicinall uses of this beast are these: first, (as _Pliny_, and -_Marcellus_ affirme) a Fox sod in water until nothing of the Foxe be -left whole except the bones, and the Legges, or other parts of a gouty -body, washed, and daily bathed therein, it shall drive away all paine -and griefe strengthening the defective and weake members; so also it -cureth all the shrinking up and paines in the sinnewes: and _Galen_ -attributeth the same vertue to an _Hyæna_ sod in Oyle, and the lame -person bathed therein, for it hath such power to evacuate and draw forth -whatsoever evill humour aboundeth in the body of man, that it leaveth -nothing hurtfull behinde. - -"Neverthelesse, such bodies are soon againe replenished through evill -dyet, and relapsed into the same disease againe. The Fox may be boyled -in fresh or salt water with annise and time, and with his skin on whole, -and not slit, or else his head cut off, there being added to the -decoction two pintes of oyle. - -"The flesh of a Foxe sod and layed to afore bitten by a Sea hare, it -cureth and healeth the same. The Foxe's skinne is profitable against all -moyste fluxes in the skinne of the body, and also the gowt, and cold in -the sinnewes. The ashes of Foxe's flesh burnt and drunk in wine, is -profitable against the shortnesse of breath and stoppings of the liver. - -"The blood of a Foxe dissected, and taken forth of his urine alive, and -so drunk, breaketh the stone in the bladder, or else (as _Myrepsus_ -saieth) kill the Foxe, and take the blood, and drink a Cupfull thereof, -and afterward with the same wash the parts, and, within an houre the -stone shall be voyded: the same vertue is in it being dryed and drunke -in wine with sugar. - -"_Oxycraton_ and Foxes blood infused into the Nostrils of a lethargick -Horsse, cureth him. The fat is next to a Bul's and a Swine's, so that -the fat or larde of Swine may be used for the fat of Foxes, and the fat -of Foxes for the Swines grease in medicine. Some do herewith annoynte -the places which have the Crampe, and all trembling and shaking -members. The fatte of a Foxe and a Drake enclosed in the belly of a -Goose, and so rosted, with the dripping that commeth from it, they -annoynt paralyticke members. - -"The same, with powder of Vine twigs mollified and sod in lye, -attenuateth, and bringeth downe, all swelling tumours of the flesh. The -fat alone healeth the _Alopecias_ and looseness of the haire; it is -commended in the cure of all sores and ulcers of the head, but the gall, -and time, with Mustard-seede is more approved. The fat is also respected -for the cure of paine in the eares, if it be warmed and melt at the -fire, and so instilled; and this is used against tingling in the eares. -If the Haires rot away on a Horse's taile, they recover them againe, by -washing the place with urine and branne, with Wyne and Oyle, and -afterward annoynt it with foxe's grease. When sores or ulcers have -procured the haire to fall off from the heade, take the head of a young -foxe burned with the leaves of blacke _Orchanes_ and _Alcyonium_, and -the powder cast upon the head recovereth againe the haire. - -"If the braine be often given to infants and sucking children, it maketh -them that they shall remaine free from the falling evill. _Pliny_ -prescribeth a man which twinkleth with his eies, and cannot looke -stedfastly, to weare in a chaine, the tongue of a foxe; and _Marcellus_ -biddeth to cut out the tongue of a live foxe, and to turne him away, and -hang uppe that tongue to dry in purple thred, and, afterward put it -about his necke that is troubled with the whitenesse of the eies, and it -shall cure him. - -"But it is more certainely affirmed, that the tongue, either dryed, or -greene, layed to the flesh wherein is any Dart or other sharpe head, it -draweth them forth violently, and rendeth not the flesh, but, only where -it is entred. The liver dryed, and drunke cureth often sighing. The -same, or the lights drunke in blacke Wine, openeth the passages of -breathing. The same washed in Wyne, and dryed in an earthen pot in an -Oven, and, afterward, seasoned with Sugar, is the best medicine in the -world for an old cough, for it hath bin approved to cure it, although it -hath continued twenty years, drinking every day two sponfuls in Wine. - -"The lightes of foxes drunke in Water after they have beene dryed into -powder, helpeth the Melt, and _Myrepsus_ affirmeth, that when he gave -the same powder to one almost suffocated in a pleurisie it prevailed for -a remedy. _Archigene_ prescribeth the dried liver of a Fox for the -Spleneticke with Oxymell: and _Marcellinus_ for the Melt, drunke after -the same manner; and _Sextus_ adviseth to drinke it simply without -composition of Oxymell. The gall of a Foxe instilled into the eares with -Oyle, cureth the paine in them, and, mixed with Hony Atticke, and -annointed upon the eies, taketh away al dimnes from them, after an -admirable manner. The melt, bound upon the tumors, and bunches of the -brest, cureth the Melt in man's body. The reynes dried and mingled with -Honie, being anointed uppon Kernels, take them away. For the swelling of -the Chaps, rub the reines of a Fox within the mouth. The dung, pounded -with Vineger, by annointment cureth the Leprosie speedily. These and -such other vertues medicinal, both the elder and later Phisitians have -observed in a Fox,--wherewithal we wil conclude this discourse." - - - - -THE WOLF. - - -The Wolf, as a beast of prey, is invested with a terror peculiarly its -own; when solitary, it is not much dreaded by, and generally shrinks -from, man, but, united by hunger into packs, they are truly to be -dreaded, for they spare not man nor beast. They lie, too, under the -imputation of magic, and have done so from a very early age. Their -cunning, instinct, or reasoning powers, are almost as well developed as -in the fox, and, of all the authorities I have consulted, the one best -fitted to discourse upon the Wolf and his peculiarities is Topsell, and -here is one of their idiosyncrasies:-- - -"It is said that Wolves doe also eate a kind of earth called _Argilla_, -which they doe not for hunger, but to make their bellies waigh heavy, to -the intent, that when they set upon a Horsse, an Oxe, a Hart, an Elke, -or some such strong beast, they may waigh the heavier, and hang fast at -their throates till they have pulled them downe, for by vertue of that -tenacious earth, their teeth are sharpened, and the waight of their -bodies encreased; but, when they have killed the beast that they set -upon, before they touch any part of his flesh, by a kind of natural -vomit, they disgorge themselves, and empty their bellies of the earth, -as unprofitable food.... - -"They also devoure Goates and Swyne of all sortes, except Bores, who doe -not easily yeald unto Wolves. It is said that a Sow, hath resisted a -Wolfe, and when he fighteth with her, hee is forced to use his greatest -craft and suttelty, leaping to and from her with his best activity, -least she should lay her teeth upon him, and so at one time deceive him -of his prey, and deprive him of his life. It is reported of one that saw -a Wolfe in a Wood, take in his mouth a peece of Timber of some thirty or -forty pound waight, and with that he did practise to leape over the -trunke of a tree that lay upon the earth; at length, when he perceived -his own ability and dexterity in leaping with that waight in his mouth, -he did there make his cave, and lodged behinde that tree; at last, it -fortuned there came a wild Sow to seeke for meat along by that tree, -with divers of her pigs following her, of different age, some a yeare -olde, some halfe a yeare, and some lesse. When he saw them neare him, he -suddenly set upon one of them, which he conjectured was about the waite -of Wood which he carried in his mouth, and when he had taken him, -whilest the old Sow came to deliver her pig at his first crying, he -suddenly leaped over the tree with the pig in his mouth, and so was the -poore Sow beguiled of her young one, for she could not leape after him, -and yet might stand and see the Wolfe to eate the pigge, which hee had -taken from her. It is also sayd, that when they will deceive Goates, -they come unto them with the greene leaves and small boughes of Osiers -in their mouthes, wherewithall they know Goats are delighted, that so -they may draw them therewith, as to a baite, to devour them. - -"Their maner is, when they fal upon a Goat or a Hog, or some such other -beast of smal stature, not to kil them, but to lead them by the eare -with al the speed they can drive them, to their fellow Wolves, and, if -the beast be stubborne, and wil not runne with him, then he beateth his -hinder parts with his taile, in the mean time holding his ear fast in -his mouth, whereby he causeth the poore beast to run as fast, or faster -than himselfe unto the place of his owne execution, where he findeth a -crew of ravening Wolves to entertaine him, who, at his first appearance -seize upon him, and, like Divels teare him in peeces in a moment, -leaving nothing uneaten but onely his bowels.... - -"Now although there be a great difference betwixt him and a Bul, both in -strength and stature, yet he is not affraid to adventure combat, -trusting in his policy more than his vigor, for when he setteth upon a -Bul, he commeth not upon the front for feare of his hornes, nor yet -behind him for feare of his heeles, but first of al standeth a loofe -from him, with his glaring eyes, daring and provoking the Bul, making -often profers to come neere unto him, yet is wise enough to keepe a -loofe till he spy his advauntage, and then he leapeth suddenly upon the -backe of the Bul at the one side, and being so ascended, taketh such -hold, that he killeth the beast, before he loosen his teeth. It is also -worth the observation, how he draweth unto him a Calfe that wandereth -from the dam, for by singular treacherie he taketh him by the nose, -first drawing him forwarde, and then the poore beast striveth and -draweth backward, and thus they struggle togither, one pulling one way, -and the other another, till at last the Wolfe perceiving advantage, and -feeling when the Calfe pulleth heavyest, suddenly he letteth go his -hold, whereby the poore beast falleth backe upon his buttocks, and so -downe right upon his backe; then flyeth the Wolfe to his belly which is -then his upper part, and easily teareth out his bowels, so satisfieng -his hunger and greedy appetite. - -"But, if they chance to see a Beast in the water, or in the marsh, -encombred with mire, they come round about him, stopping up al the -passages where he shold come out, baying at him, and threatning him, so -as the poore distressed Oxe plungeth himselfe many times over head and -eares, or at the least wise they so vex him in the mire, that they never -suffer him to come out alive. At last, when they perceive him to be -dead, and cleane without life by suffocation, it is notable to observe -their singular subtilty to drawe him out of the mire, whereby they may -eat him; for one of them goeth in, and taketh the beast by the taile, -who draweth with al the power he can, for wit without strength may -better kill a live Beast, than remove a dead one out of the mire; -therefore, he looketh behind him, and calleth for more helpe; then, -presently another of the wolves taketh that first wolve's tail in his -mouth, and a third wolf the second's, a fourth the third's, a fift the -fourth, and so forward, encreasing theyr strength, until they have -pulled the beast out into the dry lande. _Sextus_ saith that, in case a -Wolf do see a man first, if he have about him the tip of a Wolf's taile, -he shal not neede to feare anie harme. All domestical Foure footed -beasts, which see the eie of a wolfe in the hand of a man, will -presently feare and runne away. - -"If the taile of a wolfe be hung in the cratch of Oxen, they can never -eat their meate. If a horse tread upon the foote steps of a Wolfe, which -is under a Horse-man or Rider, hee breaketh in peeces, or else standeth -amazed. If a wolfe treadeth in the footsteps of a horse which draweth a -waggon, he cleaveth fast in the rode, as if he were frozen. - -"If a Mare with foale, tread upon the footsteps of a wolfe, she casteth -her foal, and therefore the Egyptians, when they signifie abortment doe -picture a mare treading upon a wolf's foot. These and such other things -are reported, (but I cannot tell how true) as supernaturall accidents in -wolves. The wolfe also laboureth to overcome the Leoparde, and followeth -him from place to place, but, for as much as they dare not adventure -upon him single, or hand to hand, they gather multitudes, and so -devoure them. When wolves set upon wilde Bores, although they bee at -variance amonge themselves, yet they give over their mutual combats, and -joyne together against the Wolfe their common adversarie. - -"And this is the nature of this beast, that he feareth no kind of weapon -except a stone, for, if a stone be cast at him, he presently falleth -downe to avoide the stroke, for it is saide that in that place of his -body where he is wounded by a stone, there are bred certaine wormes -which doe kill and destroie him.... As the Lyon is afraide of a white -Cocke and a Mouse, so is the wolfe of a Sea crab, or shrimp. It is said -that the pipe of _Pithocaris_ did represse the violence of wolves when -they set upon him, for he sounded the same unperfectly, and -indistinctly, at the noise whereof the raging wolfe ran away; and it -hath bin beleeved that the voice of a singing man or woman worketh the -same effect. - -"Concerning the enimies of wolves, there is no doubt but that such a -ravening beast hath fewe friends, ... for this cause, in some of the -inferiour beasts their hatred lasteth after death, as many Authors have -observed; for, if a sheepe skinne be hanged up with a wolves's skin, the -wool falleth off from it, and, if an instrument be stringed with -stringes made of both these beasts the one will give no sounde in the -presence of the other." - -Here we have had all the bad qualities of the Wolf depicted in glowing -colours; but, as a faithful historian, I must show him also under his -most favourable aspect--notably in two instances--one the she-wolf that -suckled Romulus and Remus, and the other who watched so tenderly over -the head of the Saxon Edmund, King and Martyr, after it had been severed -from his body by the Danes, and contemptuously thrown by them into a -thicket. His mourning followers found the body, but searched for some -time for the head, without success; although they made the woods resound -with their cries of "Where artow, Edward?" After a few days' search, a -voice answered their inquiries, with "Here, here, here." And, guided by -the supernatural voice, they came upon the King's head, surrounded by a -glory, and watched over, so as to protect it from all harm--by a _WOLF_! -The head was applied deftly to the body, which it joined naturally; -indeed, so good a job was it, that the junction could only be perceived -by a thin red, or purple, line. - -It must be said of this wolf, that he was _thorough_, for not content -with having preserved the head of the Saintly King from harm, he meekly -followed the body to St. Edmund's Bury, and waited there until the -funeral; when he quietly trotted back, none hindering him, to the -forest. - - - - -WERE-WOLVES. - - -But of all extraordinary stories connected with the Wolf, is the belief -which existed for many centuries, (and in some parts of France still -does exist, under the form of the "Loup-garou,") and which is mentioned -by many classical authors--Marcellus Sidetes, Virgil, Herodotus, -Pomponius Mela, Ovid, Pliny, Petronius, &c.--of men being able to change -themselves into wolves. This was called _Lycanthropy_, from two Greek -words signifying wolf, and man, and those who were thus gifted, were -dignified by the name of _Versipellis_, or able to change the skin. It -must be said, however, for Pliny, amongst classical authors, that -although he panders sufficiently to popular superstition to mention -Lycanthropy, and quotes from others some instances of it, yet he -writes:--"It is really wonderful to what a length the credulity of the -Greeks will go! There is no falsehood, if ever so barefaced, to which -some of them cannot be found to bear testimony." - -This curious belief is to be found in Eastern writings, and it was -especially at home with the Scandinavian and Teutonic nations. It is -frequently mentioned in the Northern Sagas--but space here forbids more -than just saying that the best account of these _eigi einhamir_ (not of -one skin) is to be found in _The Book of Were-Wolves_, by the Rev. S. -Baring-Gould. - -The name of _Were Wolf_, or _Wehr Wolf_, is derived thus, according to -Mr. Gould:--"_Vargr_ is the same as _u-argr_, restless; _argr_ being the -same as the Anglo-Saxon _earg_. _Vargr_ had its double signification in -Norse. It signified a Wolf, and also a godless man. This _vargr_ is the -English _were_, in the word were-wolf, and the _garou_ or _varou_ in -French. The Danish word for were-wolf is _var-ulf_ the Gothic, -_vaira-ulf_." Lycanthropy was a widespread belief, but it gradually -dwindled down in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to those _eigi -einhamir_, the witches who would change themselves into hares, &c. - -Olaus Magnus tells us _Of the Fiercenesse of Men who by Charms are -turned into Wolves_:--"In the Feast of Christ's Nativity, in the night, -at a certain place, that they are resolved upon amongst themselves, -there is gathered together such a huge multitude of Wolves changed from -men, that dwell in divers places, which afterwards the same night doth -so rage with wonderfull fiercenesse, both against mankind, and other -creatures that are not fierce by nature, that the Inhabitants of that -country suffer more hurt from them than ever they do from the true -natural Wolves. For as it is proved, they set upon the houses of men -that are in the Woods, with wonderfull fiercenesse, and labour to break -down the doors, whereby they may destroy both men and other creatures -that remain there. - -"They go into the Beer-Cellars, and there they drink out some Tuns of -Beer or Mede, and they heap al the empty vessels one upon another in the -midst of the Cellar, and so leave them: wherein they differ from natural -and true Wolves. But the place, where, by chance they stayd that night, -the Inhabitants of those Countries think to be prophetical: Because, if -any ill successe befall a Man in that place; as, if his Cart overturn, -and he be thrown down in the Snow, they are fully perswaded that man -must die that year, as they have for many years proved it by experience. -Between _Lituania_, _Samogetia_, and _Curonia_, there is a certain wall -left, of a Castle that was thrown down; to this, at a set time, some -thousands of them come together, that each of them may try his -nimblenesse in leaping. He that cannot leap over this wall, as commonly -the fat ones cannot, are beaten with whips by their Captains. - -"And it is constantly affirmed that amongst that multitude there are the -great men, and chiefest Nobility of the Land. The reason of this -metamorphosis, that is exceeding contrary to Nature, is given by one -skilled in this witchcraft, by drinking to one in a Cup of Ale, and by -mumbling certain words at the same time, so that he who is to be -admitted into that unlawful Society, do accept it. Then, when he -pleaseth, he may change his humane form, into the form of a Wolf -entirely, going into some private Cellar, or secret Wood. Again, he can, -after some time put off the same shape he took upon him, and resume the -form he had before at his pleasure.... - -"But for to come to examples; When a certain Nobleman took a long -journey through the Woods, and had many servile Country-fellows in his -Company, that were acquainted with this witchcraft, (as there are many -such found in those parts) the day was almost spent; wherefore he must -lie in the Woods, for there was no Inne neare that place; and withall -they were sore pinched with hunger and want. Last of all, one of the -Company propounded a seasonable proposall, that the rest must be quiet, -and if they saw any thing they must make no tumulte; that he saw afar -off a flock of sheep feeding; he would take care that, without much -labor, they should have one of them to rost for Supper. Presently he -goes into a thick Wood that no man might see him, and there he changed -his humane shape like to that of a Wolf. After this he fell upon the -flock of sheep with all his might, and he took one of them that was -running back to the Wood, and then he came to the Chariot in the form of -a Wolf, and brought the sheep to them. His companions being conscious -how he stole it, receive it with grateful mind, and hide it close in the -Chariot; but he that had changed himself into a Wolf, went into the Wood -again, and became a Man. - -"Also in _Livonia_ not many years since, it fell out that there was a -dispute between a Nobleman's wife and his servant, (of which they have -plenty more in that Country, than in any Christian Land) that men could -not be turned into Wolves; whereupon he brake forth into this speech, -that he would presently shew her an example of that businesse, so he -might do it with her permission: he goes alone into the cellar, and, -presently after, he came forth in the form of a Wolf. The dogs ran -after him through the fields to the wood, and they bit out one of his -eyes, though he defended himself stoutly enough. The next day he came -with one eye to his Lady. Lastly, as is yet fresh in memory, how the -Duke of _Prussia_, giving small credit to such a Witchcraft, compelled -one who was cunning in this Sorcery, whom he held in chains, to change -himself into a Wolf; and he did so. Yet that he might not go unpunished -for this Idolatry, he afterwards caused him to be burnt. For such -heinous offences are severely punished both by Divine and Humane Laws." - -Zahn, on the authority of Trithemius, who wrote in 1335, says that men -having the spine elongated after the manner of a tail were Were-wolves. -Topsell takes a more sensible view of the matter:--"There is a certaine -territorie in Ireland (whereof M. _Cambden_ writeth) that the -inhabitants which live till they be past fifty yeare old, are foolishly -reported to be turned into wolves, the true cause whereof he -conjectureth to be, because for the most part they are vexed with the -disease called _Lycanthropia_, which is a kind of melancholy, causing -the persons so affected, about the moneth of February, to forsake their -owne dwelling or houses, and to run out into the woodes, or neare the -graves and sepulchers of men, howling and barking like Dogs and Wolves. -The true signes of this disease are thus described by _Marcellus_: -those, saith he, which are thus affected, have their faces pale, their -eies dry and hollow, looking drousily and cannot weep. Their tongue as -if it were al scab'd, being very rough, neither can they spit, and they -are very thirsty, having many ulcers breaking out of their bodies, -especially on their legges; this disease some cal _Lycaon_, and men -oppressed therewith, _Lycaones_, because that there was one _Lycaon_, as -it is fained by the poets, who, for his wickednes in sacrificing of a -child, was by _Jupiter_ turned into a Wolf, being utterly distracted of -human understanding, and that which the poets speake of him. And this is -most strange, that many thus diseased should desire the graves of the -dead." - - - - -THE ANTELOPE. - - -[Illustration] - -When not taken from living specimens, or skins, the artists of old drew -somewhat upon their imaginations for their facts, as is the case with -this Antelope, of which Topsell gives the following description:--"They -are bred in _India_, and _Syria_, neere the River _Euphrates_, and -delight much to drinke of the cold water thereof. Their bodie is like -the body of a _Roe_, and they have hornes growing forthe of the crowne -of their head, which are very long and sharpe; so that _Alexander_ -affirmed that they pierced through the sheeldes of his Souldiers, and -fought with them very irefully: at which time his company slew as he -travelled to _India_, eight thousand, five hundred, and fifty; which -great slaughter may be the occasion why they are so rare, and seldome -seene to this day, by cause thereby the breeders, and meanes of their -continuance (which consisted in their multitude) were weakened and -destroyed. Their hornes are great, and made like a saw, and they, with -them, can cut asunder the braunches of _Osier_, or small trees, whereby -it commeth to passe that many times their necks are taken in the twists -of the falling boughes, whereat the Beast with repining cry, bewrayeth -himselfe to the Hunters, and so is taken. The vertues of this Beast are -unknowne, and therefore _Suidas_ sayth an _Antalope_ is but good in -part." - - - - -THE HORSE. - - -Aldrovandus gives us a curious specimen of a horse, which the artist has -drawn with the slashed trunk breeches of the time. He says that -_Fincelius_, quoting _Licosthenes_, mentions that this animal had its -skin thus slashed, from its birth, and was to be seen about the year -1555. Its skin was as thick as sole-leather. It was, probably, an ideal -Zebra. - -Topsell gives us some fine horse-lore, especially as to their love for -their masters:--"_Homer_ seemeth also to affirme that there are in -Horsses divine qualityes, understanding things to come, for, being tyed -to their mangers they mournd for the death of _Patroclus_, and also -shewed _Achilles_ what should happen unto him; for which cause _Pliny_ -saieth of them that they lament their lost maisters with teares, and -foreknow battailes. _Accursius_ affirmeth that _Cæsar_ three daies -before he died, found his ambling Nag weeping in the stable, which was a -token of his ensewing death, which thing I should not beleeve, except -_Tranquillus_ in the life of _Cæsar_, had related the same thing, and he -addeth moreover, that the Horsses which were consecrated to _Mars_ for -passing over _Rubicon_, being let to run wilde abroad, without their -maisters, because no man might meddle with the horses of the Gods, were -found to weepe abundantly, and to abstaine from all meat. - -[Illustration] - -"Horsses are afraid of Elephants in battaile, and likewise of a -Cammell, for which cause when _Cyrus_ fought against _Croesus_, he -overthrew his Horse by the sight of Camels, for a horse cannot abide to -looke upon a Camell. If a Horse tread in the footpath of a Wolfe, he -presently falleth to be astonished; Likewise, if two or more drawing a -Charriot, come into the place where a Wolfe hath trod, they stand so -still as if the Charriot and they were frozen to the earth, sayth -_Ælianus_ and _Pliny_. _Æsculapius_ also affirmeth the same thing of a -Horsse treading in a Beare's footsteppes, and assigneth the reason to be -in some secret, betweene the feete of both beastes.... - -"Al kind of Swine are enemies to Horses, the Estridge also, is so feared -of a Horse, that the Horsse dares not appeare in his presence. The like -difference also is betwixt a Horse, and a Beare. There is a bird which -is called _Anclorus_, which neyeth like a Horse, flying about; the Horse -doth many times drive it away; but because it is somewhat blind, and -cannot see perfectly, therefore the horsse doth oftentimes ketch it, and -devoure it, hating his owne voice in a creature so unlike himself. - -"It is reported by _Aristotle_, that the Bustard loveth a Horsse -exceedingly, for, seeing other Beastes feeding in the pastures, -dispiseth and abhorreth them; but, as soone as ever it seeth a Horsse, -it flyeth unto him for joy, although the Horsse run away from it: and, -therefore, the Egyptians, when they see a weake man driving away a -stronger, they picture a Bustard flying to a Horsse.... - -"_Julius Cæsar_ had a horsse which had cloven hooves like a man's -fingers, and because he was foaled at that time when the sooth-sayers -had pronounced that hee should have the government of the world, -therefore he nourished him carefully, and never permitted any man to -backe him but himselfe, which he afterwards dedicated in the Temple of -Venus.... - -"If one do cut the vaines of the pallet of a horse's mouth, and let it -runne downe into his belly, it will presently destroy and consume the -maw, or belly worms, which are within him. The Marrow of a horse is also -very good to loosen the sinewes which are knit and fastned together, but -first let it be boiled in wine, and afterwards be made cold, and then -anointed warmly either by the Fire, or Sun. The teeth of a male horse -not gelded, or by any labor made feeble, being put under the head, or -over the head of him that is troubled or startleth in his dreame, doth -withstand and resist all unquietnes which in the time of his rest might -happen unto him. The teeth also of a horse is verye profitable for the -curing of the Chilblanes which are rotten and full of corruption when -they are swollen full ripe. The teeth which do, first of all, fall from -horses, being bound or fastned upon children in their infancie, do very -easily procure the breeding of the teeth, but with more speed, and more -effectually, if they have never touched the ground.... - -"If you anoint a combe with the foame of a horse, wherewith a young man -or youth doth use to comb his head, it is of such force as it will cause -the haire of his head neither to encrease or any whit to appeare. The -foame of a horse is also very much commended for them which have either -pain or difficulty of hearing in their ears, or else the dust of horse -dung, being new made and dryed, and mingled with oyle of Roses. The -griefe or soreness of a man's mouth or throat, being washed or annointed -with the foame of a Horse, which hath bin fed with Oates or barly, doth -presently expell the paine of the Sorenesse, if so be that it be 2 or 3 -times washed over with the juyce of young or greene Sea-crabs beaten -small together." But I could fill pages with remedial recipes furnished -by the horse. - - - - -THE MIMICK DOG. - - -[Illustration] - -"The Mimicke or Getulian Dogge," is, I take it, meant for a poodle. It -was "apt to imitate al things it seeth, for which cause some have -thought that it was conceived by an Ape, for in wit and disposition it -resembleth an Ape, but in face, sharpe and blacke like an Hedgehog, -having a short recurved body, very long legs, shaggy haire, and a short -taile: this is called of some _Canis Lucernarius_. These being brought -up with apes in their youth, learne very admirable and strange feats, -whereof there were great plenty in _Egypt_ in the time of king -_Ptolemy_, which were taught to leap, play, and dance, at the hearing of -musicke, and in many poore men's houses they served insteed of servaunts -for divers uses. - -"These are also used by Plaiers and Puppet-Mimicks to worke straunge -trickes, for the sight whereof they get much money; such an one was the -Mimick's dog, of which _Plutarch_ writeth that he saw in a publicke -spectacle at Rome before the Emperor _Vespasian_. The dog was taught to -act a play, wherein were contained many persons' parts, I mean the -affections of many other dogs; at last, there was given him a piece of -bread, wherein, as was saide, was poison, having vertue to procure a -dead sleepe, which he received and swallowed; and presently, after the -eating thereof, he began to reele and stagger too and fro like a drunken -man, and fell downe to the ground, as if he had bin dead, and so laie a -good space, not stirring foot nor lim, being drawne uppe and downe by -divers persons, according as the gesture of the play he acted did -require, but when he perceived by the time, and other signes that it was -requisite to arise, he first opened his eies, and lift up his head a -little, then stretched forth himself, like as one doth when he riseth -from sleepe; at last he geteth up, and runneth to him to whom that part -belonged, not without the joy, and good content of _Cæsar_ and all other -beholders. - -"To this may be added another story of a certaine Italian about the -yeare 1403, called _Andrew_, who had a red Dog with him, of strange -feats, and yet he was blind. For standing in the Market place compassed -about with a circle of many people, there were brought by the standers -by, many Rings, Jewels, bracelets, and peeces of gold and silver, and -these, within the circle were covered with earth, then the dog was bid -to seeke them out, who with his nose and feet did presently find and -discover them, then was hee also commaunded to give to every one his -owne Ring, Jewell, Bracelet, or money, which the blind dog did performe -directly without stay or doubt. Afterward, the standers by, gave unto -him divers pieces of coine, stamped with the images of sundry princes, -and then one of them called for a piece of English money, and the Dog -delivered him a piece; another for the Emperor's coine, and the dog -delivered him a piece thereof; and so consequently, every princes coine -by name, till all was restored; and this story is recorded by Abbas -Urspergensis, where upon the common people said, the dog was a divell, -or else possessed with some pythonicall spirit." - -It is curious to note some of the remedies against hydrophobia--and I -only give a portion of the long list. - -"For the outward compound remedies, a plaister made of _Opponax_ and -Pitch, is much commended, which _Menippus_ used, taking a pound of Pitch -of Brutias, and foure ounces of _Opponax_, adding withall, that the -_Opponax_ must be dissolved in vinegar, and afterwards the Pitch and the -vinegar must be boiled together, and when the vinegar is consumed, then -put in the _Opponax_, and of both together make like taynters or -splints, and thrust them into the wound, so let them remaine many dayes -together, and in the meane time drinke an antidot of sea crabs and -vineger, (for vineger is alway pretious in this confection). Other use -_Basilica_, Onyons, Rue, Salt, Rust of Iron, white bread, seedes of hore -hound, and triacle: but the other plaister is most forcible to be -applyed outwardly, above al medicines in the world. - -"For the simple or uncompounded medicines to be taken against this sore, -are many: As Goose-grease, the roote of Wilde roses drunke; bitter -Almonds, leaves of Chickweed, or Pimpernell, the old skinne of a snake -pounded with a male sea Crab, Betony, Cabbage-leaves, or stalkes, with -Persneps and vineger, lime and sewet, poulder of Sea-Crabs with Hony; -poulder of the shels of Sea-Crabs, the haires of a Dog layed on the -wound, the head of the Dog which did bite, mixed with a little -_Euphorbium_; the haire of a man with vineger, dung of Goates with wine, -Walnuts with Hony and salte, poulder of fig tree in a sear cloth, -Fitches in wine, _Euphorbium_, warme horse-dung, raw beanes chewed in -the mouth, fig tree leaves, greene figs with vineger, fennel stalkes, -Gentians, dung of pullen, the Lyver of a Buck-goate, young swallowes, -burned to poulder, also their dung; the urine of a man, an Hyæna's skin, -flower de luce with honey, a Sea hearb called _Kakille_, _Silphum_ with -salt, the flesh and shels of snayles, leeke seeds with salt, mints, the -taile of a field mouse cut off from her alive, and she suffered to live, -rootes of Burres, with salt of the Sea plantaine, the tongue of a Ramme -with salt, the flesh of al Sea-fishes, the fat of a sea-Calfe and -Vervine, besides many other superstitious amulets which are used to be -bound to the Armes, neckes, and brests, as the Canine tooth bound up in -a leafe, and tyed to the Arme. A worme bred in the dung of Dogges, -hanged about the necke, the roots of _Gentian_ in an Hyæna's skin, or -young Wolfe's Skin, and such like; whereof I know no reason beside the -opinion of men." - -Let us now see what medicinal properties exist in dogs themselves; and, -here again, I must very much curtail the recital of their benefits to -mankind. - -"The vertues of a Dog's head made into poulder, are both many and -unspeakable, by it is the biting of mad dogs cured, it cureth spots, and -bunches in the head, and a plaister thereof made with Oyle of Roses, -healeth the running in the head. The poulder of the teeth of Dogges, -maketh Children's teeth to come forth with speed and easie, and, if -their gums be rub'd with a dog's tooth, it maketh them to have the -sharper teeth; and the poulder of these Dogs teeth rubbed upon the -Gummes of young or olde, easeth toothache, and abateth swelling in the -gummes. The tongue of a Dogge, is most wholesome both for the curing of -his owne wounds by licking, as also of any other creature. The rennet of -a Puppy drunke with Wine, dissolveth the Collicke in the same houre -wherein it was drunke," &c., &c., &c. - - - - -THE CAT. - - -Aldrovandus gives us a picture of a curly-legged Cat, but, beyond saying -that it was so afflicted (or ornamented) from its birth, he gives no -particulars. Topsell, too, is singularly silent on the merits of Cats; -but yet he mentions some interesting particulars respecting them:--"To -keepe Cats from hunting of Hens, they use to tie a little wild rew under -their wings, and so likewise from Dove-coates, if they set it in the -windowes, they dare not approach unto it for some secret in nature. Some -have said that cats will fight with Serpentes, and Toads, and kill them, -and, perceiving that she is hurt by them, she presently drinketh water, -and is cured: but I cannot consent unto this opinion.... _Ponzettus_ -sheweth by experience that cats and Serpents love one another, for -there was (sayth he) in a certain Monastery, a Cat norished by the -Monkes, and suddenly the most part of the Monkes which used to play with -the Cat, fell sicke; whereof the Physitians could find no cause, but -some secret poyson, and al of them were assured that they never tasted -any: at the last a poore laboring man came unto them, affirming that he -saw the Abbey-Cat playing with a Serpent, which the Physitians -understanding, presently conceived that the Serpent had emptied some of -her poyson upon the Cat, which brought the same to the Monkes, and they -by stroking and handeling the Cat, were infected therewith; and whereas -there remained one difficulty, namely, how it came to passe the Cat -herself was not poisoned thereby, it was resolved, that, forasmuch as -the Serpentes poison came from him but in playe and sporte, and not in -malice and wrath, that therefore the venom thereof being lost in play, -neither harmed the Cat at al, nor much endangered the Monkes; and the -very like is observed of Myce that will play with Serpents.... - -[Illustration] - -"Those which will keepe their Cattes within doores, and from hunting -Birds abroad, must cut off their eares, for they cannot endure to have -drops of raine distil into them, and therefore keep themselves in -harbor.... They cannot abide the savour of oyntments, but fall madde -thereby; they are sometimes infected with the falling evill, but are -cured with _Gobium_." - - - - -THE LION. - - -Of the great Cat, the Lion, the ancients give many wonderful stories, -some of them not altogether redounding to his character for bravery:--"A -serpent, or snake doth easily kill a lion, where of _Ambrosius_ writeth -very elegantly. _Eximia leonis pulchritudo, per comantes cervicis toros -excutitur, cum subito a serpente os pectore tenus attolitur, itaque -Coluber cervum fugit sed Leonem interficit. The splendant beautie of a -lion in his long curled mane is quickly abated, and allayed, when the -serpent doth but lift up his head to his brest._ For such is the -ordinance of God, that the Snake, which runneth from a fearefull Hart, -should without all feare kill a courageous Lyon; and the writer of Saint -_Marcellus_ life, _How much more will he feare a great Dragon, against -whom he hath not power to lift up his taile_. And _Aristotle_ writeth -that the Lyon is afraid of the Swine, and _Rasis_ affirmeth as much of -the mouse. - -"The Cocke also both seene and heard for his voice and combe, is a -terror to the Lion and Basiliske, and the Lyon runneth from him when he -seeth him, especially from a white cocke, and the reason hereof, is -because they are both partakers of the Sunnes qualities in a high -degree, and therefore the greater body feareth the lesser, because there -is a more eminent and predominant sunny propertie in the Cocke, than in -the Lion. _Lucretius_ describes this terrour notably, affirming that, in -the morning, when the Cocke croweth, the lions betake themselves to -flight, because there are certain seedes in the body of Cockes, which -when they are sent, and appeare to the eyes of Lions, they vexe their -pupils and apples, and make them, against Nature, become gentle and -quiet." - - - - -THE LEONTOPHONUS--THE PEGASUS--THE CROCOTTA. - - -The Lion has a dreadful enemy, according to Pliny, who says:--"We have -heard speak of a small animal to which the name of _Leontophonus_[36] -has been given, and which is said to exist only in those countries where -the Lion is produced. If its flesh is only tasted by the Lion, so -intensely venomous is its nature, that this lord of the other quadrupeds -instantly expires. Hence it is that the hunters of the Lion burn its -body to ashes, and sprinkle a piece of flesh with the powder, and so -kill the Lion by means of its ashes even--so fatal to it is this poison! -The Lion, therefore, not without reason, hates the Leontophonus, and, -after destroying its sight, kills it without inflicting a bite: the -animal, on the other hand, sprinkles the Lion with its urine, being well -aware that this, too, is fatal to it." - -We have read, in the Romances of Chivalry, how that Guy, Earl of -Warwick, having seen a Lion and a Dragon fighting, went to the -assistance of the former, and, having killed its opponent, the Lion -meekly trotted after him, and ever after, until its death, was his -constant companion. How, in the absence of Sir Bevis of Hampton, two -lions having killed the Steward Boniface, and his horse, laid their -heads in the fair Josian's lap. The old romancists held that a lion -would always respect a virgin, and Spenser has immortalised this in his -character of Una. Most of us remember the story given by Aulus Gellius -and Ælian, of Androcles, who earned a lion's gratitude by extracting a -thorn from its paw, and Pliny gives similar instances:-- - -"Mentor, a native of Syracuse, was met in Syria by a lion, who rolled -before him in a suppliant manner; though smitten with fear, and desirous -to escape, the wild beast on every side opposed his flight, and licked -his feet with a fawning air. Upon this, Mentor observed on the paw of -the lion, a swelling and a wound; from which, after extracting a -splinter, he relieved the creature's pain. - -"In the same manner, too, Elpis, a native of Samos, on landing from a -vessel on the coast of Africa, observed a lion near the beach, opening -his mouth in a threatening manner; upon which he climbed a tree, in the -hope of escaping, while, at the same time, he invoked the aid of Father -Liber (_Bacchus_); for it is the appropriate time for invocations where -there is no room left for hope. The wild beast did not pursue him when -he fled, although he might easily have done so; but, lying down at the -foot of the tree, by the open mouth which had caused so much terror, -tried to excite his compassion. A bone, while he was devouring his food -with too great avidity, had stuck fast between his teeth, and he was -perishing with hunger; such being the punishment inflicted upon him by -his own weapons, every now and then he would look up, and supplicate -him, as it were, with mute entreaties. Elpis, not wishing to risk -trusting himself to so formidable a beast, remained stationary for some -time, more at last from astonishment than from fear. At length, however, -he descended from the tree, and extracted the bone, the lion, in the -meanwhile, extending his head, and aiding in the operation as far as it -was necessary for him to do. The story goes on to say, that as long as -the vessel remained off that coast, the lion shewed his sense of -gratitude by bringing whatever he had chanced to procure in the chase." - -The same author mentions two curious animals, the Leucrocotta, and the -Eale, which are noticeable among other wonders:--"Æthiopia produces the -lynx in abundance, and the sphinx, which has brown hair and two mammæ on -the breast, as well as many monstrous kinds of a similar nature; horses -with wings, and armed with horns, which are called pegasi: the Crocotta, -an animal which looks as though it had been produced by the union of the -wolf and the dog, for it can break anything with its teeth, and -instantly, on swallowing it, it digests it with the stomach; monkeys, -too, with black heads, the hair of the ass, and a voice quite unlike -that of any other animal." - - - - -THE LEUCROCOTTA--THE EALE--CATTLE FEEDING BACKWARDS. - - -"There are oxen, too, like that of India, some with one horn, and others -with three; the leucrocotta, a wild beast of extraordinary swiftness, -the size of the wild ass, with the legs of a Stag, the neck, tail, and -breast of a lion, the head of a badger, a cloven hoof, the mouth slit -up as far as the ears, and one continuous bone instead of teeth; it is -said, too, that this animal can imitate the human voice. - -"Among the same people there is found an animal called the eale; it is -the size of the river-horse, has the tail of the elephant, and is of a -black or tawny colour. It has, also, the jaws of the wild boar and horns -that are moveable, and more than a cubit in length, so that, in -fighting, it can employ them alternately, and vary their position by -presenting them directly, or obliquely, according as necessity may -dictate." - -The Eale, with its movable horns, is run hard by the Cattle of the -Lotophagi, which are thus described by Herodotus:--"From the Augilæ at -the end of another ten days' journey is another hill of salt and water, -and many fruit-bearing palm trees, as also in other places; and men -inhabit it, who are called Gavamantes, a very powerful nation; they lay -earth upon the salt, and then sow their ground. From these to the -Lotophagi, the shortest route is a journey of thirty days: amongst them -the kine that feed backwards are met with; they feed backwards for this -reason. They have horns that are bent forward, therefore they draw back -as they feed; for they are unable to go forward, because their horns -would stick in the ground. They differ from other kine in no other -respect than this, except that their hide is thicker and harder." - - - - -ANIMAL MEDICINE. - - -We have already seen some of the wonderfully curative properties of -animals--let us learn something of their own medical attainments--as -described by Pliny. "The hippopotamus has even been our instructor in -one of the operations of medicine. When the animal has become too bulky, -by continued overfeeding, it goes down to the banks of the river, and -examines the reeds which have been newly cut; as soon as it has found a -stump that is very sharp, it presses its body against it, and so wounds -one of the veins in the thigh; and by the flow of blood thus produced, -the body, which would otherwise have fallen into a morbid state, is -relieved; after which, it covers up the wound with mud. - -"The bird, also, which is called the Ibis, a native of the same country -of Egypt, has shewn us some things of a similar nature. By means of its -hooked beak, it laves the body through that part by which it is -especially necessary for health, that the residuous food should be -discharged. Nor, indeed, are these the only inventions which have been -borrowed from animals to prove of use to man. The power of the herb -_dittany_, in extracting arrows, was first disclosed to us by stags that -had been struck by that weapon; the weapon being discharged on their -feeding upon this plant. The same animals, too, when they happen to have -been wounded by the _phalangium_, a species of spider, or by any insect -of a similar nature, cure themselves by eating crabs. One of the very -best remedies for the bite of the serpent, is the plant with which -lizards treat their wounds when injured in fighting with each other. The -swallow has shown us that the _chelidonia_ is very serviceable to the -sight, by the fact of its employing it for the cure of its young, when -their eyes are affected. The tortoise recruits its powers of effectually -resisting serpents by eating the plant which is known as _cunile -bubula_; and the weasel feeds on _rue_, when it fights with the serpent -in pursuit of mice. The Stork cures itself of its diseases, with _wild -marjoram_, and the wild boar with _ivy_, as also by eating _crabs_, and, -more particularly, those that have been thrown up by the sea. - -"The snake, when the membrane which covers its body, has been contracted -by the cold of winter, throws it off in the spring, by the aid of the -juices of _fennel_, and thus becomes sleek and youthful in appearance. -First of all it disengages the head, and then it takes no less than a -day and a night in working itself out, and divesting itself of the -membrane in which it has been enclosed. The same animal, too, on finding -its sight weakened during its winter retreat, anoints and refreshes its -eyes by rubbing itself on the plant called _fennel_, or _marathrum_; -but, if any of the scales are slow in coming off, it rubs itself against -the thorns of the _juniper_. The dragon relieves the nausea which -affects it in spring, with the juices of the _lettuce_. The barbarous -nations go to hunt the panther, provided with meat that has been rubbed -with _Aconite_, which is a poison. Immediately on eating it, compression -of the throat overtakes them, from which circumstance it is, that the -plant has received the name of _pardalianches_ (_pard-strangler_). The -animal, however, has found an antidote against this poison in human -excrements; besides which, it is so eager to get at them, that the -shepherds purposely suspend them in a vessel, placed so high, that the -animal cannot reach them, even by leaping, when it endeavours to get at -them; accordingly, it continues to leap, until it has quite exhausted -itself, and at last expires: otherwise, it is so tenacious of life that -it will continue to fight, long after its intestines have been dragged -out of its body. - -"When an elephant has happened to devour a chameleon, which is of the -same colour with the herbage, it counteracts this poison by means of the -_wild olive_. Bears, when they have eaten of the fruit of the -_Mandrake_, lick up numbers of Ants. The Stag counteracts the effect of -poisonous plants by eating the _artichoke_. Wood pigeons, jackdaws, -blackbirds, and partridges, purge themselves once a year by eating _bay_ -leaves; pigeons, turtle-doves, and poultry, with _wall pellitory_, or -_helxine_; ducks, geese, and other aquatic birds of a similar nature, -with the _bulrush_. The raven, when it has killed a chameleon, a contest -in which even the conqueror suffers, counteracts the poison by means of -laurel." - - - - -THE SU. - - -Topsell mentions a fearful beast called the Su. "There is a region in -the new-found world, called _Gigantes_, and the inhabitants thereof, are -called _Patagones_; now, because their country is cold, being far in the -South, they cloath themselves with the skins of a beast called in their -owne toong _Su_, for by reason that this beast liveth for the most part -neere the waters, therefore they cal it by the name of _Su_, which -signifieth water. The true image thereof, as it was taken by -_Thenestus_, I have heere inserted, for it is of a very deformed shape, -and monstrous presence, a great ravener, and an untamable wilde beast. - -"When the hunters that desire her skinne, set upon her, she flyeth very -swift, carrying her yong ones upon her back, and covering them with her -broad taile; now, for so much as no dogge or man dareth to approach -neere unto her, (because such is the wrath thereof, that in the pursuit -she killeth all that commeth near her:) The hunters digge severall -pittes or great holes in the earth, which they cover with boughes, -sticks, and earth, so weakly, that if the beast chance at any time to -come upon it, she, and her young ones fall down into the pit, and are -taken. - -[Illustration] - -"This cruell, untamable, impatient, violent, ravening, and bloody beast, -perceiving that her natural strength cannot deliver her from the wit and -policy of men, her hunters, (for being inclosed, she can never get out -againe) the hunters being at hand to watch her downfall, and worke her -overthrowe, first of all to save her young ones from taking and taming, -she destroyeth them all with her own teeth; for there was never any of -them taken alive, and when she seeth the hunters come about her, she -roareth, cryeth, howleth, brayeth, and uttereth such a fearefull, -noysome, and terrible clamor, that the men which watch to kill her, are -not thereby a little amazed; but, at last, being animated, because -there can be no resistance, they approach, and with their darts and -speares, wound her to death, and then take off her skin, and leave the -Carcasse in the earth. And this is all that I finde recorded of this -most strange beast." - - - - -THE LAMB-TREE. - - -As a change from this awful animal, let us examine the _Planta Tartarica -Borometz_--which was so graphically delineated by Joannes Zahn in 1696. -Although this is by no means the first picture of it, yet it is the best -of any I have seen. - -[Illustration] - -A most interesting book[37] on the "Vegetable Lamb of Tartary" has been -written by the late Henry Lee, Esq., at one time Naturalist of the -Brighton Aquarium, and I am much indebted to it for matter on the -subject, which I could not otherwise have obtained. - -The word _Borometz_ is supposed to be derived from a Tartar word -signifying a lamb, and this plant-animal was thoroughly believed in, -many centuries ago--but there seem to have been two distinct varieties -of plant, that on which little lambs were found in pods, and that as -represented by Zahn, with a living lamb attached by its navel to a short -stem. This stalk was flexible, and allowed the lamb to graze, within -its limits; but when it had consumed all the grass within its reach, or -if the stalk was severed, it died. This lamb was said to have the actual -body, blood, and bones of a young sheep, and wolves were very fond of -it--but, luckily for the lamb-tree, these were the only carnivorous -animals that would attack it. - -In his "Histoire Admirable des Plantes" (1605) Claude Duret, of Moulins, -treats of the Borometz, and says: "I remember to have read some time -ago, in a very ancient Hebrew book entitled in Latin the _Talmud -Ierosolimitanum_, and written by a Jewish Rabbi Jochanan, assisted by -others, in the year of Salvation 436, that a certain personage named -Moses Chusensis (he being a native of Ethiopia) affirmed, on the -authority of Rabbi Simeon, that there was a certain country of the earth -which bore a zoophyte, or plant-animal, called in the Hebrew _Jeduah_. -It was in form like a lamb, and from its navel, grew a stem or root by -which this Zoophyte, or plant-animal, was fixed attached, like a gourd, -to the soil below the surface of the ground, and, according to the -length of its stem or root, it devoured all the herbage which it was -able to reach within the circle of its tether. The hunters who went in -search of this creature were unable to capture, or remove it, until they -had succeeded in cutting the stem by well-aimed arrows, or darts, when -the animal immediately fell prostrate to the earth, and died. Its bones -being placed with certain ceremonies and incantations in the mouth of -one desiring to foretell the future, he was instantly seized with a -spirit of divination, and endowed with the gift of prophecy." - -Mr. Lee then says: "As I was unable to find in the Latin translation of -the Talmud of Jerusalem, the passage mentioned by Claude Duret, and was -anxious to ascertain whether any reference to this curious legend -existed in the Talmudical books, I sought the assistance of learned -members of the Jewish community, and, amongst them, of the Rev. Dr. -Hermann Adler, Chief Rabbi Delegate of the United Congregations of the -British Empire. He most kindly interested himself in the matter, and -wrote to me as follows: 'It affords me much gratification to give you -the information you desire on the Borametz. In the Mishna _Kilaim_, -chap. viii. § 5 (a portion of the Talmud), the passage occurs: -"Creatures called _Adne Hasadeh_ (literally 'lords of the field') are -regarded as beasts." There is a variant reading, _Abne Hasadeh_ (stones -of the field). A commentator, Rabbi Simeon, of Sens (died about 1235), -writes as follows, on this passage: 'It is stated in the Jerusalem -Talmud that this is a human being of the mountains: it lives by means of -its navel: if its navel be cut, it cannot live. I have heard in the name -of Rabbi Meir, the son of Kallonymos of Speyer, that this is the animal -called _Jeduah_. This is the _Jedoui_ mentioned in Scripture (lit. -_wizard_, Lev. xix. 31); with its bones witchcraft is practised. A kind -of large stem issues from a root in the earth on which this animal, -called _Jadua_, grows, just as gourds and melons. Only the _Jadua_ has, -in all respects, a human shape, in face, body, hands, and feet. By its -navel it is joined to the stem that issues from the root. No creature -can approach within the tether of the stem, for it seizes and kills -them. Within the tether of the stem it devours the herbage all around. -When they want to capture it, no man dares approach it, but they tear at -the stem until it is ruptured, whereupon the animal dies.' Another -commentator, Rabbi Obadja, of Berbinoro, gives the same explanation, -only substituting 'They aim arrows at the stem until it is ruptured,' -&c. - -"The author of an ancient Hebrew work, _Maase Tobia_ (Venice, 1705), -gives an interesting description of this animal. In Part IV. c. 10, page -786, he mentions the Borametz found in Great Tartary. He repeats the -description of Rabbi Simeon, and adds, that he has found, in 'A New Work -on Geography,' namely, that 'the Africans (_sic_) in Great Tartary, in -the province of Sambulala, are enriched by means of seeds, like the -seeds of gourds, only shorter in size, which grow and blossom like a -stem to the navel of an animal which is called _Borametz_ in their -language, i.e. _lamb_, on account of its resembling a lamb in all its -limbs, from head to foot; its hoofs are cloven, its skin is soft, its -wool is adapted for clothing, but it has no horns, only the hairs of its -head, which grow, and are intertwined like horns. Its height is half a -cubit and more. According to those who speak of this wondrous thing, its -taste is like the flesh of fish, its blood as sweet as honey, and it -lives as long as there is herbage within reach of the stem, from which -it derives its life. If the herbage is destroyed or perishes, the animal -also dies away. It has rest from all beasts and birds of prey, except -the wolf, which seeks to destroy it.' The author concludes by expressing -his belief that this account of the animal having the shape of a lamb is -more likely to be true than it is of human form." - -As I have said, there are several delineations of this Borametz or -Borometz, but there is one, a frontispiece to the 1656 edition of the -_Paridisi in Sole--Paradisus Terrestris_, of John Parkinson, Apothecary -of London, in which, together with Adam and Eve, the _lamb-tree_ is -shown as flourishing in the Garden of Eden; and Du Bartas, in "His -_divine WEEKES And WORKES_" in his poem of Eden, (the first day of the -second week), makes Adam to take a tour of Eden, and describes his -wonder at what he sees, especially at the "lamb-plant." - - "Musing, anon through crooked Walks he wanders, - Round-winding rings, and intricate Meanders, - Fals-guiding paths, doubtfull beguiling strays, - And right-wrong errors of an end-less Maze: - Not simply hedged with a single border - Of _Rosemary_, cut-out with curious order, - In _Satyrs_, _Centaurs_, _Whales_, and _half-men-Horses_, - And thousand other counterfaited corses; - But with true Beasts, fast in the ground still sticking, - Feeding on grass, and th' airy moisture licking: - Such as those _Bonarets_, in _Scythia_ bred - Of slender seeds, and with green fodder fed; - Although their bodies, noses, mouthes and eys, - Of new-yean'd Lambs have full the form and guise; - And should be very Lambs, save that (for foot) - Within the ground they fix a living root, - Which at their navell growes, and dies that day - That they have brouz'd the neighbour grass away. - O wondrous vertue of God onely good! - The Beast hath root, the Plant hath flesh and blood - The nimble Plant can turn it to and fro; - The nummed Beast can neither stir nor go: - The Plant is leaf-less, branch-less, void of fruit; - The Beast is lust-less, sex-less, fire-less, mute; - The Plant with Plants his hungry panch doth feed; - Th' admired Beast is sowen a slender seed." - -Of the other kind of "lamb-tree," that which bears lambs in pods, we -have an account, in Sir John Maundeville's Travels. "Whoso goeth from -Cathay to Inde, the high and the low, he shal go through a Kingdom that -men call Cadissen, and it is a great lande, there groweth a manner of -fruite as it were gourdes, and when it is ripe men cut it a sonder, and -men fynde therein a beast as it were of fleshe and bone and bloud, as -it were a lyttle lambe without wolle, and men eate the beaste and fruite -also, and sure it seemeth very strange." - -And in the "Journall of Frier Odoricus," which I have incorporated in my -edition of "The Voiage and Travayle of Syr John Maundeville, Knight," he -says: "I was informed also by certaine credible persons of another -miraculous thing, namely, that in a certaine Kingdome of the sayd Can, -wherein stand the mountains called Kapsei (the Kingdomes name is Kalor) -there groweth great Gourds or Pompions, (_pumpkins_) which being ripe, -doe open at the tops, and within them is found a little beast like unto -a yong lambe." - - - - -THE CHIMÆRA. - - -[Illustration] - -Aldrovandus gives us the accompanying illustration of a Chimæra, a -fabulous Classical monster, said to possess three heads, those of a -lion, a goat, and a dragon. It used so to be pictorially treated, but in -more modern times as Aldrovandus represents. The mountain _Chimæra_, now -called Yanar, is in ancient Lycia, in Asia Minor, and was a burning -mountain, which, according to Spratt, is caused by a stream of -inflammable gas, issuing from a crevice. This monster is easily -explained, if we can believe Servius, the Commentator of Virgil, who -says that flames issue from the top of the mountain, and that there are -lions in the vicinity; the middle part abounds in goats, and the lower -part with serpents. - - - - -THE HARPY AND SIREN. - - -[Illustration] - -The conjunction of the human form with birds is very easy, wings being -fitted to it, as in the case of angels--and as applied to beasts, this -treatment is very ancient, _vide_ the winged bulls of Assyria, and the -classical Pegasus, or winged horse. With birds, the best form in which -it is treated in Mythology is the Harpy. This is taken from Aldrovandus, -and fully illustrates the mixture of bird and woman, described by -Shakespeare in _Pericles_ (iv. 3):-- - - "_Cleon._ Thou'rt like the harpy, - Which to betray, dost, with thine angel's face, - Seize with thine eagle's talons." - -[Illustration] - -Then, also, we have the Siren, shown by this illustration, taken from -Pompeii. These Sea Nymphs were like the Harpies, depicted as a compound -of bird and woman. Like them also, there were three of them; but, -unlike them, they had such lovely voices, and were so beautiful, that -they lured seamen to their destruction, they having no power to combat -the allurements of the Sirens; whilst the Harpies emitted an infectious -smell, and spoiled whatever they touched, with their filth, and -excrements. - -[Illustration] - -Licetus, writing in 1634, and Zahn, in 1696, give the accompanying -picture of a monster born at Ravenna in 1511 or 1512. It had a horn on -the top of its head, two wings, was without arms, and only one leg like -that of a bird of prey. It had an eye in its knee, and was of both -sexes. It had the face and body of a man, except in the lower part, -which was covered with feathers. - -Marcellus Palonius Romanus made some Latin verses upon this prodigy, -which may be thus rendered into English:-- - - A Monster strange in fable, and deform - Still more in fact; sailing with swiftest wing, - He threatens double slaughter, and converts - To thy fell ruin, flames of living fire. - Of double sex, it spares no sex, alike - With kindred blood it fills th' Æmathian plain; - Its corpses strew alike both street and sea. - There hoary Thetis and the Nereids - Swim shudd'ring through the waves, while floating wide - The fish replete on human bodies----. Such, - Ravenna, was the Monster which foretold - Thy fall, which brings thee now such bitter woe, - Tho' boasting in thy image triumph-crowned. - - - - -THE BARNACLE GOOSE. - - -Of all extraordinary beliefs, that in the Barnacle Goose, which obtained -credence from the eleventh to the seventeenth centuries, is as wonderful -as any. The then accepted fact that the Barnacle Goose was generated on -trees, and dropped alive in the water, dates back a hundred years before -Gerald de Barri. Otherwise Giraldus Cambrensis wrote in 1187, about -these birds, the following being a translation:-- - -"There are here many birds which are called Bernacæ, which nature -produces in a manner contrary to nature, and very wonderful. They are -like marsh-geese, but smaller. They are produced from fir timber tossed -about at sea, and are at first like geese upon it. Afterwards they hang -down by their beaks, as if from a sea-weed attached to the wood, and are -enclosed in shells that they may grow the more freely. Having thus, in -course of time, been clothed with a strong covering of feathers, they -either fall into the water, or seek their liberty in the air by flight. -The embryo geese derive their growth and nutriment from the moisture of -the wood or of the sea, in a secret and most marvellous manner. I have -seen with my own eyes more than a thousand minute bodies of these birds -hanging from one piece of timber on the shore, enclosed in shells, and -already formed. The eggs are not impregnated _in coitu_, like those of -other birds, nor does the bird sit upon its eggs to hatch them, and in -no corner of the world have they been known to build a nest. Hence the -bishops and clergy in some parts of Ireland are in the habit of -partaking of these birds, on fast days, without scruple. But in doing so -they are led into sin. For, if any one were to eat of the leg of our -first parent, although he (Adam) was not born of flesh, that person -could not be adjudged innocent of eating flesh." - -We see here, that Giraldus speaks of these barnacles being developed on -wreckage in the sea, but does not mention their growing upon trees, -which was the commoner belief. I have quoted both Sir John Maundeville, -and Odoricus, about the lamb-tree, which neither seem to consider very -wonderful, for Sir John says: "Neverthelesse I sayd to them that I held -y^t for no marvayle, for I sayd that in my countrey are trees y^t beare -fruit, y^t become byrds flying, and they are good to eate, and that that -falleth on the water, liveth, and that that falleth on earth, dyeth, -and they marvailed much thereat." And the Friar, in continuation of his -story of the _Borometz_, says: "Even as I my selfe have heard reported -that there stand certaine trees upon the shore of the Irish Sea, bearing -fruit like unto a gourd, which at a certaine time of the yeere doe fall -into the water, and become birds called Bernacles, and this is most -true." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus, in speaking of the breeding of Ducks in Scotland, says: -"Moreover, another _Scotch_ Historian, who diligently sets down the -secret of things, saith that in the _Orcades_, (_the Orkneys_) Ducks -breed of a certain Fruit falling in the Sea; and these shortly after, -get wings, and fly to the tame or wild ducks." And, whilst discoursing -on Geese, he affirms that "some breed from Trees, as I said of Scotland -Ducks in the former Chapter." Sebastian Müenster, from whom I have taken -the preceding illustration, says in his _Cosmographia Universalis_:--"In -Scotland there are trees which produce fruit, conglomerated of their -leaves; and this fruit, when, in due time, it falls into the water -beneath it, is endowed with new life, and is converted into a living -bird, which they call the 'tree goose.' This tree grows in the Island -of Pomonia, which is not far from Scotland, towards the North. Several -old Cosmographers, especially Saxo Grammaticus, mention the tree, and it -must not be regarded as fictitious, as some new writers suppose." - -In Camden's "Britannia" (translated by Edmund Gibson, Bishop of London) -he says, speaking of Buchan:--"It is hardly worth while to mention the -clayks, a sort of geese; which are believed by some, (with great -admiration) to grow upon the trees on this coast and in other places, -and, when they are ripe, to fall down into the sea; because neither -their nests nor eggs can anywhere be found. But they who saw the ship, -in which Sir Francis Drake sailed round the world, when it was laid up -in the river Thames, could testify, that little birds breed in the old -rotten keels of ships; since a great number of such, without life and -feathers, stuck close to the outside of the keel of that ship; yet I -should think, that the generation of these birds was not from the logs -of wood, but from the sea, termed by the poets 'the parent of all -things.'" - -[Illustration] - -In "Purchas, his Pilgrimage," is the voyage of Gerat de Veer to China, -&c., in 1569--and he speaks of the Barnacle goose thus:--"Those geese -were of a perfit red colour, such as come to Holland about Weiringen, -and every yeere are there taken in abundance, but till this time, it was -never knowne where they hatcht their egges, so that some men have taken -upon them to write that they sit upon trees in Scotland, that hang over -the water, and such eggs that fall from them downe into the water, -become young geese, and swim there out of the water: but those that fall -upon the land, burst asunder, and are lost; but that is now found to be -contrary, that no man could tell where they breed their egges, for that -no man that ever wee knew, had ever beene under 80°; nor that land under -80° was never set downe in any card, much lesse the red geese that -breede therein." He and his sailors declared that they had seen these -birds sitting on their eggs, and hatching them, on the coasts of Nova -Zembla. - -Du Bartas thus mentions this goose:-- - - "So, slowe Boötes underneath him sees, - In th' ycie iles, those goslings hatcht of trees; - Whose fruitfull leaves, falling into the water, - Are turned, (they say) to living fowls soon after. - So, rotten sides of broken ships do change - To barnacles; O transformation strange! - 'Twas first a green tree, then a gallant hull, - Lately a mushroom, now a flying gull." - -I could multiply quotations on this subject. Gesner and every other -naturalist believed in the curious birth of the Barnacle goose--and so -even did Aldrovandus, writing at the close of the seventeenth century, -for from him I take this illustration. But enough has been said upon the -subject. - - - - -REMARKABLE EGG. - - -[Illustration] - -No wonder that a credulous age, which could see nothing extraordinary in -the Barnacle goose, could also, metaphorically, swallow such an egg, as -Licetus, first of all, and Aldrovandus, after him, gives us in the -accompanying true picture. The latter says that a goose's egg was found -in France, (he leaves a liberal margin for locality,) which on being -broken appeared exactly as in the picture. Comment thereon is useless. - - - - -MOON WOMAN. - - -[Illustration] - -One would have imagined that this Egg would be sufficient to test the -credulity of most people, but Aldrovandus was equal to the occasion, and -he gives us a "Moon Woman," who lays eggs, sits upon them, and hatches -Giants; and he gives this on the authority of Lycosthenes and Ravisius -Textor. - - - - -THE GRIFFIN. - - -There always has been a tradition of birds being existent, of far -greater size than those usually visible. - -The Maoris aver that at times they still hear the gigantic Moa in the -scrub--and, even, if extinct, we know, by the state of the bones found, -that its extinction must have been of comparatively recent date. But no -one credits the Moa with the power of flight, whilst the Griffin, which -must not be confounded with the gold-loving Arimaspian Gryphon, was a -noble bird. Mandeville knew him:--"In this land (_Bactria_) are many -gryffons, more than in other places, and some say they have the body -before as an Egle, and behinde as a Lyon, and it is trouth, for they be -made so; but the Griffen hath a body greater than viii Lyons, and stall -worthier (_stouter_, _braver_) than a hundred Egles. For certainly he -wyl beare to his nest flying, a horse and a man upon his back, or two -Oxen yoked togither as they go at plowgh, for he hath longe nayles on -hys fete, as great as it were hornes of Oxen, and of those they make -Cups there to drynke of, and of his rybes they make bowes to shoote -with." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus says they live in the far Northern mountains, that they -prey upon horses and men, and that of their nails drinking-cups were -made, as large as ostrich eggs. These enormous birds correspond in many -points to the Eastern Ruc or Rukh, or the Rok of the "Arabian Nights," -of whose mighty powers of flight Sindbad took advantage. - -Ser Marco Polo, speaking of Madagascar, says:--"'Tis said that in those -other Islands to the south, which the ships are unable to visit because -this strong current prevents their return, is found the bird _Gryphon_, -which appears there at certain seasons. The description given of it is, -however, entirely different from what our stories and pictures make it. -For persons who had been there and had seen it, told Messer Marco Polo -that it was for all the world like an eagle, but one indeed of enormous -size; so big in fact, that its wings covered an extent of 30 paces, and -its quills were 12 paces long, and thick in proportion. And it is so -strong that it will seize an Elephant in its talons, and carry him high -into the air, and drop him so that he is smashed to pieces: having so -killed him, the bird gryphon swoops down on him, and eats him at -leisure. The people of those isles call the bird _Ruc_, and it has no -other name. So I wot not if this be the real gryphon, or if there be -another manner of bird as great. But this I can tell you for certain, -that they are not half lion and half bird, as our stories do relate; -but, enormous as they be, they are fashioned just like an eagle. - -"The Great Kaan sent to those parts to enquire about these curious -matters, and the story was told by those who went thither. He also sent -to procure the release of an envoy of his who had been despatched -thither, and had been detained; so both those envoys had many wonderful -things to tell the Great Kaan about those strange islands, and about the -birds I have mentioned. They brought (as I heard) to the Great Kaan, a -feather of the said Ruc, which was stated to measure 90 Spans, whilst -the quill part was two palms in circumference, a marvellous object! The -Great Kaan was delighted with it, and gave great presents to those who -brought it." - -This quill seems rather large; other travellers, however, perhaps not so -truthful as Ser Marco, speak of these enormous quills. The Moa of New -Zealand (_Dinornis giganteus_) is supposed to have been the largest bird -in Creation--and next to that is the _Æpyornis maximus_--_whose bones -and egg have been found in Madagascar_. An egg is in the British Museum, -and it has a liquid capacity of 2.35 gallons, but, alas, for the quill -story--this bird was wingless. - -The Condor has been put forward as the real and veritable Ruc, but no -living specimens will compare with this bird as it has been -described--especially if we take the picture of it in Lane's "Arabian -Nights," where it is represented as taking up _three_ elephants, one in -its beak, and one in each of its claws. - -The Japanese have a legend of a great bird which carried off men--and -there is a very graphic picture now on view at the White Wing of the -British Museum, where one of these birds, having seized a man, -frightens, very naturally, the whole community. - - - - -THE PHOENIX. - - -Pliny says of the Phoenix:--"Æthiopia and India, more especially produce -birds of diversified plumage, and such as quite surpass all -description. In the front rank of these is the Phoenix, that famous bird -of Arabia; though I am not sure that its existence is not a fable. - -"It is said that there is only one in existence in the whole world, and -that that one has not been seen very often. We are told that this bird -is of the size of an eagle, and has a brilliant golden plumage around -the neck, whilst the rest of the body is a purple colour; except the -tail, which is azure, with long feathers intermingled, of a roseate hue; -the throat is adorned with a crest, and the head with a tuft of -feathers. The first Roman who described this bird, and who has done so -with great exactness, was the Senator Manilius, so famous for his -learning; which he owed, too, to the instructions of no teacher. He -tells us that no person has ever seen this bird eat, that in Arabia it -is looked upon as sacred to the Sun; that it lives five hundred and -forty years. That when it is old it builds a nest of Cassia and sprigs -of incense, which it fills with perfumes, and then lays its body down -upon them to die: that from its bones and marrow there springs at first -a sort of small worm, which, in time, changes into a little bird; that -the first thing it does is to perform the obsequies of its predecessor, -and to carry the nest entire to the City of the Sun near Panchaia, and -there deposit it upon the altar of that divinity. - -"The same Manilius states also, that the revolution of the great year is -completed with the life of this bird, and that then a new cycle comes -round again with the same characteristics as the former one, in the -seasons and the appearance of the stars; and he says that this begins -about midday of the day in which the Sun enters the sign of Aries. He -also tells us that when he wrote to the above effect, in the consulship -of P. Licinius, and Cneius Cornelius, (B.C. 96) it was the two hundred -and fifteenth year of the said revolution. Cornelius Valerianus -says that the Phoenix took its flight from Arabia into Egypt in the -Consulship of Q. Plautius and Sextus Papinius, (A.D. 36). This bird was -brought to Rome in the Censorship of the Emperor Claudius, being the -year from the building of the City, 800, (A.D. 47) and it was exposed to -public view in the Comitium. This fact is attested by the public Annals, -but there is no one that doubts that it was a fictitious Phoenix." - -Cuvier seems to think that the bird described above was a Golden -Pheasant, brought from the interior of Asia--at a time when these birds -were unknown to civilised Europe. - -Du Bartas, in his metrical account of the Creation, mentions this winged -prodigy:-- - - "The Heav'nly Phoenix first began to frame - The earthly _Phoenix_, and adorn'd the same - With such a Plume, that Phoebus, circuiting - From _Fez_ to _Cairo_, sees no fairer thing: - Such form, such feathers, and such Fate he gave her - That fruitfull Nature breedeth nothing braver: - Two sparkling eyes; upon her crown, a crest - Of starrie Sprigs (more splendent than the rest) - A goulden doun about her dainty neck, - Her brest deep purple, and a scarlet back, - Her wings and train of feathers (mixed fine) - Of orient azure and incarnadine. - He did appoint her Fate to be her Pheer, - And Death's cold kisses to restore her heer - Her life again, which never shall expire - Untill (as she) the World consume in fire. - For, having passed under divers Climes, - A thousand Winters, and a thousand Primes; - Worn out with yeers, wishing her endless end, - To shining flames she doth her life commend, - Dies to revive, and goes into her Grave - To rise againe more beautifull and brave. - With Incense, Cassia, Spiknard, Myrrh, and Balm, - By break of Day shee builds (in narrow room) - Her Urn, her Nest, her Cradle, and her Toomb; - Where, while she sits all gladly-sad expecting - Some flame (against her fragrant heap reflecting) - To burn her sacred bones to seedfull cinders, - (Wherein, her age, but not her life, she renders.) - - * * * * * - - And _Sol_ himself, glancing his goulden eyes - On th' odoriferous Couch wherein she lies, - Kindles the spice, and by degrees consumes - Th' immortall _Phoenix_, both her flesh and plumes. - But instantly, out of her ashes springs - A Worm, an Egg then, then a Bird with wings, - Just like the first, (rather the same indeed) - Which (re-ingendred of its selfly seed) - By nobly dying, a new Date begins, - And where she loseth, there her life she wins: - Endless by'r End, eternall by her Toomb; - While, by a prosperous Death, she doth becom - (Among the cinders of her sacred Fire) - Her own selfs Heir, Nurse, Nurseling, Dam and Sire." - - - - -THE SWALLOW. - - "And is the swallow gone? - Who beheld it? - Which way sailed it? - Farewell bade it none?" - - (_W. Smith, Country book._) - - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus answered this question, according to his lights, and when, -discoursing on the Migration of Swallows he says:--"Though many Writers -of Natural Histories have written that Swallows change their stations; -that is, when cold Winter begins to come, they fly to hotter Climats; -yet oft-times, in the Northern Countries, Swallows are drawn forth, by -chance by Fishermen, like a lump cleaving together, where they went -amongst the Reeds, after the beginning of Autumn, and there fasten -themselves bill to bill, wing to wing, feet to feet. For it is observed, -that they, about that time ending their most sweet note, (?) do so -descend, and they fly out peaceably after the beginning of the Spring, -and come to their old Nests, or else they build new ones by their -natural care. Now that lump being drawn forth by ignorant young men (for -the old Fishermen that are acquainted with it, put it in again) is -carryed and laid on the Sea Shore, and by the heat of the Sun, the Lump -is dissolved, and the Swallows begin to fly, but they last but a short -time because they were not set at liberty by being taken so soon, but -they were made captive by it. It hapneth also in the Spring, when they -return freely, and come to their old Nests, or make new ones, if a very -cold Winter come upon them, and much snow fall, they will all dye; that -all that Summer you shall see none of them upon the Houses, or Banks, -or Rivers; but a very few that came later out of the Waters, or from -other Parts, which by Nature come flying thither, to repair their Issue. -Winter being fully ended in _May_; For Husband-Men, from their Nests, -built higher or lower, take their Prognostications, whether they shall -sowe in Valleys, or Mountains or Hills, according as the Rain shall -increase or diminish. Also the Inhabitants hold it an ill sign, if the -Swallows refuse to build upon their houses; for they fear those -House-tops are ready to fall." - -This is proper, and good, and what we might expect from Olaus Magnus; -but it is somewhat singular to see, printed in _Notes and Queries_ for -October 22, 1864, the following:-- - -"The Duke de R---- related to me, a few days ago, that in Sweden, the -swallows, as soon as the winter begins to approach, plunge themselves -into the lakes, where they remain asleep and hidden under the ice till -the return of the summer; when, revived by the new warmth, they come out -from the water, and fly away as formerly. While the lakes are frozen, if -somebody will break the ice in those parts where it appears darker than -in the rest, he will find masses of swallows--cold, asleep, and half -dead; which, by taking out of their retreat, and warming, he will see -gradually to vivify again and fly. - -"In other countries they retire very often to the Caverns, under the -rocks. As many of these exist between the City of Caen, and the Sea, on -the banks of the river Orne, there are found sometimes, during the -winter, piles of swallows suspended in these vaults, like bundles of -grapes. I witnessed the same thing, myself, in Italy; where, as well as -in France, it is considered (as I have heard) very lucky by the -inhabitants when swallows build nests on their habitations.... -_Rhodocanakis._" - -Of course, these stories of curious hybernation were pooh-poohed, -although it could not be denied that the subaqueous hybernation of -swallows is given in Goldsmith's "Animated Nature," and many other -Natural Histories, which succeeded his. - -The wintering of swallows in caverns, has another eye-witness in Edward -Williams (_Iolo Morganwg_), who in his "Poems, Lyrics, and Pastorals," -published 1794, says:--"About the year 1768, the author, with two or -three more, found a great number of swallows in a torpid state, clinging -in clusters to each other by their bills, in a cave of the sea-cliffs -near Dunraven Castle, in the County of Glamorgan. They revived after -they had been some hours in a warm room, but died a day or two after, -though all possible care had been taken of them." - - - - -THE MARTLET, AND FOOTLESS BIRDS. - - -Of the Martin, or, as in Heraldry it is written, _Martlet_, Guillim thus -writes:--"The Martlet, or Martinet, saith Bekenhawh, hath Legs so -exceeding short, that they can by no means go: (_walk_) And thereupon, -it seemeth, the _Grecians_ do call them _Apodes, quasi sine pedibus_; -not because they do want Feet, but because they have not such Use of -their Feet, as other Birds have. And if perchance they fall upon the -Ground, they cannot raise themselves upon their Feet, as others do, and -prepare themselves to flight. For this Cause they are accustomed to make -their Nests upon Rocks and other high places, from whence they may -easily take their flight, by Means of the Support of the Air. Hereupon -it came, that this Bird is painted in Arms without Feet: and for this -Cause it is also given for a Difference of younger Brethren, to put them -in mind to trust to their wings of Vertue and Merit, to raise -themselves, and not to their Legs, having little Land to put their foot -on." - -The Alerion is a small bird of the eagle tribe, heraldically depicted as -without beak or feet. - -Butler in "Hudibras" writes-- - - "Like a bird of paradise, - Or herald's Martlet, has no legs, - Nor hatches young ones, nor lays eggs." - -The Bird of Paradise was unknown to the ancients, and one of the -earliest notices of this bird is given in Magalhaen's voyage in -1521:--"The King of Bachian, one of the Molucca Islands, sent two dead -birds preserved, which were of extraordinary beauty. In size they were -not larger than the thrush: the head was small, with a long bill; the -legs were of the thickness of a common quill, and a span in length; the -tail resembled that of the thrush; they had no wings, but in the place -where wings usually are, they had tufts of long feathers, of different -colours; all the other feathers were dark. The inhabitants of the -Moluccas had a tradition that this bird came from Paradise, and they -call it _bolondinata_, which signifies the 'bird of God.'" - -By-and-by, as trade increased, the skins of this bird were found to have -a high market value, but the natives always brought them, when they came -to trade, with their legs cut off. Thence sprang the absurd rumour that -they had no legs, although in the early account just quoted, their legs -are expressly mentioned. Linnæus called the emerald birds of Paradise -_apoda_ or legless; whilst Tavernier says that these birds getting drunk -on nutmegs, fall helpless to the ground, and then the ants eat off their -legs. - - "But note we now, towards the rich _Moluques_, - Those passing strange and wondrous (birds) _Manueques_. - (Wond'rous indeed, if Sea, or Earth, or Sky, - Saw ever wonder swim, or goe, or fly) - None knowes their Nest, none knowes the dam that breeds them; - Foodless they live; for th' Aire alonely feeds them: - Wingless they fly; and yet their flight extends, - Till with their flight, their unknown live's-date ends." - - - - -SNOW BIRDS. - - -But we must leave warm climes, and birds of Paradise, and speak of -"Birds shut up under the Snow." - -[Illustration] - -"There are in the Northern Countries Wood-Cocks, like to pheasant for -bigness, but their Tails are much shorter, and they are cole black all -over their bodies, with some white feathers at the end of their Tails -and Wings. The Males have a red Comb standing upright; the Females have -one that is low and large, and the colour is grey. These Birds are of an -admirable Nature to endure huge Cold in the Woods, as the Ducks in the -Waters. But when the Snow covers the Superficies of the Earth, like to -Hills, all over, and for a long time presse down the boughs of the Trees -with their weight, they eat certain Fruits of the Birch-Tree, called in -_Italian_ (_Gatulo_) like to a long Pear, and they swallow them whole, -and that in so great quantity, and so greedily, that their throat is -stuffed, and seems greater than all their body. - -"Then they part their Companies, and thrust themselves all over into the -snow, especially in _January_, _February_ and _March_, when Snow and -Whirlwinds, Storms, and grievous Tempests, descend from the Clouds. And -when they are covered all over, that not one of them can be seen, lying -all in heaps, for certain weeks they live, with meat collected in their -throats, and cast forth, and resumed. The Hunter's Dogs cannot find -them; yet by the Cunning of the crafty Hunters, it falls out, that when -the Dogs err in their scent, they, by signs, will catch a number of -living Birds, and will draw them forth to their great profit. But they -must do that quickly; because when they hear the Dogs bark, they -presently rise like Bees, and take up on the Wing, and fly aloft. But, -if they perceive that the Snow will be greater, they devour the foresaid -Fruit again, and take a new dwelling, and there they stay till the end -of March: or, if the snow melt sooner, when the Sun goes out of _Aries_; -for then the snow melting, by an instinct of Nature (as many other -Birds) they rise out of their holes to lay Eggs, and produce young ones; -and this in Mountains where bryars are, and thick Trees. Males and -Females sit on the Eggs by turns, and both of them keep the Young, and -chiefly the Male, that neither the Eagle nor Fox may catch them. - -"These Birds fly in great sholes together, and they remain in high -Trees, chiefly Birch-Trees; and they come not down, but for propagation, -because they have food enough on the top of their Trees. And when -Hunters or Countreymen, to whom those fields belong, see them fly all -abroad, over the fields full of snow, they pitch up staves obliquely -from the Earth, above the Snow, eight or ten foot high; and at the top -of them, there hangs a snare, that moves with the least touch, and so -they catch these Birds; because they, when they Couple, leap strangely, -as Partridges do, and so they fall into these snares, and hang there. -And when one seems to be caught in the Gin, the others fly to free her, -and are caught in the like snare. There is also another way to catch -them, namely with arrows and stalking-horses, that they may not suspect -it.... - -"There is also another kind of Birds called _Bonosa_, whose flesh is -outwardly black, inwardly white: they are as delicate good meat as -Partridges, yet as great as Pheasants. At the time of Propagation, the -Male runs with open mouth till he foam; then the Female runs and -receives the same; and from thence she seems to conceive, and bring -forth eggs, and to produce her young." - - - - -THE SWAN. - - -The ancient fable so dear, even to modern poets, that Swans sing before -they die--was not altogether believed even in classical times, as saith -Pliny:--"It is stated that at the moment of the swan's death, it gives -utterance to a mournful song; but this is an error, in my opinion; at -least, I have tested the truth of the story on several occasions." That -some swans have a kind of voice, and can change a note or two, no one -who has met with a flock or two of "hoopers," or wild swans, can deny. - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus relates the fable--and quotes Plato, that the swan sings at -its death, not from sorrow, but out of joy, at finishing its life. He -also gives us a graphic illustration of how swans may be caught by -playing to them on a lute or other stringed instrument, and also that -they were to be caught by men (playing music) with stalking-horses, in -the shape of oxen, or horses; and, in another page, he says, that not -far from London, the Metropolis of England, on the River Thames, may be -found more than a thousand domesticated swans. - - - - -THE ALLE, ALLE. - - -[Illustration] - -"There is also in this Lake (_the White Lake_) a kind of bird, very -frequent; and in other Coasts of the _Bothnick_ and _Swedish_ Sea, that -cries incessantly all the Summer, _Alle, Alle_, therefore they are -called all over, by the Inhabitants, _Alle, Alle_. For in that Lake such -a multitude of great birds is found, (as I said before) by reason of the -fresh Waters that spring from hot springs, that they seem to cover all -the shores and rivers, especially Sea-Crows, or Cormorants, Coots, More -Hens, two sorts of Ducks, Swans, and infinite smaller Water Birds. These -Crows, and other devouring birds, the hunters can easily take, because -they fly slowly, and not above two or four Cubits above the Water: thus -they do it on the narrow Rocks, as in the Gates of Islands, on the Banks -of them, they hang black nets, or dyed of a Watry Colour upon Spears; -and these, with Pulleys, will quickly slip up or down, that in great -Sholes they catch the Birds that fly thither by letting the Nets fall -upon them: and this is necessary, because those Birds fly so slowly, and -right forward; so that few escape. Also, sometimes Ducks, and other -Birds are taken in these Nets. Wherefore these black, or slow Birds, -whether they swim or fly, are always crying _Alle, Alle_, which in -Latine signifies _All, All_, (_Omnes_) and so they do when they are -caught in the Nets: and this voyce the cunning Fowler interprets thus, -that he hath not, as yet, all of them in his Nets; nor ever shall have, -though he had six hundred Nets." - - - - -THE HOOPOE AND LAPWING. - - -Whether the following bird is meant for the Hoopoe, or the Lapwing, I -know not. The Latin version has "De Upupis," which clearly means -Hoopoes--and the translation says, "Of the Whoups or Lapwings"--I follow -the latter. "_Lapwings_, when at a set time they come to the Northern -Countries from other parts, they foreshew the nearnesse of the Spring -coming on. It is a Bird that is full of crying and lamentation, to -preserve her Eggs, or young. By importunate crying, she shews that Foxes -lye hid in the grasse; and so she cries out in all places, to drive away -dogs and other Beasts. They fight with Swallows, Pies, and Jackdaws. - -[Illustration] - -"On Hillocks, in Lakes, she lays her Eggs, and hatcheth her young ones. -Made tame she will cleane a house of Flyes, and catch Mice. She -foreshews Rain when she cries; which also Field Scorpions do, called -Mares, Cuckows; who by flying overthwart, and crying loudly, foreshew -Rain at hand; also the larger Scorpions, with huge long snouts, fore -signifie Rain; so do Woodpeckers. There is a Bird also called Rayn, as -big as a Partridge that hath Feathers of divers colours, of a yellow, -white, and black colour: This is supposed to live upon nothing but Ayr, -though she be fat, nothing is found in her belly. The Fowlers hunt her -with long poles, which they cast high in the Ayr to fright her, so that -they may catch the Bird flying down." - - - - -THE OSTRICH. - - -[Illustration] - -Modern observation, and especially Ostrich farming, has thoroughly -exploded the old errors respecting this bird. We believe in its powers -of _swallowing_ anything not too large, but not in its _digesting_ -everything, and certainly not, as Muenster would fain have us believe, -that an Ostrich's dinner consists of a church-door key, and a -horse-shoe. As matters of fact, we know that, when pursued, they do not -bury their heads in the sand, or a bush; and instead of covering their -eggs with sand, and leaving the sun to hatch them, both the male and -female are excellent, and model parents. - -Pliny, however, says differently:--"This bird exceeds in height a man -sitting on horseback, and can surpass him in swiftness, as wings have -been given to aid it in running; in other respects Ostriches cannot be -considered as birds, and do not raise themselves from the earth. They -have cloven talons, very similar to the hoof of the stag (_they have but -two toes_); with these they fight, and they also employ them in seizing -stones for the purpose of throwing at those who pursue them. They have -the marvellous property of being able to digest every substance without -distinction, but their stupidity is no less remarkable: for although the -rest of their body is so large, they imagine when they have thrust their -head and neck into a bush, that the whole body is concealed." - -Giovanni Leone Africano writes that "this fowle liveth in drie desarts -and layeth to the number of ten or twelve egges in the sand, which being -about the bignesse of great bullets weigh fifteen pounds a piece; but -the ostrich is of so weak a memorie, that she presently forgetteth the -place where her egges were laid, and, afterwards the same, or some other -ostrich hen finding the said eggs by chance hatched and fostereth them -as if they were certainely her owne. The chickens are no sooner crept -out of the shell but they prowle up and downe the desarts for their -food, and before theyr feathers be growne they are so swifte that a man -shall hardly overtake them. The ostrich is a silly and deafe creature, -feeding upon any thing which it findeth, be it as hard and indigestible -as yron." - - - - -THE HALCYON. - - -Of this bird, the Kingfisher, Aristotle thus discourses:--"The halcyon -is not much larger than a sparrow; its colour is blue and green, and -somewhat purple; its whole body is composed of these colours as well as -the wings and neck, nor is any part without every one of these colours. -Its bill is somewhat yellow, long and slight; this is its external form. -Its nest resembles the marine balls which are called halosachnæ -(_probably a Zoophyte_, Alcyonia) except in colour, for they are red; in -form it resembles those sicyæ (cucumbers) which have long necks; its -size is that of a very large sponge, for some are greater, others less. -They are covered up, and have a thick solid part, as well as the cavity; -it is not easily cut with a sharp knife, but, when struck or broken with -the hand, it divides readily like the halosachnæ. The mouth is narrow, -as it were a small entrance, so that the sea water cannot enter, even if -the Sea is rough: its cavity is like that of the Sponge. The material of -which the nest is composed is disputed, but it appears to be principally -composed of the spines of the _belone_, for the bird lives on fish." - -Pliny says:--"It is a thing of very rare occurrence to see a halcyon, -and then it is only about the time of the setting of the Vergiliæ, and -the summer and winter solstices; when one is sometimes to be seen to -hover about a ship, and then immediately disappear. They hatch their -young at the time of the winter solstice, from which circumstance those -days are known as the 'halcyon days;' during this period the sea is calm -and navigable, the Sicilian sea in particular." - -"Halcyon days" is used proverbially, but the Kingfisher had another -very useful trait. If a dead Kingfisher were hung up by a cord, it would -point its beak to the quarter whence the wind blew. Shakespeare mentions -this property in _King Lear_ (ii. 1):-- - - "Turn their halcyon beaks - With every gale and vary of their masters." - -And Marlowe, in his _Jew of Malta_ (i. 1):-- - - "But now, how stands the wind? - Into what corner peers my halcyon bill?" - - - - -THE PELICAN. - - -[Illustration] - -The fable of the Pelican "in her piety, vulning herself," as it is -heraldically described--is so well known, as hardly to be worth -mentioning, even to contradict it. In the first place, the heraldic bird -is as unlike the real one, as it is possible to be; but the legend seems -to have had its origin in Egypt, where the vulture was credited with -this extraordinary behaviour, and this bird is decidedly more in -accordance with the heraldic ideal. Du Bartas, singing of "Charitable -birds," praises equally the Stork and the Pelican:-- - - "The _Stork_, still eyeing her deer _Thessalie_, - The _Pelican_ comforteth cheerfully: - Prayse-worthy Payer; which pure examples yield - Of faithfull Father, and Officious Childe: - Th' one quites (in time) her Parents love exceeding, - From whom shee had her birth and tender breeding; - Not onely brooding under her warm brest - Their age-chill'd bodies bed-rid in the nest; - Nor only bearing them upon her back - Through th' empty Aire, when their own wings they lack; - But also, sparing (This let Children note) - Her daintiest food from her own hungry throat, - To feed at home her feeble Parents, held - From forraging, with heavy Gyves of Eld. - The other, kindly, for her tender Brood - Tears her own bowells, trilleth-out her blood, - To heal her young, and in a wondrous sort, - Unto her Children doth her life transport: - For finding them by som fell Serpent slain, - She rends her brest, and doth upon them rain - Her vitall humour; whence recovering heat, - They by her death, another life do get." - - - - -THE TROCHILUS. - - -This bird, as described by Aristotle, and others, is of a peculiar turn -of mind:--"When the Crocodile gapes, the trochilus flies into its mouth -to cleanse its teeth; in this process the trochilus procures food, and -the other perceives it, and does not injure it; when the Crocodile -wishes the trochilus to leave, it moves its neck that it may not bite -the bird." - -Giovanni Leone--before quoted--says, respecting this bird:--"As we -sayled further we saw great numbers of crocodiles upon the banks of the -ilands in the midst of Nilus lye baking them in the sunne with their -jawes wide open, whereinto certaine little birds about the bignesse of a -thrush entering, came flying forth againe presently after. The occasion -whereof was told me to be this: the crocodiles by reason of their -continuall devouring beasts and fishes have certaine pieces of flesh -sticking fast betweene their forked teeth, which flesh being putrified, -breedeth a kind of worme, wherewith they are cruelly tormented; wherefor -the said birds flying about, and seeing the wormes enter into the -Crocodile's jaws to satisfie their hunger thereon, but the Crocodile -perceiving himselfe freede from the wormes of his teeth, offereth to -shut his mouth, and to devour the little bird that did him so good a -turne, but being hindred from his ungratefull attempt by a pricke which -groweth upon the bird's head, hee is constrayned to open his jawes, and -to let her depart." - -Du Bartas gives another colour to the behaviour of the Trochilus:-- - - "The _Wren_, who seeing (prest with sleep's desire) - _Nile's_ poys'ny Pirate press the slimy shoar, - Suddenly coms, and, hopping him before, - Into his mouth he skips, his teeth he pickles, - Clenseth his palate, and his throat so tickles, - That, charm'd with pleasure, the dull _Serpent_ gapes. - Wider and wider, with his ugly chaps: - Then, like a shaft, th' _Ichneumon_ instantly - Into the Tyrants greedy gorge doth fly, - And feeds upon that Glutton, for whose Riot, - All _Nile's_ fat margents scarce could furnish diet." - - - - -WOOLLY HENS. - - -Sir John Maundeville saw in "the kingdome named Mancy, which is the best -kingdome of the worlde--(Manzi, _that part of China south of the river -Hoang-ho_) whyte hennes, and they beare no feathers, but woll as shepe -doe in our lande." - - - - -TWO-HEADED WILD GEESE. - - -Near the land of the _Cynocephali_ or dog-headed men, there were many -islands, and, "Also in this yle, and in many yles thereabout are many -wyld geese with two heads." But these were not the only extraordinary -breed of wild geese, extant. - - "As the wise Wilde-geese, when they over-soar - Cicilian mounts, within their bills do bear, - A pebble stone both day and night: for fear - Lest ravenous Eagles of the North descry - Their Armies passage, by their Cackling Cry." - -Aristotle mentions the Crane as another stone-bearing bird:--"Among -birds, as it was previously remarked, the Crane migrates from one -extremity of the earth to the other, and they fly against the wind. As -for the story of the stone, it is a fiction, for they say that they -carry a stone as ballast, which is useful as a touchstone for gold, -after they have vomited it up." - - - - -FOUR-FOOTED DUCK. - - -[Illustration] - -Gesner describes a four-footed duck, which he says is like the English -puffin, except in the number of its feet: but Aldrovandus "out-Herods -Herod" when he gives us "A monstrous Cock with Serpent's tail." - -If we can believe Pliny, there are places where certain birds are never -found:--"With reference to the departure of birds, the owlet, too, is -said to lie concealed for a few days. No birds of this last kind are to -be found in the island of Crete, and if any are imported thither, they -immediately die. Indeed, this is a remarkable distinction made by -Nature; for she denies to certain places, as it were, certain kinds of -fruits and shrubs, and of animals as well;... - -"Rhodes possesses no Eagles. In Italy, beyond the Padus, there is, near -the Alps, a lake known by the name of Larius, beautifully situate amid a -country covered with shrubs; and yet this lake is never visited by -storks, nor, indeed, are they ever known to come within eight miles of -it; whilst on the other hand, in the neighbouring territory of the -Montres, there are immense flocks of magpies and jackdaws, the only bird -that is guilty of stealing gold and silver, a very singular propensity. - -"It is said that in the territory of Tarentum, the woodpecker of Mars is -never found. It is only lately, too, and that but very rarely, that -various kinds of pies have begun to be seen in the districts that lie -between the Apennines, and the City; birds which are known by the name -of _Variæ_, and are remarkable for the length of the tail. It is a -peculiarity of this bird, that it becomes bald every year at the time of -sowing rape. The partridge does not fly beyond the frontiers of Boeotia, -into Attica; nor does any bird, in the island in the Euxine in which -Achilles was buried, enter the temple there consecrated to him. - -[Illustration] - -"In the territory of Fidenæ, in the vicinity of the City, the storks -have no young, nor do they build nests; but vast numbers of ring-doves -arrive from beyond sea every year in the district of Volaterræ. At Rome, -neither flies, nor dogs ever enter the temple of Hercules in the Cattle -Market."... - - - - -FISH. - - -Terrestrial and Aerial animals were far more familiar to the Ancients -than were the inhabitants of the vast Ocean, and not knowing much about -them, their habits and ways, took "omne ignotum pro magnifico." - -We have seen the union of Man and Beast, and Man and Bird; and Man and -Fish was just as common, and perhaps more ancient than either of the -former--for Berosus, the Chaldean historian, gives us an account of -Oannes, or Hea, who corresponded to the Greek Cronos, who is identified -with the fish-headed god so often represented on the sculptures from -Nimroud, and of whom, clay figures have been found at Nimroud and -Khorsabad, as well as numerous representations on seals and gems. - -[Illustration] - -Of this mysterious union of Man and Fish, Berosus says:--"In the -beginning there were in Babylon a great number of men of various races, -who had colonised Chaldea. They lived without laws, after the manner of -animals. But in the first year there appeared coming out of the -Erythrian Sea (_Persian Gulf_) on the coast where it borders Babylonia, -an animal endowed with reason, named Oannes. He had all the body of a -fish, but below the head of the fish another head, which was that of a -man; also the feet of a man, which came out of its fish's tail. He had a -human voice, and its image is preserved to this day. This animal passed -the day time among men, taking no nourishment. It taught them the use of -letters, of sciences, and of arts of every kind; the rules for the -foundation of towns, and the building of temples, the principles of -laws, and geometry, the sowing of seeds, and the harvest; in one word, -it gave to men all that conduced to the enjoyment of life. Since that -time nothing excellent has been invented. At the time of sunset, this -monster Oannes threw itself into the sea, and passed the night beneath -the waves, for it was amphibious. He wrote a book upon the beginning of -all things, and of Civilisation, which he left to mankind." - -Helladice quotes the same story, and calls the composite being Oes; -while another writer, Hyginus, calls him Euahanes. M. Lenormant thinks -that it is evident that this latter name is more correct than Oannes, -for it points to one of the Akkadian names of Hea--"Hea-Khan," _Hea, the -fish_--and must be identified with the fish-God in the illustration. - -Alexander Polyhistor, who mainly copied from Berosus, says that Oannes -wrote concerning the generation of Mankind, of their different ways of -life, and of their civil polity; and the following is the purport of -what he wrote:-- - -"There was a time in which there existed nothing but darkness, and an -abyss of waters, wherein resided most hideous beings, which were -produced on a twofold principle. There appeared men, some of whom were -furnished with two wings, others with four, and two faces. They had one -body, but two heads; the one that of a man, the other of a woman; they -were likewise in their several organs both male and female. Other human -beings were to be seen with the legs and horns of a goat; some had -horse's feet, while others united the hind-quarters of a horse with the -body of a man, resembling in shape the hippocentaurs. Bulls likewise -were bred then with the heads of men, and dogs with fourfold bodies, -terminated in their extremities with the tails of fishes; horses also -with the heads of dogs; men, too, and other animals, with the heads and -bodies of horses, and the tails of fishes. In short, there were -creatures in which were combined the limbs of every species of animals. -In addition to these, fishes, reptiles, serpents, with other monstrous -animals, which assumed each other's shape and countenance. Of all which -were preserved delineations in the temple of Belus, at Babylon." - -[Illustration] - -But, undoubtedly, the earliest representation of the _real_ -Merman--half-man, half-fish--comes to us from the uncovered palace of -Khorsabad. On a portion of its sculptured walls is a representation of -Sargon, the father of Sennacherib, sailing on his expedition to Cyprus, -B.C. 720--on which occasion he had wooden images of the gods made and -thrown overboard in order to accompany him on his voyage. Among these is -Hea, or Oannes, which I venture to assert is the first representation of -a Merman. - -In Hindoo Mythology, one of the incarnations, or _avatars_ of Vishnu, -represents him as issuing from the mouth of a fish. The God Dagon (Dag -in Hebrew, signifying fish) was probably Oannes or Hea--and Atergatis -was depicted as a Mermaid, half-woman, half-fish. The Greeks worshipped -her as Astarte, and later on as Venus Aphrodite she was perfect woman, -still, however, born of the Sea-foam, and attended by Tritons or Mermen. - -These Tritons and Nereids, male and female, were firmly believed in by -both Greek and Roman--who both depicted them alike--the Triton, -sometimes having a trident, sometimes without, but both Triton, and -Nereid, perfect man and woman, of high types of manly and feminine -beauty, to the waist--below which was the body of a fish of the -Classical dolphin type. So ingrained have these forms become in -humanity, that it would seem almost impossible to realise a Merman, or -Mermaid, other than as usually depicted. - -Pliny, of course, tells about them:--"A deputation of persons from -Olisipo (_Lisbon_) that had been sent for the purpose, brought word to -the Emperor Tiberius that a Triton had been both seen and heard in a -certain cavern, blowing a Conch shell, and of the form they are usually -represented. Nor yet is the figure generally attributed to the nereids -at all a fiction, only in them the portion of the body that resembles -the human figure, is still rough all over with scales. For one of these -creatures was seen upon the same shores, and, as it died, its plaintive -murmurs were heard, even by the inhabitants, at a distance. - -[Illustration] - -"The legatus of Gaul, too, wrote word to the late Emperor Augustus, that -a considerable number of nereids had been found dead upon the sea-shore. -I have, too, some distinguished informants of equestrian rank, who state -that they themselves once saw, in the Ocean of Gades, a sea-man, which -bore in every part of his body, a perfect resemblance to a human being, -and that during the night he would climb up into ships; upon which the -side of the vessel, where he seated himself, would instantly sink -downward, and, if he remained there any considerable time, even go under -water." - -Ælian tells us, that it is reported that the great sea which surrounds -the Island of Taprobana (_Ceylon_) contains an immense multitude of -fishes and whales, and some of them have the heads of lions, panthers, -rams, and other animals; and (which is more wonderful still) some of the -Cetaceans have the form of Satyrs. - -[Illustration] - -Gesner obligingly depicts this Pan, Sea Satyr, Ichthyo centaurus, or Sea -Demon, as he is indifferently called, and wants to pass it off as a -veritable Merman, probably on account of its human-like trunk. He also -quotes Ælian as to the authenticity of this monster,--and he gives a -picture of another Man-fish, which he says was seen at Rome, on the -third of November, 1523. Its size was that of a boy about five years of -age. (See next page.) - -Mermen and Mermaids do not seem to affect any particular district, they -were met with all over the world--and records of their having been seen, -come to us from all parts. That was well, and occurred in the ages of -faith, but now the materialism of the present age would shatter, if it -could, our cherished belief in these Marine eccentricities, and would -fain have us to credit that all those that have been seen, were some of -the Phocidæ, such as a "Dugong," or else they would attempt to persuade -us that a beautiful mermaid, with her comb and looking-glass, was -neither more nor less than a repulsive-looking "Manatee." - -[Illustration] - -Sir J. Emerson Tennent quotes in his "Natural History of Ceylon" from -the description of one of the Dutch Colonial Chaplains, named Valentyn, -who wrote an account of the Natural History of Amboyna. He says that in -1663, a lieutenant in the Dutch army was with some soldiers on the -sea-beach at Amboyna, when they all saw mermen swimming near the beach. -He described them as having long and flowing hair, of a colour between -grey and green. And he saw them again, after an interval of six weeks, -when he was in company with some fifty others. He also says that these -Marine Curiosities, both male and female, have been taken at Amboyna: -and he cites a special one, of which he gives a portrait, that was -captured by a district visitor of the Church, and presented by him to -the Governor. - -This last animal enjoyed European fame, as in 1716, whilst Peter the -Great was the guest of the British Ambassador at Amsterdam, the latter -wrote to Valentyn, asking that the marvel should be sent over for the -Czar's inspection--but it came not. Valentyn also tells how, in the year -1404, a mermaid, tempest-tossed, was driven through a breach in a dyke -at Edam, in Holland, and was afterwards taken alive in the lake of -Parmen, whence she was carried to Haarlem. The good Dutch vrows took -kindly care of her, and, with their usual thriftiness, taught her a -useful occupation, that of spinning; nay, they Christianised her--and -she died a Roman Catholic, several years after her capture. - -The authentic records, if trust can be placed in them, are various and -many--but are hardly worth recapitulating because of their sameness, and -the smile of incredulity which their recital provokes. - -Let us therefore turn to the monarch of the deep, the Whale--and of this -creature we get curious glimpses from the Northern Naturalists; but, -before investigating this authentic denizen of ocean, we will examine -some whose title to existence is not quite so clearly made out. Olaus -Magnus gives us an introduction to some of "The horrible Monsters of the -Coast of Norway. There are monstrous fish on the Coasts or Sea of -_Norway_, of unusual Names, though they are reputed a kind of _Whales_; -and, if men look long on them they will fright and amaze them. Their -forms are horrible, their heads square, all set with prickles, and they -have sharp and long Horns round about, like a tree rooted up by the -roots: they are ten or twelve Cubits long, very black, and with huge -eyes, the Compass whereof (i.e., _of the fish_) is above eight or ten -Cubits: the apple of the eye is of one Cubit, and is red and fiery -coloured, which in the dark night appears to Fisher-men afar off under -Waters, as a burning Fire, having hairs like Goose-Feathers, thick and -long, like a beard hanging down; the rest of the body, for the greatness -of the head, which is square, is very small, not being above fourteen or -fifteen cubits long; one of these Sea Monsters will drown easily many -great ships, provided with many strong Marriners." - -[Illustration] - -He also speaks of a Cetacean, called a Physeter:--"The Whirlpool, or -Prister, is of the kind of Whales, two hundred Cubits long, and is very -cruel. For, to the danger of Sea men, he will sometimes raise himself -beyond the Sail yards, and cast such floods of Waters above his head, -which he had sucked in, that with a cloud of them, he will often sink -the strongest ships, or expose the Marriners to extream danger. This -Beast hath also a long and large round mouth like a Lamprey, whereby he -sucks in his meat or water, and by his weight cast upon the Fore or -Hinder-Deck, he sinks, and drowns a ship. - -[Illustration] - -"Sometimes, not content to do hurt by water onely, as I said, he will -cruelly over throw the ship like any small Vessel, striking it with his -back, or tail. He hath a thick black Skin, all his body over; long fins, -like to broad feet, and a forked tail 15 or 20 foot broad, wherewith he -forcibly binds any parts of the ship, he twists it about. A Trumpet of -War is the fit remedy against him, by reason of the sharp noise, which -he cannot endure: and by casting out huge great Vessels, that hinders -this Monster's passage, or for him to play withall; or with Strong Canon -and Guns, with the sound thereof he is more frighted, than with a Stone, -or Iron Bullett; because this Ball loseth its force, being hindered by -his Fat, or by the Water, or wounds but a little, his most vast body, -that hath a Rampart of mighty Fat to defend it. Also, I must add, that -on the Coasts of _Norway_, most frequently both Old and New Monsters are -seen, chiefly by reason of the inscrutable depth of the Waters. -Moreover, in the deep Sea, there are many kinds of fishes that are -seldome or never seen by Man." - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - -We have the saying, "Throw a tub to the Whale," and we not only find -that it is the proper treatment to conciliate Physeters, but Gesner -shows us the real thing applied to Whales, trumpet and all complete, and -he also shows us the close affinity between the Whale and the Physeter, -in the accompanying illustration, which depicts a whale uprearing, and -coming down again on an unfortunate vessel. - -There is another Whale, described by Gesner, which he calls the "Trol" -whale, or in German, "Teüfelwal," or Devil Whale. This whale lies asleep -on the water, and is of such a deceptive appearance that seamen mistake -it for an island, and cast anchor into it, a proceeding which this -peculiar class of whale does not appear to take much heed of. But, when -it comes to lighting a fire upon it, and cooking thereon, it naturally -wakes up the whale. It is of this "Teüfelwal" that Milton writes -("Paradise Lost," Bk. i., l. 200):-- - - "Or that sea-beast - Leviathan, which God of all His works - Created hugest that swim the ocean-stream. - Him, haply slumbering on the Norway foam, - The pilot of some small night-foundered skiff, - Deeming some island, oft, as seamen tell, - With fixèd anchor in his scaly rind, - Moors by his side under the lee, while night - Invests the sea, and wishèd morn delays." - -[Illustration] - -And the same story is told in the First Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor, -or, as Mr. Lane, whose translation (ed. 1883) I use, calls him, -Es-Sindibád of the Sea:--"We continued our voyage until we arrived at an -island like one of the gardens of Paradise, and at that island, the -master of the ship brought her to anchor with us. He cast the anchor, -and put forth the landing plank, and all who were in the ship landed -upon that island. They had prepared for themselves fire-pots, and they -lighted the fires in them, and their occupations were various: some -cooked, others washed, and others amused themselves. I was among those -who were amusing themselves upon the shores of the island, and the -passengers were assembled to eat and drink, and play and sport. But -while we were thus engaged, lo, the master of the ship, standing upon -its side, called out with his loudest voice, 'O ye passengers, whom may -God preserve! come up quickly into the ship, hasten to embark, and leave -your merchandise, and flee with your lives, and save yourselves from -destruction; for this apparent island upon which ye are, is not, in -reality, an island, but it is a great fish that hath become stationary -in the midst of the sea, and the sand hath accumulated upon it, so that -it hath become like an island, and trees have grown upon it, since times -of old; and, when ye lighted upon it the fire, it felt the heat, and put -itself in motion, and now it will descend with you into the sea, and ye -will all be drowned; then seek for yourselves escape before destruction, -and leave the merchandise!' The passengers, therefore, hearing the words -of the master of the ship, hastened to go up into the vessel, leaving -the merchandise, and their other goods, and their copper cooking-pots, -and their fire-pots; and some reached the ship, and others reached it -not. The island had moved, and descended to the bottom of the sea, with -all that were upon it, and the roaring sea, agitated with waves, closed -over it." - -Olaus Magnus, too, tells of sleeping whales being mistaken for -islands:--"The Whale hath upon its Skin a superficies, like the gravel -that is by the sea side; so that oft times when he raiseth his back -above the waters, Sailors take it to be nothing else but an Island, and -sayl unto it, and go down upon it, and they strike in piles upon it, and -fasten them to their ships: they kindle fires to boyl their meat; until -at length the Whale feeling the fire, dives down to the bottome; and -such as are upon his back, unless they can save themselves by ropes -thrown forth of the ship, are drown'd. This Whale, as I have said before -of the Whirlpool and Pristes, sometimes so belcheth out the waves that -he hath taken in, that, with a Cloud of Waters, oft times, he will drown -the ship; and when a Tempest ariseth at Sea, he will rise above water, -that he will sink the ships, during these Commotions and Tempests. -Sometimes he brings up Sand on his back, upon which, when a Tempest -comes, the Marriners are glad that they have found Land, cast Anchor, -and are secure on a false ground; and when as they kindle their fires, -the Whale, so soon as he perceives it, he sinks down suddenly into the -depth, and draws both men and ships after him, unless the Anchors -break." - -But _apropos_ of the whale casting forth such quantities of water, it -is, as a matter of fact, untrue. The whale has a tremendously strong -exhalation, and when it breathes under water, its breath sends up two -columns of _spray_, but, if its head is above water, it cannot spout. - -One thing in favour of whales, is "The Wonderful affection of the whales -towards their young. Whales, that have no Gills, breathe by Pipes, which -is found but in few creatures. They carry their young ones, when they -are weak and feeble; and if they be small, they take them in at their -mouths. This they do also when a Tempest is coming; and after the -Tempest, they Vomit them up. When for want of water their young are -hindered, that they cannot follow their Dams, the Dams take water in -their mouths, and cast it to them like a river, that she may so free -them from the Land they are fast upon. Also she accompanies them long, -when they are grown up; but they quickly grow up, and increase ten -years." - -[Illustration] - -According to Olaus Magnus, there be many kinds of whales:--"Some are -hairy, and of four Acres in bigness; the Acre is 240 foot long and 120 -broad; some are smooth skinned, and those are smaller, and are taken in -the West and Northern Sea; some have their Jaws long and full of teeth; -namely, 12 or 14 foot long, and the Teeth are 6, 8, or 12 foot long. But -their two Dog teeth, or Tushes, are longer than the rest, underneath, -like a Horn, like the teeth of Bores, or Elephants. This kind of whale -hath a fit mouth to eat, and his eyes are so large, that fifteen men may -sit in the room of each of them, and sometimes twenty, or more, as the -beast is in quantity. - -"His horns are 6 or 7 foot long, and he hath 250 upon each eye, as hard -as horn, that he can stir stiff or gentle, either before or behind. -These grow together, to defend his eyes in tempestuous weather, or when -any other Beast that is his enemy sets upon him; nor is it a wonder, -that he hath so many Horns, though they be very troublesome to him; -when, as between his eyes, the space of his forehead is 15 or 20 foot." - -[Illustration] - -The Spermaceti whale (_Physeter macrocephalus_) is the subject of a -curious story, according to Olaus Magnus. He declares Ambergris is the -sperm of the male Whale, which is not received by the female. "It is -scattered wide on the sea, in divers figures, of a blew colour, but more -tending to white; and these are glew'd together; and this is carefully -collected by Marriners, as I observed, when, in my Navigation I saw it -scattered here and there: This they sell to Physitians, to purge it; and -when it is purged, they call it _Amber-greese_, and they use it against -the Dropsie and Palsie, as a principal and most pretious unguent. It is -white; and if it be found, that is of the colour of Gyp, it is the -better. It is sophisticated with the powder of Lignum, Aloes, Styrax, -Musk, and some other things. But this is discovered because that which -is sophistocated will easily become soft as Wax, but pure _Amber-greese_ -will never melt so. It hath a corroborating force, and is good against -swoundings and the Epilepsie." - -As a matter of fact, it is believed to be a morbid secretion in the -intestinal canal of the whale, originating in its bile. It is found in -its bowels, and also floating on the sea, grey-coloured, in lumps -weighing from half an ounce to one hundred pounds. Its price is about £3 -per oz. It is much used in perfumery, but not in medicine, at least in -Europe: but in Asia and Africa, it is, in some parts, so used, and also -in cookery. - -Olaus Magnus, too, tells us of the benefits the whale confers on the -inhabitants of the cold and dreary North. How they salt the flesh for -future eating, and the usefulness of the fat for lighting and warming -through the long Arctic winter, while the small bones are used as fuel. -Of the skin of this useful mammal, they make Belts, Bags, and Ropes, -whilst a whole skin will clothe forty men. But these are not all its -uses. - -"Having spoken that the bodies of Whales are very large, for their head, -teeth, eyes, mouth and skin; the bones require a place to be described; -and it is thus. Because the vehemency of Cold in the farther parts of -the North, and horrid Tempests there, will hardly suffer Trees to grow -up tall, whereof necessary houses may be builded: therefore provident -Nature hath provided for the Inhabitants, that they may build their -houses of the most vast Ribs of Sea Creatures, and other things -belonging thereunto. For these monsters of the Sea, being driven to -land, either by some others that are their Enemies, or drawn forth by -the frequent fishing for them by men, that the Inhabitants there may -make their prey of them, or whether they die and consume; it is certain, -that they leave such vast bones behind them, that whole Mansion Houses -may be made of them, for Walls, Gates, Windows, Coverings, Seats, and -for Tables also. For these Ribs are 20, 30, or more feet in length. -Moreover the Back-bones, and Whirl-bones, and the Forked-bones of the -vast head, are of no small bigness: and all these by the industry of -Artists, are so fitted with Saws and Files, that the Carpenter in Wood, -joyn'd together with Iron, can make nothing more compleat. - -[Illustration] - -"When, therefore, the flesh of this most huge Beast is eat and -dissolved, onely his bones remain like a great Keel; and when these are -purged by Rain, and the Ayr, they raise them up like a house, by the -force of men that are called unto it. Then by the industry of the Master -Builder, Windows being placed on the top of the house, or sides of the -Whale, it is divided into many convenient Habitations; and gates are -made of the same Beasts Skin, that is taken off long before, for that -and some other use, and is hardened by the sharpness of the winds. Also -a part within this Keel raised up like a house, they make several Hog -Sties and places for other creatures, as the fashion is in other houses -of Wood; leaving always under the top of this structure, a place for -Cocks, that serve instead of Clocks, that men may be raised to their -labour in the night, which is there continual in the Winter-time. They -that sleep between these Ribs, see no other Dreams, than as if they were -always toiling in the Sea-waves, or were in danger of Tempests, to -suffer shipwreck." - -Besides men, Whales had their foes, in the deep, and there was, -according to Du Bartas, one very formidable and cunning enemy, in the -shape of a bird:-- - - "Meanwhile the _Langa_, skimming, (as it were,) - The Ocean's surface, seeketh everywhere, - The hugy Whale; where slipping in (by Art), - In his vast mouth, shee feeds upon his Hart." - -But it is cheering to find, on the authority of the same author, that he -also has a helpful friend:-- - - "As a great Carrak, cumbred and opprest - With her-self's burthen, wends not East and West, - Star-boord, and Lar-boord, with so quick Careers - As a small Fregat, or swift Pinnass steers; - And as a large and mighty limbed Steed, - Either of _Friseland_, or of _German_ breed, - Can never manage half so readily, - As _Spanish_ Jennet, or light _Barbarie_; - So the huge _Whale_ hath not so nimble motion - As smaller fishes that frequent the Ocean; - But, sometimes, rudely 'gainst a Rock he brushes, - Or in some roaring straight he blindly rushes, - And scarce could live a Twelve month to an end, - But for the little _Musculus_ (his friend), - A little Fish, that, swimming still before, - Directs him safe from Rock, from shelf and shoar." - -But we have only spoken of a very few varieties of Whales; some yet -remain, which may be styled "fancy" Whales. At all events, they are lost -to our times. Herodotus tells us that in the Borysthenes (_Dneiper_) -were "large whales without any spinal bones, which they call Antacæi, -fit for salting." Then, Gesner gives us varieties of Whales, of which we -know nothing. There is the bearded and maned creature with a face -somewhat resembling that of a human being, found only in the remotest -North, and there is the hairy whale, _Cetum Capillatum vel Crinitum_, or -_Germanice_, Haarwal, but no particulars of this curious creature are -given. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - -He presents us with the image of a Cetacean, which he calls an Indian -Serpent--but he evidently is so doubtful of the creature's authenticity -that he tells us that Hieronimus Cardanus sent it formerly to him. He -cannot quite make it out, with its monkey's head, and paws, but points -out that it must be an aquatic animal, because of its tail. - -[Illustration] - -In his _Addenda et Emendanda_, he gives, on the authority of Olaus -Magnus, a picture of an unnamed Whale--he says it was of great size, and -had terrible teeth. - -[Illustration] - -He also gives us two or three curious pictures of now extinct Cetaceans, -something like terrestrial animals or men. And the first is a Leonine -Monster, and for its authority he quotes Rondeletius. - -This creature had none of its parts fitted to act as a marine animal of -prey, but he says that Gisbertus (_Horstius_) Germanus, a physician at -Rome, certifies that it was taken on the high seas, not long before the -death of Pope Paul III., which took place A.D. 1549. It was of the size -and shape of a Lion, it had four feet, not mutilated, or imperfect as -those of the Seal, and not joined together as is the case with the -beaver or duck, but perfect, and divided into toes with nails: a long -thin tail ending in hair; ears hardly visible, and its body covered with -scales--but he adds that Gisbertus found fault with the artist, who had -made the feet longer than they ought to have been--and the ears too -large for an aquatic animal. - -[Illustration] - -Gesner also gives us (and so does Aldrovandus) pictures of the Monk -and Bishop fishes. The Monk-fish, he says, was caught off Norway, in a -troubled sea: and he quotes Boeothius as describing a similar monster -found in the Firth of Forth. The Bishop-fish was only _seen_ off the -coast of Poland, A.D. 1531. - -[Illustration] - -The existence of these marine monsters had, at all events, very wide -credence, even if they never existed, for Sluper, whom I have before -quoted, gives, in his curious little book, two pictures of these two -fishes (more awful than Gesner did). Of the Sea Monk he says: - - "La Mer poissons en abondance apporte, - Par dons divins que devons estimer. - Mais fort estrange est le Moyne de Mer, - Qui est ainsi que ce pourtrait le porte." - -And of the Sea Bishop: - - "La terre n'a Evesques seulement, - Qui s[=o]t [p=] bulle en gr[=a]d h[=o]neur et titre, - L'evesque croist en mer sembablement, - Ne parl[=a]t point, c[=o]bien qu'il porte Mitre." - -[Illustration] - -And Du Bartas writes of them, as if all in air, or on the earth, had its -double in the sea--and he specially mentions these piscine -ecclesiastics:-- - - "Seas have (as well as skies) Sun, Moon, and Stars; - (As well as ayre) Swallows, and Rooks, and Stares; - (As well as earth) Vines, Roses, Nettles, Millions,[38] - Pinks, Gilliflowers, Mushrooms, and many millions - Of other Plants (more rare and strange than these) - As very fishes living in the Seas. - And also Rams, Calfs, Horses, Hares, and Hogs, - Wolves, Lions, Urchins, Elephants and Dogs, - Yea, Men and Mayds; and (which I more admire[39]) - The mytred Bishop, and the cowled Fryer; - Whereof, examples, (but a few years since) - Were shew'n the Norways, and Polonian Prince." - -Was the strange fish that Stow speaks of in his _Annales_ one of these -two?--"A.D. 1187. Neere unto Orforde in Suffolke, certaine Fishers of -the sea tooke in their Nettes, a Fish having the shape of a man in all -pointes, which Fish was kept by _Bartlemew de Glanville_, Custos of the -castle of Orforde, in the same Castle, by the space of sixe monethes, -and more, for a wonder: He spake not a word. All manner of meates he -gladly did eate, but more greedilie raw fishe, after he had crusshed out -all the moisture. Oftentimes he was brought to the Church where he -showed no tokens of adoration. At length, when he was not well looked -to, he stale away to the Sea and never after appeared." If this was not -the real Simon Pure, yet I think it may put in a claim as a first-class -British production, and, as far as I know, unique--all other denizens of -the deep having some trace of their watery habitat, either in wearing -scales, or a tail. - -Following Du Bartas' idea, let us take some marine animals which have a -somewhat similar counterpart on shore. - -Gesner gives us the picture, Olaus Magnus gives us the veracious -history, of the Sea-cow:--"The Sea Cow is a huge Monster, strong, angry, -and injurious; she brings forth a young one like to herself; yet not -above two, but one often, which she loves very much, and leads it about -carefully with her, whithersoever she swims to Sea, or goes on Land. -Lastly this Creature is known to have lived 130 years, by cutting off -her tail." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus calls the Seal, the Sea-calf; and with trifling exceptions, -gives a fair account of its habits, only there are some points which -differ from the modern Seal, at all events:--"The Sea-Calf, which also -in Latine is called _Helcus_, hath its name from the likeness of a -Land-Calf, and it hath a hard fleshy body; and therefore it is hard to -be killed, but by breaking the Temples of the head. It hath a voice like -a Bull, four feet, but not his ears; because the manner and mansion of -its life is in the Waters. Had it such ears, they would take in much -Water, and hinder the swimming of it.... They will low in their sleep, -thence they are called Calves. They will learn, and with their voyce and -countenance salute the company, with a confused murmuring; called by -their names, they will answer, and no Creature sleeps more profoundly. -The Fins that serve them for to swim in the Sea, serve for legs on Land, -and they go hobling up and down as lame people do. Their Skins, though -taken from their bodies, have always a sense of the Seas, and when the -Sea goes forth, they will stand up like Bristles. The right Fin hath a -soporiferous quality to make one sleep, if it be put under one's head. -They that fear Thunder, think those Tabernacles best to live in, that -are made of Sea-Calves Skins, because onely this Creature in the Sea, as -an Eagle in the Ayr is safe and secure from the Stroke of Thunder.... If -the Sea be boisterous and rise, so doth the Sea Calfe's hair: if the Sea -be calm, the hair is smooth; and thus you may know the state of the Sea -in a dead Skin. The _Bothnick_ Marriners conjecture by their own -Cloaths, that are made of these Skins, whether the Sea shall be calm, -and their voyage prosperous, or they shall be in danger of Shipwreck.... -These Creatures are so bold, that when they hear it thunder, and they -see it clash and lighten, they are glad, and ascend upon the plain -Mountains, as Frogs rejoyce against Rain." - -A very fine piece of casuistry is shown, in "the perplexity of those -that eat the flesh of _Sea-Calves_ in _Lent_," and it seems to be -finally settled that, according to "the men of a more clear judgment, -rejecting many Reasons, brought on both sides, do say, and prove, that -when the Sea-Calf brings forth on the shore, if the Beast driven by the -Hunter, run into the Woods, men must forbear to eat of it in Lent, when -flesh is forbidden; but if he run to the Waters, one may fairly eat -thereof." - -Gesner, in giving this delineation of a Sea-Horse, openly says that it -is the Classical horse, as used by Neptunus; but Olaus Magnus declares -that "The Sea Horse, between _Britany_ and _Norway_, is oft seen to have -a head like a horse, and to neigh; but his feet and hoof are cloven -like to a Cow's; and he feeds both on Land, and in the Sea. He is -seldome taken, though he grow to be as big as an Ox. He hath a forked -Tail like a Fish. - -[Illustration] - - - - -"THE SEA-MOUSE. - - -"The Sea-Mouse makes a hole in the Earth, and lays her Eggs there, and -then covers them with Earth: on the 30th day she digs it open again, and -brings her young to the Sea, first blind, and, afterwards, he comes to -see. - - - - -"THE SEA-HARE. - - -"The Sea-Hare is found to be of divers kinds in the Ocean, but so soon -as he is caught, onely because he is suspected to be Venemous, how like -so ever he is to a Hare, he is let loose again. He hath four Fins behind -his Head, two whose motion is all the length of the fish, and they are -long, like to a Hare's ears, and two again, whose motion is from the -back, to the depth of the fishes belly, wherewith he raiseth up the -weight of his head. This Hare is formidable in the Sea; on the Land he -is found to be as timorous and fearful as a hare." - - - - -THE SEA-PIG. - - -[Illustration] - -Again we are indebted to Gesner for the drawing of this Sea Monster. -Olaus Magnus, speaking of "The Monstrous Hog of the _German Ocean_," -says:--"I spake before of a Monstrous Fish found on the Shores of -_England_, with a clear description of his whole body, and every member -thereof, which was seen there in the year 1532, and the Inhabitants made -a Prey of it. Now I shall revive the memory of that Monstrous Hog that -was found afterwards, _Anno_ 1537, in the same _German Ocean_, and it -was a Monster in every part of it. For it had a Hog's head, and a -quarter of a Circle, like the Moon, in the hinder part of its head, four -feet like a Dragon's, two eyes on both sides in his Loyns, and a third -in his belly, inclining towards his Navel; behind he had a forked Tail, -like to other Fish commonly." - - - - -THE WALRUS. - - -[Illustration] - -Of the Walrus, Rosmarus, or Morse, Gesner draws, and Olaus Magnus -writes, thus:--"The _Norway_ Coast, toward the more Northern parts, -hath a great Fish, as big as Elephants, which are called _Morsi_, or -_Rosmari_, may be they are (called) so from their sharp biting; for, if -they see any man on the Sea-shore, and can catch him, they come suddenly -upon him, and rend him with their Teeth, that they will kill him in a -trice. Therefore these Fish called _Rosmari_, or _Morsi_, have heads -fashioned like to an Oxes, and a hairy Skin, and hair growing as thick -as straw or corn-reeds, that lye loose very largely. They will raise -themselves with their Teeth, as by Ladders to the very tops of Rocks, -that they may feed on the Dewie Grasse, or Fresh Water, and role -themselves in it, unless in the mean time they fall very fast asleep, -and rest upon the Rocks; for then Fishermen make all the haste they can, -and begin at the Tail, and part the Skin from the Fat; and unto this -that is parted, they put most strong Cords, and fasten them on the -rugged rocks or Trees, that are near; then they throw stones at his -head, out of a Sling, to raise him, and they compel him to descend, -spoiled of the greatest part of his Skin, which is fastned to the Ropes: -he being thereby debilitated, fearful, and half dead, he is made a rich -prey, especially for his Teeth, that are very pretious amongst the -_Scythians_, the _Muscovites_, _Russians_, and Tartars, (as Ivory -amongst the Indians,) by reason of its hardness, whiteness, and -ponderousnesse. For which Cause, by excellent industry of Artificers -they are made fit for handles for Javelins: And this is also testified -by _Mechovita_, an historian of _Poland_, in his double _Sarmatia_, and -_Paulus Jovius_ after him, relates it by the Relation of one -_Demetrius_, that was sent from the great Duke of _Muscovy_ to Pope -Clement the 7th." - -Although Olaus Magnus is very circumstantial in his detail as to the -intense somnolence, and brutal flaying alive of the "thereby -debilitated" Walrus, I can find no confirmation of either, in any other -account--on the contrary, in "A Briefe Note of the Morse and the use -thereof," published in Hakluyt, it is described as very wakeful and -vigilant, and certainly not an animal likely to have salt put on its -tail after Magnus's manner:-- - -"In the voyage of Jacques Carthier, wherein he discovered the Gulfe of -S. Laurance, and the said Isle of Ramea in the yeere 1534, he met with -these beastes, as he witnesseth in these words: About the said island -are very great beasts as great as oxen, which have two great teeth in -their mouthes like unto elephant's teeth, and live in the Sea. Wee sawe -one of them sleeping upon the banks of the water, and, thinking to take -it, we went to it with our boates, but so soon as he heard us, he cast -himselfe into the sea. Touching these beasts which Jacques Carthier -saith to be as big as oxen, and to have teeth in their mouthes like -elephants teeth; true it is that they are called in Latine _Boves -marini_ or _Vaccæ marinæ_, and in the Russian tongue morsses, the hides -whereof I have seene as big as any ox hide, and being dressed, I have -yet a piece of one thicker than any two oxe, or bul's hides in England. - -"The leather dressers take them to be excellent good to make light -targets against the arrowes of the savages; and I hold them farre better -than the light leather targets which the Moores use in Barbarie against -arrowes and lances, whereof I have seene divers in her Majesties stately -armourie in the Toure of London. The teeth of the sayd fishes, whereof I -have seene a dry flat full at once, are a foote and sometimes more in -length; and have been sold in England to the combe and knife makers at 8 -groats and 3 shillings the pound weight, whereas the best ivory is solde -for halfe the money; the graine of the bone is somewhat more yellow than -the ivorie. One Mr. Alexander Woodson of Bristoll, my old friend, an -excellent mathematician and skilful phisitian, shewed me one of these -beasts teeth which were brought from the Isle of Ramea in the first -prize, which was half a yard long, or very little lesse: and assured mee -that he had made tryall of it in ministering medicine to his patients, -and had found it as sovereigne against poyson as any unicorne's horne." - - - - -THE ZIPHIUS. - - -This Voracious Animal, whose size may be imagined by comparison with the -Seal it is devouring, is thus described by Magnus:--"Because this Beast -is conversant in the Northern Waters, it is deservedly to be joined with -other monstrous Creatures. The Swordfish is like no other, but in -something it is like a Whale. He hath as ugly a head as an Owl: his -mouth is wondrous deep, as a vast pit, whereby he terrifies and drives -away those that look into it. His Eyes are horrible, his Back -Wedge-fashion, or elevated like a Sword; his snout is pointed. These -often enter upon the Northern Coasts as Thieves and hurtful Guests, that -are always doing mischief to ships they meet, by boring holes in them, -and sinking them. - -[Illustration] - - - - -"THE SAW FISH. - - -"The Saw fish is also a beast of the Sea; the body is huge great, the -head hath a crest, and is hard and dented like to a Saw. It will swim -under ships and cut them, that the Water may come in, and he may feed on -the men when the ship is drowned." - - - - -THE ORCA - - -is probably the Thresher whale. Pliny thus describes it:--"The Balæna -(_whale of some sort_) penetrates to our seas even. It is said that they -are not to be seen in the ocean of Gades (_Bay of Cadiz_) before the -winter solstice, and that at periodical seasons they retire and conceal -themselves in some calm capacious bay, in which they take a delight in -bringing forth. This fact, however, is known to the Orca, an animal -which is particularly hostile to the Balæna, and the form of which -cannot be in any way accurately described, but as an enormous mass of -flesh, armed with teeth. This animal attacks the Balæna in its place of -retirement, and with its teeth tears its young, or else attacks the -females which have just brought forth, and, indeed, while they are still -pregnant; and, as they rush upon them, it pierces them just as though -they had been attacked by the beak of a Liburnian Galley. The female -Balænæ, devoid of all flexibility, without energy to defend themselves, -and overburdened by their own weight; weakened, too, by gestation, or -else the pains of recent parturition, are well aware that their only -resource is to take flight in the open sea, and to range over the whole -face of the ocean; while the Orcæ, on the other hand, do all in their -power to meet them in their flight, throw themselves in their way, and -kill them either cooped up in a narrow passage, or else drive them on a -shoal, or dash them to pieces against the rocks. When these battles are -witnessed, it appears just as though the sea were infuriate against -itself; not a breath of wind is there to be felt in the bay, and yet the -waves, by their pantings and their repeated blows, are heaved aloft in a -way which no whirlwind could effect. - -"An Orca has been seen even in the port of Ostia, where it was attacked -by the Emperor Claudius. It was while he was constructing the harbour -there that this orca came, attracted by some hides, which, having been -brought from Gaul, had happened to fall overboard there. By feeding -upon these for several days it had quite glutted itself, having made for -itself a channel in the shoaly water. Here, however, the sand was thrown -up by the action of the wind to such an extent that the creature found -it quite impossible to turn round; and while in the act of pursuing its -prey, it was propelled by the waves towards the shore, so that its back -came to be perceived above the level of the water, very much resembling -in appearance the keel of a vessel turned bottom upwards. Upon this, -Cæsar ordered a number of nets to be extended at the mouth of the -harbour, from shore to shore, while he himself went there with the -Prætorian Cohorts, and so afforded a spectacle to the Roman people; for -boats assailed the monster, while the soldiers on board showered lances -upon it. I, myself, saw one of the boats sunk by the water which the -animal, as it respired, showered down upon it." - -Olaus Magnus thus writes "Of the fight between the Whale and the Orca. A -_Whale_ is a very great fish, about one hundred, or three hundred foot -long, and the body is of a vast magnitude, yet the _Orca_, which is -smaller in quantity, but more nimble to assault, and cruel to come on, -is his deadly Enemy. An Orca is like a Hull turned inwards outward; a -Beast with fierce Teeth, with which, as with the Stern of a Ship, he -rends the _Whale's_ Guts, and tears its Calve's body open, or he quickly -runs and drives him up and down with his prickly back, that he makes him -run to Fords and Shores. But the _Whale_, that cannot turn its huge -body, not knowing how to resist the wily _Orca_, puts all its hopes in -flight; yet that flight is weak, because this sluggish Beast, burdned by -its own weight, wants one to guide her, to fly to the Foords, to escape -the dangers." - - - - -THE DOLPHIN. - - -Pliny says:--"The Dolphin is an animal not only friendly to man, but a -lover of music as well; he is charmed by melodious concerts, and more -especially by the notes of the water organ. He does not dread man, as -though a stranger to him, but comes to meet ships, leaps and bounds to -and fro, vies with them in swiftness, and passes them even when in full -sail. - -"In the reign of the late Emperor Augustus, a dolphin which had been -carried to the Lucrine Lake, conceived a most wonderful affection for -the child of a certain poor man, who was in the habit of going that way -from Baiæ to Puteoli to school, and who used to stop there in the middle -of the day, call him by his name of _Simo_, and would often entice him -to the banks of the lake with pieces of bread which he carried for the -purpose. At whatever hour of the day he might happen to be called by the -boy, and although hidden and out of sight at the bottom of the water, he -would instantly fly to the surface, and after feeding from his hand, -would present his back for him to mount, taking care to conceal the -spiny projection of his fins in their sheath, as it were; and so, -sportively taking him up on his back, he would carry him over a wide -expanse of sea to the school at Puteoli, and in a similar manner bring -him back again. This happened for several years, until, at last, the boy -happened to fall ill of some malady, and died. The Dolphin, however, -still came to the same spot as usual, with a sorrowful air, and -manifesting every sign of deep affliction, until at last, a thing of -which no one felt the slightest doubt, he died purely of sorrow and -regret. - -"Within these few years also, another at Hippo Diarrhytus, on the coast -of Africa, in a similar manner used to receive his food from the hands -of various persons, present himself for their caresses, sport about -among the swimmers, and carry them on his back. On being rubbed with -unguents by Flavianus, the then pro-consul of Africa, he was lulled to -sleep, as it appeared, by the sensation of an odour so new to him, and -floated about just as though he had been dead. For some months after -this, he carefully avoided all intercourse with man, just as if he had -received some affront or other; but, at the end of that time, he -returned, and afforded just the same wonderful scenes as before. At -last, the vexations that were caused them by having to entertain so many -influential men who came to see this sight, compelled the people of -Hippo to put the animal to death.... - -"Hegesidemus has also informed us, that, in the city of Iasus (_the -island and city of Caria_), there was another boy also, Hermias by name, -who in a similar manner used to traverse the sea on a dolphin's back, -but that, on one occasion, a tempest suddenly arising, he lost his life, -and was brought back dead: upon which, the dolphin, who thus admitted -that he had been the cause of his death, would not return to the sea, -but lay down upon dry land and there expired." - -Du Bartas gives us a new trait in the Dolphin's character:-- - - "Even as the Dolphins do themselves expose, - For their live fellows, and beneath the waves - Cover their dead ones under sandy graves." - - - - -THE NARWHAL, - - -generally called the Monoceros or Sea Unicorn, is thus shown in one -place, by Gesner; and, rough though it is, it is far more like the -Narwhal's horn than is the other, also, in his work, of a Sea Rhinoceros -or Narwhal engaged in combat with an outrageous-sized Lobster, or -Kraken, I know not which; for, as we shall presently see, the Kraken is -represented as a Crayfish or Lobster. It was the long twisted horn of -the Narwhal which did duty for ages as the horn of the fabled Unicorn, a -gift worthy to be presented by an Emperor to an Emperor. - -[Illustration] - -This sketch of Gesner's, he describes as a one-horned monster with a -sharp nose, devouring a Gambarus. Olaus Magnus dismisses the Narwhal -very curtly:--"The Unicorn is a Sea Beast, having in his forehead a -very great Horn, wherewith he can penetrate, and destroy the ships in -his way, and drown multitudes of men. But divine goodnesse hath provided -for the safety of Marriners herein; for, though he be a very fierce -Creature, yet is he very slow, that such as fear his coming may fly from -him." - -[Illustration] - -The earlier voyagers who really saw the Narwhal, fairly accurately -described it; as Baffin, whose name is so familiar to us by the bay -called after him:--"As for the Sea Unicorne, it being a great fish, -having a long horn or bone growing forth of his forehead or nostrill, -such as Sir Martin Frobisher, in his second voyage found one, in divers -places we saw them, which, if the horne be of any good value, no doubt -but many of them may be killed;" and Frobisher, as reported in Hakluyt, -says:--"On this west shore we found a dead fish floating, which had in -his nose a horne streight, and torquet, (_twisted_) of length two yards -lacking two ynches. Being broken in the top, here we might perceive it -hollow, into the which some of our sailors, putting spiders, they -presently died. I saw not the triall hereof, but it was reported unto me -of a truth; by the vertue thereof we supposed it to be the Sea -Unicorne." - - - - -THE SWAMFISCK. - - -[Illustration] - -The accompanying illustration, though heading the chapter in Olaus -Magnus regarding the Swamfisck and other fish, does not at all seem to -elucidate the text:--"The Variety of these Fish, or rather Monsters, is -here set down, because of their admirable form, and many properties of -Nature, as they often come to the _Norway_ Shores amongst other -Creatures, and they are catcht for their Fat, which they have in great -plenty and abundance. For the Fisher-men purge it, by boyling it like -flesh, on the fire, and they sell it to anoint leather, or for Oyl to -burn in Lamps, to continue light, when it is perpetual darkness. -Wherefore the first Monster that comes, is of a round form, in _Norway_ -called _Swamfisck_, the greatest glutton of all other Sea-Monsters. For -he is scarce satisfied, though he eat continually. He is said to have no -distinct stomach; and so what he eats turns into the thickness of his -body, that he appears nothing else than one Lump of Conjoyned Fat. He -dilates and extends himself beyond measure, and when he can be extended -no more, he easily casts out fishes by his mouth because he wants a neck -as other fishes do. His mouth and belly are continued one to the other. -But this Creature is so thick, that when there is danger, he can, (like -the Hedg-Hog) re-double his flesh, fat and skin, and contract and cover -himself; nor doth he that but to his own loss, because fearing Beasts -that are his Enemies, he will not open himself when he is oppressed -with hunger, but lives by feeding on his own flesh, choosing rather to -be consumed in part by himself, than to be totally devoured by Wild -Beasts. If the danger be past, he will try to save himself. - - - - -"THE SAHAB. - - -"There is also another Sea-Monster, called _Sahab_, which hath small -feet in respect of its great body, but he hath one long one, which he -useth in place of a hand to defend all his parts; and with that he puts -meat into his mouth, and digs up grass. His feet are almost gristly, and -made like the feet of a Cow or Calf. This Creature swimming in the -water, breathes, and when he sends forth his breath, it returns into the -Ayr, and he casts Water aloft, as Dolphins and Whales do. - - - - -"THE CIRCHOS. - - -"There is also another Monster like to that, called _Circhos_, which -hath a crusty and soft Skin, partly black, partly red, and hath two -cloven places in his Foot, that serve for to make three Toes. The right -foot of this Animal is very small, but the left is great and long; and, -therefore, when he walks all his body leans on the left side, and he -draws his right foot after him: When the Ayr is calm he walketh, but -when the Wind is high, and the Sky cloudy, he applies himself to the -Rocks, and rests unmoved, and sticks fast, that he can scarce be pulled -off. The nature of this is wonderful enough: which in calm Weather is -sound, and in stormy Weather is sick." - -[Illustration] - -The Northern Naturalists did not enjoy the monopoly of curious fish, -for Zahn gives us a very graphic picture of the different sides of two -small fish captured in Denmark and Norway (_i.e._, presumably in some -northern region) with curious letters marked on them. He does not -attempt to elucidate the writing; and as it is of no known language, we -may charitably put it down to the original "Volapük." He also favours us -with the effigies of a curious fish found in Silesia in 1609, also -ornamented with an inscription in an unknown tongue. - -[Illustration] - -He also supplies us with the portrait of a pike, which was daintily -marked with a cross on its side and a star on its forehead. - -But too much space would be taken up if I were to recount all the -piscine marvels that he relates. - -Aristotle mentions that fish do not thrive in cold weather, and he says -that those which have a stone in their head, as the chromis, labrax, -sciæna, and phagrus, suffer most in the winter; for the refrigeration of -the stone causes them to freeze, and be driven on shore. - -Sir John Mandeville, speaking of the kingdom of Talonach, says:--"And -that land hath a marvayle that is in no other land, for all maner of -fyshes of the sea cometh there once a yeare, one after the other, and -lyeth him neere the lande, sometime on the lande, and so lye three -dayes, and men of that lande come thither and take of them what he will, -and then goe these fyshes awaye, and another sort commeth, and lyeth -also three dayes and men take of them, and do thus all maner of fyshes -tyll all have been there, and menne have taken what they wyll. And men -wot not the cause why it is so. But they of that Countrey saye, that -those fyshes come so thyther to do worship to theyr king, for they say -he is the most worthiest king of the worlde, for he hath so many wives, -and geateth so many children of them." (See next page.) - -[Illustration] - -I know of no other fish of such an accomodating nature, except it be -those of whom Ser Marco Polo speaks, when writing of Armenia:--"There is -in this Country a certain Convent of Nuns called St. Leonard's about -which I have to tell you a very wonderful circumstance. Near the church -in question there is a great lake at the foot of a mountain, and in this -lake are found no fish, great or small, throughout the year till Lent -come. On the first day of Lent they find in it the finest fish in the -world, and great store, too, thereof; and these continue to be found -till Easter Eve. After that they are found no more till Lent come round -again; and so 'tis every year. 'Tis really a passing great miracle!" - -[Illustration] - -Edward Webbe, "Master Gunner," whose travels were printed in 1590, -informs us that in the "Land of Siria there is a River having great -store of fish like unto Samon-trouts, but no Jew can catch them, though -either Christian and Turk shall catch them in abundance, with great -ease." - -Pliny has some curious natural phenomena to tell us about, of showers of -Milk, Blood, Flesh, Iron, and Wool; nay, he even says that, the year of -this woolly shower, when Titus Annius Milo was pleading his own cause, -there fell a shower of baked tiles! - -[Illustration] - -After this we can swallow Olaus Magnus's story of a rain of fishes very -comfortably, especially as he supplements it with showers of frogs and -worms. - -He gives a curious story of the black river at the New Fort in -Finland:--"There is a Fort in the utmost parts of _Finland_ that is -under the Pole, and it belongs to the Kingdom of _Sweden_, and it is -called the New-Fort, because it was wonderfull cunningly built, and -fortified by Nature and Art; for it is placed on a round Mountain, -having but one entrance and outlet toward the West; and that by a ship -that is tyed with great Iron Chains, which by strong labour and benefit -of Wheels, by reason of the force of the Waters, is drawn to one part -of the River by night, by keepers appointed by the King of _Sweden_, or -such as farm it. A vast river runs by this Castle, whose depth cannot be -found; it ariseth from the White Lake, and falls down by degrees: at the -bottome it is black, especially round this Castle, where it breeds and -holds none but black Fish, but of no ill taste, as are Salmons, Trouts, -Perch, Pikes, and other soft Fish. It produceth also the Fish _Trebius_, -that is black in Summer, and white in Winter, who, as _Albertus_ saith, -grows lean in the Sea; but when he is a foot long, he is five fingers -fat: This, seasoned with Salt, will draw Gold out of the deepest waters -that it is fallen in, and make it flote from the bottome. At last, it -makes the black Lake passing by _Viburgum_, as _Nilus_ makes a black -River, where he dischargeth himself. - -[Illustration] - -"When the Image of a Harper, playing, as it were, upon his Harp, in the -middle of the Waters above them appears, it signifies some ill _Omen_, -that the Governor of the Fort, or Captain shall suddenly be slain, or -that the negligent and sleepy Watchman shall be thrown headlong from -the high walls, and die by Martial Law. Also this water is never free -from Ghosts and Visions that appear at all times; and a man may hear -Pipes sound, and Cymbals tinkle, to the shore." - -Aristotle mentions a fish called the Meryx that chewed the cud, and -Pliny speaks of the Scarus, which, he says, "at the present day is the -only fish that is said to ruminate, and feed on grass, and not on other -fish." But he seems to have forgotten that in a previous place in the -same book, he speaks of a large peninsula in the Red Sea, on the -southern coast of Arabia, called Cadara, where "the sea monsters, just -like so many cattle, were in the habit of coming on shore, and after -feeding on the roots of shrubs, they would return; some of them, which -had the heads of horses, asses, and bulls, found a pasture in the crops -of grain." - - - - -THE REMORA. - - -Of this fish Pliny writes:--"There is a very small fish that is in the -habit of living among the rocks, and is known as the Echeneis, [Greek: -Apo tou echein nêas]. (_From holding back ships._) It is believed that -when this has attached itself to the keel of a ship, its progress is -impeded, and that it is from this circumstance that it takes its name. -For this reason, also, it has a disgraceful repute, as being employed -in love philtres, and for the purpose of retarding judgments and legal -proceedings.... It is never used, however, for food.... Mucianus speaks -of a Murex of larger size than the purple, with a head that is neither -rough nor round; and the shell of which is single, and falls in folds -on either side. He tells us, also, that some of these creatures once -attached themselves to a ship freighted with children of noble birth, -who were being sent by Periander for the purpose of being castrated, and -that they stopped its course in full sail; and he further says, that the -shell-fish which did this service are duly honoured in the temple of -Venus, at Cnidos. Trebius Niger says that this fish is a foot in length, -and five fingers in thickness, and that it can retard the course of -vessels; besides which, it has another peculiar property--when preserved -in salt, and applied, it is able to draw up gold which has fallen into a -well, however deep it may happen to be." - - "But, _Clio_, wherefore art thou tedious - In numbering _Neptune's_ busie burgers thus? - If in his works thou wilt admire the worth - Of the Sea's Soverain, bring but only forth - One little _Fish_, whose admirable story - Sufficeth sole to shewe his might and glory. - Let all the Windes, in one Winde gather them, - And (seconded with _Neptune's_ strongest stream) - Let all at once blowe all the stiffest gales - Astern a Galley under all her sails; - Let her be holpen with a hundred Owers, - Each lively handled by five lusty Rowers; - The _Remora_, fixing her feeble horn - Into the tempest beaten Vessel's Stern, - Stayes her stone still, while all her stout Consorts - Saile thence, at pleasure, to their wished Ports, - Then loose they all the sheats, but to no boot: - For the charm'd Vessell bougeth not a foot; - No more than if, three fadom under ground, - A score of Anchors held her fastly bound: - No more than doth the Oak, that in the Wood, - Hath thousand Tempests, (thousand times) withstood; - Spreading as many massy roots belowe, - As mighty arms above the ground do growe." - - - - -THE DOG-FISH AND RAY. - - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus writes of "The cruelty of some Fish, and the kindness of -others. There is a fish of the kind of Sea-Dogfish, called _Boloma_, in -_Italian_, and in _Norway_, _Haafisck_, that will set upon a man -swimming in the Salt-Waters, so greedily, in Troops, unawares, that he -will sink a man to the bottome, not only by his biting, but also by his -weight; and he will eat his more tender parts, as his nostrils, fingers, -&c., until such time as the Ray come to revenge these injuries; which -runs thorow the Waters armed with her natural fins, and with some -violence drives away these fish that set upon the drown'd man, and doth -what he can to urge him to swim out. And he also keeps the man, until -such time as his spirit being quite gone; and after some days, as the -Sea naturally purgeth itself, he is cast up. This miserable spectacle is -seen on the Coasts of _Norway_ when men go to wash themselves, namely, -strangers and Marriners that are ignorant of the dangers, leap out of -their ships into the sea. For these Dogfish, or _Boloma_, lie hid under -the ships riding at Anchor as Water Rams, that they may catch men, their -malicious natures stirring them to it." - - - - -THE SEA DRAGON. - - -[Illustration] - -Of the Ray tribe of fishes, the Sea Dragon is the most -frightful-looking, but we know next to nothing about it. Pliny only -cursorily mentions it thus:--"The Sea Dragon again, if caught, and -thrown on the sand, works out a hole for itself with its muzzle, with -the most wonderful celerity." Olaus Magnus simply copies Pliny almost -word for word. Gesner, from whom I have taken this illustration, merely -classes it among the Rays, and gives no further information about it; -neither does Aldrovandus, from whom I have taken another picture. - - - - -THE STING RAY. - - -Pliny mentions the Sting Ray, and ascribes to it marvellous powers, -which it does not possess:--"There is nothing more to be dreaded than -the sting which protrudes from the tail of the _Trygon_, by our people -known as the _Pastinaca_, a weapon five inches in length. Fixing this in -the root of a tree, the fish is able to kill it; it can pierce armour, -too, just as though with an arrow, and to the strength of iron it adds -all the corrosive qualities of poison." - -[Illustration] - - - - -SENSES OF FISHES. - - -He also tells us about the senses of fishes, and first of their -hearing:--"Among the marine animals, it is not probable that Oysters -enjoy the sense of hearing, but it is said that immediately a noise is -made, the Solen (_razor-sheath_) will sink to the bottom; it is for this -reason, too, that silence is observed by persons while fishing at sea. -Fishes have neither organs of hearing, nor yet the exterior orifice. And -yet it is quite certain that they do hear, for it is a well-known fact, -that in some fish-ponds they are in the habit of being assembled to be -fed by the clapping of the hands. In the fish-ponds, too, that belong to -the Emperor, the fish are in the habit of coming, each kind, as it hears -its name. So, too, it is said the Mullet, the Wolf-fish, the Salpa, and -the Chromis, have a very exquisite sense of hearing, and that it is for -this reason that they frequent shallow water. - -"It is quite manifest that fishes have the sense of smell also; for they -are not all to be taken with the same bait, and are seen to smell at it -before they seize it. Some, too, that are concealed in the bottom of -holes are driven out by the fishermen, by the aid of the smell of salted -fish; with this he rubs the entrance of their retreat in the rock, -immediately upon which they take to flight from the spot, just as though -they had recognized the dead carcases of those of their kind. Then, -again, they will rise to the surface at the smell of certain odours, -such, for instance, as roasted sepia and polypus; and hence it is that -these baits are placed in the osier-kipes used for taking fish. They -immediately take to flight upon smelling the bilge-water in a ship's -hold, and more especially upon scenting the blood of fish. - -"The Polypus cannot possibly be torn away from the rock to which it -clings; but upon the herb _cunila_ being applied, the instant it smells -it, the fish quits its hold.... All animals have the sense of touch, -those even which have no other sense; for even in the oyster, and, among -land animals, in the worm, this sense is found. I am strongly inclined -to believe, too, that the sense of taste exists in all animals; for why -else should one seek one kind of food, and one another?" - - - - -ZOOPHYTES. - - -Writing on the lower phases of Marine Animal life, he says:--"Indeed, -for my own part, I am strongly of opinion that there is sense existing -in those bodies which have the nature of neither animals nor vegetables, -but a third, which partakes of them both:--sea-nettles, and sponges, I -mean. The Sea Nettle wanders to and fro by night, and at night changes -its locality. These creatures are by nature a sort of fleshy branch, and -are nurtured upon flesh. They have the power of producing an itching, -smarting pain, just like that caused by the nettle found on land. For -the purpose of seeking its prey, it contracts, and stiffens itself to -the utmost possible extent, and then, as a small fish swims past, it -will suddenly spread out its branches, and so seize and devour it. At -another time it will assume the appearance of being quite withered away, -and let itself be tossed to and fro, by the waves, like a piece of -sea-weed, until it happens to touch a fish. The moment it does so, the -fish goes to rub itself against a rock, to get rid of the itching: -immediately upon which, the nettle pounces upon it. By night also it is -on the look-out for Scallops and Sea-urchins. When it perceives a hand -approaching it, it instantly changes its colour, and contracts itself; -when touched, it produces a burning sensation, and if ever so short a -time is afforded, makes its escape. Its mouth is situate, it is said, at -the root or lower part, and the excrements are discharged by a small -canal situated above. - - - - -"SPONGES. - - -"We find three kinds of sponges mentioned; the first are thick, very -hard, and rough, and are called _tragi_: the second are thick, and much -softer, and are called _mani_: of the third, being fine, and of a closer -texture, tents for sores are made; this last is known as _Achillium_. -All of these sponges grow on rocks, and feed upon shell and other fish, -and slime. - -"It would appear that these creatures, too, have some intelligence; for, -as soon as ever they feel the hand about to tear them off, they contract -themselves, and are separated with much greater difficulty: they do the -same also, when the waves buffet them to and fro. The small shells that -are found in them, clearly show that they live upon food; about Torone -it is even said that they will survive after they have been detached, -and that they grow again from the roots which have been left adhering to -the rock. They leave a colour similar to that of blood upon the rock -from which they have been detached, and those, more especially, which -are produced in the Syrtes of Africa." - -Olaus Magnus gives us the accompanying illustration of Zoophytes and -Sponges. Of the latter, he says:--"Sponges are much multiplied near the -Coasts of _Norway_; the nature of it is, that it agrees with other -living creatures in the way of contracting, and dilating itself: yet -some are immovable from rocks, and if they be broken off at the Roots, -they grow again; some are movable from place to place; and these are -found in huge plenty on the foresaid shores. They are fed with mud, -small fish, and oysters. When they are alive, they are black, as they -are when they are wet." - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE KRAKEN. - - -This enormous monster, peculiar to the Northern Seas, is scarcely a -fable, because huge Calamaries are not infrequently seen. Poor -Pontoppidan has often been considered a Danish Ananias, but there are -authentic accounts of these enormous Cuttle-fish; for instance, in 1854, -one was stranded at the Skag, in Jutland, which was cut in pieces by the -fishermen in order to be used as bait, and filled many wheelbarrows. -Another, either in 1860 or 1861, was stranded between Hillswick and -Scalloway, on the west of Scotland, and its tentacles were sixteen feet -long, the pedal arms about half as long, and its body seven feet. The -French ship _Alecton_, on 30th November 1861, between Madeira and -Teneriffe, slipped a rope with a running knot over an enormous calamary, -but only brought a portion on board, the body breaking off. It was -estimated at being sixteen to eighteen feet in length, without counting -its arms. The legend of its sinking ships and taking sailors from them -is common to many countries, even the Chinese and Japanese thus -depicting them. - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus gives us a graphic picture of a huge Polyp, thus seizing a -sailor, and dragging him from his ship in spite of all his efforts to -prevent him. On the next page is a huge calamary shown with a man in its -clutches. This is both in Gesner and Aldrovandus. But this terror to -mariners had its master in the Conger eel. Gesner, who has taken his -picture from some description of the World, introduces it as a -Sea-Serpent; but Aristotle says that "the Congers devour the Polypi, -which cannot adhere to them on account of the smoothness of their -surface." Magnus also speaks of the antipathy between the two. - -[Illustration] - -According to Pliny, quoting Trebius Niger, the Polypus shows a fair -amount of cunning:--"Shell fish are destitute of sight, and, indeed, all -other sensations but those which warn them of hunger, and the approach -of danger. Hence it is that the Polypus lies in ambush till the fish -opens its shell, immediately upon which, it places within it a small -pebble, taking care, at the same time, to keep it from touching the body -of the animal, lest, by making some movement, it should chance to eject -it. Having made itself thus secure, it attacks its prey, and draws out -the flesh, while the other tries to contract itself, but all in vain, in -consequence of the separation of the shell, thus effected by the -insertion of the wedge. - -[Illustration] - -"In addition to the above, the same author states that there is not an -animal in existence, that is more dangerous for its powers of destroying -a human being when in the water. Embracing his body, it counteracts his -struggles, and draws him under with its feelers and its numerous -suckers, when, as often is the case, it happens to make an attack upon -a shipwrecked mariner or a child. If, however, the animal is turned -over, it loses all its power; for when it is thrown upon its back, the -arms open of themselves. - -"The other particulars which the same author has given, appear still -more closely to border upon the marvellous. At Carteia, in the preserves -there, a Polypus was in the habit of coming from the sea to the pickling -tubs that were left open, and devouring the fish laid in salt there--for -it is quite astonishing how eagerly all sea animals follow even the very -smell of salted condiments, so much so, that it is for this reason that -the fishermen take care to rub the inside of the wicker fish-kipes with -them.--At last, by its repeated thefts and immoderate depredations, it -drew down upon itself the wrath of the keepers of the works. Palisades -were placed before them, but these the Polypus managed to get over by -the aid of a tree, and was only caught at last by calling in the -assistance of trained dogs, which surrounded it at night, as it was -returning with its prey; upon which, the keepers, awakened by the noise, -were struck with alarm at the novelty of the sight presented. - -"First of all, the size of the Polypus was enormous beyond all -conception: and then it was covered all over with dried brine, and -exhaled a most dreadful stench. Who could have expected to find a -Polypus there, or could have recognised it as such, under these -circumstances? They really thought that they were joining battle with -some monster, for at one instant, it would drive off the dogs by its -horrible fumes, and lash at them with the extremities of its feelers; -while at another, it would strike them with its stronger arms, giving -blows with so many clubs, as it were; and it was only with the greatest -difficulty that it could be dispatched with the aid of a considerable -number of three-pronged fish-spears. The head of this animal was shewn -to Lucullus; it was in size as large as a cask of fifteen amphoræ -(_about 135 gallons_), and had a beard (_iti tentaculæ_), to use the -expression of Trebius himself, which could hardly be encircled with both -arms, full of knots, like those upon a club, and thirty feet in length; -the suckers, or calicules, as large as an urn, resembled a basin in -shape, while the teeth again were of a corresponding largeness: its -remains, which were carefully preserved as a curiosity, weighed seven -hundred pounds." - -Olaus Magnus says:--"On the Coasts of _Norway_ there is a Polypus, or -creature with many feet, which hath a pipe on his back, whereby he puts -to Sea, and he moves that sometimes to the right, and sometimes to the -left. Moreover, with his Legs as it were by hollow places, dispersed -here and there, and by his Toothed Nippers, he fastneth on every living -Creature that comes near to him, that wants blood. Whatever he eats he -heaps up in the holes where he resides: Then he casts out the Skins, -having eaten the flesh, and hunts after fishes that swim to them: Also -he casts out the shels, and hard outsides of Crabs that remain. He -changeth his colour by the colour of the stone he sticks unto, -especially when he is frighted at the sight of his Enemy, the Conger. He -hath 4 great middle feet, in all 8; a little body, which the great feet -make amends for. He hath also some small feet that are shadowed and can -scarce be perceived. By these he sustains, moves, and defends himself, -and takes hold of what is from him: and he lies on his back upon the -stones, that he can scarce be gotten off, onlesse you put some stinking -smell to him." - - - - -CRAYFISH AND CRABS. - - -Pliny tells us that in the Indian Ocean are Crayfish four cubits in -length (six feet), and he claims for crabs a sovereign specific against -bites of scorpions and snakes:--"River-Crabs taken fresh and beaten up -and drunk in water, or the ashes of them, kept for the purpose, are -useful in all cases of poisoning, as a counter poison; taken with asses' -milk they are particularly serviceable as a neutralizer of the venom of -the scorpion; goat's milk or any other kind of milk being substituted, -where asses' milk cannot be procured. Wine, too, should also be used in -all such cases. River-Crabs beaten up with Ocimum, and applied to -Scorpions, are fatal to them. They are possessed of similar virtues, -also, for the bites of all other kinds of venomous animals, the Scytale -in particular, adders, the sea hare, and the bramble frog. The ashes of -them, preserved, are good for persons who give symptoms of hydrophobia -after being bitten by a mad dog, some adding gentian as well, and -administering the mixture in wine. In cases, too, where hydrophobia has -already appeared, it is recommended, that these ashes should be kneaded -up into boluses with wine and swallowed. If ten of these crabs be tied -together with a handful of Ocimum, all the scorpions in the -neighbourhood, the magicians say, will be attracted to the spot. They -recommend, also, that to wounds inflicted by the scorpion, these crabs, -or the ashes of them, should be applied with Ocimum. For all these -purposes, however, sea crabs, it should be remembered, are not so -useful. Thrasyllus informs us that there is nothing so antagonistic to -serpents as crabs: that swine, when stung by a serpent, cure themselves -by eating them; and that, when the sun is in the sign of Cancer, -serpents suffer the greatest tortures.... - -"It is said that while the sun is passing through the sign of Cancer, -the dead bodies of the crabs, which are lying on the shore, are -transformed into serpents." - - - - -THE SEA-SERPENT. - - -Of the antiquity of the belief in the Sea-Serpent there can be no doubt, -for it is represented on the walls of the Assyrian palace at Khorsabad, -more than once, in the sculpture representing the voyage of Sargon to -Cyprus, thus giving it an authentic antiquity of over 2600 years: but as -its existence must then have been a matter of belief, it naturally comes -that it must be much older than that. - -[Illustration] - -Aristotle, who wrote nearly 400 years later, speaks of them, and their -savage disposition:--"In Libya, the serpents, as it has been already -remarked, are very large. For some persons say that as they sailed along -the coast, they saw the bones of many oxen, and that it was evident to -them that they had been devoured by the serpents. And, as the ships -passed on, the serpents attacked the triremes, and some of them threw -themselves upon one of the triremes, and overturned it." - -These, together with Sargon's Sea-Serpent, were doubtless marine snakes, -which are still in existence, and are found in the Indian Ocean, but the -larger ones seem to have been seen in more northern waters. It has been -the fashion to pooh-pooh the existence of this sea monster, but there -are many that still do believe in it most thoroughly; only, to express -that belief would be to certainly expose oneself to ridicule. No one -doubts the _bonâ fides_ of those who narrate having seen them, but some -one is sure to come forward with his pet theory as to its being a school -of porpoises, or an enormous cuttle-fish, with its tentacles playing on -the surface of the water; so that no one likes to confess that he has -seen it. - -[Illustration] - -Both Olaus Magnus and Gesner give illustrations of the Sea-Serpent of -Norway, and I give that of the latter, as it is the best. The former -says:--"They who Work of Navigation, on the Coasts of _Norway_, employ -themselves in fishing, or merchandize, do all agree in this strange -Story, that there is a Serpent there which is of a Vast Magnitude, -namely 200 feet long, and, moreover, 20 foot thick; and is wont to live -in Rocks and Caves toward the Sea Coast about _Berge_; which will go -alone from his holes in a clear night in Summer, and devour Calves, -Lambs, and Hogs, or else he goes into the Sea to feed on Polypus, -Locusts, and all sorts of Sea Crabs. He hath commonly hair hanging from -his neck a cubit long, and sharp Scales, and is black, and he hath -flaming shining eys. This Snake disquiets the Shippers, and he puts up -his head on high like a pillar, and catcheth away men, and he devours -them; and this hapneth not, but it signifies some wonderful change of -the Kingdom near at hand; namely, that the Princes shall die, or be -banished; or some Tumultuous Wars shall presently follow. There is also -another Serpent of an incredible magnitude in a town called _Moos_, of -the Diocess of _Hammer_; which, as a Comet portends a change in all the -World, so, that portends a change in the Kingdom of _Norway_, as it was -seen, _Anno_ 1522, that lifts himself high above the Waters, and rouls -himself round like a sphere. This Serpent was thought to be fifty Cubits -long by conjecture, by sight afar off: there followed this the -banishment of King _Christiernus_, and a great persecution of the -Bishops; and it shew'd also the destruction of the Country." - -Topsell, in his _Historie of Serpents_, 1608, does not add much to -Sea-Serpent lore, but he adds the picture of another kind of Serpent, as -does also Aldrovandus, whose illustration I give. (See p. 272.) Erik -Pontoppidan, Bishop of Bergen, in his _Natürlichen Historie von -Norwegen_, gives a picture of the Sea-Serpent, somewhat similar to that -previously given by Hans Egede, "the Apostle of Greenland." (See next -page.) Pontoppidan tried to sift the wheat from the chaff, in connection -with the Natural History of the North, but he was not always successful. -He gives several cases, one seemingly very well authenticated, of the -appearance of Sea-Serpents. - -But possibly more credence may be given to more modern instances. Sir -Walter Scott, in the Notes to _The Pirate_, says (speaking of Shetland -and Orkney fishermen):--"The Sea-Snake was also known, which, arising -out of the depths of the ocean, stretches to the skies his enormous -neck, covered with a mane like that of a war-horse, and with his broad -glittering eyes, raised mast-head high, looks out, as it seems, for -plunder or for victims." "The author knew a mariner, of some reputation -in his class, vouch for having seen the celebrated Sea-Serpent. It -appeared, as far as could be guessed, to be about a hundred feet long, -with the wild mane and fiery eyes which old writers ascribe to the -monster; but it is not unlikely the spectator might, in the doubtful -light, be deceived by a good Norway log on the water." - -[Illustration] - -Mr. Maclean, the pastor of Eigg, an island in the Small Isles parish, -Inverness-shire, wrote, in 1809, to Dr. Neill, the Secretary of the -Wernerian Society, that he had seen a Sea-Serpent, while he was in a -boat about two miles from land. The serpent followed the boat, and the -minister escaped by getting on to a rock. He described it as having a -large head and slender tail, with no fins, its body tapering to its -tail. It moved in undulations, and he thought its length might be -seventy to eighty feet. It was seen, also, by the crews of thirteen -fishing-boats, who, being frightened thereat, fled to the nearest creek -for safety. - -[Illustration] - -A Sea-Serpent, judged to be of the length of about eighty feet, was seen -by a party of British officers, in Margaret's Bay, whilst crossing from -Halifax to Mahone Bay, on 15th May 1833. - -In 1847 a Sea-Serpent was seen frequently, in the neighbourhood of -Christiansand and Molde, by many persons, and by one Lars Johnöen, -fisherman at Smolen, especially. He said that one afternoon, in the -dog-days, when sitting in his boat, he saw it twice in the course of two -hours, and quite close to him. It came, indeed, to within six feet of -him, and, becoming alarmed, he commended his soul to God, and lay down -in the boat, only holding his head high enough to enable him to observe -the monster. It passed him, disappeared, and returned; but a breeze -springing up, it sank, and he saw it no more. He described it as being -about six fathoms (thirty-six _feet_) long, the body (which was as round -as a serpent's) two feet across, the head as long as a ten-gallon cask, -the eyes round, red, sparkling, and about five inches in diameter; close -behind the head, a mane, like a fin, commenced along the neck, and -spread itself out on both sides, right and left, when swimming. The -mane, as well as the head, was of the colour of mahogany. The body was -quite smooth, its movements occasionally fast and slow. It was -serpent-like, and moved up and down. The few undulations which those -parts of the body and tail that were out of water made, were scarce a -fathom in length. His account was confirmed by several people of -position, a Surgeon, a Rector, and a Curate, being among those who had -seen a Sea-Serpent. - -But an appearance of the Sea-Serpent, without doubt, is most -satisfactorily attested by the captain and officers of H.M.S. _Dædalus_. -The first notice of it was in the _Times_ of 10th October 1848, in which -was a paragraph, dated 7th October, from Plymouth:-- - -"When the _Dædalus_ frigate, Captain M'Quhæ, which arrived here on the -4th inst., was on her passage home from the East Indies, between the -Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena, her captain, and most of her officers -and crew, at four o'clock one afternoon, saw a Sea-Serpent. The creature -was twenty minutes in sight of the frigate, and passed under her -quarter. Its head appeared about four feet out of the water, and there -was about sixty feet of its body in a straight line on the surface. It -is calculated that there must have been under water a length of thirty -or forty feet more, by which it propelled itself at the rate of fifteen -miles an hour. The diameter of the exposed part of the body was about -sixteen inches; and when it extended its jaws, which were full of large -jagged teeth, they seemed sufficiently capacious to admit of a tall man -standing upright between them. The ship was sailing north at the rate of -eight miles an hour. The _Dædalus_ left the Cape of Good Hope on the -30th of July, and reached St. Helena on the 16th of August." - -Captain M'Quhæ sent the following letter to Admiral Sir W. H. Gage, -G.C.H., at Devonport:-- - - "HER MAJESTY'S SHIP _DÆDALUS_, HAMOAZE, - _Oct. 11, 1848_. - - "SIR,--In reply to your letter of this day's date, requiring - information as to the truth of a statement published in the Times - newspaper, of a Sea-Serpent of extraordinary dimensions having been - seen from Her Majesty's Ship _Dædalus_, under my command, on her - passage from the East Indies, I have the honour to acquaint you, for - the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that at - five o'clock P.M., on the 6th of August last, in latitude 24° 44' S. - and longitude 9° 22' E., the weather dark and cloudy, wind fresh - from the N.W., with a long ocean swell from the S.W., the ship on - the port tack heading N.E. by N., something very unusual was seen by - Mr. Sartoris, midshipman, rapidly approaching the ship from before - the beam. The circumstance was immediately reported by him to the - officer of the watch, Lieutenant Edgar Drummond, with whom, and Mr. - William Barrett, the master, I was at the time walking the - quarter-deck. The ship's company were at supper. - - [Illustration] - - "On our attention being called to the object, it was discovered to - be an enormous Serpent, with head and shoulders kept about four feet - constantly above the surface of the sea; and, as nearly as we could - approximate by comparing it with the length of what our - maintopsail-yard would show in the water, there was, at the very - least, sixty feet of the animal _à fleur d'eau_, no portion of which - was, to our perception, used in propelling it through the water, - either by vertical or horizontal undulation. It passed rapidly, but - so close under our lee quarter that, had it been a man of my - acquaintance, I should have easily recognised his features with the - naked eye; and it did not, either in approaching the ship or after - it had passed our wake, deviate in the slightest degree from its - course to the S.W., which it held on at the pace of from twelve to - fifteen miles per hour, apparently on some determined purpose. - - "The diameter of the Serpent was about fifteen or sixteen inches - behind the head, which was, without any doubt, that of a snake; and - it was never, during the twenty minutes that it continued in sight - of our glasses, once below the surface of the water. Its colour, a - dark brown, with yellowish white about the throat. It had no fins, - but something like the mane of a horse, or rather a bunch of - seaweed, washed about its back. It was seen by the quartermaster, - the boatswain's mate, and the man at the wheel, in addition to - myself and officers above mentioned. - - "I am having a drawing of the Serpent made from a sketch taken - immediately after it was seen, which I hope to have ready for - transmission to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty by - to-morrow's post.--I have, &c., - - PETER M'QUHÆ, CAPTAIN." - -Space will not allow me to chronicle all the other appearances of -Sea-Serpents from 1848 to the present time. Suffice it to say, they are -not very uncommon, and as for veracity, I will give another instance of -its being seen on board the Royal Yacht _Osborne_, on 2nd June 1877, off -Cape Vito, Sicily. Lieutenant Haynes made sketches, and wrote a -description, of it, which was confirmed by the Captain and several -officers. He wrote:-- - - "ROYAL YACHT _OSBORNE_, GIBRALTAR, - _June 6, 1877_. - - "On the evening of that day (June 2), the sea being perfectly - smooth, my attention was first called by seeing a ridge of fins - above the surface of the water extending about thirty feet, and - varying from five to six feet in height. On inspecting it by means - of a telescope, at about one and a half cable's distance, I - distinctly saw a head, two flappers, and about thirty feet of an - animal's shoulder. - - "The head, as nearly as I could judge, was about six feet thick, the - neck narrower, about four or five feet, the shoulder about fifteen - feet across, and the flappers each about fifteen feet in length. The - movements of the flappers were those of a turtle, and the animal - resembled a huge seal, the resemblance being strongest about the - back of the head. I could not see the length of the head, but from - its crown or top to just below the shoulder (where it became - immersed) I should reckon about fifty feet. The tail end I did not - see, being under water, unless the ridge of fins to which my - attention was first attracted, and which had disappeared by the time - I got a telescope, were really the continuation of the shoulder to - the end of the object's body. The animal's head was not always above - water, but was thrown upwards, remaining above for a few seconds at - a time, and then disappearing. There was an entire absence of - 'blowing' or 'spouting.'" - -I think the verdict may be given that its existence, although belonging -to "Curious Zoology," is not impossible, and can hardly be branded as a -falsehood. - - - - -SERPENTS. - - -Of Serpents Topsell has written a "Historie," which, if not altogether -veracious, is very amusing; and I shall quote largely from it, as it -shows us "the latest thing out" in Serpents as believed in, and taught, -in the time of James I. He begins, of course, with their creation, and -the Biblical mention of them, and then passes to the power of man over -them in charming and taming them. Of the former he tells the following -tale:-- - -"_Aloisius Cadamustus_, in his description of the New World, telleth an -excellent hystorie of a _Lygurian_ young Man, beeing among the _Negroes_ -travailing in _Affrick_, whereby he endeavoureth to proove, how ordinary -and familiar it is to them, to take and charme Serpents. - -"The young man beeing in _Affricke_ among the _Negroes_, and lodged in -the house of a Nephew to the Prince of _Budoniell_, when he was taking -himselfe to his rest, suddenly awakened by hearing the unwonted noise of -the hissing of innumerable sorts of Serpents; wherat he wondred, and -beeing in some terror, he heard his Host (the Prince's Nephew) to make -himselfe readie to go out of the doores, (for he had called up his -servants to sadle up his Cammels:) the young man demaunded of him the -cause, why he would go out of doores now so late in the darke night? to -whom he answered, I am to goe a little way, but I will returne againe -verie speedily; and so he went, and with a charme quieted the Serpents, -and drove them all away, returning againe with greater speed than the -_Lygurian_ young man, his ghest, expected. And when he had returned, he -asked his ghest if hee did not heare the inmoderate hyssing of the -Serpents? and he answered, that he had heard them to his great terrour. -Then the Prince's Nephew (who was called Bisboror) replyed, saying, they -were Serpents which had beset the house, and would have destroyed all -their Cattell and Heards, except hee had gone foorth to drive them away -by a Charme, which was very common and ordinary in those parts, wherin -were abundance of very hurtfull Serpents. - -"The Lygurian young man, hearing him say so, marvailed above measure, -and said, that this thing was so rare and miraculous, that scarcely -Christians could beleeve it. The _Negro_ thought it as strange that the -young man should bee ignorant heereof, and therefore told him, that -their Prince could worke more strange things by a Charme which he had, -and that this, and such like, were small, vulgar, and not be counted -miraculous. For, when he is to use any strong poyson upon present -necessitie, to put any man to death, he putteth some venom uppon a -sword, or other peece of Armour, and then making a large round Circle, -by his Charme compelleth many Serpents to come within that circle, hee -himselfe standing amongst them, and observing the most venomous of them -all so assembled, which he thinketh to contain the strongest poyson, -killeth him, and causeth the residue to depart away presentlie; then, -out of the dead Serpent hee taketh the poyson, and mixeth it with the -seede of a certaine vulgar Tree, and therewithall annoynteth his dart, -arrow, or sword's point, whereby is caused present death, if it give the -bodie of a man but a very small wound, even to the breaking of the -skinne, or drawing of the blood. And the saide _Negro_ did earnestly -perswade the young man to see an experiment hereof, promising him to -shew all as he had related, but the _Lygurian_ beeing more willing to -heare such things told, than bolde to attempt the triall, told him that -he was not willing to see any such experiment. - -"And by this it appeareth, that all the _Negroes_ are addicted to -Incantations, which never have anie approbation from God, except against -Serpents, which I cannot very easilie be brought to beleeve." - -Of the affection of some serpents for the human-kind he gives some -examples:--"We reade also in Plutarch of certain Serpents, lovers of -young virgins, and by name there was one that was in love with one -_Ætolia_, a Virgin, who did accustome to come unto her in the night -time, slyding gentlie all over her bodie, never harming her, but as one -glad of such acquaintance, tarried with her in that dalliance till the -morning, and them would depart away of his owne accorde: the which thing -beeing made manifest unto the Guardians and Tutours of the Virgin, they -removed her unto another Towne. The Serpent missing his Love, sought her -uppe and downe three or four dayes, and at last mette her by chance, and -then hee saluted her not as he was wont, with fawning, and gentle -slyding, but fiercely assaulted her with grimme and austere countenance, -flying to her hands, and binding them with the spire of his bodie, fast -to her sides, did softly with his tayle beat her upon her backer parts. -Whereby was collected, some token of his chastisement unto her, who had -wronged such a Lover, with her wilfull absence and disappointment. - -"It is also reported by _Ælianus_ that _Egemon_ in his verses, writeth -of one _Alena_, a _Thessalian_ who, feeding his Oxen in _Thessaly_, -neere the Fountaine _Hæmonius_, there fell in love with him a Serpent of -exceeding bignesse and quantitie, and the same would come unto him, and -softly licke his face and golden haire, without dooing him any manner of -hurt at all." - -He tells a few more "Snake stories," and quotes from "a little Latine -booke printed at _Vienna_, in the yeare of the Lorde 1551," the -following:--"There was (sayth mine Author) found in a mowe or rycke of -corne, almost as many Snakes, Adders, and other Serpentes, as there were -sheafes, so as no one sheafe could be removed, but there presently -appeared a heape of ougly and fierce Serpents. The countrey men -determined to set fire upon the Barne, and so attempted to doe, but in -vaine, for the straw would take no fire, although they laboured with all -their wit and pollicye, to burne them up; At last, there appeared unto -them at the top of the heap a huge great Serpent, which, lifting up his -head, spake with man's voyce to the countrey men, saying: _Cease to -prosecute your devise, for you shall not be able to accomplish our -burning, for wee were not bredde by Nature, neither came we hither of -our own accord, but were sent by God to take vengeance on the sinnes of -men._" - -And some serpents were "very fine and large," for he says:--"_Gellius_ -writeth, that when the Romanes were in the Carthaginian Warre, and -_Attilius Regulus_ the Consull had pitched his Tents neere unto the -river _Bragrada_, there was a Serpent of monstrous quantitie, which had -beene lodged within the compasse of the Tents, and therefore did cause -to the whole Armie exceeding great calamitie, untill by casting of -stones with slings, and many other devises, they oppressed and slew that -Serpent, and afterward fleyed off the skinne and sent it to _Rome_; -which was in length one hundred and twentie feete. - -"And, although this seemeth to be a beast of unmatchable stature, yet -_Postdenius_ a Christian writer, relateth a storie of another which was -much greater, for hee writeth that he saw a Serpent dead, of the length -of an acre of Land, and all the residue both of head and bodie, were -answerable in proportion, for the bulke of his bodie was so great, and -lay so high, that two Horsemen could not see one the other, beeing at -his two sides, and the widenes of his mouth was so great, that he could -receive at one time, within the compasse thereof, a horse and a man on -his backe both together: The scales of his coate or skinne, being every -one like a large buckler or target. So that now, there is no such cause -to wonder at the Serpent which is said to be killed by _St. George_, -which was, as is reported, so great, that eight Oxen were but strength -enough to drawe him out of the Cittie _Silena_.... - -"Among the _Scyritæ_, the Serpents come by great swarmes uppon their -flocks of sheepe and cattell, and some they eate up all, others they -kill, and sucke out the blood, and some part they carry away. But if -ever there were anything beyond credite, it is the relation of -_Volateran_ in his twelfth booke of the _New-found Lands_, wherein he -writeth, that there are Serpents of a mile long, which at one certaine -time of the yeere come abroad out of the holes and dennes of habitation, -and destroy both the Heards and Heard-men if they find them. Much more -favourable are the Serpents of a _Spanish_ Island, who doe no harme to -any living thing, although they have huge bodies, and great strength to -accomplish their desires." - -After this it will be refreshing to have one of Topsell's own particular -_true stories_: and this is "Of a true history done in _England_, in -the house of a worshipfull Gentleman, upon a servant of his, whom I -could name if it were needfull. He had a servant that grew very lame and -feeble in his legges, and thinking that he could never be warme in his -bed, did multiply his clothes, and covered himselfe more and more, but -all in vaine, till at length he was not able to goe about, neither could -any skill of Phisitian or Surgeon find out the cause. - -"It hapned on a day as his Maister leaned at his Parlour window, he saw -a great Snake to slide along the house side, and to creepe into the -chamber of this lame man, then lying in his bedde, (as I remember,) for -hee lay in a lowe chamber, directly against the Parlour window -aforesaid. The Gentleman desirous to see the issue, and what the Snake -would doe in the chamber, followed, and looked into the chamber by the -window; where hee espied the snake to slide uppe into the bed-straw, by -some way open in the bottome of the bedde, which was of old bordes. -Straightway, his hart rising thereat, he called two or three of his -servaunts, and told them what he had seene, bidding them goe take their -Rapiers, and kill the said snake. The serving-men came first, and -removed the lame man (as I remember) and then the one of them turned up -the bed, and the other two the straw, their Maister standing without, at -the hole, whereinto the said snake had entered into the chamber. The -bedde was no sooner turned up, and the Rapier thrust into the straw, but -there issued forth five or six great snakes that were lodged therein: -Then the serving-men bestirring themselves, soone dispatched them, and -cast them out of doores dead. Afterward, the lame man's legges -recovered, and became as strong as ever they were; whereby did -evidentlie appeare, the coldnes of these snakes or Serpents, which came -close to his legges everie night, did so benumme them, as he could not -goe." - -Yet one more:-- - -"I cannot conceale a most memorable historie as ever was any in the -world, of a fight betwixt the Serpents of the Land and the Water. This -history is taken out of a Booke of _Schilt-bergerus_, a _Bavarian_, who -knew the same, (as he writeth) while hee was a captive in _Turky_; his -words are these. In the kingdome called _Genyke_, there is a Citty -called _Sampson_, about which, while I was prisoner with _Baiazeta_ King -of _Turkes_, there pitched or arrived, an innumerable company of Land -and Water Serpents, compassing the said Cittie, a mile about. The Land -Serpents came out of the woods of _Trienick_, which are great and many, -and the Water Serpents came out of the bordering Sea. These were nine -dayes together assembling in that place, and for feare of them there was -not any man that durst goe out of the Citty, although it was not -observed that they hurt any man, or living creature there-abouts. - -"Wherefore the Prince also commanded, that no man should trouble them, -or doe them any harme, wisely judging, that such an accident came not -but by Divine Miracle, and that also to signifie some notable event. -Uppon the tenth day, these two valiant troupes joyned battell, early in -the morning, before the sunne-rising, so continuing in fight untill the -sunne-set, at which time the Prince, with some horsemen, went out of the -Cittie to see the battell, and it appeared to him and his associates, -that the Water Serpents gave place to the Land Serpents. So the Prince, -and his company, returned into the Citty againe, and the next day went -forth againe, but found not a Serpent alive, for there were slaine above -eyght thousand: all which, he caused presently to be covered with earth -in ditches, and afterwards declared the whole matter to _Baiazeta_ by -letters, after he had gotten that Cittie, whereat the great Turke -rejoyced, for hee thereby interpreted happinesse to himselfe." - -Luckily, man has found out things inimical to Serpents, and they, and -their use, seem to be very simple:-- - -"There is such vertue in the Ashe tree, that no Serpent will endure to -come neere either the morning or evening shadow of it; yea, though very -farre distant from them, they do so deadlie hate it. We set downe -nothing but that wee have found true by experience: If a great fire be -made, and the same fire encircled round with Ashen-boughes, and a -serpent put betwixt the fire and the Ashen-boughes, the Serpent will -sooner runne into the fire, than come neere the Ashen-boughes: thus -saith _Pliny_. _Olaus Magnus_ saith, that those Northern Countries which -have great store of Ash-trees, doe want venemous beasts, of which -opinion is also _Pliny_. _Callimachus_ saith, there is a Tree growing in -the Land of _Trachinia_, called _Smilo_, to which, if any Serpents doe -either come neere, or touch, they foorthwith die. _Democritus_ is of -opinion, that any Serpent will die if you cast Oken-leaves upon him. -_Pliny_ is of opinion that _Alcibiadum_, which is a kind of wild -Buglosse, is of the same use and qualitie; and further, being chewed, if -it be spet upon any serpent, that it cannot possibly live. In time of -those solemne Feastes which the _Athenians_ dedicated to the Goddesse -_Ceres_, their women did use to lay and strew their beddes, with the -leaves of the Plant called _Agnos_, because serpents could not endure -it, and because they imagined it kept them chast, Where-upon they -thought the name was given it. The herbe called Rosemarie, is terrible -to serpents. - -"The _Egyptians_ doe give it out, that _Polydamna_ the wife of _Thorris_ -their King, taking pittie upon _Helen_, caused her to be set on shore in -the Island of _Pharus_, and bestowed upon her an herbe (whereof there -was plenty) that was a great enemy to serpents: whereof the serpents -having a feeling sence (as they say) and so readily knowne of them, they -straightwaies got them to their lurking holes in the earth; and _Helen_ -planted this herbe, who, coming to the knowledge thereof, she perceived -that in his due time it bore a seede that was a great enemy to serpents, -and thereupon was called _Helenium_, as they that are skilfull in Plants -affirme; and it groweth plentifully in _Pharus_, which is a little Ile -against the mouth of _Nylus_, joyned to _Alexandria_ by a bridge. - -"Rue, (called of some, Herbe of Grace) especially that which groweth in -_Lybia_, is but a backe friend to Serpents, for it is most dry, and -therefore causing Serpents soon to faint, and loose their courage, -because (as _Simocatus_ affirmeth) it induceth a kind of heavinesse or -drunkennesse in their head, with a vertiginie, or giddines through the -excesse of his drinesse, or immoderate sticcitie. Serpents cannot endure -the savour of Rue, and, therefore, a Wesill, when she is to fight with -any serpent, eateth Rue, as a defensative against her enemie, as -_Aristotle_, and _Pliny_ his Interpreter, are of opinion. - -"The Country people leaving their vessels of Milke abroade in the open -fieldes, doe besmeare them round about with garlick, lest some venomous -serpents should creepe into them, but the smell of garlick, as -_Erasmus_ saith, driveth them away. No serpents were ever yet seene to -touch the herbe _Trifolie_, or Three-leaved-grasse, as _Ædonnus_ wold -make us believe. And _Cardan_ the Phisitian hath observed as much, that -serpents, nor anything that is venemous will neither lodge, dwell, or -lurk privily neere unto _Trifolie_, because that is their bane, as they -are to other living creatures: and therefore it is sowne to very good -purpose, and planted in very hot countries, where there is most store of -such venomous creatures. - -"_Arnoldus Villanonanus_ saith that the herb called _Dracontea_ killeth -serpents. And _Florentinus_ affirmeth that, if you plant Woormwood, -Mugwort, or Sothernwood about your dwelling, that no venomous serpents -will ever come neer, or dare enterprise to invade the same. No serpent -is found in Vines, when they flourish, bearing flowers or blossoms, for -they abhor the smell, as _Aristotle_ saith. _Avicen_, an _Arabian_ -Phisitian, saith, that Capers doe kill worms in the guts, and likewise -serpents. If you make a round circle with herbe Betonie, and therein -include any serpents, they will kill themselves in the place, rather -than strive to get away. Galbanum killeth serpents only by touching, if -oyle and the herbe called Fenell-giant be mixt withall. There is a -shrubbe called Therionarca, having a flower like a Rose, which maketh -serpents heavy, dull and drousie, and so killeth them, as _Pliny_ -affirmeth." - -There are more plants inimical to serpents, but enough have been given -to enable the reader, if he have faith in them, to defend himself; and -it is comforting to think, that although the serpent is especially -noxious, when alive, he is marvellously useful, medicinally, when dead. -Even now, in some country places, viper broth is used as a medicine; -and, in the first half of the eighteenth century, its flesh, prepared in -various ways, was thoroughly recognised in the Pharmacopoeia. But -Topsell, who gathered together all the wisdom of the ancients, gives so -very many remedies (for all kinds of illnesses) that may be derived from -different parts, and treatment, of serpents, that I can only pick out a -few:-- - -"_Pliny_ saith, that if you take out the right eye of a serpent, and so -bind it about any part of you, that it is of great force against the -watering or dropping of the eyes, by meanes of a rhume issuing out -thereat, if the serpent be againe let goe alive. And so hee saith, that -a serpent's or snake's hart, if either it be bitten or tyed to any part -of you, that it is a present remedie for the toothach: and hee addeth -further, that if any man doe tast of the snake's hart, that he shall -never after be hurt of any serpent.... The blood of a serpent is more -precious than _Balsamum_, and if you annoynt your lips with a little of -it, they will looke passing redde: and, if the face be annoynted -therewith, it will receive no spot or fleck, but causeth it to have an -orient and beautiful hue. It represseth all scabbiness of the body, -stinking in the teeth, and gummes, if they be therewith annointed. The -fat of a serpent speedily helpeth all rednes, spots, and other -infirmities of the eyes, and beeing annoynted upon the eyeliddes, it -cleereth the eyes exceedingly. - -"Item, put them (_serpents_) into a glassed pot, and fill the same with -Butter in the Month of May, then lute it well with paste (that is, Meal -well kneaded) so that nothing may evaporate, then sette the potte on the -fire, and let it boyle wel-nigh halfe a day: after this is done, -straine the Butter through a cloth, and the remainder beate in a morter, -and straine it againe, and mixe them together, then put them into water -to coole, and so reserve it in silver or golden boxes, that which is not -evaporated, for the older, the better it is, and so much the better it -will be, if you can keepe it fortie years. Let the sicke patient, who is -troubled eyther with the Goute, or the Palsie, but annoynt himselfe -often against the fire with this unguent, and, without doubt, he shall -be freed, especially if it be the Goute." - -Of serpents in general, I shall have little to say, except those few of -which the descriptions are the most _outré_. And first let us have out -the "Boas," which cannot mean that enormous serpent the Boa-Constrictor, -which enfolds oxen, deer, &c., crushing their bones in its all-powerful -fold, and which sometimes reaches the length of thirty or -five-and-thirty feet--long enough, in all conscience, for a respectable -serpent. But Topsell begins his account of "The Boas" far more -magnificently:-- - -"It was well knowne among all the Romans, that when _Regulus_ was -Governour, or Generall, in the _Punick_ warres, there was a Serpent -(neere the river _Bagrade_) killed with slings and stones, even as a -Towne or little Cittie is over-come, which Serpent was an hundred and -twenty foote in length; whose skinne and cheeke bones, were reserved in -a Temple at _Rome_, untill the _Numantine_ warre. - -"And this History is more easie to be beleeved, because of the Boas -Serpent bred in Italy at this day: for we read in _Solinus_, that when -_Claudius_ was Emperour, there was one of them slaine in the _Vatican_ -at Rome, in whose belly was found an Infant swallowed whole, and not a -bone thereof broken.... - -[Illustration: The Boas] - -"The Latines call it _Boa_, and _Bova_, because by sucking Cowe's milke -it so encreaseth, that in the end it destroyeth all manner of herdes, -Cattell, and Regions.... The Italians doe usually call them, _Serpeda de -Aqua_, a Serpent of the water, and, therefore, all the Learned expound -the Greeke word _Hydra_, for a Boas. _Cardan_ saith, that there are of -this kind in the Kingdom of _Senega_, both without feet and wings, but -most properly, as they are now found in Italy, according to these -verses: - - _Boa quidem serpens quem tellus Itala nutrit - Hunc bubulum plures lac enutrire docent._ - -Which may be englished thus: - - _The Boas Serpent which Italy doth breede, - Men say, uppon the milke of Cowes doth feede._ - -"Their fashion is in seeking for their prey among the heardes, to -destroy nothing that giveth suck, so long as it will live, but they -reserve it alive untill the milk be dryed up, then afterwards they kill -and eate it, and so they deale with whole flocks and heards." - -[Illustration] - -Whilst on the subject of Hydra, I give Topsell's idea of the Lernean -Hydra, whose story is so familiar to us. (See p. 292.) But, after -presenting us with such a frightful ideal, he says:--"And some ignorant -men of late daies at _Venice_, did picture this Hydra with wonderfull -Art, and set it forth to the people to be seene, as though it had beene -a true carkase, with this inscription: In the yeare of Christe's -incarnation, 550, about the Month of January, 'this monstrous Serpent -was brought out of _Turky_ to _Venice_, and afterwards given to the -French King: It was esteemed to be worth 600 duckats. These monsters -signifie the mutation or change of worldly affaires,' &c." And, after -giving a long-winded inscription, _àpropos_ of nothing, he says:--"I -have also heard that in _Venice_ in the Duke's treasury, among the rare -Monuments of that Citty, there is preserved a Serpent with seaven heads, -which, if it be true, it is the more probable that there is a Hydra, and -that the Poets were not altogether deceived, that say _Hercules_ killed -such an one." - -[Illustration] - -Mr. Henry Lee, in his little book, "Sea Fables Explained," says that the -Lernean Hydra was neither more nor less than a huge Octopus, and gives -an illustration of a marble tablet in the Vatican (also given in -"Smith's Classical Dictionary"), which does not seem unlike one. - -The Wingless Dragons belong to the serpent tribe, with the exception -that they are generally furnished with legs. These are "Wormes," of -several of which we, in England, were the happy possessors. Of course, -in the northern parts of Europe, they survived (in story at all events) -much later than with us, and Olaus Magnus gives accounts of several -fights with them, notably that of Frotho and Fridlevus, two Champions, -against a serpent. - -[Illustration] - -"_Frotho_, a Danish Champion and a King, scarce being past his -childhood, in a single combat killed a huge fierce great Serpent, -thrusting his sword into his belly, for his hard skin would not be -wounded, and all darts thrown at him, flew back again, and it was but -labour lost. _Fridlevus_ was no lesse valiant, who, both to try his -valour, and to find out some hidden treasure, set upon a most formidable -Serpent for his huge body and venomous teeth, and, for a long time, he -cast his darts against his scaly sides, and could not hurt him, for his -hard body made nothing of the weapons cast with violence against him. -But this Serpent twisting his tail in many twines, by turning his tail -round, he would pull up trees by the roots, and by his crawling on the -ground, he had made a great hollow place, that in some places, hills -seemed to be parted as if a valley were between them, wherefore -_Fridlevus_ considering that the upper parts of this beast could not be -penetrated, he runs him in with his sword underneath; and, piercing into -his groine, he drew forth his virulent matter, as he lay panting: when -he had killed the Serpent, he dug up the money, and carried it away." - -He gives another story of a combat with "Wormes," although in the Latin -they are called _Vipers_: yet I leave my readers to judge whether the -small snake, the viper, would require such an amount of killing as -Regner had to bestow upon them:-- - -"Of _Regnerus_, called Hair-Coat. There was a King of the _Sueons_ -called _Herothus_, whose troubled mind was not a little urged how to -preserve his Daughter's chastity; whether he should guard her with wild -beasts (as the manner of most Princes was then) or else should commit -the custody of her to man's fidelity. But he, preferring cruelty of -Beasts to man's fidelity, he soonest chose what would do most hurt. For, -hunting in the woods, he brought some Snakes that his Company had found, -for his Daughter to feed up. She, quickly obeying her Father's commands, -bred up a generation of vipers by her Virgin hands. And that they might -want no meat, her curious Father caused the whole body of an Ox to be -brought, being ignorant that, by this private food, he maintain'd a -publick destruction. These, being grown up, by their venomous breath -poysoned the neighbouring parts; but the King, repenting his folly, -proclaimed that he who could remove this plague, should have his -daughter. - -"When _Regnerus_ of _Norway_, descended of the King's race, who was the -chief Suiter this Virgin had, heard this Report, he obtained from the -Nurse a woollen Cassock, and hairy Breeches, whereby he might hinder the -biting of the Adders. And when he came to _Sweden_ in a ship, he -purposely suffered his Clothes to grow stiff with cold, casting water -upon them: and thus clothed, having onely his Sword and Dart to defend -him, he went to the King. As he went forward, two huge Adders met him on -the way, that would kill the young man, with the twisting of their -tails, and by the venome they cast forth. - -"But _Regnerus_ confiding in the hardness of his frozen Garments, both -endured and repulsed their Venome, by his clothes, and their biting his -Harness, being indefatigable in pressing hard upon these Wild Beasts. -Last of all he strongly casts out of his hand his Javelin that was -fastened with a Hoop, and struck it into their bodies. Then, with his -two-edged Sword, rending both their hearts, he obtained a happy end of -an ingenious and dangerous fight. The King, looking curiously on his -clothes, when he saw them so hairy on the back-side, and unpolished like -ragged Frize, he spake merrily, and called him _Lodbrock_: that is _Hair -Coat_; and to recreate him after his pains, he sent for him to a Banquet -with his friends. He answered, _That he must first go see those -Companions he had left_: and he brought them to the King's Table, very -brave in clothes, as he was then: and lastly, when that was done, he -received the pledge of his Victory, by whom he begat many hopeful -Children: and he had her true love to him the more, and the rather -enjoyed his company, by how much she knew the great dangers he underwent -to win her by, and the ingenious practises he used." - -We were favoured in England with several "Wormes." Nor only in England, -but in Scotland and Wales. Of course, Ireland can boast of none, as St. -Patrick banished all the serpents from that island. - -Of the Dragon of Wantley I say nothing; he has been reslain in modern -times, and all the romance has gone out of him. Nobody wishes to know -that the Dragon was Sir Francis Wortley, who was at loggerheads with his -neighbours, notably one Lionel Rowlestone, whose advocate was More of -More Hall. We had rather have had our dear old Dragon, and have let the -champion More slay him in the orthodox manner. - -But the "laidley Worme" of Lambton is still all our own, and its story -is thus told by Surtees in his "History, &c., of Durham," 1820:-- - -"The heir of Lambton, fishing, as was his profane custom, in the Wear, -on a Sunday, hooked a small worm or eft, which he carelessly threw into -a well, and thought no more of the adventure. The worm (at first -neglected) grew till it was too large for its first habitation, and, -issuing forth from the _Worm Well_, betook itself to the Wear, where it -usually lay a part of the day coiled round a crag in the middle of the -water; it also frequented a green mound near the well (_the Worm Hill_), -where it lapped itself nine times round, leaving vermicular traces, of -which, grave living witnesses depose that they have seen the vestiges. -It now became the terror of the country, and, amongst other enormities, -levied a daily contribution of nine cows' milk, which was always placed -for it at the green hill, and in default of which it devoured man and -beast. Young Lambton had, it seems, meanwhile, totally repented him of -his former life and conversation, had bathed himself in a bath of holy -water, taken the sign of the cross, and joined the Crusaders. - -"On his return home, he was extremely shocked at witnessing the effects -of his youthful imprudences, and immediately undertook the adventure. -After several fierce combats, in which the Crusader was foiled by his -enemy's _power of self-union_, he found it expedient to add policy to -courage, and not, perhaps, possessing much of the former quality, he -went to consult a witch or wise woman. By her judicious advice he armed -himself in a coat-of-mail studded with razor blades; and, thus prepared, -placed himself on the crag in the river, and awaited the monster's -arrival. - -"At the usual time the worm came to the rock, and wound himself with -great fury round the armed knight, who had the satisfaction to see his -enemy cut in pieces by his own efforts, whilst the stream washing away -the severed parts, prevented the possibility of reunion. - -"There is still a sequel to the story: the witch had promised Lambton -success only on one condition, that he should slay the first living -thing which met his sight after the victory. To avoid the possibility of -human slaughter, Lambton had directed his father, that as soon as he -heard him sound three blasts on his bugle, in token of the achievement -performed, he should release his favourite greyhound, which would -immediately fly to the sound of the horn, and was destined to be the -sacrifice. On hearing his son's bugle, however, the old chief was so -overjoyed, that he forgot his instructions, and ran himself with open -arms to meet his son. Instead of committing a parricide, the conqueror -again repaired to his adviser, who pronounced, as the alternative of -disobeying the original instructions, that no chief of the Lambtons -should die in his bed for seven, (or as some accounts say) for nine -generations--a commutation which, to a martial spirit, had nothing -probably very terrible, and which was willingly complied with.... - -"In the garden-house at Lambton are two figures of no great antiquity. A -Knight in good style, armed cap-a-pie, the back _studded with razor -blades_, who holds the worm by one ear with his left hand, and with his -right crams his sword to the hilt down his throat; and a Lady who wears -a coronet, with bare breasts, &c., in the style of Charles 2nd's -Beauties, a wound on whose bosom and an accidental mutilation of the -hand are said to have been the work of the worm." - -There were several other English "Wormes," but this must suffice as a -type. Also, as a typical Scotch "Worme," the Linton Worme will serve. A -writer (W. E.) tells its story so well in _Notes and Queries_, February -24, 1866, that I transfer it here, in preference to telling it myself. -It was slain by Sir John Somerville, about the year 1174, who received -the lands and barony of Linton, in Roxburghshire, as the reward of his -exploit. W. E. quotes from a family history entitled a "Memorie of the -Somervills," written by James, the eleventh lord, A.D. 1679:-- - -"'In the parochene of Lintoune, within the sheriffdome of Roxburghe, -ther happened to breede ane hydeous monster, in the forme of a worme, -soe called and esteemed by the country people (but in effecte has beene -a serpente or some suche other creature), in length three Scots yards, -and somewhat bigger than ane ordinarie man's leg, &c.... This creature, -being a terrour to the country people, had its den in a hollow piece of -ground, on the syde of a hill, south east from Lintoun Church, some more -than a myle, which unto this day is knowne by the name of the Worme's -glen, where it used to rest and shelter itself; but, when it sought -after prey, then would it wander a myle or two from its residence, and -make prey of all sort of bestiall that came in its way, which it easily -did because of its lownesse, creeping amongst the peat, heather, or -grasse, wherein that place abounded much, by reasone of the meadow -grounde, and a large flow moss, fit for the pasturage of many -cattell.... Soe that the whole country men thereabout wer forced to -remove ther bestiall and transport them 3 or 4 myles from the place, -leaving the country desolate, neither durst any person goe to the -Church, or mercat, upon that rod, for fear of this beast.' - -"Somerville happening to come to Jedburgh, on the King's business, found -the inhabitants full of stories about the wonderful beast. - -"'The people who had fled ther for shelter, told soe many lies, as -first, that it increased every day, and was beginning to get wings: -others pretended to have seen it in the night, and asserted it was full -of fyre, and in tyme, would throw it out, &c., with a thousand other -ridiculous stories.' - -"Somerville determined to see the monster, and, accordingly, rode to the -glen about sunrise, when he was told it generally came forth. He had not -to wait long, till he perceived it crawl out of its den. When it -observed him, it raised itself up, and stared at him, for some time, -without venturing to approach; whereupon he drew nearer to observe it -more closely, on which it turned round, and slunk into its lair. - -"Satisfied that the beast was not so dangerous as reported, he resolved -to destroy it, but as every one declared that neither sword nor dagger -had any effect on it, and that its venom would destroy any one that came -within its reach: he prepared a spear double the ordinary length, plated -with iron, four feet from the point, on which he placed a slender iron -wheel, turning on its centre. On this he fastened a lighted peat, and -exercised his horse with it for several days, until it shewed no fear or -dislike to the fire and smoke. He then repaired to the den, and, on the -worme appearing, his servant set fire to the peat, and, putting spurs to -his horse, he rode full at the beast. The speed at which he advanced, -caused the wheel to spin round, and fanned the peat into a blaze. He -drove the lance down the monster's throat full a third part of its -length, when it broke, and he left the animal writhing in the agonies of -death." - -I am afraid the Welsh "Worme" is not so well authenticated as the -others; but the story is, that Denbigh is so named from a Dragon slain -by John Salusbury of Lleweni, who died 1289. It devastated the country -far and wide, after the manner of its kind, and all the inhabitants -prayed for the destruction of this _bych_. This the Champion effected, -and in his glee, joyfully sang, _Dyn bych, Dyn bych_ (_No bych_); and -the country round was so named. - -There arises the question, whether, having regard to the fact that the -Lambton worm, at all events, was amphibious, it might not have been a -Plesiosaurus, which had survived some of its race, such as the -illustration now given, of the one reconstructed by Thos. Hawkins, in -his "Book of the Great Sea Dragons." We know that at some time or other -these animals existed, and, it may be, some few lingered on. At all -events most civilised nations have had a belief in it, and it was held -to be the type of all that was wicked; so much so, that one of Satan's -synonyms is "the Great Dragon." In the Romances of Chivalry, its -destruction was always reserved for the worthiest knight; in classical -times it was a terror. Both Hindoos and Chinese hold it in firm faith, -and, take it all in all, belief in its entity was general. - -[Illustration] - -The Winged Dragons were undoubtedly more furious and wicked than the -Wormes, and there is scarcely any reason to go farther than its -portrait by Aldrovandus, to enable us to recognise it at any time. (See -next page.) Topsell gives another, but with scarcely so much detail. - -But, although we in our times have not seen flying dragons in the flesh, -we have their fossilised bones in evidence of their existence. The -Pterodactyl, as Mr. Hawkins observes, "agrees with the Dragon in nearly -all its more important features. Thus, it was of great size, possessed a -large head, with long jaws and powerful teeth. It had wings of great -span, and at the same time three powerful clawed fingers to each hand, -wings devoid of feathers, and capable of being folded along the sides of -the body, while the large size of the orbits may not, improbably, have -suggested the name dragon; for dragon, which is derived from the Greek -[Greek: drakôn], means, literally, _keen-sighted_." - -We now have flying lizards, both in India and the Malay Archipelago, in -which latter is found a small lemur which can fly from tree to tree, and -we are all familiar with bats, some of which attain a large size. - -Topsell has exercised great research among old authorities respecting -dragons, and he draws their portraits thus:--"_Gyllius_, _Pierius_, and -_Grevinus_, following the authority of _Nicander_, do affirme that a -Dragon is of a blacke colour, the bellie somewhat green, and very -beautifull to behold, having a treble rowe of teeth in their mouthes -upon every jawe, and with most bright and cleare seeing eyes, which -caused the Poets to faine in their writings, that these dragons are the -watchfull keepers of Treasures. They have also two dewlappes growing -under their chinne, and hanging downe like a beard, which are of a redde -colour; their bodies are set all over with very sharpe scales, and over -their eyes stand certaine flexible eyeliddes. When they -gape wide with their mouth, and thrust forth their tongue, theyr teeth -seeme very much to resemble the teeth of Wilde Swine: And theyr neckes -have many times grosse thicke hayre growing upon them, much like unto -the bristles of a Wylde Boare." - -[Illustration] - -Apart from looks, he does not give dragons, as a rule, a very bad -character, and says they do not attack men unless their general food -fails them:--"They greatlie preserve their health (as _Aristotle_ -affirmeth) by eating of Wild lettice, for that they make them to vomit, -and cast foorth of theyr stomacke what soever meate offendeth them, and -they are most speciallie offended by eating Apples, for theyr bodies are -much subject to be filled with winde, and therefore they never eate -Apples, but first they eate Wilde lettice. Theyr sight also (as -_Plutarch_ sayth) doth many times grow weake and feeble, and therefore -they renew and recover the same againe by rubbing their eyes against -Fennel, or else by eating it. Their age could never yet be certainely -knowne, but it is conjectured that they live long, and in great health, -like all other serpents, and therefore they grow so great. - - * * * * * - -"Neither have wee in Europe onely heard of Dragons, and never seene -them, but also even in our own Country, there have (by the testimonie of -sundry writers) divers been discovered and killed. And first of all, -there was a Dragon, or winged Serpent, brought unto _Francis_ the French -King, when hee lay at _Sancton_, by a certaine Country man, who had -slaine the same Serpent himselfe with a Spade, when it sette upon him in -the fields to kill him. And this thinge was witnessed by many Learned -and Credible men which saw the same; and they thought it was not bredde -in that Country, but rather driven by the winde thither from some -forraine Nation. For Fraunce was never knowne to breede any such -Monsters. Among the _Pyrenes_, too, there is a cruell kinde of Serpent, -not past foure foot long, and as thicke as a man's arme, out of whose -sides growe winges, much like unto gristles. - -"_Gesner_ also saith, that in the yeere of our Lord 1543 there came many -Serpents both with wings and legs into the parts of Germany neere -_Stiria_, who did bite and wound many men incurably. _Cardan_ also -describeth certaine serpents with wings, which he saw at Paris, whose -dead bodies were in the hands of _Gulielmus Musicus_; hee saith that -they had two legges, and small winges, so that they could scarce flie, -the head was little, and like to the head of a serpent, their colour -bright, and without haire or feathers, the quantitie of that which was -greatest, did not exceede the bignes of a Cony, and it is saide they -were brought out of India.... - -"There have beene also Dragons many times seene in Germaine, flying in -the ayre at mid-day, and signifying great and fearefull fiers to follow, -as it happened neere to the Cittie called _Niderburge_, neere to the -shore of the _Rhyne_, in a marvailous cleere sun-shine day, there came a -dragon three times successively together in one day, and did hang in the -ayre over a Towne called _Sanctogoarin_, and shaking his tayle over that -Towne every time: it appeared visibly in the sight of many of the -inhabitants, and, afterwards it came to passe, that the said towne was -three times burned with fire, to the great harme and undooing of the -people dwelling in the same; for they were not able to make any -resistance to quench the fire, with all the might, Art, and power they -could raise. And it was further observed, that about the time there were -many dragons seene washing themselves in a certaine Fountaine or Well -neere the towne, and if any of the people did by chance drinke of the -water of that Well, theyr bellyes did instantly begin to swell, and they -dyed as if they had been poysoned. Whereupon it was publicly decreed, -that the said well should be filled up with stones, to the intent that -never any man should afterwards be poisoned with that water; and so a -memory thereof was continued, and these thinges are written by _Justinus -Goblerus_, in an Epistle to _Gesner_, affirming that he did not write -fayned things, but such things as were true, and as he had learned from -men of great honesty and credite, whose eyes did see and behold both the -dragons, and the mishaps that followed by fire." - -Hitherto we have only seen that side of a Dragon's temperament that is -inimical to man, but there are stories, equally veracious, of their -affection and love for men, women, and children: how they, by kindness, -may be tamed, and brought into kindly relations with the human species. - -_Pliny_, quoting _Democritus_, says that "a Man, called _Thoas_, was -preserved in _Arcadia_ by a Dragon. When a boy he had become much -attached to it, and had reared it very tenderly; but his father, being -alarmed at the nature and monstrous size of the reptile, had taken and -left it in the desert. _Thoas_ being here attacked by some robbers, who -lay in ambush, he was delivered from them by the Dragon, which -recognised his voice, and came to his assistance." - -Topsell tells us that "there be some which by certaine inchaunting -verses doe tame Dragons, and rydeth upon their neckes, as a man would -ride upon a horse, guiding and governing them with a bridle." - -And so widely spread was the belief that these fearful animals could be -brought into subjection, that Magnus gives us an account "Of the Fight -of King _Harald_ against a tame Dragon," but this one seems hardly as -docile as those previously instanced:--"_Haraldus_ the most illustrious -King of _Norway_, residing, in his youth, with the King of -_Constantinople_, and being condemned for man-slaughter, he was -commanded to be cast to a tame Dragon that should rend him in pieces. As -he went into the prison, one very faithfull servant he had, offered -himself freely to die with his Master. - -[Illustration] - -"The keeper of the Castle, curiously observing them both, let them down -at the mouth of the Den, being unarmed, and well searched; wherefore, -when the servant was naked, he admitted _Harald_ to be covered with his -shirt, for modesty's sake, who gave him a braslet privily, and he -scattered little fish on the pavement, that the Dragon might first stay -his hunger on them, and that the guilty persons that are shut up in the -dark prison, might have a little light by the shining of the Fins and -Scales. Then _Haraldus_ picking up the bones of a Carkeis, stopt them -into the linen he had, and bound them fast together like a Club. And -when the Dragon was let forth, and rushed greedily on his prey cast to -him, he lept quickly on his back, and he thrust a Barber's razor in at -his navill, that would only be pierced by iron, which, as luck was, he -brought with him, and kept it concealed by him: this cold Serpent that -had most hard scales all over, disdained to be entred in any other part -of his body. But _Haraldus_ sitting so high above him, could neither be -bitten by his mouth, or hurt by his sharp teeth; or broken with the -turnings of his tayle. And his servant using the weapons, or bones put -together, beat the Dragon's head till he bled, and died thereof by his -many weighty strokes. When the King knew this, he freely changed his -revenge, into his service, and pardoned these valiant persons, and -furnishing them with a Ship and Monies, he gave them leave to depart." - -The natural instinct of Dragons was undoubtedly vicious, and they must -have been most undesirable neighbours, _teste_ the following story -quoted by Topsell from Stumpsius:--"When the Region of _Helvetia_ -beganne first to be purged from noysome beasts, there was a horrible -dragon found neere a Country towne called _Wilser_, who did destroy all -men and beastes, that came within his danger in the time of his hunger, -inasmuch that that towne and the fields therto adjoyning, was called -_Dedwiler_, that is, a Village of the Wildernes, for all the people and -inhabitants had forsaken the same, and fledde to other places. - -"There was a man of that Towne whose name was _Winckleriedt_, who was -banished for manslaughter: this man promised, if he might have his -pardon, and be restored againe to his former inheritance, that he would -combat with that Dragon, and by God's helpe destroy him; which thing was -granted unto him with great joyfulnes. Wherefore he was recalled home, -and in the presence of many people went foorth to fight with that -Dragon, whom he slew and overcame, whereat for joy hee lifted uppe his -sword imbrued in the dragon's blood, in token of victory, but the blood -distilled downe from the sword uppon his body, and caused him instantly -to fall downe dead. - -"There be certaine beasts called _Dracontopides_, very great and potent -Serpents, whose faces are like to the faces of Virgins, and the residue -of their body like to dragons. It is thought that such a one was the -Serpent that deceived _Eve_, for _Beda_ saith it had a Virgin's -countenance, and therefore the woman, seeing the likenes of her owne -face, was the more easily drawne to believe it: into which the devill -had entred; they say he taught it to cover the body with leaves, and to -shew nothing but the head and face. But this fable is not worthy to be -refuted, because the Scripture itself, dooth directly gaine-say everie -part of it. For, first of all it is called a Serpent, and if it had been -a Dragon, _Moses_ would have said so; and, therefore, for ordinary -punishment, GOD doth appoint it to creepe upon the belly, wherefore it -is not likely that it had either wings or feete. Secondly, it was -impossible and unlikely, that any part of the body was covered or -conceiled from the sight of the woman, seeing she knew it directly to be -a Serpent, as shee afterward confessed before GOD and her husband. - -"There be also certaine little dragons called in _Arabia_, _Vesga_, and -in _Catalonia_, _Dragons of houses_; these, when they bite, leave their -teeth behind them, so as the wound never ceaseth swelling, as long as -the teeth remain therein, and therefore, for the better cure thereof, -the teeth are drawne forth, and so the wound will soone be healed. - -"And thus much for the hatred betwixt men and dragons, now we will -proceede to other creatures. - -"The greatest discord is between the Eagle and the Dragon, for the -Vultures, Eagles, Swannes and Dragons, are enemies to one another. The -Eagles, when they shake their winges, make the dragons afraide with -their ratling noyse; then the dragon hideth himselfe within his den, so -that he never fighteth but in the ayre, eyther when the Eagle hath taken -away his young ones, and he, to recover them, flieth aloft after her, or -else when the Eagle meeteth him in her nest, destroying her egges and -young ones: for the Eagle devoureth the dragons, and little Serpents -upon earth, and the dragons againe, and Serpents do the like against the -Eagles in the ayre. Yea, many times the dragon attempteth to take away -the prey out of the Eagle's talants, both on the ground, and in the -ayre, so that there ariseth betwixt them a very hard and dangerous -fight. - -"In the next place we are to consider the enmitie that is betwixt -Dragons and Elephants, for, so great is their hatred one to another, -that in Ethyopia the greatest dragons have no other name but Elephant -killers. Among the Indians, also, the same hatred remaineth, against -whom the dragons have many subtile inventions: for, besides the greate -length of their bodies, wherewithall they claspe and begirt the body of -the Elephant, continually byting of him, untill he fall downe dead, and -in the which fall they are also bruzed to peeces; for the safeguard of -themselves, they have this device. They get and hide themselves in -trees, covering their head, and letting the other part hang downe like a -rope: in those trees they watch untill the Elephant come to eate and -croppe of the branches; then, suddenly, before he be aware, they leape -into his face, and digge out his eyes, then doe they claspe themselves -about his necke, and with their tayles, or hinder parts, beate and vexe -the Elephant, untill they have made him breathlesse, for they strangle -him with theyr fore parts, as they beate them with the hinder, so that -in this combat they both perrish: and this is the disposition of the -Dragon, that he never setteth upon the Elephant, but with the advantage -of the place, and namely from some high tree or Rocke. - -"Sometimes againe, a multitude of dragons doe together observe the -pathes of the Elephants, and crosse those pathes they tie together their -tailes as it were in knots, so that when the Elephant commeth along in -them, they insnare his legges, and suddainly leape uppe to his eyes, for -that is the part they ayme at above all other, which they speedily pull -out, and so not being able to doe him any more harme, the poore beast -delivereth himselfe from present death by his owne strength, and yet -through his blindnesse received in that combat, hee perrisheth by -hunger, because he cannot choose his meate by smelling, but by his -eyesight." - - - - -THE CROCODILE. - - -The largest of the Saurians which we have left us, is the Crocodile; and -it formerly had the character of being very deceitful, and, by its -weeping, attracted its victims. Sir John Mandeville thus describes -them:--"In this land, and many other places of Inde, are many -cocodrilles, that is a maner of a long serpent, and on nights they dwell -on water, and on dayes they dwell on land and rocks, and they eat not in -winter. These serpents sley men, and eate them weeping, and they have no -tongue." - -On the contrary, the Crocodile has a tongue, and a very large one too. -As to the fable of its weeping, do we not even to this day call sham -mourning, "shedding crocodile's tears?" Spenser, in his "Faerie Queene," -thus alludes to its supposed habits (B. I. c. 5. xviii.):-- - - "As when a wearie traveller, that strayes - By muddy shore of broad seven-mouthed Nile, - Unweeting of the perillous wandring wayes, - Doth meete a cruell craftie crocodile, - Which in false griefe hyding his harmeful guile, - Doth weepe full sore, and sheddeth tender tears: - The foolish man, that pities all this while - His mourneful plight, is swallowed up unawares, - Forgetfull of his owne, that mindes another's cares." - -And Shakespeare, from whom we can obtain a quotation on almost anything, -makes Othello say (Act iv. sc. 1):-- - - "O devil, devil! - If that the earth could teem with woman's tears, - Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile;-- - Out of my sight!" - -Gesner, and Topsell, in his "Historie of Four-Footed Beastes," give the -accompanying illustration of a hippopotamus eating a crocodile, the -original of which, they say, came from the Coliseum at Rome, and was -then in the Vatican. - -[Illustration] - -Topsell, in his "History of Serpents," dwells lovingly, and lengthily, -on the crocodile. He says:--"Some have written that the Crocodile -runneth away from a man if he winke with his left eye, and looke -steadfastly uppon him with his right eye, but if this bee true, it is -not to be attributed to the vertue of the right eye, but onely to the -rarenesse of sight, which is conspicuous to the Serpent from one eye. -The greatest terrour unto Crocodiles, as both _Seneca_ and _Pliny_ -affirme, are the inhabitants of the Ile _Tentyrus_ within _Nilus_, for -those people make them runne away with their voyces, and many times -pursue and take them in snares. Of these people speaketh _Solinus_ in -this manner:--There is a generation of men in the Ile _Tentyrus_ within -the waters of _Nilus_, which are of a most adverse nature to the -Crocodile, dwelling also in the same place. And, although their persons -or presence be of small stature, yet heerein is theyr courage admired, -because at the suddaine sight of a Crocodile, they are no whit daunted; -for one of these dare meete and provoke him to runne away. They will -also leape into Rivers and swimme after the Crocodile, and, meeting -with it, without feare cast themselves uppon the Beasts backe, ryding on -him as uppon a horse. And if the Beast lift uppe his head to byte him, -when hee gapeth they put into his mouth a wedge, holding it hard at both -ends with both their hands, and so, as it were with a bridle, leade, or -rather drive, them captives to the Land, where, with theyr noyse, they -so terrifie them, that they make them cast uppe the bodies which they -had swallowed into theyr bellies; and because of this antypathy in -Nature, the Crocodyles dare not come neare to this Iland. - -"And _Strabo_ also hath recorded, that at what time crocodiles were -brought to Rome, these _Tentyrites_ folowed and drove them. For whom -there was a certaine great poole or fish-pond assigned, and walled -about, except one passage for the Beast to come out of the water into -the sun shine: and when the people came to see them, these _Tentyrites_, -with nettes would draw them to the Land, and put them backe againe into -the water at theyr owne pleasure. For they so hooke them by theyr eyes, -and bottome of their bellyes, which are their tenderest partes, that, -like as horses broken by theyr Ryders, they yeelde unto them, and forget -theyr strength in the presence of these theyr Conquerors.... - -"To conclude this discourse of Crocodiles inclination, even the -Egyptians themselves account a Crocodile a savage, and cruell murthering -beast, as may appeare by their Hieroglyphicks, for when they will -decypher a mad man, they picture a Crocodile, who beeing put from his -desired prey by forcible resistance, hee presently rageth against -himselfe. And they are often taught by lamentable experience, what -fraude and malice to mankind liveth in these beasts; for, when they -cover themselves under willowes and greene hollow bankes, till some -people come to the waters side to draw and fetch water, and then -suddenly, or ever they be aware, they are taken, and drawne into the -water. - -"And also, for this purpose, because he knoweth that he is not able to -overtake a man in his course or chase, he taketh a great deale of water -in his mouth, and casteth it in the pathwaies, so that when they -endeavour to run from the crocodile, they fall downe in the slippery -path, and are overtaken and destroyed by him. The common proverbe also, -_Crocodili lachrimæ_, the Crocodile's teares, justifieth the treacherous -nature of this beast, for there are not many bruite beasts that can -weepe, but such is the nature of the Crocodile, that to get a man within -his danger, he will sob, sigh, and weepe, as though he were in -extremitie, but suddenly he destroyeth him. Others say, that the -Crocodile weepeth after he hath devoured a man.... - -"Seeing the friendes of it are so few, the enemies of it must needes be -many, and therefore require a more large catalogue or story. In the -first ranke whereof commeth (as worthy the first place), the _Ichneumon_ -or _Pharaoh's Mouse_, who rageth against their egges and their persons; -for it is certaine that it hunteth with all sagacity of sense to find -out theyr nests, and having found them, it spoyleth, scattereth, -breaketh, and emptieth all theyr egs. They also watch the old ones a -sleepe, and finding their mouths open against the beames of the Sunne, -suddenly enter into them, and, being small, creepe downe theyr vast and -large throates before they be aware, and then, putting the Crocodile to -exquisite and intollerable torment, by eating their guttes asunder, and -so their soft bellies, while the Crocodile tumbleth to and fro sighing -and weeping, now in the depth of water, now on the Land, never resting -till strength of nature fayleth. For the incessant gnawing of the -_Ichneumon_ so provoketh her to seek her rest, in the unrest of every -part, herbe, element, throwes, throbs, rowlings, tossings, mournings, -but all in vaine, for the enemy within her breatheth through her breath, -and sporteth herselfe in the consumption of those vitall parts, which -wast and weare away by yeelding to her unpacificable teeth, one after -the other, till shee that crept in by stealth at the mouth, like a puny -theefe, come out at the belly like a conquerour, thorough a passage -opened by her owne labour and industry.... - -"The medicines arising out of it are also many. The first place -belongeth to the Caule, which hath moe benefits or vertues in it, than -can be expressed. The bloud of a Crocodile is held profitable for many -thinges, and among other, it is thought to cure the bitings of any -Serpent. Also by annoynting the eyes, it cureth both the dregs, or spots -of blood in them, and also restoreth soundnesse and clearenesse to the -sight, taking away all dulnesse, or deadnesse from the eyes. And it is -said, that if a man take the liquor which commeth from a piece of a -Crocodyle fryed, and annoynte therewithall his wound or harmed part, -that then he shall bee presently rid of all paine and torment. The -skinne both of the Land and Water Crocodile dryed into powder, and the -same powder, with Vineger or Oyle, layd upon a part or member of the -body, to be seared, cut off or lanced, taketh away all sense and feeling -of paine from the instrument in the action. - -"All the Ægytians doe with the fat or sewet of a Crocodile, (_is to_) -annoynt all them that be sick of Feavers, for it hath the same -operation which the fat of a Sea-dogge, or Dog-fish hath, and, if those -parts of men and beasts which are hurt and wounded with Crocodile's -teeth, be annoynted with this fat, it also cureth them. Being concocted -with Water and Vineger, and so rowled uppe and downe in the mouth, it -cureth the tooth-ache: and also it is outwardly applyed agaynst the -byting of Flyes, Spyders, Wormes, and such like, for this cause, as also -because it is thought to cure Wennes, bunches in the flesh, and olde -woundes. It is solde deare, and held pretious in _Alcair_, (Cairo.) -_Scaliger_ writeth that it cureth the _Gangren_. The Canyne teeth which -are hollow, filled with Frankinsence, and tyed to a man or woman, which -hath the toothach, cureth them, if the party know not of the carrying -them about: And so they write, that if the little stones which are in -their belly be taken forth and so used, they work the same effect -against Feavers. The dung is profitable against the falling off of the -hayre, and many such other things." - - - - -THE BASILISK AND COCKATRICE. - - -[Illustration] - -Aldrovandus portrays the Basilisk with eight legs. Topsell says it is -the same as the Cockatrice, depicts it as a crowned serpent, and -says:--"This Beast is called by the Græcian _Baziliscos_, and by the -Latine, _Regulus_, because he seemeth to be the King of Serpents, not -for his magnitude or greatnesse: For there are many Serpents bigger than -he, as there be many foure-footed Beastes bigger than the Lyon, but, -because of his stately pace, and magnanimious mind: for hee creepeth not -on the earth like other Serpents, but goeth halfe upright, for which -occasion all other Serpentes avoyde his sight. And it seemeth nature -hath ordayned him for that purpose; for, besides the strength of his -poyson, which is uncurable, he hath a certain combe or Corronet uppon -his head, as shall be shewed in due place." - -[Illustration] - -Pliny thus describes "The Serpents called Basilisks. There is the same -power[40] also in the serpent called the Basilisk. It is produced in -the province of Cyrene, being not more than twelve fingers in length. It -has a white spot on the head, strongly resembling a sort of diadem. When -it hisses, all the other serpents fly from it: and it does not advance -its body, like the others, by a succession of folds, but moves along -upright and erect upon the middle. It destroys all shrubs, not only by -its contact, but even those that it has breathed upon; it burns up all -the grass too, and breaks the stones, so tremendous is its noxious -influence. It was formerly a general belief that if a man on horseback -killed one of these animals with a spear, the poison would run up the -weapon and kill, not only the rider, but the horse as well. To this -dreadful monster the effluvium of the weasel is fatal, a thing which has -been tried with success, for kings have often desired to see its body -when killed; so true is it that it has pleased Nature that there should -be nothing without its antidote. The animal is thrown into the hole of -the basilisk, which is easily known from the soil around it being -infected. The weasel destroys the basilisk by its odour, but dies itself -in this struggle of nature against its own self." - -Du Bartas says:-- - - "What shield of Ajax could avoid their death - By th' Basilisk whose pestilentiall breath - Doth pearce firm Marble, and whose banefull eye - Wounds with a glance, so that the wounded dye." - -The origin of the Cockatrice is, to say the least, peculiar:--"There is -some question amongest Writers, about the generation of this Serpent: -for some, (and those very many and learned,) affirme him to be brought -forth of a Cockes egge. For they say that when a Cocke groweth old, he -layeth a certaine egge without any shell, instead whereof it is covered -with a very thicke skinne, which is able to withstand the greatest force -of an easie blow or fall. They say, moreover, that this Egge is layd -onely in the Summer time, about the beginning of the Dogge-dayes, being -not so long as a Hens Egge, but round and orbiculer: Sometimes of a -Foxie, sometimes of a yellowish muddy colour, which Egge is generated of -the putrified seed of the Cocke, and afterward sat upon by a Snake or a -Toad, bringeth forth the Cockatrice, being halfe a foot in length, the -hinder part like a Snake, the former part like a Cocke, because of a -treble combe on his forehead. - -"But the vulger opinion of Europe is, that the Egge is nourished by a -Toad, and not by a Snake; howbeit, in better experience it is found that -the Cocke doth sit on that egge himselfe: whereof _Levinus Lemnius_ in -his twelfth booke of the hidden miracles of nature, hath this discourse, -in the fourth chapter thereof. There happened (saith he) within our -memory in the Citty _Pirizæa_, that there were two old Cockes which had -layd Egges, but they could not, with clubs and staves drive them from -the Egges, untill they were forced to breake the egges in sunder, and -strangle the Cockes.... - -"There be many grave humaine Writers, whose authority is irrefragable, -affirming not onely that there be cockatrices, but also that they infect -the ayre, and kill with their sight. And _Mercuriall_ affirmeth, that -when he was with _Maximilian_ the Emperour, hee saw the carkase of a -cockatrice, reserved in his treasury among his undoubted monuments.... -Wee doe read that in Rome, in the dayes of Pope _Leo_ the fourth (847 to -855), there was a cockatrice found in a Vault of a Church or Chappell, -dedicated to Saint _Lucea_, whose pestiferous breath hadde infected the -Ayre round about, whereby great mortality followed in Rome: but how the -said Cockatrice came thither, it was never knowne. It is most probable -that it was created, and sent of God for the punnishment of the Citty, -which I do the more easily beleeve, because _Segonius_ and _Julius -Scaliger_ do affirme, that the sayd pestiferous beast was killed by the -prayers of the said _Leo_ the fourth.... - -"The eyes of the Cockatrice are redde, or somewhat inclyning to -blacknesse; the skin and carkase of this beast have beene accounted -precious, for wee doe read that the _Pergameni_ did buy but certaine -peeces of a Cockatrice, and gave for it two pound and a halfe of Sylver: -and because there is an opinion that no Byrd, Spyder, or venomous Beast -will endure the sight of this Serpent, they did hang uppe the skinne -thereof stuffed, in the Temples of _Apollo_ and _Diana_, in a certaine -thinne Net made of Gold; and therefore it is sayde, that never any -Swallow, Spider, or other Serpent durst come within those Temples; And -not onely the skinne or the sight of the Cockatrice worketh this effect, -but also the flesh thereof, being rubbed uppon the pavement, postes, or -Walles of any House. And moreover, if Silver bee rubbed over with the -powder of the Cockatrices flesh, it is likewise sayde that it giveth it -a tincture like unto Golde: and, besides these qualities, I remember not -any other in the flesh or skinne of this serpent.... - -"We read also that many times in _Affrica_, the Mules fall downe dead -for thirst, or else lye dead on the ground for some other causes, unto -whose Carkase innumerable troupes of Serpentes gather themselves to -feede there uppon; but when the Bazeliske windeth the sayd dead body, -he giveth forth his voyce: at the first hearing whereof, all the -Serpents hide themselves in the neare adjoyning sandes, or else runne -into theyr holes, not daring to come forth againe, untill the Cockatrice -have well dyned and satisfied himselfe. At which time he giveth another -signall by his voyce of his departure: then come they forth, but never -dare meddle with the remnants of the dead beast, but go away to seeke -some other prey. And if it happen that any other pestiferous beast -cometh unto the waters to drinke neare the place wherein the Cockatrice -is lodged, so soone as he perceiveth the presence thereof, although it -be not heard nor seene, yet it departeth back againe, without drinking, -neglecting his owne nutriment, to save itselfe from further danger: -whereupon _Lucanus_ saith, - - _----Late sibi submovet omne - Vulgus, et in vacua regnat Basiliscus arena._ - -Which may be thus englished; - - _He makes the vulgar farre from him to stand, - While Cockatrice alone raignes on the sand._ - -"Now we are to intreate of the poyson of this serpent, for it is a hot -and a venemous poyson, infecting the Ayre round about, so as no other -Creature can live neare him, for it killeth, not onely by his hissing, -and by his sight, (as is sayd of the Gorgons) but also by his touching, -both immediately, and mediately; that is to say, not onely when a man -toucheth the body it selfe, but also by touching a Weapon wherewith the -body was slayne, or any other dead beast slaine by it, and there is a -common fame, that a Horseman taking a Speare in his hand, which had -beene thrust through a Cockatrice, did not onely draw the poyson of it -unto his owne body, and so dyed, but also killed his horse thereby." - - - - -THE SALAMANDER. - - -Many writers have essayed this fabled creature, but almost all have -approached the subject with diffidence, as if not quite sure of the -absolute entity of the animal. Thus, Aristotle does not speak of it -authoritatively:--"And the Salamander shews that it is possible for some -animal substances to exist in the fire, for _they say_ that fire is -extinguished when this animal walks over it." Pliny, on Salamanders, -writes:--"We find it stated by many authors, that a serpent is produced -from the spinal marrow of a man. Many creatures, in fact, among the -quadrupeds even, have a secret, and mysterious origin. - -[Illustration] - -"Thus, for instance, the salamander, an animal like a lizard in shape, -and with a body starred all over, never comes out except during heavy -showers, and disappears the moment it becomes fine. This animal is so -intensely cold as to extinguish fire by its contact, in the same way -that ice doth. It spits forth a milky matter from its mouth; and -whatever part of the human body is touched with this, all the hair falls -off, and the part assumes the appearance of leprosy.... The wild boar of -Pamphylia, and the mountainous parts of Cilicia, after having devoured -a Salamander, will become poisonous to those who eat its flesh; and yet -the danger is quite imperceptible by reason of any peculiarity in the -smell and taste. The Salamander, too, will poison either water or wine -in which it happens to be drowned; and, what is more, if it has only -drunk thereof, the liquid becomes poisonous." - -This idea of an animal supporting life in the fire is not confined to -the Salamander alone, for both Aristotle and Pliny aver that there is a -fly which possesses this accomplishment. Says the former:--"In Cyprus, -when the manufacturers of the stone called _chalcitis_ burn it for many -days in the fire, a winged creature something larger than a great fly is -seen walking and leaping in the fire: these creatures perish when taken -from the fire." And the latter:--"That element, also, which is so -destructive to matter, produces certain animals; for in the -copper-smelting furnaces of Cyprus, in the very midst of the fire, there -is to be seen, flying about, a four-footed animal with wings, the size -of a large fly: this creature, called the 'pyrallis,' and by some the -'pyrausta.' So long as it remains in the fire it will live, but if it -comes out, and flies a little distance from it, it will instantly die." - -Ser Marco Polo thoroughly pooh-poohs the idea of the Salamander, and -says it is Asbestos. Speaking of the Province of Chingintalas, he -says:--"And you must know that in the same mountain there is a vein of -the substance of which Salamander is made. For the real truth is that -the Salamander is no beast, as they allege in our part of the world, but -is a substance found in the earth; and I will tell you about it. - -"Everybody must be aware that it can be no animal's nature to live in -fire, seeing that every animal is composed of all the four elements. -Now, I, Marco Polo, had a Turkish acquaintance of the name of Zurficar, -and he was a very clever fellow, and this Turk related to Messer Marco -Polo how he had lived three years in that region on behalf of the Great -Kaan, in order to procure those Salamanders for him. He said that the -way they got them was by digging in that mountain till they found a -certain vein. The substance of this vein was then taken and crushed, -and, when so treated, it divides, as it were, into fibres of wool, which -they set forth to dry. When dry, these fibres were pounded in a great -copper mortar, and then washed, so as to remove all the earth, and to -leave only the fibres, like fibres of wool. These were then spun, and -made into napkins. When first made, these napkins are not very white, -but by putting them in the fire for a while they come out as white as -snow. And so again, whenever they become dirty they are bleached by -being put in the fire. - -"Now this, and nought else, is the truth about the Salamander, and the -people of the country all say the same. Any other account of the matter -is fabulous nonsense. And I may add that they have, at Rome, a napkin -out of this stuff, which the Grand Kaan sent to the Pope, to make a -wrapper, for the Holy Sudarium of Jesus Christ." - -That extremely truthful person, Benvenuto Cellini, in his thoroughly -veracious autobiography, tells us the following _Snake Story_:--"When I -was about five years old, my father happened to be in a basement-chamber -of our house, where they had been washing, and where a good fire of -oak-logs was still burning; he had a viol in his hand, and was playing -and singing alone beside the fire. - -"The weather was very cold. Happening to look into the fire, he spied in -the middle of those most burning flames a little creature like a lizard, -which was sporting in the core of the intensest coals. Becoming -instantly aware of what the thing was, he had my sister and me called, -and, pointing it out to us children, gave me a great box on the ears, -which caused me to howl and weep with all my might. Then he pacified me -good-humouredly, and spoke as follows: 'My dear little boy, I am not -striking you for any wrong that you have done, but only to make you -remember that that lizard which you see in the fire is a salamander, a -creature which has never been seen before, by any one of whom we have -credible information.' So saying, he kissed me, and gave me some pieces -of money." - -Even Topsell is half-hearted about its fire-resisting qualities, giving -no modern instances, and only, for it, quoting old authors. According to -his account, and to the picture which I have taken from him, the -Salamander is not a prepossessing-looking animal:--"The Salamander is -also foure-footed like a Lyzard, and all the body over it is set with -spots of blacke and yellow, yet is the sight of it abhominable, and -fearefull to man. The head of it is great, and sometimes they have -yellowish bellyes and tayles, and sometimes earthy." - -He also says its bite is not only poisonous, but incurable, and that it -poisons all it touches. - - - - -THE TOAD. - - -Toads were always considered venomous and spiteful, and they had but one -redeeming quality, which seems to be lost to its modern descendants:-- - - "Sweet are the uses of adversity; - Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, - Wears yet a precious jewel in his head." - - (_As You Like It_, Act ii. sc. 1.) - -Pliny says of these animals:--"Authors quite vie with one another in -relating marvellous stories about them; such, for instance, as that if -they are brought into the midst of a concourse of people, silence will -instantly prevail; as also that, by throwing into boiling water, a small -bone that is found in their right side, the vessel will immediately -cool, and the water refuse to boil again until it has been removed. This -bone, they say, may be found by exposing a dead toad to ants, and -letting them eat away the flesh; after which the bones must be put into -the vessel one by one. - -"On the other hand, again, in the left side of this reptile there is -another bone, they say, which, when thrown into water, has all the -appearance of making it boil, and the name given to which is 'apocynon' -(_averting dogs_). This bone it is said has the property of assuaging -the fury of dogs, and, if put in the drink, of conciliating love, and -ending discord and strife. Worn, too, as an amulet, it acts as an -aphrodisiac, we are told." - -Topsell writes so diffusely on the virtues of these "toad stones" that I -can only afford space for a portion of his remarks:--"There be many late -Writers, which doe affirme that there is a precious stone in the head of -a Toade, whose opinions (because they attribute much to the vertue of -this stone) is good to examine in this place.... There be many that -weare these stones in Ringes, beeing verily perswaded that they keepe -them from all manner of grypings and paines of the belly, and the small -guttes. But the Art, (as they term it) is in taking of it out, for they -say it must be taken out of the head alive, before the Toade be dead, -with a peece of cloth of the colour of redde Skarlet, wherewithall they -are much delighted, so that while they stretch out themselves as it were -in sport upon that cloth, they cast out the stone of their head, but -instantly they sup it up againe, unlesse it be taken from them through -some secrete hole in the said cloth, whereby it falleth into a cesterne -or vessell of water, into the which the Toade dare not enter, by reason -of the coldnes of the water.... - -"This stone is that which in auncient time was called _Batrachites_, and -they attribute unto it a vertue besides the former, namely, for the -breaking of the stone in the bladder, and against the Falling sicknes. -And they further write that it is a discoverer of present poyson, for in -the presence of poyson it will change the colour. And this is the -substaunce of that which is written about this stone. Now for my part I -dare not conclude either with it, or against it, for many are directlie -for this stone ingendered in the braine or head of the Toade: on the -other side, some confesse such a stone by name and nature, but they make -doubt of the generation of it, as others have delivered; and therefore, -they beeing in sundry opinions, the hearing whereof might confound the -Reader, I will referre him for his satisfaction unto a Toade, which hee -may easily every day kill: For although when the Toade is dead, the -vertue thereof be lost, which consisted in the eye, or blew spot in the -middle, yet the substance remaineth, and, if the stone be found there in -substance, then is the question at an end; but, if it be not, then must -the generation of it be sought for in some other place." - - - - -THE LEECH. - - -The Leech has, from a very early age, been used as a means of letting -blood; but, among the old Romans, it had medicinal uses such as we know -not of now. It was used as a hair dye. Pliny gives two receipts for -making it, and it must have been powerful stuff, if we can believe his -authority:--"Leeches left to putrify for forty days in red wine, stain -the hair black. Others, again, recommend one sextarius of leeches to be -left to putrefy the same number of days in a leaden vessel, with two -sextarii of vinegar, the hair to be well rubbed with the mixture in the -sun. According to Sornatius this preparation is, naturally, so -penetrating, that if females, when they apply it, do not take the -precaution of keeping some oil in the mouth, the teeth, even, will -become blackened thereby." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus gives us the accompanying picture of the luxurious man in -his arm-chair by the river-side, catching his own leeches, and suffering -from gnats; and also his far more prudent friend, who makes the -experiment on the vile body of his horse, and thus saves his own blood; -but he gives us no account of its habits and customs. - - - - -THE SCORPION. - - -Of the Scorpion, Pliny says:--"This animal is a dangerous scourge, and -has a venom like that of the serpent; with the exception that its -effects are far more painful, as the person who is stung will linger for -three days before death ensues. The sting is invariably fatal to -virgins, and nearly always so to matrons. It is so to men also, in the -morning, when the animal has issued from its hole in a fasting state, -and has not yet happened to discharge its poison by an accidental -stroke. The tail is always ready to strike, and ceases not for an -instant to menace, so that no opportunity may possibly be lost.... - -"In Scythia, the Scorpion is able to kill even the swine, with its -sting, an animal which, in general, is proof against poisons of this -kind in a remarkable degree. When stung, those swine which are black, -die more speedily than others, and more particularly if they happen to -throw themselves into the water. When a person has been stung, it is -generally supposed that he may be cured by drinking the ashes of the -Scorpion mixed with wine. It is the belief also that nothing is more -baneful to the Scorpion than to dip it in oil.... Some writers, too, are -of opinion that the Scorpion devours its offspring, and that the one -among the young which is most adroit avails itself of its sole mode of -escape, by placing itself on the back of the mother, and thus finding a -place where it is in safety from the tail and sting. The one that thus -escapes, they say, becomes the avenger of the rest, and, at last, taking -advantage of its elevated position, puts its parents to death." - -Topsell has some marvels to relate concerning the generation of -Scorpions:--"And it is reported by _Elianus_, that about _Estamenus_ in -India, there are abundance of Scorpions generated, onely by corrupt -raine water standing in that place. Also, out of the Baziliske beaten -into peeces, and so putrified, are Scorpions engendred. And when as one -had planted the herbe _Basilica_ on a wall, in the roome or place -thereof hee found two Scorpions. And some say that if a man chaw in his -mouth, fasting, this herbe Basill before he wash, and, afterwards, lay -the same abroade uncovered where no sun commeth at it for the space of -seaven nights, taking it in all the daytime, he shall at length find it -transmuted into a Scorpion, with a tayle of seaven knots. - -"_Hollerius_, to take away all scruple of this thing, writeth that in -Italy, in his dayes, there was a man that had a Scorpion bredde in his -braine, by continuall smelling to this herbe Basil; and _Gesner_ by -relation of an Apothecary in Fraunce, writeth also a storie of a young -mayde, who by smelling to Basill, fell into an exceeding head-ach, -whereof she died without cure, and, after her death, beeing opened, -there were found little Scorpions in her braine. - -"_Aristotle_ remembreth an herbe which he calleth _Sisimbriæ_, out of -which putrified Scorpions are engendered. And wee have showed already, -in the history of the Crocodile, that out of the Crocodile's egges doe -many times come Scorpions, which at their first egression doe kill theyr -dam that hatched them." - -There is a curious legend, that if a Scorpion is surrounded by fire, so -that it cannot escape, it will commit suicide by stinging itself to -death. - - - - -THE ANT. - - -No one would credit the industrious Ant, whose ways we are told to -consider, and gather wisdom therefrom, was avaricious and lustful after -gold; but it seems it was even so, at least, in Pliny's time; but then -they were abnormally large:--"The horns of an Indian Ant, suspended in -the temple of Hercules at Erythræ (_Ritri_) have been looked upon as -quite miraculous for their size. This ant excavates gold from holes, in -a country to the north of India, the inhabitants of which are known as -the Dardæ. It has the colour of a cat, and is in size as large as an -Egyptian wolf. This gold, which it extracts in the winter, is taken by -the Indians during the heats of summer, while the Ants are compelled, by -the excessive warmth, to hide themselves in their holes. Still, however, -on being aroused by catching the scent of the Indians, they sally forth, -and frequently tear them to pieces, though provided with the swiftest -Camels for the purpose of flight; so great is their fleetness, combined -with their ferocity, and their passion for gold!" - - - - -THE BEE. - - -The Busy Bee, too, according to Olaus Magnus, developed, in the regions -of the North, a peculiarity to which it seems a stranger with us, but -which might be encouraged, with beneficial effect, by the Temperance -Societies. - -[Illustration] - -The Bees infested drunkards, being drawn to them by the smell of the -liquor with which they had soaked their bodies, and stung them. - - - - -THE HORNET. - - -[Illustration] - -So also, up North, they seem to have had a special breed of Hornets, -which must have been ferocious indeed, sparing neither man nor beast, as -is evidenced by the corpses, and by the extremely energetic efforts of -the yet living man to cope with his enemies. - -[Illustration] - - - - -FOOTNOTES. - - -[1] Supposed to be Sumatra. - -[2] [Greek: gês kleithron], meaning the limit or boundary of the earth. - -[3] The Gryphon must not be confounded with the Griffin, as will be seen -later on. - -[4] The Roman cubit was eighteen inches, so that these men were nearly -eight feet high. - -[5] From [Greek: apo tou monou kôlou], "from having but one leg." - -[6] From [Greek: Skiapous], "making a shadow with his foot." - -[7] See illustration, p. 9. - -[8] Sparrow footed, from [Greek: strouthos], a sparrow. - -[9] Probably cotton. - -[10] Or long livers, from [Greek: makros], "long," and [Greek: bios], -"life." - -[11] A palm was three inches, so that these men would be eight feet -high. - -[12] From [Greek: Gymnêtês], one who takes much bodily exercise. - -[13] Mirage. - -[14] Other editions read _rough hair_. - -[15] In Greek, [Greek: Topazô], means to guess, divine, or conjecture. - -[16] Burn. - -[17] Breast. - -[18] At war. - -[19] From [Greek: treis], _three_, [Greek: spithamai], _spans_. - -[20] Other editions say six or seven years. - -[21] See his letters dated September 1888, which arrived in England -early in April 1889. - -[22] Ox horns, horn cups. - -[23] A lake between Macedonia and Thrace. - -[24] The fishermen of lake Prasias still have lake dwellings as in the -time of Herodotus. - -[25] The most abundant were the oyster, mussel, cockle, and periwinkle. - -[26] Transactions of the Ethnological Society, 1866, vol. iv., p. 34. - -[27] Thyrsi. - -[28] The italics are mine.--J. A. - -[29] From [Greek: katablepô], "to look downwards." - -[30] Spirals. - -[31] Plaits. - -[32] Taking the Ducat at 9s. 4-1/2d., it would come to £37,000, but if -this were multiplied by three, the lowest computation of the value of -money then, and now, it would be worth considerably over £100,000. - -[33] Another name for short--vide _Cutty pipe_--_Cutty sark_. - -[34] "An unlicked cub" is a proverb which has sprung from this fable. -Aristotle was right when he said that bears when newly born were without -hair, and blind, but wrong in continuing "its legs, and almost all its -parts, are without joints." Still, the popular idea that bears licked -their young into shape, lasted till very modern times, and still -survives in the proverb quoted. Shakespeare mentions it in 3 Henry VI. -iii. 2:-- - - "Like to Chaos, or an unlick'd bear whelp, - That carries no impression like the dam." - -And Chester, in his _Love's Martyr_, speaking of the Bear, says-- - - "Brings forth at first a thing that's indigest, - A lump of flesh without all fashion, - Which she, by often licking brings to rest, - Making a formal body, good and sound. - Which often in this iland we have found." - -[35] This use of bear's grease is about 1800 years old. - -[36] From [Greek: Leontophonos], the Lion Killer. - -[37] Written to prove that this plant was the Cotton-plant. - -[38] Melons. - -[39] Wonder at. - -[40] Alluding to the Catoblepon (see ante, p. 85), and its power of -killing animals and human beings with its eye. This power does not seem -confined to animals, for Sir John Mandeville says:--"An other yle there -is northward where there are many evill and fell women, and they have -precious stones in their eies, and they have such kinde y^t if they -behold any man with wrath, they sley them of the beholding, as the -Basalisk doeth." - - - - -INDEX. - - - - -[Illustration] - -INDEX. - - - Abarimon, _country of men with legs reversed_, 9. - - Acanthis, the, 70. - - Accursius, 147. - - Achillium. See _Sponges_. - - Ædonaus, 287. - - Ægipanæ, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - Ægithus, the, 70, 71. - - Ægopithecus, the, 55. - - Ælianus, 88, 93, 96, 148, 158, 212, 280, 331. - - Æsalon, the, 70. - - Æsculapius, 148. - - Ætolia, 280. - - Agatharcides, 10, 16. - - Aïnos, the, _a hairy people of Japan_, 50, 51. - - Albertus, 93, 100, 252. - - Albinos, 10. - - Alciatus, 65. - - Aldrovandus, 47, 48, 81, 97, 154, 170, 171, 172, 179, 180, 204, 228, - 256, 262, 270, 302, 317. - - Alexander, 146. - - Alumnus, 100. - - Amahut, _a tree_, 67. - - Amazons, 23; - _their fate after their defeat by the Greeks_, 24, 25; - _Sir John Mandeville's account of them_, 25, 26; - _called Medusæ_, 85. - - Ambergris, 222, 223. - - Anclorus, the, 148. - - Andrew, _an Italian_, 151. - - Androgyni, _tribe of_, 11. - - Animal lore, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71. - - Ant, the, 71, 112, 332. - - Antacæi (_whales without spinal bones_), 226. - - Antelope, the, 145, 146. - - Anthropophagi, 6, 9, 10, 18, 72. - - Anthus, the, 71. - - Anu, 80. - - Apes, 65, 66. - - Apocynon. See _The Toad_. - - Apollonides, 12. - - Apollonius, 58, 59. - - Archelaüs, 21. - - Archigene, 134. - - Arctopithecus, the, _or Bear-Ape_, 55, 66. - - Arimaspi, 8, 9. - - Aristotle, 71, 105, 148, 156, 199, 201, 203, 248, 253, 262, 268, 286, - 287, 323, 324, 331. - - Artemidorus, 16. - - Asbestos. See _Salamander_. - - Astomi, _a people with no mouths, and who subsist by smell_, 15. - - Ass, the, 70. - - Ass, the Indian, 88. - - Ass, the wild, 68. - - Atergatis, 209. - - Athenæus, 86. - - Ausonius, 64. - - Avicen, 72, 287. - - - B. - - Baboons, 62. - - Bacchantes, 80. - - Bacchæ, _a name for Satyrs_, 56. - - Baffin, 245. - - Balæna, the, 239, 240. - - Barnacle Goose, the, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179. - - Bartlemew de Glanville, 231. - - Basilisk, 156, 317, 318, 319, 321, 331. - - Batrachites. See _The Toad_. - - Bear, the, 68, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, - 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 148. - - Bear-Ape. See _Arctopithecus_. - - Bee, the, 112, 113, 332, 333. - - Beeton, 10. - - Bekenhawh, 189. - - Bellonius, Petrus, 96. - - Berosus, 79, 206. - - Bevis of Hampton, 158. - - Bird, Miss, 50. - - Birds, peculiarities of, 204, 206. - - Bishop-fish, the, 228, 230. - - Boar, the wild, 69, 111, 139. - - Boas, the, 289, 290, 291. - - Bolindinata. See _Bird of Paradise_. - - Boloma, the. See _Dog-fish_. - - Bonosa, the, 193. - - Boeothius, 228. - - Borometz, the. See _Lamb Tree_. - - Boscawen, W. St. Chad, 78. - - Brazavolus, 94. - - Bugil, the, 84. - - Bull, the, _and Bears_, 109; - _and Wolves_, 137. - - Bustard, the, 148. - - - C. - - Cadamustus, Aloisius, 278. - - Cadmus, 64, 65. - - Cæsar, Julius, 46, 47, 148. - - Calf and Wolves, 137. - - Calingæ, _a tribe of India whose women conceive at the age of five - years and die at eight_, 17. - - Callimachus, 285. - - Calliphanes, 11. - - Cambden, Mr., 144. - - Camden, 177. - - Camel, the, 148. - - _Canis Lucernarius_, 150, 151. - - Cardanus, Hieronimus, 53, 226, 287, 291, 305. - - Cartazonon. See _Unicorn_. - - Carthier, Jacques, 237. - - Cat, the, 154, 155, 156. - - Caterpillar, the, 71. - - Catharcludi, _a tribe in India_, 14. - - Catableponta, _name for Gorgon_, 84, 85, 318. - - Cattle, _curious_, 23. - - Cebi, the, 57. - - Cellini, Benvenuto, 325, 326. - - Centaurs, 65, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83. - - Cephus, the, 74. - - Cercopithecus, the, 52, 53. - - Cetum Capillatum vel Crinitum. See _Whale, Hairy_. - - Chameleon, the, 163. - - Chimæra, the, 64, 170, 171. - - Chiron, _the Centaur_, 79. - - Chloræus, the, 69. - - Choromandæ, _a nation without a proper voice_, 15. - - Christie, Mr., _on Palæolithic remains_, 39. - - Cicero, 12. - - Circhos, the, 247. - - Claudius, Emperor. See _Orca_. - - Clayks. See _Barnacle Geese_. - - Clement, Pope, 96. - - Clitarchus, 16. - - Cock, the, 156, 157. - - Cock with serpent's tail, 204, 205. - - Cockatrice, the, 85, 317, 319, 320, 321, 322. - - Coelius, 77. - - Condor, the, 183. - - Conger Eel, the, 262. - - Corocotta, the, 72. - - Couret, M. de, 5. - - Crab, the, 129, 267, 268. - - Crane, the, 203. - - Crannoges, 41. - - Crates of Pergamus, 10, 17. - - Crawford, John, 49. - - Crayfish, 267. - - Cristotinius. See _Lamia_. - - Crocodile, the, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317. - - Crocotta, the, 159. - - Cronos, or Hea, 79. - - Crow, the, 70, 129, 130, 131. - - Ctesias, 4, 14, 16, 71. - - Cuvier, 185. - - Cyclops, 7, 65. - - Cynocephalus, the, 55, 56, 63. - - Cyrni, the, _who live 400 years_, 15. - - - D. - - Dædalus, H.M.S., 274, 275, 276. - - Dagon, 209. - - Damon, 12. - - Darwin, _Descent of Man_, 1; - _Tailed men_, 4; - _Shell-fish middens in Tierra del Fuego_, 42. - - Davis, Barnard, 50. - - De Barri, Gerald, 174. - - Deer and Bears, 109. - - De Leo, Ronzo, 31. - - Demetrius, 121, 237. - - Democritus, 131, 285, 306. - - Denbigh Worme, the. See _Dragons_. - - Descent of Man, 1. - - De Thaun, Philip, 91. - - De Veer, Gerat, 177. - - Devil Whale, the. See _Trol Whale_. - - Dingo, the, 126. - - _Dinornis Giganteus._ See _Moa_. - - Dion, 77. - - Dog, the, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154. - - Dog-fish, the, 255. - - Dog, _the Mimic or Getulian_, 150, 151. - - Dolphin, the, 242, 243. - - Dordogne, _Palæolithic remains in caves at_, 39. - - Dormouse, the, 67. - - Draco, 64. - - Dracontopides. See _Dragons_. - - Dragon, the, 158, 162, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, - 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311. - - Drake, Sir Francis, 177. - - Du Bartas, 74, 168, 169, 179, 185, 186, 200, 202, 225, 230, 231, - 243, 319. - - Duck, the, 70; - _four-footed_, 203. - - Dugong, the, 213. - - Duret, Claude, 166. - - Dwarfs, _with no mouth_, 19; - _mentioned in the Bible_, 26; - _Homer and the pygmies--battle with the Cranes_, 26, 27, 28; - _only twenty-seven inches high_, 28; - _their age_, 28; - _Spurious pygmies_, 28; - _Northern dwarfs_, 29; - _in America_, 29, 30, 31; - _African dwarfs_, 31, 32; - _their acuteness_, 33. - - - E. - - Eagle, the, 69, 70. - - Eale, the, 159, 160. - - Echeneis, the. See _Remora_. - - Edmund, St., 139, 140. - - Eels, _thirty feet long_, 18. - - Egede, Hans, 270. - - Egemon, 280. - - Egg, Remarkable, 179, 180. - - Ehannum. See _Lamia_. - - Eigi-einhamir. See _Were Wolves_. - - Elephant, the, 100, 147, 163, 310, 311. - - Elpis, 158. - - Embarus, 123. - - Emin Pacha, 32. - - Empusæ. See _Lamia_. - - Enchanters, _families of_, 11. - - _Epyornis maximus_, 183. - - Ethiopia, _wonders of_, 13. - - Eudoxus, 15. - - Euryale, 85. - - - F. - - Fabricius, George, 61. - - Falisci, or Hirpi, _a tribe unharmed by fire_, 12. - - Farnesius, 90. - - Fauns, 5, 56, 57, 60. - - Ferrerius, Joannes, 95. - - Fincelius, 146. - - Fish, curious, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253. - - Fish, senses of, 258, 259. - - Flavianus, 243. - - Florentinus, 287. - - Footless birds. See _Apodes_. - - Formicæ Lions, 58. - - Fox, the, 68, 70, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134. - - Fridlevus, 293, 294. - - Frobisher, Sir Martin, 245. - - Frog, the, 68. - - Frotho, 293. - - - G. - - Gækwar of Baroda, 129. - - Gambarus, the, 244. - - Gazelle, the, 67. - - Geese, two-headed wild, 203. - - Gellius, or Gyllius, Aulus, 158, 281, 302. - - Geryon, 64. - - Geskleithron, _dwelling of one-eyed men_, 8. - - Gesner, 52, 97, 127, 179, 203, 212, 217, 226, 228, 229, 231, 233, 236, - 244, 256, 262, 269, 305, 306, 312, 331. - - Getulian Dog, the, 150, 151. - - Giants, 13, 16, 17, 32; - _their stupidity_, 33; - _their sobriety_, 33; - _Starchaterus Thavestus_, 33, 34, 35, 36; - _Giants mentioned in the Bible_, 36; - _height of Adam, &c._, 37; - _Gabbaras_, 37; - _Posio and Secundilla_, 37; - _Sir John Mandeville's giants_, 37, 38. - - Gibson, Edmund, 177. - - Giraldus Cambrensis, 77, 174, 175. - - Gisbertus Germanus, 227, 228. - - Gizdhubar, 78, 79, 80. - - Glutton, the. See _Gulo_. - - Goat, the, 128, 136. - - Goblerus, Justinus, 306. - - Gorgon, the, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87. - - Gorgon blepen, _sharp-sighted persons_, 86. - - Gould, Rev. S. Baring, 141. - - Grevinus, 302. - - Griffins, 8, 180, 181, 182, 183. - - Gryphons, 8, 9, 181. - - Guenon, the. See _Haut_. - - Guillim, 89, 189. - - Gulielmus Musicus, 305. - - Gulo, the, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. - - Guy, Earl of Warwick, 157. - - Gymnetæ, _who live a hundred years_, 16. - - - H. - - Haafisch, the. See _Dog-fish_. - - Haarwal, the. See _Whale, Hairy_. - - Hakluyt, 237, 245. - - Halcyon, the, 199, 200. - - Hanno, 86. - - Harald, King, 307, 308. - - Hare, the, 68, 128. - - Harmona, 64. - - Harpe, the, _a falcon_, 70. - - Harpy, the, 171, 172. - - Hauser, Caspar, _a wild man_, 45. - - Haut or Hauti, the, 66, 67. - - Hawkins, Thos., 301, 302. - - Hea, 79, 206, 207, 208, 209. - - Hea-bani, 79, 80. - - Hedgehog, the, 69, 111, 128. - - Hegesidemus, 243. - - Helcus, the. See _Sea Calf_. - - Helen, 286. - - Helladice, 208. - - Hens, Woolly, 202. - - Hentzner, Paul, 93. - - Hermias, 243. - - Herodotus, 8, 21, 23, 39, 140, 160, 226. - - Heron, the, 70. - - Hesiodus, 85. - - Hippocentaur, the, 59. - - Hippopotamus, the, 161, 312. - - Hirpi, or Falisci, _a tribe unharmed by fire_, 12. - - Hollerius, 331. - - Homer, 75. - - Hoopoe, the, 196. - - Hornet, the, 333, 334. - - Horse, the, 112, 138, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150. - - Horstius, 227. - - Hyæna, the, 74, 132. - - Hydra, 64, 291, 292. - - Hydrophobia, 152, 153. - - - I. - - Ibis, the, 161. - - Ichneumon, the, 70, 202, 315, 316. - - Ichthyo Centaurus, the, 212. - - Ierom, Saint, 59. - - Illyrii, _a tribe having fascination in their eyes_, 12. - - Incubi, 60. - - India, _Wonders of_, 13. - - Isodorus, 100. - - Isogonus of Nicæa, 10, 11, 12, 15. - - Istar, 80. - - - J. - - James IV. and VI. of Scotland, 88. - - Jeduah, the. See _Lamb Tree_. - - Jerff. See _Gulo_. - - Jocasta, 65. - - Jochanan, Rabbi, 166. - - Johnöen, Lars, 273. - - Jovius, Paulus, 237. - - Juba, 21. - - Jugurtha, 86. - - - K. - - Khumbaba, 79. - - Kingfisher. See _Halcyon_. - - Kite, the, 69. - - Kjökkenmöddings, 41, 42, 43, 44. - - Kraken, the, 244, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 292. - - - L. - - Lacus insanus, 23. - - Laius, 65. - - Lake dwellings, 39, 40, 41. - - La Madelaine, _Palæolithic remains at_, 39. - - Lamb tree, the, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170. - - Lambri, _Kingdom of_, 5. - - Lambton Worme, the. See _Dragons_. - - Lamia, the, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78. - - Lane, Mr., 218. - - Langa, the, 225. - - Lapithæ, 80. - - Lapwing, the, 196, 197. - - Lee, Henry, 165, 292. - - Leech, the, 329, 330. - - Lemnius, Levinus, 320. - - Lenormant, M., 208. - - Leone, Giovanni, 198, 201. - - Leonine Monster, a, 227. - - Leontophonus, the, 158. - - Leontopithecus, the, 55. - - Leopard, the, 138. - - Leucrocotta, the (see also _Manticora_), 159, 160. - - Leviathan, 218. - - Licetus, 173, 179. - - Licosthenes, 81, 146, 180. - - Lilith. See _Lamia_. - - Linton Worme, the. See _Dragons_. - - Lion, the, 71, 88, 156, 157, 158, 159. - - Livingstone, Dr., 31. - - Livy, 9. - - Lizards, flying, 302. - - Lotophagi, _Cattle of_, 160. - - Loup-garou. See _Were Wolf_. - - Lucanus, 322. - - Lucretius, 157. - - Lycanthropy. See _Were Wolf_. - - Lycaon. See _Were Wolf_. - - Lynx, the, 129, 159. - - - M. - - Machlyæ, _the tribe of, are androgynous_, 11. - - Maclean, Rev. --, 271. - - Macrobii, _people who live four hundred years_, 15, 16. - - M'Quhæ, Capt., 274, 275, 276. - - Magalhaen, 190. - - Magnus, Olaus, 29, 33, 104, 108, 127, 141, 176, 182, 187, 188, 194, - 214, 219, 221, 223, 227, 231, 232, 233, 236, 237, 241, 244, 245, - 251, 255, 256, 260, 262, 264, 266, 269, 285, 293, 329, 332. - - Manatee, 213. - - Mandeville, Sir John, 17, 21, 25, 28, 37, 169, 175, 181, 202, 249, - 312, 318. - - Mandi, _who live on locusts_, 16. - - Mandragora, 112. - - Man-fish, 212, 213, 231. - - Mani. See _Sponges_. - - Manilius, Senator, 184. - - Manticora, the, 71, 72, 73, 74, 159. - - Maphoon, _a hairy woman_, 49, 50. - - Mappa Mundi, 7, 17. - - Marcellinus, 134. - - Marcellus, 131, 133, 134, 140, 144, 174. - - Marco Polo, 5, 28, 100, 182, 249, 324, 325. - - Maricomorion, the. See _Manticora_. - - Marion, the. See _Manticora_. - - Marius, 86. - - Marsi, _the tribe of_, 11. - - Martlet, the, 189, 190. - - Mechovita, 102, 237. - - Megasthenes, 14, 15, 16. - - Meir, Rabbi, 167. - - Men, _tailed_, 4, 5, 17; - _one-eyed_, 8, 18; - _with legs reversed_, 9; - _with sea-green eyes_, 10, 15; - _with white hair_, 10, 14, 16; - _eat every other day_, 10; - _those whose touch cures the sting of serpents_, 10; - _saliva cures ditto_, 10; - _testing the fidelity of wives by means of serpents_, 11; - _possessing both sexes_, 11; - _families of enchanters_, 11; - _with the power of fascination in their eyes_, 12; - _with two pupils in each eye_, 12; - _whose bodies will not sink in water_, 12; - _whose perspiration causes consumption_, 12; - _the glance of women with double pupils in their eyes - is noxious_, 12; - _Indians never expectorate, and are subject to no pains_, 13; - _Men eight feet high_, 13, 16; - _with feet turned backwards, and eight toes_, 14; - _with heads of dogs_, 14; - _Women only pregnant once in their lives_, 14, 16; - _Men with one leg_, 14, 20; - _whose feet shade them from the sun_, 14, 20; - _without necks, and eyes in their shoulders_, 14, 19; - _large and small feet_, 15; - _with holes in their faces instead of nostrils, - and flexible feet_, 15; - _with no mouths, who subsist by smell_, 15; - _who live 400 years_, 15; - _living on vipers_, 16; - _with no shadow_, 16; - _live to 130 years and never seem to get old_, 16; - _who live 200 years_, 16; - _do not live over 40 years_, 16; - _who live on locusts_, 16; - _Women bear children at seven years of age_, 16; - _Women conceive at five years of age and die in their - eighth year_, 17; - _Men with ears which cover their bodies_, 17; - _twelve feet high_, 17; - _live on baboon's milk_, 17; - _green and yellow_, 18; - _Men eating each other_, 18; - _without eyes or nose_, 19; - _with mouths in their shoulders_, 19; - _cover their faces with their lips_, 19; - _Dwarfs with no mouth_, 19; - _with ears to their shoulders_, 19; - _with horses' feet_, 19; - _go on all fours_, 19; - _go on their knees_, 19; - _live by the smell of wild apples_, 19; - _covered with feathers_, 20; - _Elephant-headed men_, 20; - _feed on serpents and lizards_, 21; - _Amazons_, 23, 24, 25, 26; - _Pygmies_, 26; - _their height_, 28; - _Early men_, 38; - _their skulls_, 38; - _the Stone Age_, 38; - _Bronze and Iron Ages_, 39; - _Palæolithic remains in caves_, 39; - _the Lake men_, 39; - _early mention of them_, 39; - _their food_, 41; - _Kitchen middens_, 41; - _their wide range_, 41; - _Shell-fish middens in Tierra del Fuego_, 42, 43; - _Danish middens_, 44; - _Wild men_, 41; - _Ancient Britons_, 46, 47; - _Hairy men_, 47, 49, 50, 51; - _Julia Pastrana_, 47; - _Puella pilosa of Aldrovandus_, 47, 48; - _Hairy people at Ava_, 49, 50; - _the Aïnos of Japan_, 50, 51; - _Moon Woman_, 180. - - Menippus, 74, 75, 76, 152. - - Menismini, _who live on baboon's milk_, 17. - - Mentor, 158. - - Mercuriall, 320. - - Mermen and Mermaids, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214. - - Meryx, the, 253. - - Midas, 58. - - Milo, Titus Annius, 251. - - Milroy, General, 30. - - Milton, 8, 218. - - Mimick Dog, the, 150, 151. - - Mirage, 17. - - Moa, the, 181, 183. - - Mole, the, 68. - - Monboddo, Lord, 5. - - Monk-fish, the, 228, 229. - - Monoceros. See _Unicorn_, also _Narwhal_. - - Monocoli, _people having but one leg_, 14. - - Monster, a, 173. - - Moon Woman, 180. - - Mormolicæ. See _Lamia_. - - Morse, the. See _Walrus_. - - Moses Chusensis, 166. - - Mucianus, 253. - - Müenster, Sebastian, 177. - - Murex, the, 253, 254. - - Musculus, the, 226. - - Myrepsus, 132, 134. - - - N. - - Narwhal, the, 244, 245. - - Nasomenes, _the tribe of_, 11. - - Nebuchadnezzar, 78. - - Nemæan Lion, 64. - - Nereids, 210. - - Niam Niams, 5. - - Nicander, 302. - - Nisus, the, 70. - - Nymphæ, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - Nymphodorus, 11. - - - O. - - Oannes, _or Hea_, 206, 207, 208, 209. - - Obadja, Rabbi, 167. - - Octopus. See _Kraken_. - - Odoricus, Friar, 170, 175. - - Oedipus, 64, 65. - - Olaus Magnus. See _Magnus, O._ - - Onisecritus, 16. - - Onocentaur, the, 56, 83. - - Ophiogenes, 10. - - Oppianus, 99, 119. - - Orca, the, 239, 240, 241. - - _Osborne_, the Royal Yacht, 276, 277. - - Ostridge or Estridge, 148, 197, 198. - - Ouran Outan, the, 51, 52. - - Ourani Outanis, 4. - - Ovid, 140. - - Owl, the, 70. - - Oxen and Wolves, 137, 138. - - - P. - - Pan, the, _a satyr_, 55, 57. - - Pan, the Sea, 212. - - Pandore, _live two hundred years_, 16. - - Panther, the, 162. - - Paradise, Birds of, 190, 191. - - Parkinson, John, 168. - - Pastrana, Julia, _a hairy woman_, 47. - - Pausanias, 65. - - Pelican, the, 200, 201. - - Pegasus, the, 159. - - Pergannes, 16. - - Peter, the wild boy, 45. - - Peter Martyr, 4. - - Petronius, 140. - - Phalangium, the, 68, 70, 161. - - Pharnaces, _a tribe whose perspiration causes consumption_, 12. - - Philostratus, 58. - - Phoenix, the, 183, 184, 185, 186. - - Pholus, _the Centaur_, 80. - - Phylarcus, 12. - - Physeter, the, 215, 216, 217. - - Pierius, 302. - - Pitan, _a tribe living on the smell of wild apples_, 19. - - Pithocaris, 139. - - Plato, 194. - - Plesiosaurus, the, 300, 301. - - Pliny, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 53, 57, 67, 72, 81, 86, 87, - 88, 105, 124, 127, 131, 133, 140, 148, 158, 161, 183, 193, 198, - 199, 204, 210, 239, 242, 251, 253, 256, 264, 267, 285, 286, 287, - 288, 306, 313, 318, 324, 327, 329, 330, 332. - - Plutarch, 151, 281. - - Polydamna, 286. - - Polypus, the. See _Kraken_. - - Poæius, Paulus, 95. - - Pomponius, Mela, 140. - - Pontoppidan, Erik, 261, 270. - - Ponzettus, 154. - - Pope, Alex., 26. - - Postdenius, 282. - - Prister, the, 215, 220. - - Psylli, _a race whose saliva cures the sting of serpents_, 10. - - Pterodactyl, the, 302. - - Ptolemy, 5. - - Ptolemy, King, 151. - - Purchas, _his Pilgrimage_, 29, 177. - - Pygmies. See _Dwarfs_. - - Pygmæogeranomachia, _a poem on the battle between the Pygmies - and the Cranes_, 26. - - Pyrallis, the, 70. See also _Salamander_. - - Pyrausta. See _Salamander_. - - Pyrrhus, King, _His right great toe cured diseases of the spleen_, 13. - - - R. - - Rabbit, the, 68. - - Rasis, 156. - - Raven, the, 69, 70, 163. - - Ravenna, _Monster at_, 173, 174. - - Ravisius, Textor, 180. - - Ray, the, 255. - - Rayn, the, 197. - - Regnerus, 294, 295. - - _Reineke Fuchs_, 126. - - Remora, the, 253, 254. - - Rhinoceros, 89, 97, 98, 99, 100. - - Robinson, Phil, 129. - - Rodocanakis, 188, 189. - - Rondeletius, 227. - - Rosmarus, the. See _Walrus_. - - Rossamaka, the. See _Gulo_. - - Ruc, Rukh, or Rok. See _Griffin_. - - - S. - - Sahab, the, 247. - - St. John, Mr., 5. - - Salamander, 323, 324, 325, 326. - - Salusbury, John, 300. - - Sargon, 209, 268. - - Satyr, the, 14. - - Satyr, _the classical_, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60. - - Satyrs, 55, 56, 61, 62. - - Saw Fish, the, 239. - - Saxo, 33, 34, 177. - - Scaliger, 131, 317, 321. - - Scarus, the, 253. - - Schilt-bergerus, 284. - - Sciapodæ, _men whose feet shade them from the sun_, 14. - - Scirti, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - Scorpion, the, 69, 330, 331, 332. - - Scott, Sir Walter, 270, 271. - - Scyritæ, _a tribe in India with holes in their faces instead of - nostrils, and flexible feet_, 15. - - Sea Animals, various, 231. - - Sea Calves, 116, 232, 233. - - Sea-Cow, the, 232. - - Sea Demon, 212. - - Sea Dragon, the, 256. - - Sea Hare, 132, 234. - - Sea-Horse, the, 233, 234. - - Seamew, the, 70. - - Sea-Mouse, the, 234. - - Sea-Nettle, the, 259, 260. - - Sea-Pig, the, 235. - - Sea Rhinoceros, the. See _Narwhal_. - - Sea Satyr, 212. - - Sea Serpent, the, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277. - - Sea Unicorn, the. See _Narwhal_. - - Seal, the. See _Sea Calves_. - - Segonius, 321. - - Seneca, 313. - - Sennacherib, 209. - - Seræ, _who live four hundred years_, 15. - - Serpeda de Aqua, 291. - - Serpents, _bite of, cured by men's saliva_, 10; - _ditto by odour of men_, 11; - _test of fidelity of wives_, 11; - _destroy strangers_, 69; - _war with Weasels and Swine_, 70; - _killed by Spiders_, 71; - _and Cats_, 154, 155, 156; - _and Mice_, 156; - _and Lions_, 156; - _cure for bite of_, 161; - _take medicine_, 162; - _the Indian, a kind of whale_, 226, 227; - _and Crabs_, 267, 268; - _charming them_, 278, 279; - _their loves_, 280, 281; - _talking_, 281; - _size_, 281, 282; - _their coldness_, 283, 284; - _pugnacity_, 284, 285; - _their antipathies_, 285, 286, 287; - _as medicine_, 288, 289. - - Servius, 171. - - Sextus, 134, 138. - - Shrew mouse, the, 68, 70. - - Shu-Maon, _a hairy man_, 49. - - Sicinnis, Sicinnistæ, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - Sidetes, 140. - - Sileni, _a name for Satyrs_, 56, 57. - - Simeon, Rabbi, 166, 167, 168. - - Simia Satyrus, the, 52, 53, 54, 56. - - Simiinæ, the, 51. - - Simocatus, 286. - - Sindbad the Sailor, 218. - - Siren, the, 172, 173. - - Sluper, John, 7, 45, 65, 229. - - Snow Birds, 191, 192, 193. - - Solinus, 58, 313. - - Solyman, Sultan, 96. - - Somerville, Sir John, 298, 299, 300. - - Sow, 135, 136. - - Spenser, 88, 158, 312. - - Spermaceti Whale, the, 222. - - Sphyngium, the, 53. - - Sphynx or Sphynga, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 159. - - Spider, the, 69, 70, 71. - - Sponges, 260, 261. - - Spratt, 171. - - Stag, the, 68, 69, 163. - - Stanley, H. M., 31, 32. - - Starchaterus Thavestus, _a giant_, 33, 34, 35. - - Steingo, _a name for a Gorgon_, 85. - - Stheno, 85. - - Sting-ray, the, 256, 257. - - Stork, the, 162, 200, 201. - - Stow, John, 231. - - Strabo, 314. - - Struthpodes, _a tribe with small feet_, 15. - - Stumpsius, 308. - - Su, the, 163, 164, 165. - - Suidas, 65, 146. - - Swallow, the, 161, 186, 187, 188, 189. - - Swamfisck, the, 245, 246, 247. - - Swan, the, 69, 193, 194. - - Swine, 70, 148, 156. - - Swordfish, the, 238, 239. - - Sylla, 58. - - Syrbotæ, _men twelve feet high_, 17. - - - T. - - Tantalus apples, 75. - - Tauron, 15. - - Tavernier, 191. - - Tennent, Sir J. E., 213. - - Teüfelwal, the. See _Trol Whale_. - - Thenestus, 163. - - Theophrastus, 106, 118, 119. - - Thibii, _a tribe having two pupils to each eye_, 12. - - Thos, the, 71. - - Thresher-Whale, the. See _Orca_. - - Tiles, _shower of baked_, 251. - - Toad, the, 326, 327, 328. - - Topazos, _a beautiful stone_, 21, 22. - - Topsell, Edward, 53, 55, 66, 74, 83, 91, 92, 94, 97, 99, 104, 127, - 131, 145, 146, 154, 163, 270, 278, 282, 288, 289, 291, 302, 306, - 308, 312, 313, 317, 325, 326, 327, 331. - - Tortoise, the, 161. - - Traconyt, _a beautiful stone_, 21. - - Tragi. See _Sponges_. - - Tranquillus, 147. - - Trebius, the, 252. - - Trebius Niger, 254, 264, 266. - - Triballi, _a tribe having the power of fascination with their - eyes_, 12. - - Triorchis, the, _a hawk_, 70. - - Trispithami, _a race three spans high_, 27. - - Trithemius, 144. - - Tritons, 65, 210. - - Trochilus, the, 70, 201, 202. - - Troglodytæ, _dwellers in caves_, 14; - _their swiftness_, 17; - _their remains_, 20; - _feed on serpents and lizards_, 21; - _their commerce_, 22. - - Trol Whale, the, 217. - - Trygon, the. See _Sting-ray_. - - Turtles, _horned_, 23. - - Turtle-dove, the, 70. - - Tytiri, _a name for Satyrs_, 56. - - Tzetzes, 93. - - - U. - - Unicorn, the, 74, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97. - See also _Rhinoceros_. - - Urchin, the, 128. - - - V. - - Valentyn, 213. - - Varinus, 64. - - Varro, 10. - - Versipellis. See _Were Wolves_. - - Vespasian, 151. - - Vielfras, the. See _Gulo_. - - Villanonanus, Arnoldus, 287. - - Vipers, _flesh of, causing longevity_, 16. - - Virgil, 140. - - Vishnu, 209. - - Volateran, 282. - - - W. - - Wallace, A. R., 52. - - Walrus, the, 235, 236, 237, 238. - - Wantley, Dragon of. See _Dragons_. - - Wasp, the, 70. - - Weasel, the, 68, 70, 163. - - Webbe, Edward, 250. - - Webber, _Romance of Natural History_, 30. - - Were Wolves, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144. - - Whale, the, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, - 225, 226, 227. - - Whale, _the hairy_, 226. - - Whaup, the. See _Lapwing_. - - Whirlpool, the, 215, 220. - - Williams, Edward, 189. - - Woodcock, the, 69. - - Wolf, the, 68, 131, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 148. - - Wolff, G. E., 31. - - Wolverine, the. See _Gulo_. - - Wood, E. J., _book on Giants and Dwarfs_, 29. - - Wood, W. Martin, 50. - - "Wormes." See _Dragons_. - - - X. - - Xenophon, 86. - - - Y. - - Youle, Captain Henry, 49. - - - Z. - - Zahn, Joannes, 4, 144, 165, 173, 248. - - Zaidu, 79. - - Zebra, 146, 147. - - Ziphius, the, 238, 239. - - Zoophytes, 259, 260. - - - - -THE END. - -PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON. - - - - -Transcriber's Notes. - -Punctuation has been standardised, and simple typographical errors have -been repaired. Hyphenation, quotation mark usage, and obsolete/variant -spelling have been preserved as printed. Characters printed superscript -in the original book are here preceded by the caret symbol. - -Page 62, beasts => breasts (having the breasts of women) - -Page 87, eartd => earth (downeward to the earth) - -Page 135, nor => not (for they spare not man nor beast) - -Page 141, Greeks => Greek (from two Greek words) - -Page 230, tiltre => titre (h[=o]neur et titre) - -Page 262, added "the" (On the next page is a huge calamary) - -Page 337, Abamiron => Abarimon - -Page 340, Gaekwar => Gækwar - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Curious Creatures in Zoology, by John Ashton - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURIOUS CREATURES IN ZOOLOGY *** - -***** This file should be named 42508-8.txt or 42508-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/5/0/42508/ - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Jennifer Linklater and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Curious Creatures in Zoology - -Author: John Ashton - -Release Date: April 12, 2013 [EBook #42508] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURIOUS CREATURES IN ZOOLOGY *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Jennifer Linklater and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -[Illustration: EX LIBRIS] - - - - -_PUBLISHER'S NOTE._ - -_Two hundred and ten copies of this Work printed on superfine Royal 8vo -paper. Each copy numbered. Type distributed._ - -_No. 175_ - - - - - CURIOUS - CREATURES - IN - ZOOLOGY - - With 130 Illustrations - throughout the Text - - JOHN ASHTON - - [Illustration] - - LONDON - JOHN C. NIMMO - 14, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND - 1890 - - - - -[Illustration] - -PREFACE. - - -"Travellers see strange things," more especially when their writing -about, or delineation of, them is not put under the microscope of modern -scientific examination. Our ancestors were content with what was given -them, and being, as a rule, a stay-at-home race, they could not confute -the stories they read in books. That age of faith must have had its -comforts, for no man could deny the truth of what he was told. But now -that modern travel has subdued the globe, and inquisitive strangers have -poked their noses into every portion of the world, "the old order -changeth, giving place to new," and, gradually, the old stories are -forgotten. - -It is to rescue some of them from the oblivion into which they were fast -falling, that I have written, or compiled, this book. I say compiled it, -for I am fonder of letting old authors tell their stories in their -old-fashioned language, than to paraphrase it, and usurp the credit of -their writings, as is too much the mode now-a-days. - -It is not given to every one to be able to consult the old Naturalists; -and, besides, most of them are written in Latin, and to read them -through is partly unprofitable work, as they copy so largely one from -another. But, for the general reader, selections can be made, and, if -assisted by accurate reproductions of the very quaint wood engravings, a -book may be produced which, I venture to think, will not prove tiring, -even to a superficial reader. - -Perhaps the greatest wonders of the creation, and the strangest forms of -being, have been met with in the sea; and as people who only -occasionally saw them were not draughtsmen, but had to describe the -monsters they had seen on their return to land, their effigies came to -be exceedingly marvellous, and unlike the originals. The Northern Ocean, -especially, was their abode, and, among the Northern nations, tales of -Kraken, Sea-Serpents, Whirlpools, Mermen, &c., &c., lingered long after -they were received with doubt by other nations; but perhaps the most -credulous times were the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, when no -travellers' tales seem too gross for belief, as can well be seen in the -extreme popularity, throughout all Europe, of the "Voyages and Travels -of Sir John Maundeville," who, though he may be a myth, and his -so-called writings a compilation, yet that compilation represented the -sum of knowledge, both of Geography, and Natural History, of countries -not European, that was attainable in the first half of the fourteenth -century. - -All the old Naturalists copied from one another, and thus compiled -their writings. Pliny took from Aristotle, others quote Pliny, and so -on; but it was reserved for the age of printing to render their writings -available to the many, as well as to represent the creatures they -describe by pictures ("the books of the unlearned"), which add so much -piquancy to the text. - -Mine is not a learned disquisition. It is simply a collection of -zoological curiosities, put together to suit the popular taste of -to-day, and as such only should it be critically judged. - - JOHN ASHTON. - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration] - -CONTENTS. - - - PAGE - - INTRODUCTORY 1 - - AMAZONS 23 - - PYGMIES 26 - - GIANTS 32 - - EARLY MEN 38 - - WILD MEN 44 - - HAIRY MEN 47 - - THE OURAN OUTAN 51 - - SATYRS 55 - - THE SPHYNX 61 - - APES 65 - - ANIMAL LORE 67 - - THE MANTICORA 71 - - THE LAMIA 74 - - THE CENTAUR 78 - - THE GORGON 83 - - THE UNICORN 87 - - THE RHINOCEROS 97 - - THE GULO 101 - - THE BEAR 105 - - THE FOX 125 - - THE WOLF 134 - - WERE-WOLVES 140 - - THE ANTELOPE 145 - - THE HORSE 146 - - THE MIMICK DOG 150 - - THE CAT 154 - - THE LION 156 - - THE LEONTOPHONUS--PEGASUS--CROCOTTA 157 - - THE LEUCROCOTTA--THE EALE--CATTLE FEEDING BACKWARDS 159 - - ANIMAL MEDICINE 160 - - THE SU 163 - - THE LAMB-TREE 165 - - THE CHIMAERA 170 - - THE HARPY AND SIREN 171 - - THE BARNACLE GOOSE 174 - - REMARKABLE EGG 179 - - MOON WOMAN 180 - - THE GRIFFIN 180 - - THE PHOENIX 183 - - THE SWALLOW 186 - - THE MARTLET, AND FOOTLESS BIRDS 189 - - SNOW BIRDS 191 - - THE SWAN 193 - - THE ALLE, ALLE 194 - - THE HOOPOE AND LAPWING 196 - - THE OSTRICH 197 - - THE HALCYON 199 - - THE PELICAN 200 - - THE TROCHILUS 201 - - WOOLLY HENS 202 - - TWO-HEADED WILD GEESE 203 - - FOUR-FOOTED DUCK 203 - - FISH 206 - - MERMEN 206 - - WHALES 214 - - THE SEA-MOUSE 234 - - THE SEA-HARE 234 - - THE SEA-PIG 235 - - THE WALRUS 235 - - THE ZIPHIUS 238 - - THE SAW FISH 239 - - THE ORCA 239 - - THE DOLPHIN 242 - - THE NARWHAL 244 - - THE SWAMFISCK 245 - - THE SAHAB 247 - - THE CIRCHOS 247 - - THE REMORA 253 - - THE DOG-FISH AND RAY 255 - - THE SEA DRAGON 256 - - THE STING RAY 256 - - SENSES OF FISHES 258 - - ZOOPHYTES 259 - - SPONGES 260 - - THE KRAKEN 261 - - CRAYFISH AND CRABS 267 - - THE SEA-SERPENT 268 - - SERPENTS 278 - - WORMES AND DRAGONS 293 - - THE CROCODILE 311 - - THE BASILISK AND COCKATRICE 317 - - THE SALAMANDER 323 - - THE TOAD 326 - - THE LEECH 329 - - THE SCORPION 330 - - THE ANT 332 - - THE BEE 332 - - THE HORNET 333 - - INDEX 335 - -[Illustration] - - - - -CURIOUS CREATURES. - - -Let us commence our researches into curious Zoology with the noblest of -created beings, Man; and, if we may believe Darwin, he must have gone -through many phases, and gradual mutations, before he arrived at his -present proud position of Master and Conqueror of the World. - -This philosopher does not assign a high place in the animal creation to -proud man's protogenitor, and we ought almost to feel thankful to him -for not going further back. He begins with man as an Ascidian, which is -the lowest form of anything of a vertebrate character, with which we are -acquainted; and he says thus, in his "Descent of Man":-- - -"The most ancient progenitors in the kingdom of the Vertebrata, at which -we are able to obtain an obscure glance, apparently consisted of a group -of marine animals, resembling the larvae of existing Ascidians. These -animals probably gave rise to a group of fishes, as lowly organised as -the lancelet; and from these the Ganoids, and other fishes like the -Lepidosiren, must have been developed. From such fish a very small -advance would carry us on to the amphibians. We see that birds and -reptiles were once intimately connected together; and the Monotremata -now, in a slight degree, connect mammals with reptiles. But no one can, -at present, say by what line of descent the three higher, and related -classes--namely, mammals, birds, and reptiles, were derived from either -of the two lower vertebrate classes, namely, amphibians, and fishes. In -the class of mammals the steps are not difficult to conceive which led -from the ancient Monotremata to the ancient Marsupials; and from these -to the early progenitors of the placental mammals. We may thus ascend to -the Lemuridae; and the interval is not wide from these to the Simiadae. -The Simiadae then branched off into two great stems, the New World, and -Old World monkeys; and from the latter, at a remote period, Man, the -wonder and glory of the Universe, proceeded." - - * * * * * - -"We have thus far endeavoured rudely to trace the genealogy of the -Vertebrata, by the aid of their mutual affinities. We will now look to -man as he exists; and we shall, I think, be able partially to restore -during successive periods, but not in order of time, the structure of -our early progenitors. This can be effected by means of the rudiments -which man still retains, by the characters which occasionally make their -appearance in him through reversion, and by the aid of morphology and -embryology. The various facts to which I shall here allude, have been -given in the previous chapters. The early progenitors of man were no -doubt once covered with hair, both sexes having beards; their ears were -pointed and capable of movement; and their bodies were provided with a -tail, having the proper muscles. Their limbs and bodies were also acted -on by many muscles, which now only occasionally reappear, but are -normally present in the Quadrumana.... The foot, judging from the great -toe in the foetus, was then prehensile; and our progenitors, no doubt, -were arboreal in their habits, frequenting some warm, forest-clad land. -The males were provided with great canine teeth, which served them as -formidable weapons." - -In fact, as Mortimer Collins satirically, yet amusingly, wrote:-- - - "There was an APE, in the days that were earlier; - Centuries passed, and his hair became curlier, - Centuries more gave a thumb to his wrist,-- - Then he was MAN, and a POSITIVIST." - -[Illustration] - -The accompanying illustration, which seems to embody all the -requirements of Darwin, as representing our maternal progenitor, is from -an old book by Joannes Zahn, published in 1696--and there figures as -"Ourani Outains." - -[Illustration] - -Darwin says that the men of the period wore tails, and if they were no -longer than that in this illustration (which is copied from the same -book), they can hardly be said to be unbecoming--still that is a matter -for taste--they are certainly more graceful than if they had been -rat-like, or like a greyhound, or toy terrier. Many old authors speak of -tailed men in Borneo and Java, and not only were men so adorned, but -women. Peter Martyr says that in a region called Inzaganin, there is a -tailed race--these laboured under the difficulty of being unable to move -them like animals--but as he observes, they were stiff like those of -fishes and crocodiles--so much so, that when they wanted to sit down, -they had to use seats with holes in them. - -Ptolemy and Ctesias speak of them, and Pliny says there were men in -Ceylon who had long hairy tails, and were of remarkable swiftness of -foot. Marco Polo tells us: "Now you must know that in this kingdom of -Lambri[1] there are men with tails; these tails are of a palm in length, -and have no hair on them. These people live in the mountains, and are a -kind of wild men. Their tails are about the thickness of a dog's." Many -modern travellers have heard of hairy and tailed people in the Malay -Archipelago, and Mr. St. John, writing of Borneo, says that he met with -a trader who had seen and felt the tails of a race which inhabited the -north-east coast of the island. These tails were about four inches long, -and so stiff that they had to use perforated seats. The Chinese also -declare that in the mountains above Canton there is a race of tailed -men. M. de Couret wrote about the Niam Niams, tailed men, who, he says, -are living in Abyssinia or Nubia, having tails at least two inches long. -We all know the old Lord Monboddo's theory that mankind had originally -tails--nay, he went further, and said that some were born with them -now--a fact which will be partially borne out by any military medical -inspecting officer, who in the course of his practice has met with men -whose "os coccygis" has been prolonged, so as to form a pseudo tail, -which would unfit the man for the cavalry, although he would still be -efficient as an infantry soldier. - -Here is a very fine picture from a fresco at Pompeii representing tailed -men, or, maybe, aesthetic young Fauns, treading out the vintage. - -[Illustration] - -But tailed men are as nothing, compared to the wonderful beings that -peopled the earth in bygone times. It seems a pity that there are none -of them now living, and that, consequent upon never having seen them, we -are apt to imagine that they never existed, but were simply the -creatures of the writer's brain. They were articles of belief until -comparatively recent times, and were familiar in Queen Elizabeth's time, -as we learn from Othello's defence of himself (Act i. sc. 3):-- - - "And of the Cannibals that each other eat, - The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads - Do grow beneath their shoulders." - -They were thoroughly believed in, a century or two previously, in -connection with Geography, and, in the "Mappa Mundi" (one of the -earliest preserved English maps), now in Hereford Cathedral, which dates -from the very early part of the fourteenth century, nearly the whole of -the fanciful men hereafter mentioned are pourtrayed. - -[Illustration] - -Sluper, who wrote in 1572, gives us the accompanying picture of a -Cyclope, with the following remarks:-- - - "De Polipheme & de Ciclopiens - Tout mention Poetes anciens: - On dit encor que ce lignage dure - Auec vn oeil selon ceste figure." - -Pliny places the Cyclopes "in the very centre of the earth, in Italy -and Sicily;" and very likely there they might have existed, if we can -bring ourselves to believe the very plausible explanation that they were -miners, whose lanthorn, or candle, stuck in cap, was their one eye. At -all events we may consider Sluper's picture as somewhat of a fancy -portrait. - -Among the Scythians, inhabiting the country beyond the Palus Maeotis, was -a tribe which Herodotus (although he has been christened "The father of -lies") did not believe in, nor indeed in any one-eyed men, but Pliny, -living some 500 years after him, tells afresh the old story respecting -these wonderful human beings. "In the vicinity also of those who dwell -in the northern regions, and not far from the spot from which the north -wind arises, and the place which is called its cave, and is known by the -name of Geskleithron,[2] the Arimaspi are said to exist, a nation -remarkable for having but one eye, and that placed in the middle of the -forehead. This race is said to carry on a perpetual warfare with the -Griffins,[3] a kind of monster, with wings, as they are commonly -represented, for the gold which they dig out of the mines, and which -these wild beasts retain, and keep watch over with a singular degree of -cupidity, while the Arimaspi are equally desirous to get possession of -it." - -Milton mentions this tribe in "Paradise Lost," Book 2. - - "As when a Gryphon through the wilderness, - With winged course, o'er hill, or mossy dale, - Pursues the Arimaspian, who, by stealth, - Had from his wakeful custody purloin'd - The guarded gold." - -But there seems every probability that the story of the Gryphon was -invented by the goldfinders, in order to deter people from coming near -them, and interfering with their livelihood. There were, however, -smaller Arimaspians, which probably the Gryphons did not heed, for Pliny -tells us about the little thieves of mice. "In gold mines, too, their -stomachs are opened for this purpose, and some of the metal is always to -be found there, which they have pilfered, so great a delight do they -take in stealing!" Livy, also, twice mentions mice gnawing gold. - -[Illustration] - -There were Anthropophagi--cannibals--as there are now, but, of course, -they then lacked the luxury of cold missionary--and there were, besides, -many wonderful beings. "Beyond the other Scythian Anthropophagi, there -is a country called Abarimon, situate in a certain great valley of Mount -Imaus (_the Himalayas_), the inhabitants of which are a savage race, -whose feet are turned backwards, relatively to their legs; they possess -wonderful velocity, and wander about indiscriminately with the wild -beasts. We learn from Beeton, whose duty it was to take the measurements -of the routes of Alexander the Great, that this people cannot breathe in -any climate except their own, for which reason it is impossible to take -them before any of the neighbouring kings; nor could any of them be -brought before Alexander himself. - -The Anthropophagi, whom we have previously mentioned as dwelling ten -days' journey beyond the Borysthenes (_the Dneiper_), according to the -account of Isogonus of Nicaea, were in the habit of drinking out of human -skulls, and placing the scalps, with the hair attached, upon their -breasts, like so many napkins. The same author relates that there is, in -Albania, a certain race of men, whose eyes are of a sea-green colour, -and who have white hair from their earliest childhood (_Albinos_), and -that these people see better in the night than in the day. He states -also that the Sauromatae, who dwell ten days' journey beyond the -Borysthenes, only take food every other day. - -Crates of Pergamus relates, that there formerly existed in the vicinity -of Parium, in the Hellespont (_Camanar, a town of Asia Minor_), a race -of men whom he calls Ophiogenes, and that by their touch they were able -to cure those who had been stung by serpents, extracting the poison by -the mere imposition of the hand. Varro tells us, that there are still a -few individuals in that district, whose saliva effectually cures the -stings of serpents. The same, too, was the case with the tribe of the -Psylli, in Africa, according to the account of Agatharcides; these -people received their name from Psyllus, one of their kings, whose tomb -is in existence, in the district of the Greater Syrtes (_Gulf of -Sidra_). In the bodies of these people, there was, by nature, a certain -kind of poison, which was fatal to serpents, and the odour of which -overpowered them with torpor; with them it was a custom to expose -children, immediately after their birth, to the fiercest serpents, and -in this manner to make proof of the fidelity of their wives; the -serpents not being repelled by such children as were the offspring of -adultery. This nation, however, was almost entirely extirpated by the -slaughter made of them, by the Nasamones, who now occupy their -territory. This race, however, still survives in a few persons, who are -descendants of those who either took to flight, or else were absent on -the occasion of the battle. The Marsi, in Italy, are still in possession -of the same power, for which, it is said, they are indebted to their -origin from the son of Circe, from whom they acquired it as a natural -quality. But the fact is, that all men possess, in their bodies, a -poison which acts upon serpents, and the human saliva, it is said, makes -them take to flight, as though they had been touched with boiling water. -The same substance, it is said, destroys them the moment it enters their -throat, and more particularly so, if it should be the saliva of a man -who is fasting. - -Above the Nasamones (_living near the Gulf of Sidra_), and the Machlyae, -who border upon them, are found, as we learn from Calliphanes, the -nation of the Androgyni, a people who unite the two sexes in the same -individual, and alternately perform the functions of each. Aristotle -also states, that their right breast is that of a male, the left that of -a female. - -Isigonus and Nymphodorus inform us that there are, in Africa, certain -families of enchanters, who, by means of their charms, in form of -commendations, can cause cattle to perish, trees to wither, and infants -to die. Isigonus adds, that there are, among the Triballi, and the -Illyrii, some persons of this description, who, also, have the power of -fascination with the eyes, and can even kill those on whom they fix -their gaze for any length of time, more especially if their look denotes -anger: the age of puberty is said to be particularly obnoxious to the -malign influence of such persons. - -A still more remarkable circumstance is, the fact that these persons -have two pupils in each eye. Apollonides says, that there are certain -females of this description in Scythia, who are known as Bythiae, and -Phylarcus states that a tribe of the Thibii in Pontus, and many other -persons as well, have a double pupil in one eye, and in the other the -figure of a horse. He also remarks, that the bodies of these persons -will not sink in water, even though weighed down by their garments. -Damon gives an account of a race of people, not very much unlike them, -the Pharnaces of AEthiopia, whose perspiration is productive of -consumption to the body of every person that it touches. Cicero also, -one of our own writers, makes the remark, that the glance of all women -who have a double pupil is noxious. - -To this extent, then, has nature, when she produced in man, in common -with the wild beasts, a taste for human flesh, thought fit to produce -poisons as well in every part of his body, and in the eyes of some -persons, taking care that there shall be no evil influence in existence, -which was not to be found in the human body. Not far from Rome, in the -territory of the Falisci, a few families are found, who are known by the -name of Hirpi. These people perform a yearly sacrifice to Apollo, on -Mount Soracte, on which occasion they walk over a burning pile of wood, -without being scorched even. On this account, by virtue of a decree of -the Senate, they are always exempted from military service, and from all -other public duties. - -Some individuals, again, are born with certain parts of the body endowed -with properties of a marvellous nature. Such was the case with King -Pyrrhus, the great toe of whose right foot cured diseases of the spleen, -merely by touching the patient. We are informed that this toe could not -be reduced to ashes together with the other portions of his body; upon -which it was placed in a temple. - -India and the region of AEthiopia, more especially, abounds in wonders. -In India the largest of animals are produced; their dogs, for instance, -are much bigger than those of any other country. The trees, too, are -said to be of such vast height that it is impossible to send an arrow -over them. This is the result of the singular fertility of the soil, the -equable temperature of the atmosphere, and the abundance of water; -which, if we are to believe what is said, are such, that a single fig -tree (_the banyan tree_) is capable of affording shelter to a whole -troop of horse. The reeds here (_bamboos_) are of such enormous length, -that each portion of them, between the joints, forms a tube, of which a -boat is made that is capable of holding three men. It is a well-known -fact, that many of the people here are more than five cubits in -height.[4] These people never expectorate, are subject to no pains, -either in the head, the teeth, and the eyes, and, rarely, in any other -parts of the body; so well is the heat of the sun calculated to -strengthen the constitution.... According to the account of Megasthenes, -dwelling upon a mountain called Nulo, there is a race of men who have -their feet turned backwards, with eight toes on each foot. - -On many of the mountains again, there is a tribe of men who have the -heads of dogs, and clothe themselves with the skins of wild beasts. -Instead of speaking, they bark; and, furnished with claws, they live by -hunting, and catching birds. According to the story, as given by -Ctesias, the number of these people is more than a hundred and twenty -thousand; and the same author tells us that there is a certain race in -India, of which the females are pregnant once only in the course of -their lives, and that the hair of the children becomes white the instant -they are born. He speaks also of another race of men who are known as -Monocoli,[5] who have only one leg, but are able to leap with surprising -agility. The same people are also called Sciapodae,[6] because they are -in the habit of lying on their backs, during the time of extreme heat, -and protect themselves from the sun by the shade of their feet. These -people, he says, dwell not very far from the Troglodytae (_dwellers in -caves_); to the west of whom again there is a tribe who are without -necks, and have eyes in their shoulders.[7] - -Among the mountainous districts of the eastern parts of India, in what -is called the country of the Catharcludi, we find the Satyr, an animal -of extraordinary swiftness. These go sometimes on four feet, and -sometimes walk erect; they have also the features of a human being. On -account of their swiftness, these creatures are never to be caught, -except that they are aged, or sickly. Tauron gives the name of -Choromandae to a nation which dwells in the woods, and have no proper -voice. These people screech in a frightful manner; their bodies are -covered with hair, their eyes are of a sea-green colour, and their teeth -like those of a dog. Eudoxus tells us, that in the southern parts of -India, the men have feet a cubit in length, while the women are so -remarkably small that they are called Struthpodes.[8] - -Megasthenes places among the Nomades of India, a people who are called -Scyritae. These have merely holes in their faces instead of nostrils, and -flexible feet, like the body of the serpent. At the very extremity of -India, on the eastern side, near the source of the river Ganges, there -is the nation of the Astomi, a people who have no mouths; their bodies -are rough and hairy, and they cover themselves with a down[9] plucked -from the leaves of trees. These people subsist only by breathing, and by -the odours which they inhale through the nostrils. They support -themselves neither upon meat nor drink; when they go upon a long journey -they only carry with them various odoriferous roots and flowers, and -wild apples, that they may not be without something to smell at. But an -odour, which is a little more powerful than usual, easily destroys -them.... - -Isogonus informs us that the Cyrni, a people of India, live to their -four-hundredth year; and he is of opinion that the same is the case also -with the AEthiopian Macrobii,[10] the Serae, and the inhabitants of Mount -Athos. In the case of these last, it is supposed to be owing to the -flesh of vipers, which they use as food; in consequence of which they -are free also from all noxious animals, both in their hair and their -garments. - -[Illustration] - -According to Onesicritus, in those parts of India where there is no -shadow, the men attain the height of five cubits and two palms,[11] and -their life is prolonged to one hundred and thirty years; they die -without any symptoms of old age, and just as if they were in the middle -period of life. Pergannes calls the Indians, whose age exceeds one -hundred years, by the name of Gymnetae;[12] but not a few authors style -them Macrobii. Ctesias mentions a tribe of them, known by the name of -Pandore, whose locality is in the valleys, and who live to their -two-hundredth year; their hair is white in youth, and becomes black in -old age. On the other hand, there are some people joining up to the -country of the Macrobii, who never live beyond their fortieth year, and -their females have children once only during their lives. This -circumstance is also mentioned by Agatharchides, who states, in -addition, that they live on locusts, and are very swift of foot. -Clitarchus and Megasthenes give these people the name of Mandi, and -enumerate as many as three hundred villages which belong to them. Their -women are capable of bearing children in the seventh year of their age, -and become old at forty. - -Artemidorus states that in the island of Taprobane (_Ceylon_) life is -prolonged to an extreme length, while at the same time, the body is -exempt from weakness. Among the Calingae, a nation also of India, the -women conceive at five years of age, and do not live beyond their eighth -year. In other places again, there are men born with long hairy tails, -and of remarkable swiftness of foot; while there are others that have -ears so large as to cover the whole body. - -Crates of Pergamus states, that the Troglodytae, who dwell beyond -AEthiopia, are able to outrun the horse; and that a tribe of the -AEthiopians, who are known as the Syrbotae, exceed eight cubits in height -(_twelve feet_). There is a tribe of AEthiopian Nomades dwelling on the -banks of the river Astragus, towards the north, and about twenty days' -journey from the ocean. These people are called Menismini; they live on -the milk of the animal which we call cynocephalus (_baboon_), and rear -large flocks of these creatures, taking care to kill the males, except -such as they may preserve for the purposes of breeding. In the deserts -of Africa, men are frequently seen to all appearance, and then vanish in -an instant."[13] - -It may be said that these descriptions of men are only the belief about -the time of the Christian era, when Pliny lived--but it was the faith of -centuries, and we find, 1200 years after Pliny died, Sir John Mandeville -confirming his statements, and, as before stated, these wondrous -creatures were given in illustrations, both in the Mappa Mundi, and in -early printed books. Mandeville writes: "Many divers countreys & -kingdoms are in Inde, and it is called Inde, of a river that runneth -through it, which is called Inde also, and there are many precious -stones in that river Inde. And in that ryver men finde Eles of xxx foote -long, & men y^t dwell nere that river are of evill colour, yelowe & -grene.... - -"Then there is another yle that men call Dodyn, & it is a great yle. In -this yle are maner diverse of men y^t have evyll maners, for the father -eateth the son, & the son the father, the husband his wyfe, and the wyfe -hir husbande. And if it so be that the father be sicke, or the mother, -or any frend, the sonne goeth soone to the priest of the law & prayeth -him that he will aske of the ydoll if his father shall dye of that -sicknesse, or not. And then the priest and the son kneele down before -the ydole devoutly, & asketh him, and he answereth to them, and if he -say that he shall lyve, then they kepe him wel, and if he say that he -shall dye, then commeth the priest with the son, or with the wyfe, or -what frende that it be unto him y^t is sicke, and they lay their hands -over his mouth to stop his breath, & so they sley him, & then they smite -all the body into peces, & praieth all his frendes for to come and eate -of him that is dead, and they make a great feste thereof, and have many -minstrels there, and eate him with great melody. And so when they have -eaten al y^e flesh, then they take the bones, and bury them all singing -with great worship, and all those that are of his frendes that were not -at the eating of him, have great shame and vylany, so that they shall -never more be taken as frends. - -"And the king of this yle is a great lord and mightie, & he hath under -him liii greate Yles, and eche of them hath a king; and in one of these -yles are men that have but one eye, and that is in the middest of theyr -front, and they eat flesh & fishe all rawe. And in another yle dwell -men that have no heads, & theyr eyen are in theyr shoulders & theyr -mouth is on theyr breste. In another yle are men that have no head ne -eyen, and their mouth is in theyr shoulders. And in another yle are men -that have flatte faces, without nose, and without eyen, but they have -two small round holes in stede of eyen, and they have a flatte mouth -without lippes. And in that yle are men that have their faces all flat -without eyen, without mouth & without nose, but they have their eyen, -and their mouth, behinde on their shoulders. - -"And in another yle are foule men that have the lippes about the mouth -so greate, that when they sleepe in the sonne they cover theyr face with -the lippe. And in another yle are little men, as dwarfes, and have no -mouth, but a lyttle rounde hole & through that hole they eate their -meate with a pipe, & they have no tongue, & they speake not, but they -blow & whistle, and so make signes one to another. And in another yle -are wild men with hanging eares unto their shoulders. And in another yle -are wild men, with hanging eares & have feete lyke an hors & they run -faste, & they take wild beastes, and eate them. And in another yle are -men that go on theyr handes & feete lyke beasts & are all rough, and -will leape upon a tree like cattes or apes. And in another yle are men -that go ever uppon theyr knees marvaylosly, and have on every foote viii -Toes.... - -"There is another yle that men call Pitan, men of this lande till no -lande, for they eate nought, and they are smal, but not so smal as -Pigmes. These men live with smell of wild aples, & when they go far out -of the countrey, they beare apples with them, for anon, as they lose -the savour of apples they dye--they are not reasonable, but as wyld -beastes. And there is another yle where the people are all fethers,[14] -but the face and the palmes of theyr handes, these men go as well about -the sea, as on the lande, and they eate flesh and fish all raw.... In -Ethiope are such men that have but one foote, and they go so fast y^t it -is a great marvaill, & that is a large fote, that the shadow thereof -covereth y^e body from son or rayne, when they lye upon their backes; -and when their children be first borne they loke like russet, and when -they waxe olde then they be all black." - -There were also elephant-headed men. - -[Illustration] - -In the olden times were men who did not build themselves houses--but -sheltered themselves in caves, fissures of rocks, &c., and many are -the remains we find of their flint implements, and the bones, which -they used to split in order to extract the marrow of the animals they -had slain with their rude flint arrows and spears. These, in classical -times, were called Troglodytes (from the Greek [Greek: troglodytai], -_dwellers in caves_). It was a generic term, although particularly -applied to uncivilised races on the banks of the Danube--those who dwelt -on the western coasts of the Red Sea--and Ethiopia. These latter could -not have led a particularly happy life, for Herodotus tells us that the -"Garamantes hunt the Ethiopian Troglodytes in four horse chariots; for -the Ethiopian Troglodytes are the swiftest of foot of all men of whom -we have heard any account given. The Troglodytes feed upon serpents and -lizards, and such kind of reptiles; they speak a language like no other, -but screech like bats." - -Pliny, as we have seen, speaks of an adder eating people, whose food -enables them to achieve extraordinary longevity, and Mandeville tells us -that "From this yle, men go to an yle that is called Tracota, where all -men are as beastes, & not reasonable, they dwell in caves, for they have -not wyt to make them houses--they eate adders, and they speake not, but -they make such a noyse as adders doe one to another, and they make no -force of ryches, but of a stone that hath forty colours, and it is -called Traconyt after that yle, they know not the vertue thereof, but -they covete it for the great fayreness." - -This stone was probably some kind of agate. It could not possibly have -been a topaz, as some have thought, as the context from Pliny will show. -"Topazos is a stone that is still held in very high estimation for its -green tints; indeed, when first it was discovered, it was preferred to -every other kind of precious stone. It so happened that some Troglodytic -pirates, suffering from tempest and hunger, having landed upon an island -off the coast of Arabia, known as Cytis, when digging there for roots -and grass, discovered this precious stone; such, at least, is the -opinion expressed by Archelaues. Juba says that there is an island in -the Red Sea called _Topazos_, at a distance of three hundred stadia -from the mainland; that it is surrounded by fogs, and is often sought by -navigators in consequence; and that, to this, it received its present -name, the word _Topazin_[15] meaning "to seek" in the language of the -Troglodytae.... At a later period a statue, four cubits in height, was -made of this stone.... Topazos is the largest of all the precious -stones." - -This shows that the Troglodytae of Ethiopia had some commercial energy, -and they did a good trade in myrrh and other condiments. Pliny says that -the Troglodytae traded among other things in cinnamon. They "after buying -it of their neighbours, carry it over vast tracts of sea, upon rafts, -which are neither steered by rudder nor drawn or impelled by oars or -sails. Nor yet are they aided by any of the resources of art, man alone, -and his daring boldness, standing in the place of all these; in addition -to which, they choose the winter season, about the time of the equinox, -for their voyage, for then a south-easterly wind is blowing; these winds -guide them in a straight course from gulf to gulf, and after they have -doubled the promontory of Arabia, the north-east wind carries them to a -port of the Gebanitae, known by the name of Ocilia. Hence it is that they -steer for this port in preference, and they say that it is almost five -years before the merchants are able to effect their return, while many -perish on the voyage. In return for their wares, they bring back -articles of glass and copper, cloths, buckles, bracelets, and necklaces; -hence it is that this traffic depends more particularly upon the -capricious tastes and inclinations of the female sex." - -This shows that some, at least, of the Troglodytes had a commercial -spirit, and were in a comparative state of civilisation; in fact the -latter is thoroughly proved, when, a little later on, Pliny speaks of -Myrobalanum, "Among these various kinds, that which is sent from the -country of the Troglodytae is the worst of all," thus showing that they -had reached the civilised pitch of adulteration! There are also several -notices of peculiarities connected with this people, which deserve a -passing glance. They had turtles with horns (or more probably fore-feet) -which resembled the branches of a lyre; with these they swam. These were -in all likelihood the tortoise-shell turtles, for they called them -_Chelyon_. The Troglodytae worshipped them. Their cattle were not like -other oxen, for their horns pointed downwards to the ground, so that -they were obliged to feed with their heads on one side. These oxen -should have been crossed with those of Phrygia, whose horns were as -mobile as their ears. And they were the happy possessors of a lake, -called the _Unhealthy Lake_, which thrice a day became salt and bitter, -and then again fresh, and this went on both day and night. We can hardly -wonder that this _Lacus Insanus_ was full of white serpents thirty feet -long. - - - - -AMAZONS. - - -The race of Amazons or fighting women, is not yet extinct, as the -chronicles of every police court can tell, and as an organised body of -warlike soldiers--the King of Dahomey still keeps them up, or did until -very recently. According to Herodotus, the Greeks, after having routed -the Amazons, sailed away in three ships, taking with them as many -Amazons, as they had been able to capture alive--but, when fairly out at -sea, the ladies arose, stood up for women's rights, and cut all the -Greeks in pieces. But they had not reckoned on one little thing, and -that was, that none among them had the slightest idea of navigation; -they couldn't even steer or row--so they had to drift about, until they -came to Cremni (supposed to be near _Taganrog_), which was Scythian -territory. They signalised their landing by horse-stealing, and the -Scythians, not appreciating the joke, gave them battle, thinking they -were men; but an examination of the dead proved them to be of the other -sex. On learning this, the Scythians were far too gentlemanly to -continue the strife, and, little by little, they established the most -friendly relations with the Amazons. These ladies, however, objected to -go to the Scythians' homes, for, as they pertinently put it, "We never -could live with the women of your county, because we have not the same -customs with them. We shoot with the bow, throw the javelin, and ride on -horseback, and have never learnt the employments of women. But your -women do none of the things we have mentioned, but are engaged in -women's work, remaining in their wagons, and do not go out to hunt, or -anywhere else; we could not therefore consort with them. If, then, you -desire to have us for your wives, and to prove yourselves honest men, go -to your parents, claim your share of their property, then return, and -let us live by ourselves." - -This the young Scythians did, but, when they returned, the Amazons said -they were afraid to stop where they were, for they had deprived parents -of their sons, and besides, had committed depredations in the country, -so that they thought it but prudent to leave, and suggested that they -should cross the Tanais, or _Don_, and found a colony on the other side. -This their husbands acceded to, and when they were settled, their wives -returned to their old way of living--hunting, going to war with their -husbands, and wearing the same clothes--in fact they enjoyed an actual -existence, of which many women nowadays, fondly, but vainly dream. There -was a little drawback however--the qualification for a young lady's -presentation at court, consisted of killing a man, and, until that was -effected, she could not marry. - -Sir John Mandeville of course knew all about them, although he does not -pretend to have seen them, and this is what he tells us. "After the land -of Caldee, is the land of Amazony, that is a land where there is no man -but all women, as men say, for they wil suffer no man to lyve among -them, nor to have lordeshippe over them. For sometyme was a kinge in -that lande, and men were dwelling there as did in other countreys, and -had wives, & it befell that the kynge had great warre with them of -Sychy, he was called Colopius, and he was slaine in bataill and all the -good bloude of his lande. And this Queene, when she herd that, & other -ladies of that land, that the king and the lordes were slaine, they -gathered them togither and killed all the men that were lefte in their -lande among them, and sithen that time dwelled no man among them. - -"And when they will have any man, they sende for them in a countrey that -is nere theyr lande, and the men come, and are ther viii dayes, or as -the woman lyketh, & then they go againe, and if they have men children -they send them to theyr fathers, when they can eate & go, and if they -have maide chyldren they kepe them, and if they bee of gentill bloud -they brene[16] the left pappe[17] away, for bearing of a shielde, and, -if they be of little bloud, they brene the ryght pappe away for shoting. -For those women of that countrey are good warriours, and are often in -soudy[18] with other lordes, and the queene of that lande governeth well -that lande; this lande is all environed with water." - - - - -PYGMIES. - - -The antitheses of men--Dwarfs, and Giants--must not be overlooked, as -they are abnormal, and yet have existed in all ages. Dwarfs are -mentioned in the Bible, _Leviticus_ xxi. 20, where following the -injunction of "Let him not approach to offer the bread of his God"--are -mentioned the "crookbackt or dwarf." Dwarfs in all ages have been made -the sport of Royalty, and the wealthy; but it is not of them I write, -but of a race called the Pygmies, very small men who were descended from -Pygmaeus. They are noted in the earliest classics, for even Homer -mentions them in his Iliad (B. 3, l. 3-6), which Pope translates:-- - - "So, when inclement winter vex the plain - With piercing frosts, or thick descending rain, - To warmer seas, the Cranes embody'd fly, - With noise, and order, through the mid-way sky; - To pigmy nations, wounds and death they bring, - And all the war descends upon the wing." - -Homer also wrote a poem, "Pygmaeogeranomachia," about the Pygmies and -Cranes. The accompanying illustration is from a fresco at Pompeii. - -[Illustration] - -Aristotle says that they lived in holes under the earth, and came out in -the harvest time with hatchets, to cut down the corn, as if to fell a -forest, and went on goats and lambs of proportionable stature to -themselves to make war against certain birds, called Cranes by some, -which came there yearly from Scythia to plunder them. Pliny mentions -them several times, but especially in B. 7, c. 2. "Beyond these people, -and at the very extremity of the mountains, the Trispithami,[19] and -the Pygmies are said to exist; two races, which are but three spans in -height, that is to say, twenty-seven inches only. They enjoy a -salubrious atmosphere, and a perpetual spring, being sheltered by the -mountains from the northern blasts; it is these people that Homer has -mentioned as being waged war upon by Cranes. It is said that they are in -the habit of going down every spring to the sea-shore, in a large body, -seated on the backs of rams and goats, and armed with arrows, and there -destroy the eggs and the young of those birds; that this expedition -occupies them for the space of three months, and that otherwise it would -be impossible for them to withstand the increasing multitudes of the -Cranes. Their cabins, it is said, are built of mud, mixed with feathers -and egg shells." - -[Illustration] - -Mandeville thus describes them. "When men passe from that citie of -Chibens, they passe over a great river of freshe water, and it is nere -iiii mile brode, & then men enter into the lande of the great Caan. This -river goeth through the land of Pigmeens, and there men are of little -stature, for they are but three span long, and they are right fayre, -both men and women, though they bee little, and they live but viii[20] -yeare, and he that liveth viii yeare is holden right olde, and these -small men are the best workemen in sylke, and of cotton, in all maner of -thing that are in the worlde; and these smal men travail not, nor tyl -land, but they have amonge them great men, as we are, to travaill for -them, & they have great scorne of those great men, as we would have of -giaunts, or, of them, if they were among us." - -Ser Marco Polo warns his readers against _pseudo_ Pygmies. Says he: "I -may tell you moreover that when people bring over pygmies which they -allege to come from India, 'tis all a lie and a cheat. For those little -men, as they call them, are manufactured on this Island (_Sumatra_), and -I will tell you how. You see there is on the Island a kind of monkey -which is very small, and has a face just like a man's. They take these, -and pluck out all the hair, except the hair of the beard, and on the -breast, and then dry them, and stuff them, and daub them with saffron, -and other things, until they look like men. But you see it is all a -cheat; for nowhere in India, nor anywhere else in the world, were there -ever men seen so small as these pretended pygmies." - -But there are much more modern mention of these small folk. Olaus Magnus -not only reproduces the classical story, but tells of the Pygmies of -Greenland--the modern Esquimaux. These are also mentioned in Purchas his -Pilgrimage, as living in Iceland, "pigmies represent the most perfect -shape of man; that they are hairy to the uttermost joynts of the -fingers, and that the males have beards downe to the knees; but, -although they have the shape of men, yet they have little sense or -understanding, nor distinct speech, but make shew of a kinde of hissing, -after the manner of geese." - -But to bring the history of pygmies down to modern times--I quote from -"Giants and Dwarfs," by E. J. Wood, 1868, and I am thus particular in -giving my authority, as the news comes from America, whence, sometimes, -fact is mixed with fiction (pp. 246, 247, 248). "It is alleged by -contemporary newspapers, that in 1828 several burying-grounds, from half -an acre to an acre and a half in extent, were discovered in the county -of White, state of Tennessee, near the town of Sparta, wherein very -small people had been deposited in tombs or coffins of stone. The -greatest length of the skeletons was nineteen inches. The bones were -strong and well set, and the whole frames were well formed. Some of the -people appeared to have lived to a great age, their teeth being worn -smooth and short, while others were full and long. The graves were about -two feet deep; the coffins were of stone, and made by laying a flat -stone at the bottom, one at each side, or each end, and one over the -corpse. The dead were all buried with their heads toward the east, and -in regular order, laid on their backs, and with their hands on their -breasts. In the bend of the left arm was found a cruse, or vessel, that -would hold nearly a pint, made of ground stone, or shell, of a grey -colour, in which were found two or three shells. One of these skeletons -had about its neck ninety-four pearl beads. Near one of these -burying-places was the appearance of the site of an ancient town. - -Webber, in his 'Romance of Natural History,' refers to the diminutive -sarcophagi found in Kentucky and Tennessee; and he describes these -receptacles to be about three feet in length, by eighteen inches deep, -and constructed, bottom, sides, and top, of flat, unhewn stones. These -he conjectures to be the places of sepulture of a pigmy race, that -became extinct at a period beyond reach even of the tradition of the -so-called Indian aborigines. - -Newspapers for 1866 tell us that General Milroy, who had been spending -much time in Smith County, Tennessee, attending to some mining business, -discovered near Watertown in that county some remarkable graves, which -were disclosed by the washing of a small creek in its passage through a -low bottom. The graves were from eighteen inches to two feet in length, -most of them being of the smaller size, and were formed by an excavation -of about fifteen inches below the surface, in which were placed four -undressed slabs of rock--one in the bottom of the pit, one on each side, -and one on the top. Human skeletons, some with nearly an entire skull, -and many with well-defined bones, were found in them. The teeth were -very diminutive, but evidently those of adults. Earthen crocks were also -found with the skeletons. General Milroy could not gain any satisfactory -information respecting these pigmy graves. The oldest inhabitants of the -vicinity knew nothing of their origin or history, except that there was -a large number of similar graves near Statesville in the same county, -and also a little burial-ground at the mouth of Stone River, near the -city of Nashville. General Milroy deposited the bones found by him in -the State Library at Nashville." - -That a race of dwarfs live in Central Africa, is now well known. Ronzo -de Leo, who travelled in Africa, for many years with Dr. Livingstone, at -one time almost stood alone in his assertion of this fact. But he was -supported in his statement by G. Eugene Wolff, who had been in Central -Africa with Stanley, and he maintained that, on the southern branches of -the Congo, he had seen whole villages of Lilliputians, of whom the men -were not over four and a half feet high, whilst the women were a great -deal smaller. He described them as being both brave and cunning, expert -with bow and arrow, with which they readily bring down the African -bison, antelope, and even elephants. As trappers of small animals they -are unsurpassed. In a close pinch they use the lance with astonishing -dexterity, and an ordinary sling, in their hands, is wielded with -wonderful skill. - -These dwarfs collect the sap of the palm, with which they make soap. The -men are smooth-faced, and of a rich mahogany colour, while the hair is -short, and as black as night. Tens of thousands of them live on the -south branch of the Congo. - -Mr. Stanley in his expedition for the relief of Emin Pacha,[21] -encountered some tribes of these pigmies, but he does not agree with the -account which Mr. Wolff gives of them, who describes them as an affable, -kind-hearted people, of simple ways, and devoid of vicious tendencies to -a greater degree than most semi-barbaric races. The women are -industrious and amiable. - -Stanley, on the contrary, found them very annoying, and had a lively -recollection of their poisoned arrows--but, at the present writing, he -not having returned, and we, having no record but his letters, had -better suspend our judgment as to the habits and tempers of these small -people. - -Wolff says they stand in awe of their bigger neighbours, but are so -brave and cunning that, with all the odds of physique against them, the -pigmies are masters of the situation. - - - - -GIANTS. - - -This last sentence seems almost a compendium of _The History of Tom -Thumb_, for his wit enabled him to overcome the lubber-headed giants, in -every conflict he was engaged in with them--they were no match for him. -Take the Romances of Chivalry. Pacolet, and all the dwarfs, were endowed -with acute wits, and there was very little they could not compass--but -the giants! their ultimate fate was always to be slain by some knight, -and their imprisoned knights and damsels set free. A dwarf was a cleanly -liver, but a giant was turbulent, quarrelsome, lustful, and occasionally -cannibal. Fe Fi Fo Fum was the type of colossal man, and, as it is quite -a pleasure to whitewash their characters in these respects, I hasten to -do so before further discoursing on the subject of these great men. - -It is Olaus Magnus who thus tells us - - "Of the sobriety of Giants and Champions." - -[Illustration] - -"That most famous Writer of the _Danish_ affairs, _Saxo_, alleged -before, and who shall be often alleged hereafter, saith, that amongst -other mighty strong men in the _North_, who were as great as Giants, -there was one _Starchaterus Thavestus_, whose admirable and heroick -Vertues are so worthily extolled by him, that there were scarce any -like him in those dayes in all _Europe_, or in the whole World, or -hardly are now, or ever shall be. And amongst other Vertues he ascribes -to that high-spirited man, he mentions his sobriety, which is -principally necessary for valiant men: and I thought fit to annex that -peculiarly to this relation, that we may, as in a glass, see more -cleerly the luxury of this lustful age. For, as the same _Saxo_ -testifies, that valiant _Starchaterus_ loved frugality, and loved not -immoderate dainties. Alwayes neglecting pleasure, he respected Vertue, -imitating the antient manner of Continency, and he desired a homely -provision of his Diet; he hated costly suppers; wherefore hating -profusion in Diet, and feeding on smoaked and rank meat, he drove away -Hunger, with the greater appetite, as his meat was but of one kind, lest -he should remit and abate the force of his true Vertue, by the contagion -of outward Delights, as by some adulterate sweetness, or should abrogate -the Rule of antient Frugality, by unusual Superstitions for Gluttony. -Moreover, he could not endure to spend rost and boyled meat all at one -Meal; holding that to be a monstrous Food, that Cookery had tampered -with divers things together: Wherefore, that he might turn away the -Luxury of the _Danes_, that they borrowed from the _Germans_, that made -them so effeminate, amongst the rest he made Verses in his Country -Language." Omitting many of them, he sang thus: - - "_Starchaterus_ his Verses on _Frugality_. - - "Strong men do love raw meat; nor do they need, - Or love, on dainty Cates and Feasts to feed, - War is the thing they most delight to breed, - You may sooner bite off their beards that are - Full hard, and stiff with bristled, rugged, hair, - Than their wide mouths leave Milk their daily fare: - We fly from dainty Kitchins, and do fill - Our Bellies with rank Meats, and Countray swill, - Of old, men fed on boyl'd Meats, 'gainst their will. - A dish of Grass, that had no smack, did hold - Hog's and sheep's flesh together, hot or cold, - Nor to pollute their meats with mingling were they bold; - He that eats Cream we bid him for to be - Strong, and to have a mind that's bold and free. - - * * * * * - - Eleven Lords of elder time we were, - That waited on King Hachon, and at fare - _Helgo Begachus_ sat first in order there. - First dish he eat was a dry'd Gammon, and - A Crust as hard as Flint he took in hand, - This made his hungry, yawning stomach stand: - No man at Table fed on stinking meat, - But what was good and common, each man eat, - Content with simple fare, though nere so great; - The greatest were not Gluttons, nor yet fine, - The King himself full sparingly would dine. - No Drinks were used that did of Honey bost, - Beer was their common Liquor, _Ceres_ owest, - They fed on Meats were little boyl'd, no rost. - Each Table was with Meats but meanly drest, - Few Dishes on't, Antiquity thought best; - And in plain Fare each held himself most blest. - There were no Flagons, nor broad Bowls in use, - Nor painted Dishes grown to great abuse, - Each, at the Tap, did fill his wooden cruze. - No man, admirer of the former days, - Did use Tankards or Oxeys;[22] for their ways - Were sparing, almost empty Dishes this bewrays. - No Silver Basons, or guilt Cups were thought - Fit by the Host, and to the table brought, - To garnish, or by Ghests were vainly sought." - -By precept, and example, he induced many to Temperance and -Sobriety--but, in spite of his moderation in food and drink, he was a -most outrageous pirate, and Berserker. - -At last, however, old, and weary of life, he sought death, and meeting -Hatherus, son of a noble whom he had killed, begged him as a favour to -cut his head off--and the young man, obligingly consenting, his head was -severed from his body, and literally bit the ground. There are records -of many more Northern giants, but none of so edifying a life as -Starchaterus. - -Giants are plentiful in the Bible, the Emins, Anakims, and the -Zamzummims: there was Og, King of Bashan, whose iron bedstead was 9 -cubits long by 4 broad--_i.e._, 13 ft. 6 in. by 6 ft. That redoubtable -champion of the Philistines, Goliath of Gath, was six cubits and a span -high--_i.e._, 9 ft. 9 in. In 2 Samuel xxi. 15-22, we find mention made -of many giants. - -"15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David -went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the -Philistines; and David waxed faint. - -"16 And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giants, the weight of -whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being -girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. - -"17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the -Philistine, and killed him.... - -"18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with -the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which -was of the sons of the giant. - -"19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where -Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of -Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. - -"20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great -stature, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he -also was born to the giant. - -"21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah, the brother -of David, slew him. - -"22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of -David, and by the hand of his servants." - -But these were mere pigmies if we can believe M. Henrion, who in 1718 -calculated out the heights of divers notable persons--thus he found Adam -was 121 ft. 9 in. high, Eve 118 ft. 9 in., Noah 27 ft., Abraham 20 ft., -and Moses 13 ft. - -Putting aside the mythical classical giants, Pliny says: "The tallest -man that has been seen in our times, was one Gabbaras by name, who was -brought from Arabia by the Emperor Claudius; his height was nine feet -and as many inches. In the reign of Augustus, there were two persons, -Posio and Secundilla, by name, who were half a foot taller than him; -their bodies have been preserved as objects of curiosity in the Museum -of the Sallustian family." - -But it is reserved to Sir John Mandeville to have found the tallest -giants of, comparatively speaking, modern times. "And beyond that valey -is a great yle, where people as great as giaunts of xxviii fote long, -and they have no clothinge but beasts skyns that hang on them, and they -eate no bread, but flesh raw, and drink milke, and they have no houses, -& they ate gladlyer fleshe of men, than other, & men saye to us that -beyonde that yle is an yle where are greater giaunts as xlv or l fote -long, & some said l cubits long (_75 feet_) but I saw them not, and -among those giaunts are great shepe, and they beare great wolle, these -shepe have I sene many times." - - - - -EARLY MEN. - - -On the antiquity of man it is impossible to speculate, because we have -no data to go upon. We know that his earliest existence, of which we -have any cognisance, must have been at a period when the climate and -fauna of the Western continent was totally different to their present -state. Then roamed over the land, the elephant, rhinoceros, -hippopotamus, the Bos-primigenius, the reindeer, the cave bear, the -brown and the Arctic bears, the cave hyaena, and many other animals now -quite extinct. We know that man then existed, because we find his -handiwork in the shape of manufactured flint implements, mixed with the -bones of these animals--and, occasionally, with them human remains have -been found, but, as yet, no perfect skull has been found. There were two -types of man, the Dolicho Cephalous, or long-headed, and the Brachy -Cephalous, or round-headed--and, of these, the long-headed were of far -greater antiquity. - -All we can do is to classify man's habitation of this earth, as well as -we can, under certain well-defined, and known conditions. Thus, that -called the Stone Age, must be divided into two parts, that of the -roughly chipped flint implements--which is designated the _Palaeolithic_ -period--and that of the polished and carefully finished stone arms and -implements, which necessarily show a later time, and a higher state of -civilisation--which is called the _Neolithic_ period. The next age is -that of bronze, when man had learned to smelt metals, and make moulds, -showing a great advance--and, finally, the Iron Age, in which man had -subdued the sterner metal to his will--and this age immediately precedes -History. - -The cave men were of undoubted antiquity--and were hunters of the wild -beasts that then overran Western Europe, and who split the bones of -those animals which they slew in order to obtain the marrow. Although -strictly belonging to the Palaeolithic period, they manufactured out of -that stubborn material, flint, spear-heads, knives, scrapers--and, when -the bow had been invented, arrow-heads. Nor were they deficient in the -rudiments of art, as some tracings and carvings on pieces of the horns -of slaughtered animals, clearly show. Mr. Christie in digging in the -Dordogne caves found, at La Madelaine, engraved and carved pictures of -reindeer, an ibex, a mammoth, &c., all of them recognisable, and the -mammoth, a very good likeness. This was incised on a piece of mammoth -tusk. - -The lake men, judging by the remains found near their dwellings, -occupied their houses during the Stone and Bronze periods. Herodotus -mentions these curious dwellings. "But those around Mount Pangaeus and -near the Doberes, the Agrianae, Odomanti, and those who inhabit Lake -Prasias[23] itself, were not at all subdued by Megabazus. Yet he -attempted to conquer those who live upon the lake, in dwellings -contrived after this manner: planks, fitted on lofty piles, are placed -in the middle of the lake, with a narrow entrance from the mainland by -a single bridge. These piles that support the planks, all the citizens -anciently placed there at the common charge; but, afterwards, they -established a law to the following effect; whenever a man marries, for -each wife he sinks three piles, bringing wood from a mountain called -Orbelus; but every man has several wives. They live in the following -manner; every man has a hut on the planks, in which he dwells, with a -trap door closely fitted in the planks, and leading down to the lake. -They tie the young children with a cord round the foot, fearing lest -they should fall into the lake beneath. To their horses and beasts of -burden they give fish for fodder; of which there is such an abundance, -that, when a man has opened his trap-door, he lets down an empty basket -by a cord into the lake, and, after waiting a short time, draws it up -full of fish."[24] - -Here, then, we have a valuable record of the lake dwellings, and similar -ones have been found in the lake of Zurich. In 1854, owing to the -dryness and cold of the preceding winter, the water fell a foot below -any previous record: and, in a small bay between Ober Meilen and -Dollikon, the inhabitants took advantage to reclaim the soil thus left, -and add it to their gardens, by building a wall as far out as they -could--and they raised the level of the land thus gained, by dredging -the mud out of the lake. In the course of dredging they found deer -horns, tiles and various implements, and, the attention of an antiquary -having been directed to this find, he concluded that it was the site of -an ancient lake village. The lakes of Geneva, Constance, and -Neufchatel, have also yielded much that throws light on the habits and -intelligence of these lake men. They wove, they made pottery, they grew -and parched corn--nay they ground it, and made biscuits, they ate -apples, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, hazel and beech nuts, -and peas. They evidently fed on cereals, fruit, fish, and the flesh of -wild animals, for bones of the following animals have been found. Brown -bear, badger, marten, pine marten, polecat, wolf, fox, wild cat, beaver, -elk, urus, bison, stag, roe-deer, wild boar, marsh boar--whilst their -domestic animals were the boar, horse, ox, goat, sheep, and dog. These, -it must be remembered, range over a wide period, including the stone and -bronze ages. They wore ornaments, too, for pins, and bracelets have been -found. Lake dwellings have been found in Scotland, England, Italy, -Germany and France--so that this practice seems to have obtained very -widely. In Ireland they made artificial islands in the lakes, called -Crannoges, on which they erected their dwellings. Pile dwellings now -exist, and are inhabited in many parts of the world. - -We have other traces of prehistoric man in the shell mounds, -kjoekkenmoeddings, or kitchen middens, which still exist in Denmark, and -have been found in Scotland on the shores of the Moray Firth and Loch -Spynie; in Cornwall, and Devon, at St. Valery at the mouth of the Somme, -in Australia, Tierra del Fuego, the Malay Peninsula, the Andaman -Islands, and North and South America, showing a very wide range. The -Danish kjoekkenmoeddings, when first thoroughly noticed, (of course, in -this century), were taken to be raised beaches--but when they were -examined, it was found that the shells were of four species of molluscs -or shell-fish,[25] that did not live together, and that they were -either full-grown, or nearly so. A stricter examination was made, and -the result was the finding of some flint implements, and bones marked by -knives, conclusively showing that man had had a hand in this collection -of shells--and the conclusion was come to that these were the sites of -villages of a prehistoric man, a hypothesis which was fully borne out by -the discovery, in some of them, of hearths bearing traces of having -borne fire. Thus, then, these refuse heaps were clearly the work of a -very ancient race, so poor, and backward, as to be obliged to live on -shell-fish--and these mounds were made by the shells which they threw -away. - -We can find a very great analogy between them and the Tierra del -Fuegans, when Darwin visited them, while with the surveying ships -_Adventure_ and _Beagle_, a voyage which took from 1832 to 1836; and, -when we read the following extracts from Darwin's account of the -expedition, we can fancy we have before us a vivid picture of the makers -of the kitchen middens. "The inhabitants, living chiefly upon -shell-fish, are obliged constantly to change their place of residence; -but they return at intervals to the same spots, as is evident from the -pile of old shells, which must often amount to some tons in weight. -These heaps can be distinguished at a long distance by the bright green -colour of certain plants which invariably grow on them.... The Fuegian -wigwam resembles, in size and dimensions, a haycock. It merely consists -of a few broken branches stuck in the ground, and very imperfectly -thatched on one side, with a few tufts of grass and rushes. The whole -cannot be so much as the work of an hour, and it is only used for a few -days.... At a subsequent period, the _Beagle_ anchored for a couple of -days under Wollaston Island, which is a short way to the northward. -While going on shore, we pulled alongside a canoe with six Fuegians. -These were the most abject and miserable creatures I anywhere beheld. On -the east coast, the natives, as we have seen, have guanaco cloaks, and, -on the west, they possess sealskins. Amongst the central tribes the men -generally possess an otter skin, or some small scrap about as large as a -pocket handkerchief, which is barely sufficient to cover their backs as -low down as their loins. It is laced across the breast by strings, and, -according as the wind blows, it is shifted from side to side. But these -Fuegians in the canoe were quite naked, and even one full-grown woman -was absolutely so. It was raining heavily, and the fresh water, together -with the spray, trickled down her body.... These poor wretches were -stunted in their growth, their hideous faces bedaubed with white paint, -their skins filthy and greasy, their hair entangled, their voices -discordant, their gestures violent and without dignity. Viewing such -men, one can hardly make oneself believe they are fellow-creatures and -inhabitants of the same world.... At night, five or six human beings, -naked, and scarcely protected from the wind and rain of this tempestuous -climate, sleep on the wet ground, coiled up like animals. Whenever it is -low water, they must rise to pick shell-fish from the rocks; and the -women, winter and summer, either dive and collect sea eggs, or sit -patiently in their canoes, and, with a baited hair line, jerk out small -fish. If a seal is killed, or the floating carcase of a putrid whale -discovered, it is a feast: such miserable food is assisted by a few -tasteless berries, and fungi. Nor are they exempt from famine, and, as a -consequence, cannibalism accompanied by parricide." - -This I believe to be as faithful a picture as can be drawn of the makers -of the shell mounds. - -But in Denmark, although shells formed by far the major part of these -middens, yet they ate other fish, the herring, dorse, dab, and eel. -Birds also were not despised by them, bones of swallows, the sparrow, -stork, capercailzie, ducks, geese, wild swans, and even of the great auk -(now extinct) have been found. Then of beasts they ate the stag, -roe-deer, wild boar, urus, dog, fox, wolf, marten, otter, lynx, wild -cat, hedgehog, bear, and mouse; beside which they lived on the seal, -porpoise, and water rat. - -Owing to the almost total absence of polished implements--and yet the -fact being that portions of one or two have been found--the makers of -these kjoekkenmoeddings, are classed as belonging to the later Palaeolithic -period. - -Of the Bronze and Iron Ages there is no necessity to write, men were -emerging from their primaeval barbarity--and all the gentle arts, though -undeveloped, were nascent. Men who could smelt metals, and mould, and -forge them, cannot be considered as utter barbarians, such as were the -long-headed men, with their chipped flint implements and weapons. - - - - -WILD MEN. - - -Sometimes a specimen of humanity has got astray in infancy, and has been -dragged up somehow in the woods, like Caspar Hauser, and Peter the Wild -Boy, and fiction supplies other instances, such as Romulus and Remus, -Orson, &c. Some of them were credited with being hairy as are the -accompanying wild man and woman, as they are portrayed in John Sluper's -book, where they are thus described:-- - -[Illustration] - -"L'HOMME SAUVAGE. - - "Combien que Dieu le createur seul sage, - A fait user les hommes de raison: - Icy voyez un vray homme sauvage, - Son corps vela est en toute saison." - -[Illustration] - -"LA FEMME SAUVAGE. - - "Femme sauvage a l'oeil humain, non sainte, - Ainsi qu'elle est sur le naturel lieu, - Au naturel vous est icy depeinte, - Comme voyez qu'il appert a votre vue." - -When Caesar came to Britain for the second time, he found the Britons, -although to a great extent civilised, having cavalry and charioteers (so -many of the latter, that Cassivelaunus left about 4000 to watch the -Romans), and knowing the art of fortification, yet in themselves, only -just emerging from utter barbarism--the colouring and shaving of -themselves showed that they had vanity, and were making, after their -fashion, the most of their personal charms. Caesar (Book v. 14) writes: -"Of all these _tribes_, by far the most civilised are those who inhabit -Kent, which district is altogether maritime; nor do they differ much -from the Gallic customs. Most of those in the interior do not sow corn, -but live on flesh and milk, and are clad in skins. All the Britons, in -truth, dye themselves with woad, which produces a bluish colour, and on -this account they are of a more frightful aspect in battle. They have -flowing hair, and every part of the body shaved, except the head and the -upper lip. Ten, and _even_ twelve of them have wives in common between -them, and chiefly brothers with brothers, and fathers with sons; but, if -there is any offspring, they are considered to be the children of those -by whom each virgin was first espoused." - - - - -HAIRY MEN. - - -If, as we may conjecture from the above, the ancient Briton was "a -rugged man, o'ergrown with hair," his full-dress toilette must have -occupied some time. But extreme hairiness in human beings is by no means -singular, and very many cases are recorded in medical books. Many of us -may remember the Spanish dancer, Julia Pastrana, whose whole body was -hairy, and who had a fine beard. She had a child on whom the hair began -to grow, like its mother; and, but a few years back, there was a hairy -family exhibited in London--their faces being covered with hair, as is -the case of the _Puella pilosa_, or Hairy Girl--given by Aldrovandus in -his _Monstrorum Historia_. - -[Illustration] - -She was aged twelve years, and came from the Canary Isles, together with -her father (aged 40), her brother (20), and her sister (8), all as -hairy one as the other. They were brought over by Marius Casalius, and -first shown at Bologna, so that this is no doubt a faithful likeness, as -Aldrovandus lived and died in that city. He gives other examples, but -not so well authenticated as this. - -There were two wonderful hairy people at Ava, in Burmah, who are -described by two most trustworthy eye-witnesses, John Crawford, in his -"Journal of an Embassy from the Governor-General of India to the Court -of Ava"--and in 1855, by Captain Henry Youle, in his "Narrative of the -Mission sent by the Governor-General of India to the Court of Ava." They -were father and daughter, respectively named Shu-Maon, and Maphoon. The -father may strictly be said to have had neither eyelashes, eyebrows, nor -beard, because the whole of his face, including the interior and -exterior of his ears, were covered with long silky silvery grey hair. -His whole body, except his hands and feet, was covered with hair of the -same texture and colour as that now described, but generally less -abundant; it was most plentiful over the spine and shoulders, where it -was five inches long; over the breast, about four inches, and was most -scanty on the arms, legs, thighs, and abdomen. - -Of the daughter, Captain Youle writes: "The whole of Maphoon's face was -more or less covered with hair. On a part of the cheek, and between the -nose and mouth, this was confined to a short down, but over all the rest -of the face was a thick silky hair of a brown colour, paleing about the -nose and chin, four or five inches long. At the alae of the nose, under -the eye, and on the cheek bone this was very fully developed; but it was -in, and on, the ear, that it was most extraordinary. Except the upper -tip, no part of the ear was visible. All the rest was filled and veiled -with a large mass of silky hair, growing apparently out of every part of -the external organ, and hanging a pendant lock to a length of eight or -ten inches. The hair over her forehead was brushed so as to blend with -the hair of the head, the latter being dressed (as usual with her -countrywomen) _a la Chinoise_; it was not so thick as to conceal her -forehead. - -"The nose, densely covered with hair, as no animal's is, that I know of, -and with long locks curving out, and pendant like the wisps of a fine -Skye-terrier's coat, had a most strange appearance. The beard was pale -in colour, and about four inches in length, seemingly very soft and -silky." - -Maphoon, when Captain Youle saw her, had two children, one, the eldest, -perfectly normal, the other, who was very young, was evidently taking -after its mother. - -The Ainos, an aboriginal tribe in the north of Japan, who are looked -down upon by the Japanese as dogs, have always been reputed as being -covered with hair. Mr. W. Martin Wood read a paper before the -Ethnological Society of London[26] respecting them, and he said, "Esau -himself could not have been a more hairy man than are these Ainos. The -hair forms an enormous bush, and it is thick and matted. Their beards -are very thick and long, and the greater part of their face is covered -with hair which is generally dark in colour; they have prominent -foreheads, and mild, dark eyes, which somewhat relieve the savage aspect -of their visage. Their hands and arms, and, indeed, the greater part of -their bodies, are covered with an abnormal profusion of hair." - -This, however, has been questioned, notably by Mr. Barnard Davis, whose -paper may be read in the 3rd vol. of the "Memoirs of the Anthropological -Society of London"--and he quotes from several travellers, to prove that -the hairyness of the Ainos had been exaggerated. However, Miss Bird in -her "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan" may fairly be said to have put the -subject at rest, for she visited, and travelled in the Aino country. -She, certainly, disproves the theory that, as a race, they were hairy, -although she confesses that some were--as, for instance (p. 232), "They -wore no clothing, but only one was hairy," and, writing from Biratori, -Yezo (p. 255), she says, "The men are about the middle height, -broad-chested, broad-shouldered, thick set, very strongly built, the -arms and legs short, thick, and muscular, the hands and feet large. The -bodies, and especially the limbs of many, are covered with short, -bristly hair. I have seen two boys whose backs are covered with fur as -fine, and soft, as that of a cat." Again (p. 283), "The profusion of -black hair, and a curious intensity about their eyes, coupled with the -hairy limbs and singularly vigorous _physique_, give them a formidably -savage appearance; but the smile, full of 'sweetness and light,' in -which both eyes and mouth bear part, and the low, musical voice, softer -and sweeter than anything I have previously heard, make me, at times, -forget that they are savages at all." - - - - -THE OURAN OUTAN. - - -Transition from hirsute humanity to the apes, is easy, and natural--and -we need only deal with the Simiinae, which includes the Orang, the -Chimpanzee, and the Gorilla. These are the largest apes, and nearest -approach to man--but, although they may be tailless, yet there is that -short great toe which prevents any acceptation of their humanity. The -orang is exclusively an inhabitant of Borneo and Sumatra, and in those -two islands it may be found in the swampy forests near the coast. It -grows to a large size, for an ape, about four feet four inches high, but -is neither so large, nor so strong, as the Gorilla. Compared with man, -its arms seem to be as extravagantly long, as its legs are ridiculously -short. When wild, it feeds entirely on vegetable diet, and makes a kind -of house, or nest, in trees, interweaving the branches, so as to obtain -shelter. They do not stand confinement well, being languid and -miserable--but, in their native wildness, they can, if necessity arises, -fight well in their own defence. A. R. Wallace, in his "Malay -Archipelago; the Land of the Orang Utan and the Bird of Paradise," tells -the following story of its combativeness. - -"A few miles down the river there is a Dyak house, and the inhabitants -saw a large orang feeding on the young shoots of a palm by the river -side. On being alarmed, he retreated towards the jungle, which was close -by, and a number of the men, armed with spears and choppers, ran out to -intercept him. The man who was in front, tried to run his spear through -the animal's body, but the orang seized it in his hands, and in an -instant got hold of the man's arm, which he seized in his mouth, making -his teeth meet in the flesh above the elbow, which he tore and lacerated -in a dreadful manner. Had not the others been close behind, the man -would have been seriously injured, if not killed, as he was quite -powerless; but they soon destroyed the creature with their spears and -choppers. The man remained ill for a long time, and never fully -recovered the use of his arm." - -It is called the Simia Satyrus; probably on its presumed lustfulness, -certainly not on account of its resemblance to the satyr of antiquity. - -Gesner gives us his idea of the orang, presenting us with the -accompanying figure of the Cercopithecus, and quotes Cardanus as saying -that the Cercopithecus or Wild-man, is singularly made, having the -height and form of a man, with legs like man's--and is covered all over -with hair. No animal can withstand it, with the exception of man, to -whom, when in its own regions, it is not inferior. It loves boys and -women. - -[Illustration] - -Pliny speaks of the Satyr Ape thus: "Among the mountainous districts of -the eastern parts of India, in what is called the country of the -Catharcludi, we find the Satyr, an animal of extraordinary swiftness. -They go sometimes on four feet, and sometimes walk erect; they have, -also, the features of a human being. On account of their swiftness, -these creatures are never to be caught, except when they are aged, or -sickly," and, in another place, he says, "The Sphyngium and the Satyr -stow away food in the pouches of their cheeks, after which they will -take out piece by piece in their hands, and eat it." - -Topsell has mixed up the Simia Satyrus with the classical satyr, having -legs and horns like goats; but he evidently alludes to the former in -this passage. "The _Satyres_ are in the Islands _Satiridae_, which are -three in number, right over against India on the farther side of the -_Ganges_; of which _Euphemus Car_ rehearseth this history: that when he -sailed unto _Italy_, by the rage of winde and evill weather, they were -driven to a coast unnavigable, where were many desart Islandes, -inhabited of wild men, and the marriners refused to land upon some -Islands, having heretofore had triall of the inhumaine and uncivill -behaviour of the inhabitants, so that they brought us to the _Satyrian -Islands_, where we saw the inhabitants red, and had tayles joyned to -their backs, not much lesse than horsses. These, being perceived by the -marriners to run to the shippes, and lay hold on the women that were in -them, the shipmen, for feare, took one of the Barbarian women, and set -her on the land among them, whom in most odious and filthy manner, they -abused, whereby they found them to be very bruit beasts." - -[Illustration] - -He gives us his idea of the Simia Satyrus, which must have been an -accomplished animal, for not only could it, apparently, play upon the -pipe, but it had a handy pouch for the reception of the fruit (in lieu -of coppers) which it doubtless would receive as guerdon for its -performance. - - - - -SATYRS. - - -He also mentions and delineates a curious Ape which closely resembles -the classical Satyr: "Under the _Equinoctiall_, toward the East and -South, there is a kind of Ape called _AEgopithecus_, an Ape like a Goate. -For there are Apes like Beares, called _Arctopitheci_, and some like -Lyons, called _Leontopitheci_, and some like Dogs, called _Cynocephali_, -as is before expressed; and many other which have a mixt resemblance of -other creatures in their members. - -[Illustration] - -"Amongst the rest there is a beast called PAN; who in his head, face, -horns, legs, and from the loynes downward resembleth a Goat, but in his -belly, breast, and armes, an Ape: such a one was sent by the King of -_Indians_ to Constantine, which, being shut up in a cave or close place, -by reason of the wildnesse thereof, lived there but a season, and when -it was dead and bowelled, they pouldred it with spices, and carried it -to be seene at Constantinople: the which beast having beene seene of the -ancient Graecians, were so amazed at the strangenesse thereof, that they -received it for a God, as they did a Satyre, and other strange beasts." - -I have said that Topsell has mixed the Ape and the Satyr, -inextricably--but as his version has the charm of description and -anecdote, I give it with little curtailment. - -"As the _Cynocephali_, or _Baboun_ Apes have given occasion to some to -imagine (though falsly) there were such men, so the _Satyre_, a most -rare and seldom seene beast, hath occasioned other to thinke it was a -Devil; and the Poets with their Apes, the Painters, Limners, and -Carvers, to encrease that superstition, have therefore described him -with hornes on his head, and feet like Goates, whereas Satires have -neither of both. And it may be that Devils have at some time appeared to -men in this likenes, as they have done in the likeness of the -_Onocentaure_ and wild Asse, and other shapes; it being also probable -that Devils take not any daenomination or shape from Satyres, but rather -the Apes themselves, from Devils whom they resemble, for there are many -things common to the Satyre Apes, and devilish Satyres, as their human -shape, their abode in solitary places, their rough hayre, and lust to -women, wherewith all other Apes are naturally infected; but especially -Satyres.... - -"Peradventure the name of Satyre is more fitly derived from the Hebrew, -_Sair, Esa._ 34, whereof the plural is _Seirim, Esa._ 13, which is -interpreted monsters of the Desart, or rough hairy Fawnes; and when -Iisim is put to _Seir_, it signifieth Goats. - -"The _Chaldaeans_, for _Seirim_, render _Schedin_; that is, evill -devills; and the _Arabians_, _lesejathin_, that is _Satanas_: the -_Persyans_, _Devan_, the _Illyrians_, _Devadai_, and _Dewas_: the -_Germans_, _Teufel_. They which passed through the world, and exercised -dauncing and other sports for _Dionisius_, were called Satyres, and -sometimes _Tytiri_, because of their wanton songes; sometimes _Sileni_ -(although the difference is, that the smaller and younger beasts are -called _Satiri_, the elder, and greater, _Sileni_;) Also _Bacchae_ and -_Nymphae_, wherefore _Bacchus_ is pictured riding in a chariot of vine -branches, _Silenus_ ridinge beside him on an Asse, and the _Bacchae_ or -_Satyres_ shaking togetheer their staulkie Javelines and Paulmers.[27] -By reason of their leaping they are called _Scirti_, and the anticke or -satyrical dauncing, _Sicinnis_, and they also sometimes _Sicinnistae_; -sometimes _AEgipanae_; wherefore _Pliny_ reporteth, that among the -westerne _Ethiopians_, there are certain little hilles full of the -_Satirique AEgipanae_, and that, in the night-time they use great fires, -piping and dansing, with a wonderful noise of Tymbrels and Cymbals; and -so also in _Atlas_ amongest the Moores, whereof there was no footing, -remnant, or appearance, to be found in the daytime. - -"... There are also _Satires_ in the Eastern mountaines of _India_, in -the country of the _Cartaduli_, and in the province of the _Comari_ and -_Corudae_, but the _Cebi_ spoken of before, bred in _Ethiopia_, are not -_Satyres_ (though faced like them:) nor the _Prasyan_ Apes, which -resemble _Satyres_ in short beards. There are many kindes of these -_Satyres_ better distinguished by names than any properties naturall -known unto us. Such are the _AEgipanae_, before declared, _Nymphes_ of the -Poets, _Fawnes_, _Pan_ and _Sileni_, which, in time of the Gentiles were -worshipped for Gods; and it was one part of their religion to set up the -picture of a Satyre at their dores and gates, for a remedy against the -bewitching of envious persons. - -"... Satyres have no humaine conditions in them, nor any other -resemblance of men besides their outward shape; though _Solinus_ speakes -of them like as of men. They carry their meate under their chin as in a -store house, and from thence being hungry, they take it forth to eat, -making it ordinary with them every day, which is but annuall in the -_Formicae_ lions; being of very unquiet motions above other Apes. They -are hardly taken, except sicke, great with yong, old or asleepe; for -_Sylla_ had a _Satyre_ brought him, which was taken asleepe neare -_Apollonia_, in the holy place _Nymphaeum_, of whom he (by divers -interpreters) demanded many questions, but received no answer, save only -a voice very much like the neighing of a horse, wherof he being afraid, -sent him away alive. - -"_Philostratus_ telleth another history, how that _Apollonius_ and his -colleagues, supping in a village of _Ethiopia_, beyond the fall of -_Nilus_, they heard a sudden outcry of women calling to one another; -some saying, _Take him_, others, _Follow him_; likewise provoking their -husbands to helpe them: the men presently tooke clubs, stones, or what -came first to hand, complaining of an injury done unto their wives. Now -some ten moneths before, there had appeared a fearfull shew of a Satyre, -raging upon their women, and had slain two of them, with whom he was in -love: the companions of _Apollonius_ quaked at the hearing hereof, and -_Nilus_, one of them, swore (by _Jove_) that they being naked and -unarmed, could not be able to resist him in his outragious lust, but -that he would accomplish his wantonnes as before: yet, said -_Apollonius_, there is a remedy to quaile these wanton-leaping beasts, -which men say _Midas_ used (for _Midas_ was of kindred to _Satyres_, as -appeared by his eares). This _Midas_ heard his mother say, that -_Satyres_ loved to be drunke with wine, and then sleep soundly, and -after that, be so moderate, mild and gentle, that a man might thinke -they had lost their first nature. - -"Whereupon he put wine into a fountain neere the highway, whereof, when -the _Satyre_ had tasted, he waxed meeke suddenly, and was overcome. Now -that we thinke not this a fable (saith _Apollonius_) let us go to the -Governor of the Towne, and inquire of him whether there be any wine to -be had that we may offer it to the _Satyre_, wherunto all consented, and -they filled foure great _Egyptian_ earthen vessels with wine, and put it -in the fountain where their cattel were watred: this done, _Apollonius_ -called the _Satyre_, secretly thretning him, and the _Satire_, inraged -with the savour of the wine came; after he had drunke thereof, Now, said -_Apollonius_, let us sacrifice to the _Satyre_, for he sleepeth, and so -led the inhabitants to the dens of the _Nymphs_, distant a furlong from -the towne, and shewed them the _Satyre_ saying; Neither beat, cursse, or -provoke him henceforth, and he shall never harme you. - -"It is certaine, that the devills do many waies delude men in the -likeness of _Satyres_; for, when the drunken feasts of _Bacchus_ were -yearely celebrated in _Parnassus_, there were many sightes of _Satyres_, -and voyces, and sounding of cymbals heard: yet it is likely that there -are men also like Satyres, inhabiting in some desart places; for _S. -Ierom_, in the life of _Paul the Eremite_, reporteth that there appeared -to _S. Anthony_, an _Hippocentaure_ such as the Poets describe, and -presently he saw, in a rocky valley adjoining, a little man having -croked nostrils, hornes growing out of his forhed, and the neather part -of his body had Goat's feet; the holy man, not dismayed, taking the -shield of faith, and the breastplate of righteousnesse, like a good -souldior of Christ, pressed toward him, which brought him some fruites -of palmes as pledges of his peace, upon which he fed in the journey; -which Saint _Anthony_ perceiving, he asked him who he was, and received -this answere; I am a mortall creature, one of the inhabitants of this -Desart, whom the Gentiles (deceived with error) doe worship, and call -_Fauni_, _Satyres_, and _Incubi_: I am come in ambassage from our -flocke, intreating that thou would'st pray for us unto the common GOD, -who came to save the world; the which words were no sooner ended, but he -ran away as fast as any foule could fly. And least this should seeme -false, under _Constantine_ at _Alexandria_ there was such a man to be -seene alive, and was a publick spectacle to all the World; the carcasse -thereof, after his death, was kept from corruption by heat, through -salt, and was carried to _Antiocha_ that the Emperor himself might see -it. - -[Illustration] - -"_Satyres_ are very sildom seene, and taken with great difficulty, as is -before saide: for there were two of these founde in the woods of -_Saxony_ towards _Dacia_, in a desart, the female was killed by the -darts of the hunters, and the biting of Dogs, but the male was taken -alive, being in the upper parts like a man, and in the neather partes -like a Goat, but all hairy throughout: he was brought to be tame, and -learned to go upright, and also to speake some wordes, but with a voice -like a Goat, and without all reason. - -[Illustration] - -"The famous learned man _George Fabricius_, shewed me this shape of a -monstrous beast that is fit to be joyned to the story of _Satyres_. -There was, (saide he,) in the territory of the Bishop of _Salceburgh_, -in a forrest called _Fannesbergh_, a certaine foure-footed beast, of a -yellowish carnation colour, but so wilde that he would never be drawne -to looke upon any man, hiding himselfe in the darkest places, and beeing -watched diligently, would not be provoked to come forth so much as to -eate his meate--so that in a very short time it was famished. The hinder -legs were much unlike the former, and also much longer. It was taken -about the year of the Lord, one thousand five hundred, thirty, whose -image being here so lively described, may save us further labour in -discoursing of his maine and different parts and proportion." - - - - -THE SPHYNX. - - -"The SPHYNGA or _Sphinx_, is of the kind of Apes, but his breast up -to his necke, pilde and smooth without hayre: the face is very round, -yet sharp and piked, having the breasts of women, and their favor, or -visage, much like them: In that part of the body which is bare with out -haire, there is a certaine red thing rising in a round circle, like -millet seed, which giveth great grace & comeliness to their coulour, -which in the middle part is humaine: Their voice is very like a man's, -but not articulate, sounding as if one did speake hastily, with -indignation or sorrow. Their haire browne, or swarthy coulour. They -are bred in _India_, and _Ethiopia_. In the promontory of the farthest -_Arabia_ neere _Dira_, are _Sphinges_, and certaine _Lyons_, called -_Formicae_, so, likewise, they are to be found amongest the _Trogloditae_. - -[Illustration] - -"As the _Babouns_ and _Cynocephali_ are more wilde than other Apes, so -the _Satyres_ and _Sphynges_ are more meeke and gentle, for they are not -so wilde that they will not bee tamed, nor yet so tame, but they will -revenge their own harmes; as appeared by that which was slayne in a -publike spectacle among the _Thebanes_. They carrye their meat in the -store houses of their own chaps or cheeks, taking it forth when they are -hungry, and so eat it. - -[Illustration] - -"The name of this _Sphynx_ is taken from 'binding,' as appeareth by -the Greek notation, or else of delicacie and dainty nice loosnesse, -(wherefore there were certain common strumpets called _Sphinctae_, -and the _Megarian Sphingas_ was a very popular phrase for notorious -harlots), hath given occasion to the poets to faigne a certaine monster -called _Sphynx_, which they say was thus derived. _Hydra_ brought foorth -the _Chimaera_, _Chimaera_ by _Orthus_, the _Sphynx_, and the _Nemaean_ -Lyon: now, this _Orthus_ was one of _Geryon's_ dogges. This _Sphynx_ -they make a treble formed monster, a Mayden's face, a Lyon's legs, and -the wings of a fowle; or, as _Ansonius_ and _Varinus_ say, the face -and head of a mayde, the body of a dogge, the winges of a byrd, the -voice of a man, the clawes of a Lyon, and the tayle of a dragon: and -that she kept continually in the _Sphincian_ mountaine; propounding -to all travailers that came that way an _AEnigma_, or Riddle, which -was this: _What was the creature that first of all goeth on foure -legges; afterwards on two, and, lastly, on three_: and all of them that -could not dissolve that Riddle, she presently slew, by taking them, -and throwing them downe headlong, from the top of a Rocke. At last -_Oedipus_ came that way, and declared the secret, that it _was a man, -who in his infancy creepeth on all foure_, afterward, _in youth, goeth -upon two legs_, and last of all, _in olde age taketh unto him a staffe -which maketh him to goe, as it were, on three legs_; which the monster -hearing, she presently threwe down herselfe from the former rocke, and -so she ended. Whereupon Oedipus is taken for a subtill and wise opener -of mysteries. - -"But the truth is, that when _Cadmus_ had married an _Amazonian_ woman, -called _Sphynx_, and, with her, came to _Thebes_, and there slew _Draco_ -their king, and possessed his kingdom, afterwards there was a sister -unto _Draco_ called _Harmona_, whom _Cadmus_ married, _Sphynx_ being yet -alive. She, in revenge, (being assisted by many followers,) departed -with great store of wealth into the mountaine _Sphincius_, taking with -her a great Dogge, which _Cadmus_ held in great account, and there made -daily incursions or spoiles upon his people. Now, _aenigma_, in the -_Theban_ language, signifieth an inrode, or warlike incursion, wherfore -the people complained in this sort. _This GRECIAN SPHINX robbeth us, in -setting up with an AENIGMA, but no man knoweth after what manner she -maketh this AENIGMA._ - -"_Cadmus_ hereupon made proclamation, that he would give a very -bountifull reward unto him that would kill _Sphinx_, upon which occasion -the Corinthian _Oedipus_ came unto her, being mounted on a swift -courser, and accompanied with some _Thebans_ in the night season, slue -her. Other say that _Oedipus_ by counterfaiting friendshippe, slue her, -making shew to be of her faction; and _Pausanius_ saith, that the former -Riddle, was not a Riddle, but an Oracle of _Apollo_, which _Cadmus_ had -received, whereby his posterity should be inheritors of the _Theban_ -kingdome; and whereas _Oedipus_, being the son of _Laius_, a former king -of that countrey, was taught the Oracle in his sleepe, he recouvered -the kingdome usurped by _Sphinx_ his sister, and, afterwards, unknown, -married his mother Jocasta. - -"But the true morall of this poetical fiction is by that learned -_Alciatus_, in one of his emblems, deciphered; that her monstrous treble -formed shape signified her lustfull pleasure under a Virgin's face, her -cruell pride, under the Lyon's clawes, her winde-driven leuitye, under -the Eagles, or birdes feathers, and I will conclude with the wordes of -_Suidas_ concerning such monsters, that the _Tritons_, _Sphinges_, and -_Centaures_, are the images of those things, which are not to be founde -within the compasse of the whole world." - - - - -APES. - - -Sluper, who could soar to the height of delineating a Cyclops, is equal -to the occasion when he has to deal with Apes, and here he gives us an -Ape which, unfortunately, does not seem to have survived to modern -times--namely, one which wove for itself coarse cloth, probably of -rushes; had a cloak of skin, and walked upright, with the aid of a -walking-stick, and was so genteel, that, having no boots, he seems to -have blacked his feet. And thus he sings of it: - - "Pres le Peru par effect le voit on, - Dieu a donne au Singe telle forme. - Vestu dejonc, s'appuyant d'un baston, - Estat debout, chose aux homes coforme." - -[Illustration] - -Before quitting the subject of Apes, I cannot refrain from noticing -another of this genus mentioned by Topsell, and that is the -Arctopithecus or Bear Ape:--"There is in America a very deformed beast, -which the inhabitants call _Haut_ or _Hauti_, and the Frenchmen -_Guenon_, as big as a great Affrican Monkey. His belly hangeth very low, -his head and face like unto a childes, and being taken, it will sigh -like a young childe. His skin is of an ashe-colour, and hairie like a -Beare: he hath but three clawes on a foote, as longe as foure fingers, -and like the thornes of Privet, whereby he climbeth up into the highest -trees, and for the most part liveth of the leaves of a certain tree, -beeing of an exceeding heighth, which the _Americans_ call _Amahut_, and -thereof this beast is called _Haut_. Their tayle is about three fingers -long, having very little haire thereon; it hath beene often tried, that -though it suffer any famine, it will not eate the fleshe of a living -man, and one of them was given me by a French-man, which I kept alive -sixe and twenty daies, and at the last it was killed by Dogges, and in -that time when I had set it abroad in the open ayre, I observed that, -_although it often rained, yet was that beast never wet_.[28] When it is -tame, it is very loving to a man, and desirous to climbe uppe to his -shoulders, which those naked _Amerycans_ cannot endure, by reason of the -sharpnesse of his Clawes." - - - - -ANIMAL LORE. - - -We are indebted to Pliny for much strange animal lore--which, however, -will scarcely bear the fierce light of modern investigation. Thus, he -tells us of places in which certain animals are not to be found, and -narrates some very curious zoological anecdotes thereon. "It is a -remarkable fact, that nature has not only assigned different countries -to different animals, but that even in the same country it has denied -certain species to certain localities. In Italy, the dormouse is found -in one part only, the Messian forest. In Lycia, the gazelle never passes -beyond the mountains which border upon Syria; nor does the wild ass in -that vicinity pass over those which divide Cappadocia from Cilicia. On -the banks of the Hellespont, the stags never pass into a strange -territory, and, about Arginussa, they never go beyond Mount Elaphus; -those upon the mountains, too, have cloven ears. In the island of -Poroselene, the weasels will not so much as cross a certain road. In -Boeotia, the moles, which were introduced at Lebadea, fly from the very -soil of that country, while in the neighbourhood, at Orchomenus, the -very same animals tear up all the fields. We have seen coverlets for -beds made of the skin of these creatures, so that our sense of religion -does not prevent us from employing these ominous animals for the -purposes of luxury. - -"When hares have been brought to Ithaca, they die as soon as ever they -touch the shore, and the same is the case with rabbits, on the shores of -the island of Ebusus; while they abound in the vicinity, Spain namely, -and the Balearic isles. In Cyrene, the frogs were formerly dumb, and -this species still exists, although croaking ones were carried over -there from the Continent. At the present day, even, the frogs of the -island of Seriphos are dumb; but when they are carried to other places, -they croak; the same thing is also said to have taken place at -Sicandrus, a lake of Thessaly. In Italy, the bite of a shrew-mouse is -venomous; an animal which is not to be found in any region beyond the -Apennines. In whatever country it exists, it always dies immediately if -it goes across the rut made by a wheel. Upon Olympus, a mountain of -Macedonia, there are no wolves, nor yet in the isle of Crete. In this -island there are neither foxes nor bears, nor, indeed, any kind of -baneful animal, with the exception of the phalangium, a species of -spider. It is a thing still more remarkable, that in this island there -are no stags, except in the district of Cydon; the same is the case with -the wild boar, the woodcock, and the hedgehog." - -He further tells us of animals which will injure strangers only, as also -animals which injure the natives only. - -"There are certain animals which are harmless to the natives of the -country, but destroy strangers; such as the little serpents at -Tirynthus, which are said to spring out of the earth. In Syria, also, -and especially on the banks of the Euphrates, the serpents never attack -the Syrians when they are asleep, and even if they happen to bite a -native who treads upon them, their venom is not felt; but to persons of -any other country they are extremely hostile, and fiercely attack them, -causing a death attended with great torture. On this account the Syrians -never kill them. On the contrary, on Latmos, a mountain of Caria, as -Aristotle tells us, strangers are not injured by the scorpions, while -the natives are killed by them." - -He also throws some curious light, unknown to modern zoologists, on the -antipathies of animals one to another. He says:--"There will be no -difficulty in perceiving that animals are possessed of other instincts -besides those previously mentioned. In fact, there are certain -antipathies, and sympathies among them, which give rise to various -affections, besides those which we have mentioned in relation to each -species, in its appropriate place. The Swan and the Eagle are always at -variance, and the Raven and the Chloreus seek each other's eggs by -night. In a similar manner, also, the Raven and the Kite are perpetually -at war with one another, the one carrying off the other's food. So, -too, there are antipathies between the Crow and the Owl, the Eagle and -the Trochilus; between the last two, if we are to believe the story, -because the latter has received the title of 'the king of birds;' the -same, again, with the Owlet and all the smaller birds. - -"Again, in relation to the terrestrial animals, the Weasel is at enmity -with the Crow, the Turtle-dove with the Pyrallis, the Ichneumon with the -Wasp, and the Phalangium with other Spiders. Among aquatic animals, -there is enmity between the Duck and the Seamew, the Falcon known as the -'Harpe,' and the Hawk called the 'Triorchis.' In a similar manner, too, -the Shrew-mouse and the Heron are ever on the watch for each other's -young; and the AEgithus, so small a bird as it is, has an antipathy for -the Ass; for the latter, when scratching itself, rubs its body against -the brambles, and so crushes the bird's nest; a thing of which it stands -in such dread, that, if it only hears the voice of the Ass when it -brays, it will throw its eggs out of the nest, and the young ones, -themselves, will, sometimes, fall to the ground in their fright; hence -it is that it will fly at the Ass, and peck at its sores with its beak. - -"The Fox, too, is at war with the Nisus, and Serpents with Weasels and -Swine. AEsalon is the name given to a small bird that breaks the eggs of -the Raven, and the young of which are anxiously sought by the Fox; -while, in its turn, it will peck at the young of the Fox, and even the -parent itself. As soon as the Ravens espy this, they come to its -assistance, as though against a common enemy. The Acanthis, too, lives -among the brambles; hence it is that it also has an antipathy to the -Ass, because it devours the bramble blossoms. The AEgithus and the -Anthus, too, are at such mortal enmity with each other, that it is the -common belief that their blood will not mingle; and it is for this -reason that they have the bad repute of being employed in many magical -incantations. The Thos and the Lion are at war with each other; and, -indeed, the smallest objects and the greatest, just as much. -Caterpillars will avoid a tree that is infested with Ants. The Spider, -poised in its web, will throw itself on the head of a Serpent, as it -lies stretched beneath the shade of the tree where it has built, and, -with its bite, pierce its brain; such is the shock, that the creature -will hiss from time to time, and then, seized with vertigo, coil round -and round, while it finds itself unable to take to flight, or so much as -to break the web of the spider, as it hangs suspended above; this scene -only ends with its death." - - - - -THE MANTICORA. - - -Of curious animals, other than Apes, depicted as having some approach to -the human countenance, perhaps the most curious is the Manticora. It is -not a _parvenu_; it is of ancient date, for Aristotle mentions it. -Speaking of the dentition of animals, he says:--"None of these genera -have a double row of teeth. But, if we may believe Ctesias, there are -some which have this peculiarity, for he mentions an Indian animal -called Martichora, which had three rows of teeth in each jaw; it is as -large and rough as a lion, and has similar feet, but its ears and face -are like those of a man; its eye is grey, and its body red; it has a -tail like a land Scorpion, in which there is a sting; it darts forth the -spines with which it is covered, instead of hair, and it utters a noise -resembling the united sound of a pipe and a trumpet; it is not less -swift of foot than a stag, and is wild, and devours men." - -Pliny also quotes Ctesias, but he slightly diverges, for he says it has -azure eyes, and is of the colour of blood; he also affirms it can -imitate the human speech. _Par parenthese_ he mentions, in conjunction -with the Manticora, another animal similarly gifted:--"By the union of -the hyaena with the AEthiopian lioness, the Corocotta is produced, which -has the same faculty of imitating the voices of men and cattle. Its gaze -is always fixed and immoveable; it has no gums in either of its jaws, -and the teeth are one continuous piece of bone; they are enclosed in a -sort of box, as it were, that they may not be blunted by rubbing against -each other." - -_Mais, revenons a nos moutons_, or rather Mantichora. Topsell, in making -mention of this beast, recapitulates all that Ctesias has said on the -subject, and adds:--"And I take it to be the same Beast which _Avicen_ -calleth _Marion_, and _Maricomorion_, with her taile she woundeth her -Hunters, whether they come before her or behinde her, and, presently, -when the quils are cast forth, new ones grow up in their roome, -wherewithal she overcometh all the hunters; and, although India be full -of divers ravening beastes, yet none of them are stiled with a title of -_Andropophagi_, that is to say, Men-eaters; except onely this -_Mantichora_. When the Indians take a Whelp of this beast, they fall to -and bruise the buttockes and taile thereof, so that it may never be fit -to bring (_forth_) sharp quils, afterwards it is tamed without peril. -This, also, is the same beast which is called _Leucrocuta_, about the -bignesse of a wilde Asse, being in legs and hoofes like a Hart, having -his mouth reaching on both sides to his eares, and the head and face -of a female like unto a Badgers. It is also called _Martiora_, which in -the Parsian tongue, signifieth a devourer of men." - -[Illustration] - -Du Bartas, in "His First Week, or the Birth of the World," mentions our -friend as being created:-- - - "Then th' _Vnicorn_, th' _Hyaena_ tearing tombs, - Swift _Mantichor'_, and _Nubian Cephus_ comes; - Of which last three, each hath, (as heer they stand) - Man's voice, Man's visage, Man like foot and hand." - -It is mentioned by other writers--but I have a theory of my own about -it, and that is, that it is only an idealised laughing hyaena. - - - - -THE LAMIA. - - -The Lamiae are mythological--and were monsters of Africa, with the face -and breast of a woman, the rest of the body like that of a serpent; they -allured strangers, that they might devour them; and though not endowed -with the faculty of speech, their hissings were pleasing. Some believed -them to be evil spirits, who, in the form of beautiful women, enticed -young children, and devoured them; according to some, the fable of the -Lamiae is derived from the amours of Jupiter with a beautiful woman, -Lamia, whom Juno rendered deformed, and whose children she destroyed; -Lamia became insane, and so desperate, that she ate up all the children -which came in her way. - -Topsell, before entering upon the natural history of the Lamia, as an -animal, tells the following story of it as a mythological being:--"It -is reported of _Menippus_ the Lycian, that he fell in love with a -strange woman, who at that time seemed both beautifull, tender, and -rich, but, in truth, there was no such thing, and all was but a -fantastical ostentation; she was said to insinuate her selfe, into -his familiaritie after this manner: as he went upon a day alone from -_Corinth_ to _Senchraea_, hee met with a certaine phantasme, or spectre -like a beautifull woman, who tooke him by the hand, and told him she -was a _Phoenician_ woman, and of long time had loved him dearely, -having sought many occasions to manifest the same, but could never -finde opportunitie untill that day, wherefore she entreated him to -take knowledge of her house, which was in the Suburbes of _Corinth_, -therewithall pointing unto it with her finger, and so desired his -presence. The young man seeing himselfe thus wooed by a beautiful woman, -was easily overcome by her allurements, and did oftimes frequent her -company. - -"There was a certaine wise man, and a Philosopher, which espied the -same, and spake unto _Menippus_ in this manner, 'O formose, et a -formorsis, expetitie mulieribus, ophin thalpies, cai se ophis,' that is -to say, 'O fair _Menippus_, beloved of beautiful women, art thou a -serpent, and dost nourish a serpent?' by which words he gave him his -first admonition, or incling of a mischiefe; but not prevayling, -_Menippus_ proposed to marry with this spectre, her house to the outward -shew, being richly furnished with all manner of houshold goods; then -said the wise man againe unto _Menippus_, 'This gold, silver, and -ornaments of house, are like to _Tantalus_ Apples, who are said by -_Homer_ to make a faire shew, but to containe in them no substance at -all; even so, whatsoever you conceave of this riches, there is no matter -or substance in the things which you see, for they are onely inchaunted -images, and shadowes, which that you may beleeve, this your neate bride -is one of the _Empusae_, called _Lamia_, or _Mormolicae_, wonderfull -desirous of commerce with men, and loving their flesh above measure; but -those whom they doe entice, afterwards they devoure without love or -pittie, feeding upon their flesh.' At which words the wise man caused -the gold and silver plate, and household stuffe, cookes, and servants to -vanish all away. Then did the spectre like unto one that wept, entreate -the wise man that he would not torment her, nor yet cause her to -confesse what manner of person she was; but he on the other side being -inexorable, compelled her to declare the whole truth, which was, that -she was a Phairy, and that she purposed to use the companie of -_Menippus_, and feede him fat with all manner of pleasures, to the -extent that, afterward, she might eate up and devour his body, for all -their kinde love was only to feed upon beautiful yong men.... - -"To leave therefore these fables, and come to the true description of -the _Lamia_, we have in hand. In the foure and thirty chapter of Esay, -we do find this called a beast _Lilith_ in the Haebrew, and translated by -the auncients _Lamia_, which is threatened to possesse _Babell_. -Likewise in the fourth chapter of the Lamentations, where it is said in -our English translation, that the Dragons lay forth their brests, in -Haebrew they are called _Ehannum_, which, by the confession of the best -interpreters, cannot signifie Dragons, but rather Sea calves, being a -generall word for strange wilde beasts. How be it the matter being wel -examined, it shall appeare that it must needes be this Lamia, because of -her great breastes, which are not competible either to the Dragon, or -Sea calves; so then, we wil take it for graunted, by the testimony of -holy Scripture, that there is such a beast as this _Cristostinius_. -_Dion_ also writeth that there are such beasts in some parts of _Libia_, -having a Woman's face, and very beautifull, also very large and comely -shapes on their breasts, such as cannot be counterfeited by the art of -any painter, having a very excellent colour in their fore parts, without -wings, and no other voice but hissing like Dragons: they are the -swiftest of foote of all earthly beasts, so as none can escape them by -running, for, by their celerity, they compasse their prey of beastes, -and by their fraud they overthrow men. For when they see a man, they lay -open their breastes, and by the beauty thereof, entice them to come -neare to conference, and so, having them within their compasse, they -devoure and kill them. - -[Illustration] - -"Unto the same things subscribe _Caelius_ and _Giraldus_, adding also, -that there is a certaine crooked place in _Libia_ neare the Sea-shore, -full of sand like to a sandy Sea, and all the neighbor places thereunto -are deserts. If it fortune at any time, that through shipwrack, men come -there on shore, these beasts watch uppon them, devouring them all, which -either endevour to travell on the land, or else to returne backe againe -to Sea, adding also, that when they see a man they stand stone still, -and stir not til he come unto them, looking down upon their breasts or -to the ground, whereupon some have thought, that seeing them, at their -first sight have such a desire to come neare them, that they are drawne -into their compasse, by a certaine naturall magicall witchcraft.... The -hinderparts of the beast are like unto a Goate, his fore legs like a -Beares, his upper parts to a woman, the body scaled all over like a -Dragon, as some have affirmed by the observation of their bodies, when -_Probus_, the Emperor, brought them forth unto publike spectacle; also -it is reported of them, that they devoure their own young ones, and -therefore they derive their name _Lamia_, of _Lamiando_; and thus much -for this beast." - - - - -THE CENTAUR. - - -This extraordinary combination of man and animal is very ancient--and -the first I can find is Assyrian. Mr. W. St. Chad Boscawen, in one of -his British Museum Lectures (afterwards published under the title of -_From under the Dust of Ages_), speaking of the seasons and the zodiacal -signs, in his lecture on _The Legend of Gizdhubar_, says:--"Gizdhubar -has a dream that the stars of heaven are falling upon him, and, like -Nebuchadnezzar, he can find no one to explain the hidden meaning to -him. He is, however, told by his huntsman, Zaidu, of a very wise -creature who dwells in the marshes, three days' journey from Erech.... -The strange being, whom this companion of the hero is despatched to -bring to the Court, is one of the most interesting in the Epic. He is -called Hea-bani--'he whom Hea has made.' This mysterious creature is -represented on the gems, as half a man, and half a bull. He has the -body, face, and arms of a man, and the horns, legs, hoofs, and tail of a -bull. Though in form rather resembling the satyrs, and in fondness for, -and in association with the cattle, the rustic deity Pan, yet in his -companionship with Gizdhubar, and his strange death, he approaches -nearer the Centaur Chiron, who was the companion of Heracles. - -"By his name he was the son of Hea, whom Berosus identifies as Cronos, -as Chiron was the son of Cronos. Like Chiron, he was celebrated for his -wisdom, and acted as the counsellor of the hero, interpreting his -dreams, and enabling him to overcome the enemies who attacked him. -Chiron met his death at the hand of Heracles, one of whose poisoned -arrows struck him, and, though immortal, he would not live any longer, -and gave his immortality to Prometheus.... Zeus made Chiron among the -stars a Sagittarius. Here again we have a striking echo of the Chaldaean -legend, in the Erech story. According to the arrangement of tablets, the -death of Hea-bani takes place under the sign of Sagittarius, and is the -result of some fatal accident during the combat between Gizdhubar and -Khumbaba. Like the Centaurs, before his call to the Court of Gizdhubar, -Hea-bani led a wild and savage life. It is said on the tablets 'that he -consorted with the wild beasts. With the gazelles he took his food by -night, and consorted with the cattle by day, and rejoiced his heart -with the creeping things of the waters.' - -"Hea-Bani was true and loyal to Gizdhubar, and when Istar (the Assyrian -Venus), foiled in her love for Gizdhubar, flew to heaven to see her -father Anu (the Chaldaean Zeus), and to seek redress for the slight put -upon her, the latter created a winged bull, called 'The Bull of Heaven,' -which was sent to earth. Hea-Bani, however, helps his lord, the bull is -slain, and the two companions enter Erech in triumph. Hea-Bani met with -his death when Gizdhubar fought Khumbaba, and 'Gizdhubar for Hea-Bani -his friend wept bitterly and lay on the ground.'" - -[Illustration] - -Thus, centuries before the Romans had emerged from barbarism, we have -the prototype of the classical Centaur, the man-horse. The fabled -Centaurs were a people of Thessaly--half-men, half-horses--and their -existence is very cloudy. Still, they were often depicted, and the two -examples of a male and female Centaur, from a fresco at Pompeii, are -charmingly drawn. It will be seen that both are attended by Bacchantes -bearing thyrses--a delicate allusion to their love of wine; for it was -owing to this weakness that their famous battle with the Lapithae took -place. The Centaurs were invited to the marriage of Hippodamia with -Pirithous, and, after the manner of cow-boys "up town," they got -intoxicated, were very rude, and even offered violence to the women -present. That, the good knights, Sir Hercules and Sir Theseus, could not -stand, and with the Lapithae, gave the Centaurs a thrashing, and made -them retire to Arcadia. They had a second fight over the matter of wine, -for the Centaur Pholus gave Hercules to drink of wine meant for him, but -in the keeping of the Centaurs, and these ill-conditioned animals -resented it, and attacked Hercules with fury. They were fearfully -punished, and but few survived. - -[Illustration] - -Pliny pooh-poohs the mythical origin of the Centaurs, and says they were -Thessalians, who dwelt along Mount Pelion, and were the first to fight -on horseback. Aldrovandus writes that, according to Licosthenes, there -were formerly found, in the regions of the Great Tamberlane, Centaurs of -such a form as its upper part was that of a man, with two arms -resembling those of a toad, and he gives a drawing from that author, -so that the reader might diligently meditate whether such an animal was -possible in a natural state of things; but the artist seems to have -forgotten the fore-legs. - -[Illustration] - - "The Onocentaur is a monstrous beast; - Supposed halfe a man, and halfe an Asse, - That never shuts his eyes in quiet rest, - Till he his foes deare life hath round encompast. - Such were the Centaures in their tyrannie, - That liv'd by Humane flesh and villanie." - - --CHESTER. - - - - -THE GORGON. - - -In the title-page of one edition of "The Historie of Foure-footed -Beastes" (1607) Topsell gives this picture of the Gorgon; and he says, -respecting this curious animal, the following:--"Among the manifold and -divers sorts of Beasts which are bred in Affricke, it is thought that -the _Gorgon_ is brought foorth in that countrey. It is a feareful and -terrible beast to behold: it hath high and thicke eie-lids, eies not -very great, but much like an Oxes or Bugils, but all fiery bloudy, which -neyther looke directly forwarde, nor yet upwards, but continuallye downe -to the earth, and therefore are called in Greeke _Catobleponta_. From -the crowne of their head downe to their nose, they have a long hanging -mane, which makes them to look fearefully. It eateth deadly and -poysonfull hearbs, and if at any time he see a Bull, or other creature -whereof he is afraid, he presently causeth his mane to stand upright, -and, being so lifted up, opening his lips, and gaping wide, sendeth -forth of his throat a certaine sharpe and horrible breath, which -infecteth, and poysoneth the air above his head, so that all living -creatures which draw the breath of that aire are greevously afflicted -thereby, loosing both voyce and sight, they fall into leathall and -deadly convulsions. It is bred in _Hesperia_ and _Lybia_. - -[Illustration] - -"The Poets have a fiction that the _Gorgones_ were the Daughters of -_Medusa_ and _Phorcynis_, and are called _Steingo_, and by _Hesiodus_, -_Stheno_, and _Eyryale_ inhabiting the _Gorgadion_ Ilands in the -_AEthiopick Ocean_, over against the gardens of _Hesperia_. _Medusa_ is -said to have the haires of his head to be living Serpentes, against whom -_Perseus_ fought, and cut off his hed, for which cause he was placed in -heaven on the North side of the _Zodiacke_ above the Waggon, and on the -left hand holding the _Gorgons_ head. The truth is that there were -certaine _Amazonian_ women in _Affricke_ divers from the _Scythians_, -against whom _Perseus_ made warre, and the captaine of those women was -called _Medusa_, whom _Perseus_ overthrew, and cut off her head, and -from thence came the Poet's fiction describing Snakes growing out of it -as is aforesaid. These _Gorgons_ are bred in that countrey, and have -such haire about their heads, as not onely exceedeth all other beastes, -but also poysoneth, when he standeth upright. Pliny calleth this beast -_Catablepon_,[29] because it continually looketh downwards, and saith -all the parts of it are but smal excepting the head, which is very -heavy, and exceedeth the proportion of his body, which is never lifted -up, but all living creatures die that see his eies. - -"By which there ariseth a question whether the poison which he sendeth -foorth, proceede from his breath, or from his eyes. Whereupon it is more -probable, that like the Cockatrice, he killeth by seeing, than by the -breath of his mouth, which is not competible to any other beasts in the -world. Besides, when the Souldiers of _Marius_ followed _Iugurtha_, -they saw one of these _Gorgons_, and, supposing it was some sheepe, -bending the head continually to the earth, and moving slowly, they set -upon him with their swords, whereat the Beast, disdaining, suddenly -discovered his eies, setting his haire upright, at the sight whereof the -Souldiers fel downe dead. - -"_Marius_, hearing thereof, sent other souldiers to kill the beaste, but -they likewise died, as the former. At last the inhabitantes of the -countrey, tolde the Captaine the poyson of this beast's nature, and that -if he were not killed upon a Sodayne, with onely the sight of his eies -he sent death into his hunters: then did the Captaine lay an ambush of -souldiers for him, who slew him sodainely with their speares, and -brought him to the Emperour, whereupon _Marius_ sent his skinne to Rome, -which was hung up in the Temple of _Hercules_, wherein the people were -feasted after the triumphes; by which it is apparent that they kill with -their eies, and not with their breath.... - -"But to omit these fables, it is certaine that sharp poisoned sightes -are called _Gorgon Blepen_, and therefore we will followe the Authoritie -of _Pliny_ and _Athenaeus_. It is a beast set all over with scales like a -Dragon, having no haire except on his head, great teeth like Swine, -having wings to flie, and hands to handle, in stature betwixt a Bull and -a Calfe. - -"There be Ilandes called _Gorgonies_, wherein these monster-_Gorgons_ -were bredde, and unto the daies of _Pliny_, the people of that countrey -retained some part of their prodigious nature. It is reported by -_Xenophon_, that _Hanno_, King of _Carthage_, ranged with his armie in -that region, and founde there, certaine women of incredible swiftenesse -and perniscitie of foote. Whereof he tooke two onely of all that -appeared in sight, which had such roughe and sharp bodies, as never -before were seene. Wherefore, when they were dead, he hung up their -skinnes in the Temple of _Juno_, for a monument of their straunge -natures, which remained there untill the destruction of _Carthage_. By -the consideration of this beast, there appeareth one manifest argument -of the Creator's devine wisdome and providence, who hath turned the eies -of this beaste downeward to the earth, as it were thereby burying his -poyson from the hurt of man; and shaddowing them with rough, long and -strong haire, that their poysoned beames should not reflect upwards, -untill the beast were provoked by feare or danger, the heavines of his -head being like a clogge to restraine the liberty of his poysonfull -nature, but what other partes, vertues or vices, are contained in the -compasse of this monster, God onely knoweth, who, peradventure, hath -permitted it to live uppon the face of the earth, for no other cause but -to be a punishment and scourge unto mankind; and an evident example of -his owne wrathfull power to everlasting destruction. And this much may -serve for a description of this beast, untill by God's providence, more -can be known thereof." - - - - -THE UNICORN. - - -What a curious belief was that of the Unicorn! Yet what mythical animal -is more familiar to Englishmen? In its present form it was not known to -the ancients, not even to Pliny, whose idea of the Monoceros or Unicorn -is peculiar. He describes this animal as having "the head of a stag, the -feet of an elephant, the tail of the boar, while the rest of the body -is like that of the horse: it makes a deep lowing noise, and has a -single black horn, which projects from the middle of its forehead, two -cubits in length. This animal, it is said, cannot be taken alive." - -Until James VI. of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I., the -Unicorn, as it is now heraldically portrayed (which was a supporter to -the arms of James IV.) was almost unknown--vide _Tempest_, iii. 3. 20:-- - - "_Alonzo._ Give us kind keepers, heavens: what were these? - - _Sebastian._ A living drollery. Now I will believe that there are - unicorns." - -Spenser, who died before the accession of James I., and therefore did -not write about the supporters of the Royal Arms, alludes (in his -_Faerie Queene_) to the antagonism between the Lion and the Unicorne. - - "Like as the lyon, whose imperial poure - A proud rebellious unicorn defyes, - T'avoide the rash assault, and wrathful stoure - Of his fiers foe, him to a tree applyes, - And when him rouning in full course he spyes, - He slips aside: the whiles that furious beast, - His precious horne, sought of his enimyes, - Strikes in the stroke, ne thence can be released, - But to the victor yields a bounteous feast." - -Pliny makes no mention of the Unicorn as we have it heraldically -represented, but speaks of the Indian Ass, which, he says, is only a -one-horned animal. Other old naturalists, with the exception of AElian, -do not mention it as our Unicorn--and his description of it hardly -coincides. He says that the Brahmins tell of the wonderful beasts in the -inaccessible regions of the interior of India, among them being the -Unicorn, "which they call _Cartazonon_, and say that it reaches the -size of a horse of mature age, possesses a mane and reddish-yellow hair, -and that it excels in swiftness through the excellence of its feet and -of its whole body. Like the elephant it has inarticulate feet, and it -has a boar's tail; one black horn projects between the eyebrows, not -awkwardly, but with a certain natural twist, and terminating in a sharp -point." - -[Illustration] - -Guillim, who wrote on heraldry in 1610, gives, in his Illustrations, -indifferently the tail of this animal, as horse or ass; and, as might be -expected from one of his craft, magnifies the Unicorn exceedingly:--"The -Unicorn hath his Name of his one Horn on his Forehead. There is another -Beast of a huge Strength and Greatness, which hath but one Horn, but -that is growing on his Snout, whence he is called _Rinoceros_, and both -are named _Monoceros_, or _One horned_. It hath been much questioned -among Naturalists, which it is that is properly called the Unicorn: And -some hath made Doubt whether there be any such Beast as this, or no. -But the great esteem of his Horn (in many places to be seen) may take -away that needless scruple.... - -"Touching the invincible Nature of this Beast, _Job_ saith, '_Wilt thou -trust him because his Strength is great, and cast thy Labour unto him? -Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it -into thy Barn?_' And his Vertue is no less famous than his Strength, in -that his Horn is supposed to be the most powerful Antidote against -Poison: Insomuch as the general Conceit is, that the wild Beasts of the -Wilderness use not to drink of the Pools, for fear of the venemous -Serpents there breeding, before the Unicorn hath stirred it with his -Horn. Howsoever it be, this Charge may very well be a Representation -both of Strength or Courage, and also of vertuous Dispositions and -Ability to do Good; for to have Strength of Body, without the Gifts and -good Qualities of the Mind, is but the Property of an Ox, but where both -concur, that may truly be called Manliness. And that these two should -consort together, the Ancients did signify, when they made this one -Word, _Virtus_, to imply both the Strength of Body, and Vertue of the -Mind.... - -"It seemeth, by a Question moved by _Farnesius_, That the Unicorn is -never taken alive; and the Reason being demanded, it is answered 'That -the greatness of his Mind is such, that he chuseth rather to die than to -be taken alive: Wherein (saith he) the Unicorn and the valiant-minded -Souldier are alike, which both contemn Death, and rather than they will -be compelled to undergo any base Servitude or Bondage, they will lose -their Lives.'... - -"The Unicorn is an untameable Beast by Nature, as may be gathered from -the Words of _Job, chap. 39_, '_Will the Unicorn serve thee, or will he -tarry by thy Crib? Can'st thou bind the Unicorn with his Band to labour -in the Furrow, or will he plough the Valleys after thee?'_" - -Topsell dilates at great length on the Unicorn. He agrees with Spenser -and Guillim, and says:--"These Beasts are very swift, and their legges -have no Articles (_joints_). They keep for the most part in the desarts, -and live solitary in the tops of the Mountaines. There was nothing more -horrible than the voice or braying of it, for the voice is strain'd -above measure. It fighteth both with the mouth and with the heeles, with -the mouth biting like a Lyon, and with the heeles kicking like a -Horse.... He feereth not Iron nor any yron Instrument (as _Isodorus_ -writeth) and that which is most strange of all other, it fighteth with -his owne kind, yea even with the females unto death, except when it -burneth in lust for procreation: but unto straunger Beasts, with whome -he hath no affinity in nature, he is more sotiable and familiar, -delighting in their company when they come willing unto him, never -rising against them; but, proud of their dependence and retinue, keepeth -with them all quarters of league and truce; but with his female, when -once his flesh is tickled with lust, he groweth tame, gregall, and -loving, and so continueth till she is filled and great with young, and -then returneth to his former hostility." - -There was a curious legend of the Unicorn, that it would, by its keen -scent, find out a maiden, and run to her, laying its head in her lap. -This is often used as an emblem of the Virgin Mary, to denote her -purity. The following is from the Bestiary of Philip de Thaun, and, as -its old French is easily read, I have not translated it:-- - - "Monoceros est Beste, un corne ad en la teste, - Purceo ad si a nun, de buc ad facun; - Par Pucele est prise; or vez en quel guize. - Quant hom le volt cacer et prendre et enginner, - Si vent hom al forest u sis riparis est; - La met une Pucele hors de sein sa mamele, - Et par odurement Monosceros la sent; - Dunc vent a la Pucele, et si baiset la mamele, - En sein devant se dort, issi veut a sa mort; - Li hom suivent atant ki l'ocit en dormant - U trestont vif le prent, si fais puis sun talent. - Grant chose signifie."... - -Topsell, of course, tells the story:--"It is sayd that Unicorns above -all other creatures, doe reverence Virgines and young Maides, and that -many times at the sight of them they grow tame, and come and sleepe -beside them, for there is in their nature a certaine savor, wherewithall -the Unicornes are allured and delighted; for which occasion the _Indian_ -and _Ethiopian_ hunters use this stratagem to take the beast. They take -a goodly, strong, and beautifull young man, whom they dresse in the -Apparell of a woman, besetting him with divers odoriferous flowers and -spices. - -"The man so adorned they set in the Mountaines or Woods, where the -Unicorne hunteth, so as the wind may carrie the savor to the beast, and -in the meane season the other hunters hide themselves: the Unicorne -deceaved with the outward shape of a woman, and sweete smells, cometh to -the young man without feare, and so suffereth his head to bee covered -and wrapped within his large sleeves, never stirring, but lying still -and asleepe, as in his most acceptable repose. Then, when the hunters, -by the signe of the young man, perceave him fast and secure, they come -uppon him, and, by force, cut off his horne, and send him away alive: -but, concerning this opinion wee have no elder authoritie than -_Tzetzes_, who did not live above five hundred yeares agoe, and -therefore I leave the reader to the freedome of his owne judgment, to -believe or refuse this relation; neither is it fit that I should omit -it, seeing that all writers, since the time of _Tzetzes_, doe most -constantly beleeve it. - -"It is sayd by _AElianus_ and _Albertus_, that, except they bee taken -before they bee two yeares old they will never bee tamed; and that the -Thrasians doe yeerely take some of their Colts, and bring them to their -King, which he keepeth for combat, and to fight with one another; for -when they are old, they differ nothing at all from the most barbarous, -bloodie, and ravenous beasts. Their flesh is not good for meate, but is -bitter and unnourishable." - -It is hardly worth while to go into all the authorities treating of -the Unicorn; suffice it to say, that it was an universal belief that -there were such animals in existence, for were not their horns in proof -thereof? and were they not royal presents fit for the mightiest of -potentates to send as loving pledges one to another? for it was one -of the most potent of medicines, and a sure antidote to poison. And -they were very valuable, too, for Paul Hentzner--who wrote in the time -of Queen Elizabeth--says that, at Windsor Castle, he was shown, among -other things, the horn of an Unicorn of above eight spans and a half in -length, _i.e._, about 6-1/2 feet, valued at L10,000. Considering that -money was worth then about three times what it is now, an Unicorn's horn -was a right royal gift. - -Topsell, from whom I have quoted so much, is especially voluminous and -erudite on Unicorns; indeed, in no other old or new author whom I have -consulted are there so many facts (?) respecting this fabled beast to be -found. Here is his history of those horns then to be found in Europe:-- - -"There are two of these at _Venice_ in the Treasurie of S. _Marke's_ -Church, as _Brasavolus_ writeth, one at _Argentoratum_, which is -wreathed about with divers sphires.[30] There are also two in the -Treasurie of the King of _Polonia_, all of them as long as a man in his -stature. In the yeare 1520, there was found the horne of a _Unicorne_ in -the river _Arrula_, neare _Bruga_ in Helvetia, the upper face or out -side whereof was a darke yellow; it was two cubites (_3 feet_) in -length, but had upon it no plights[31] or wreathing versuus. It was very -odoriferous (especially when any part of it was set on fire), so that it -smelt like muske: as soone as it was found, it was carried to a Nunnery -called _Campus regius_, but, afterwards by the Governor of _Helvetia_, -it was recovered back againe, because it was found within his -teritorie.... - -"Another certaine friend of mine, being a man worthy to be beleeved, -declared unto me that he saw at _Paris_, with the Chancellor, being Lord -of _Pratus_, a peece of a Unicorn's horn, to the quantity of a cubit, -wreathed in tops or spires, about the thicknesse of an indifferent -staffe (the compasse therof extending to the quantity of six fingers) -being within, and without, of a muddy colour, with a solide substance, -the fragments whereof would boile in the Wine although they were never -burned, having very little or no smell at all therein. - -"When _Joannes Ferrerius_ of _Piemont_ had read these thinges, he wrote -unto me, that, in the Temple of _Dennis_, neare unto _Paris_, that there -was a Unicorne's horne six foot long, ... but that in bignesse, it -exceeded the horne at the Citty of _Argentorate_, being also holow -almost a foot from that part which sticketh unto the forehead of the -Beast, this he saw himselfe in the Temple of S. _Dennis_, and handled -the horne with his handes as long as he would. I heare that in the -former yeare (which was from the yeare of our Lord), 1553, when -_Vercella_ was overthrown by the French, there was broght from that -treasure unto the King of France, a very great Unicorn's horne, the -price wherof was valued at fourscore thousand Duckets.[32] - -"_Paulus Poaeius_ describeth an Unicorne in this manner; That he is a -beast, in shape much like a young Horse, of a dusty colour, with a maned -necke, a hayry beard, and a forehead armed with a Horne of the quantity -of two Cubits, being seperated with pale tops or spires, which is -reported by the smoothnes and yvorie whitenesse thereof, to have the -wonderfull power of dissolving and speedy expelling of all venome or -poison whatsoever. - -"For his horne being put into the water, driveth away the poison, that -he may drinke without harme, if any venemous beast shall drinke therein -before him. This cannot be taken from the Beast, being alive, for as -much as he cannot possible be taken by any deceit: yet it is usually -seene that the horne is found in the desarts, as it happeneth in Harts, -who cast off their olde horne thorough the inconveniences of old age, -which they leave unto the Hunters, Nature renewing an other unto them. - -"The horne of this beast being put upon the Table of Kinges, and set -amongest their junkets and bankets, doeth bewray the venome, if there be -any suche therein, by a certaine sweat which commeth over it. Concerning -these hornes, there were two seene, which were two cubits in length, of -the thicknesse of a man's Arme, the first at _Venice_, which the Senate -afterwards sent for a gift unto _Solyman_ the Turkish Emperor: the other -being almost of the same quantity, and placed in a Sylver piller, with a -shorte or cutted[33] point, which _Clement_ the Pope or Bishop of -_Rome_, being come unto _Marssels_ brought unto _Francis_ the King, for -an excellent gift."... They adulterated the real article, for sale. -"_Petrus Bellonius_ writeth, that he knewe the tooth of some certaine -Beast, in time past, sold for the horne of a Unicorne (what beast may be -signified by this speech I know not, neither any of the French men which -do live amongst us) and so smal a peece of the same, being adulterated, -sold 'sometimes for 300 Duckets.' But, if the horne shall be true and -not counterfait, it doth, notwithstanding, seeme to be of that creature -which the Auncientes called by the name of an Unicorne, especially -_AElianus_, who only ascribeth to the same this wonderfull force against -poyson and most grievous diseases, for he maketh not this horne white as -ours doth seeme, but outwardly red, inwardly white, and in the Middest -or secretest part only blacke." - -Having dilated so long upon the Unicorn, it would be a pity not to give -some idea of the curative properties of its horn--always supposing that -it could be obtained genuine, for there were horrid suspicions abroad -that it might be "the horne of some other beast brent in the fire, some -certaine sweet odors being thereunto added, and also imbrued in some -delicious and aromaticall perfume. Peradventure also, Bay by this means, -first burned, and afterwards quenched, or put out with certaine sweet -smelling liquors." To be of the proper efficacy it should be taken new, -but its power was best shown in testing poisons, when it sweated, as did -also a stone called "the Serpent's tongue." And the proper way to try -whether it was genuine or not, was to give Red Arsenic or Orpiment to -two pigeons, and then to let them drink of two samples; if genuine, no -harm would result--if adulterated, or false, the pigeons would die. - -It was also considered a cure for Epilepsy, the Pestilent Fever or -Plague, Hydrophobia, Worms in the intestines, Drunkenness, &c., -&c.,--and it also made the teeth clean and white;--in fact, it had so -many virtues that "no home should be without it." - -And all this about a Narwhal's horn! - - - - -THE RHINOCEROS. - - -The true Unicorn is, of course, the Rhinoceros, and this picture of it -is as early an one as I can find, being taken from Aldrovandus de Quad, -A.D. 1521. Gesner and Topsell both reproduce it, at later dates, but -_reversed_. The latter says that Gesner drew it from the life at -Lisbon--but having Aldrovandus and the others before me, I am bound to -give the palm to the former, and confess the others to be piracies. It -is certain, however, that whoever drew this picture of a Rhinoceros must -have seen one, either living or stuffed, for it is not too bizarre. - -[Illustration] - -Topsell approaches this animal with an awe and reverence, such as he -never shows towards any other beast; indeed, he gets quite solemn over -it, and he thus commences his _Apologia_:--"But for my part, which write -the English story, I acknowledge that no man must looke for that at my -hands, which I have not received from some other: for I would bee -unwilling to write anything untrue, or uncertaine out of mine owne -invention; and truth on every part is so deare unto mee, that I will not -lie to bring any man in love and admiration with God and his works, for -God needeth not the lies of men: To conclude, therefore, this Praeface, -as the beast is strange, and never seene in our countrey, so my eyesight -cannot adde anything to the description; therefore harken unto that -which I have observed out of other writers." - -They were very rare beasts, among the early Roman Emperors, but in the -later Empire they were introduced into the Circus, but many centuries -rolled on before we, in England, were favoured with a sight of this -great animal. Topsell had not seen one, and he wrote in 1607, so we -accept his _Apologia_ with all his errors:--"_Oppianus_ saith that there -was never yet any distinction of sexes in these _Rhinocerotes_; for all -that ever have been found were males, and not females, but from hence -let no body gather that there are no females, for it were impossible -that the breede should continue without females. - -"When they are to fight they whet their horne upon a stone, and there -is not only a discord between these beasts and Elephants for their food, -but a natural description and enmity: for it is confidently affirmed, -that when the Rhinoceros which was at _Lisborne_, was brought into the -presence of an Elephant, the Elephant ran away from him. How and what -place he overcometh the Elephant, we have shewed already in his story, -namely, how he fastneth his horne in the soft part of the Elephantes -belly. He is taken by the same meanes that the _Unicorne_ is taken, for -it is said by _Albertus_, _Isodorus_, and _Alumnus_, that above all -other creatures they love Virgins, and that unto them they will come be -they never so wilde, and fall a sleepe before them, so being asleepe -they are easily taken, and carried away. All the later Physitians do -attribute the vertue of the _Unicorn's_ horne to the _Rhinocereos_ -horn." - -Ser Marco Polo, speaking of Sumatra, or, as he called it, Java the Less, -says in that island there are numerous unicorns. "They have hair like -that of a buffalo, feet like those of an elephant, and a horn in the -middle of the forehead, which is black and very thick. They do no -mischief, however, with the horn, but with the tongue alone; for this is -covered all over with long and strong prickles, (and when savage with -any one they crush him under their knees, and then rasp him with their -tongue). The head resembles that of a wild boar, and they carry it ever -bent towards the ground. They delight much to abide in mire and mud. -'Tis a passing ugly beast to look upon, and is not in the least like -that which our stories tell us of as being caught in the lap of a -virgin; in fact, 'tis altogether different from what we fancied." - - - - -THE GULO. - - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus thus describes the Gulo or Gulon:--"Amongst all creatures -that are thought to be insatiable in the Northern parts of _Sweden_, the -_Gulo_ hath his name to be the principall; and in the vulgar tongue they -call him _Jerff_, but in the _German_ language _Vielfras_; in the -Sclavonish speech _Rossamaka_, from his much eating, and the Latin name -is _Gulo_, for he is so called from his gluttony. He is as great as a -great Dog, and his ears and face are like a Cat's: his feet and nails -are very sharp; his body is hairy, with long brown hair, his tail is -like the Foxes, but somewhat shorter, but his hair is thicker, and of -this they make brave Winter Caps. Wherefore this Creature is the most -voracious; for, when he finds a carcasse, he devours so much, that his -body, by over-much meat, is stretched like a Drum, and finding a -streight (_narrow_) passage between Trees, he presseth between them, -that he may discharge his body by violence; and being thus emptied, he -returns to the carcasse, and fills himself top full; and then he -presseth again through the same narrow passage, and goes back to the -carkasse, till he hath devoured it all; and then he hunts eagerly for -another. It is supposed he was created by nature to make men blush, who -eat and drink till they spew, and then feed again, eating day and night, -as _Mechovita_ thinks in his _Sarmatia_. The flesh of this Creature is -altogether uselesse for man's food; but his skin is very commodious and -pretious. For it is of a white brown black colour, like a damask cloth -wrought with many figures; and it shews the more beautiful, as by the -Industry of the Artist it is joyn'd with other garments in the likenesse -or colour. Princes and great men use this habit in Winter, made like -Coats; because it quickly breeds heat, and holds it long; and that not -onely in _Swethland_, and _Gothland_, but in _Germany_, where the rarity -of these skins makes them to be more esteemed, when it is prised in -ships among other Merchandise. - -"The Inhabitants are not content to let these skins be transported into -other Countries, because, in Winter, they use to entertain their more -noble guests in these skins; which is a sufficient argument that they -think nothing more comely and glorious, than to magnifie at all times, -and in all orders their good guests, and that in the most vehement cold, -when amongst other good turns they cover their beds with these skins. - -"And I do not think fit to overpasse, that when men sleep under these -skins, they have dreams that agree with the nature of that Creature, and -have an insatiable stomach, and lay snares for other Creatures, and -prevent them themselves. It may be that it is as they that eat hot -Spices, Ginger or Pepper seem to be inflamed; and they that eat Sugar -seem to be choked in water. There seems to be another secret of Nature -in it, that those who are clothed in those Skins, seem never to be -satisfied. - -"The guts of this Creatures are made into strings for Musicians, and -give a harsh sound, which the Natives take pleasure in; but these, -tempered with sweet sounding strings, will make very good Musick. Their -hoofs made like Circles, and set upon heads subject to the Vertigo, and -ringing ears, soon cure them. The Hunters drink the blood of this beast -mingled with hot water; also seasoned with the best Honey, it is drunk -at Marriages. The fat, or tallow of it, smeered on putrid Ulcers for an -ointment is a sudden cure. Charmers use the teeth of it. The hoofs, -newly taken off, will drive away Cats and Dogs, if they do but see it, -as birds fly away, if they spy but the Vultur or the Bustard. - -"By the Hunter's various Art, this Creature is taken onely in regard of -his pretious skin; and the way is this;--They carry into the wood a -fresh Carkasse; where these beasts are wont to be most commonly; -especially in the deep snows (for in Summer their skins are nothing -worth) when he smels this he falls upon it, and eats till he is forced -to crush his belly close between narrow trees, which is not without -pain; the Hunter, in the mean time, shoots, and kills him with an arrow. - -"There is another way to catch this Beast, for they set Trees, bound -asunder with small cords, and these fly up when they eat the Carkasse, -and strangle them; or else he is taken, falling into pits dug upon one -side, if the Carkasse be cast in, and he is compelled by hunger to feed -upon it. And there is hardly any other way to catch him with dogs, since -his claws are so sharp, that dogs dare not encounter with him, that -fear not to set upon the most fierce Wolves." - -Of this animal Topsell says:--"This beast was not known by the ancients, -but hath bin since discovered in the Northern parts of the world, and -because of the great voracity thereof, it is called _Gulo_, that is, a -devourer; in imitation of the Germans, who call such devouring Creatures -_Vilsruff_, and the Swedians _Cerff_, and in _Lituania_ and _Muscovia_ -it is called _Rossomokal_. It is thought to be engendered by a _Hyaena_ -and a _Lionesse_, for in quality it resembleth a _Hyaena_, and it is the -same which is called _Crocuta_: it is a devouring and unprofitable -creature having sharper teeth than other creatures. Some thinke it is -derived from a wolf and a dog, for it is about the bignesse of a dog. It -hath the face of a Cat, the body and taile of a Foxe; being black of -colour; his feet and nailes be most sharp, his skin rusty, the haire -very sharp, and it feedeth upon dead carkases." - -He then describes its manner of feeding, evidently almost literally -copying Olaus Magnus, and thus continues:--"There are of these beastes -two kindes, distinguished by coulour, one blacke, and the other like a -Wolfe: they seldom kill a man or any live beastes, but feede upon -carrion and dead carkasses, as is before saide, yet, sometimes, when -they are hungry, they prey upon beastes, as horses and such like, and -then they subtlely ascend up into a tree, and when they see a beast -under the same, they leape downe upon him and destroy him. A Beare is -afraide to meete them, and unable to match them, by reason of their -sharpe teeth. - -"This beast is tamed, and nourished, in the courts of Princes, for no -other cause than for an example of incredible voracitie. When he hath -filled his belly, if he can find no trees growing so neare another, as -by sliding betwixte them, hee may expell his excrements, then taketh he -an Alder-tree, and with his forefeete rendeth the same asunder, and -passeth through the middest of it, for the cause aforesaid. When they -are wilde, men kill them with bowes and guns, for no other cause than -for their skins, which are pretious and profitable, for they are white -spotted, changeably interlined like divers flowers, for which cause the -greatest princes, and richest nobles use them in garments in the Winter -time; such are the Kings of _Polonia_, _Swede-land_, _Goat-land_, and -the princes of _Germany_. Neither is there any skinne which will sooner -take a colour, or more constantly retaine it. The outward appearance of -the saide skinne is like to a damaskt garment, and besides this outward -parte there is no other memorable thing woorthy observation in this -ravenous beast, and therefore, in _Germany_, it is called a foure-footed -Vulture." - -As a matter of fact, the Glutton or Wolverine, which is not unlike a -small bear, can consume (while in confinement) thirteen pounds of meat -in a day. In its wild state, if the animal it has killed is too large -for present consumption, it carries away the surplus, and stores it up -in a secure hiding-place, for future eating. - - - - -THE BEAR. - - -As Pliny not only uses all Aristotle's matter anent Bears, but puts it -in a consecutive, and more readable form, it is better to transcribe his -version than that of the older author. - -"Bears couple in the beginning of winter. The female then retires by -herself to a separate den, and then brings forth, on the thirtieth day, -mostly five young ones. When first born, they are shapeless masses of -white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being -prominent. The mother then licks them into proper shape.[34] The male -remains in his retreat for forty days, the female four months. If they -happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and -shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain, and is lined with soft -leaves. During the first fourteen days they are overcome by so deep a -sleep, that they cannot be aroused by wounds even. They become -wonderfully fat, too, while in this lethargic state. This fat is much -used in medicine, and it is very useful in preventing the hair from -falling off.[35] At the end of these fourteen days they sit up, and find -nourishment by sucking their fore paws. They warm their cubs, when cold, -by pressing them to the breast, not unlike the way in which birds brood -over their eggs. It is a very astonishing thing, but Theophrastus -believes it, that if we preserve the flesh of the bear, the animal being -killed in its dormant state, it will increase in bulk, even though it -may have been cooked. During this period no signs of food are to be -found in the stomach of the animal, and only a very slight quantity of -liquid; there are a few drops of blood only, near the heart, but none -whatever in any other part of the body. They leave their retreat in the -spring, the males being remarkably fat; of this circumstance, however, -we cannot give any satisfactory explanation, for the sleep, during which -they increase so much in bulk, lasts, as we have already stated, only -fourteen days. When they come out, they eat a certain plant, which is -known as _Aros_, in order to relax the bowels, which would otherwise -become in a state of constipation; and they sharpen the edges of their -teeth against the young shoots of the trees. - -"Their eyesight is dull, for which reason in especial, they seek the -combs of bees, in order that from the bees stinging them in the throat, -and drawing blood, the oppression in the head may be relieved. The head -of the bear is extremely weak, whereas, in the lion, it is remarkable -for its strength: on which account it is, that when the bear, impelled -by any alarm, is about to precipitate itself from a rock, it covers its -head with its paws. In the arena of the Circus they are often to be seen -killed by a blow on the head with the fist. The people of Spain have a -belief, that there is some kind of magical poison in the brain of the -bear, and therefore burn the heads of those that have keen killed in -their public games; for it is averred, that the brain, when mixed with -drink, produces, in man, the rage of the bear. - -"These animals walk on two feet, and climb trees backwards. They can -overcome the bull, by suspending themselves, by all four legs, from his -muzzle and horns, thus wearing out its powers by their weight. In no -other animal is stupidity found more adroit in devising mischief." - -Olaus Magnus, in writing about bears, gives precedence to the white, or -Arctic bear, and gives an insight into the religious life of the old -Norsemen, who, when converted, thought their most precious things none -too good for the "Church." If we consider the risk run in obtaining a -white bear's skin, and the privations and cold endured in getting it, we -may look upon it as a Norse treasure. "Silver and Gold have I none; but -such as I have, give I unto thee." He gives a short, but truthful -account of their habits, and winds up his all too brief narration -thus:--"These white Bear Skins are wont to be offered by the Hunters, -for the high Altars of Cathedrals, or Parochial Churches, that the -Priest celebrating Mass standing, may not take cold of his feet, when -the Weather is extream cold. In the Church at _Nidrosum_, which is the -Metropolis of the Kingdom of _Norway_, every year such white Skins are -found, that are faithfully offered by the Hunters Devotion, whensoever -they take them, and Wolves-Skins to buy Wax-Lights, and to burn them in -honour of the Saints." - -Olaus Magnus is very veracious in his dealings with White Bears, but he -morally retrogrades when he touches upon the Black and Brown Bears. The -illustrations of this portion of Olaus Magnus are exceedingly graphic. -In treating of the cunning used in killing bears, he says:--"In killing -black and cruel Bears in the Northern Kingdoms, they use this way, -namely, that when, in Autumn the Bear feeds on certain red ripe Fruit -(_Query Cranberries_) on trees that grow in Clusters like Grapes, either -going up into the Trees, or standing on the ground, and pulling down the -Trees, the cunning Hunter, with broad Arrows from a Crosse-bow shoots -at him, and these pierce deep; and he is so suddenly moved with this -fright, and wound received, that he presently voids backward all the -Fruit he ate, as Hailstones; and presently runs upon an Image of a man -made of wood, that is set purposely before him, and rends and tears -that, till another Arrow hit him, that gives him his death's wound, shot -by the Hunter that hides himself behind some Stone or Tree. For when he -hath a wound, he runs furiously, at the sight of his blood, against all -things in his way, and especially the Shee-Bear, when she suckleth her -Whelps. - -[Illustration] - -"The Bears watch diligently for the passing of Deer; and chiefly, the -Shee-Bear when she hath brought forth her Whelps; who not so much for -Hunger, as for fearing of losing her Whelps, is wont to fall cruelly -upon all she meets. For, she being provoked by any violence, far exceeds -the force of the He-Bear, and Craft, that she may revenge the loss of -her Young. For she lyes hid amongst the thick boughs of Trees, and -young Shoots; and if a Deer, trusting to the glory of his horns, or -quick smell, or swift running, come too neare that place unawares, she -suddenly falls out upon him to kill him; and if he first defend himself -with his horns, yet he is so tired with the knots and weight of them, -being driven by the rage of the Bear, that he is beaten to the ground, -that losing force and life, he falls down a prey to be devoured. Then -she will set upon the Bull with his horns, using the same subtilty, and -casts herself upon his back; and when the Bull strives with his horns to -cast off the Bear, and to defend himself, she fasteneth on his horns and -shoulders with her paws, till, weary of the weight he falls down dead. -Then laying the Bull on his back like a Wallet, she goes on two feet -into the secret places of the Woods to feed upon him. But when, in -Winter she is hunted, she is betrayed by Dogs, or by the prints of her -feet in the Snow, and can hardly escape from the Hunters that run about -her from all sides." - -[Illustration] - -Magnus then retails the usual fables about bears licking their young -into shape, their building houses, &c., &c., after which he discourses -about the bear and hedgehog, a story which has nothing to do with the -picture. It is described as "the Battail between the Hedge-Hog, and the -Bear." - -[Illustration] - -"Though the _Urchin_ have sharp pointed prickles, whereby he gathereth -Apples to feed on, and these he hides in hollow Trees, molesting the -_Bear_ in his Den: yet is he oppressed by the cunning and weight of the -_Bear_: namely when the Urchin roles himself up round as a ball, that -there is nothing but his prickles to come at: yet with this means he -cannot prevail against the _Bear_, which opens him, to revenge the wrong -he did her in violating her Lodging. Nor can the _Bear_ eat the -_Hedge-Hog_, it is such miserable poor and prickly meat. Wherefore -returning again into his Cave, he sleeps, and grows fat, living by -sucking his paw. - -"The _Bears_ also fight against the _Bores_, but seldome get the -victory, because they can better defend themselves with their Tusks, -than the _Bull_ or the _Deer_ can by their Horns, or running swiftly. -The strong _Horses_ keep off the _Bears_ with their biting and kicking, -from the _Mares_ that are great with _Foals_. Young _Colts_ save -themselves by running, but they will always hold this fear, and so -become unprofitable for the Wars. Wherefore they use this stratagem: -some Souldier puts on a Bear's skin, and meets them, by reason that they -are horses that the Bears have hunted." - -[Illustration] - -The Northern Bears seem to have been wonderful creatures, for they used -to go mad after eating Mandragora, and then they were in the habit of -making a meal off ants, by way of recovering their sanity. They were -then, as now, noted for their love of honey, and this illustration -depicts them as coming out of, and going into the ground after bees and -honey; nay, it would seem as if they even invaded the barrels put up in -the trees to serve as hives. But man was more cunning than they, and a -good bear-skin in those cold regions, had a value far exceeding honey. - -"Since that in the Northern Countries, especially _Podolia_, _Russia_, -and places adjacent, because of the great multitude of Bees, the Hives -at home will not contain them, the Inhabitants willingly let them fly -unto hollow Trees, made so by Nature, or by Art, that they may increase -there. Wherefore mortal stratagems are thus prepared for Bears, that use -to steal honey (for they having a most weak head, as a Lion hath the -strongest, for sometimes they will be killed with a blow under their -ear); namely a Woodden Club set round with Iron points is hung over the -hole the Bees come forth of, from some high bough, or otherwise; and -this, being cast upon the head of the greedy Bear that is going to steal -the honey, kills him striving against it; so he loseth his life, flesh, -and skin to the Master, for a little honey. Their flesh is salted up -like Hog's flesh, Stag's flesh, Elk's, or Ranged deer's flesh, to eat in -Camps, and the Tallow of them is good to cure any wounds." - -[Illustration] - -Every one of my readers, who is not a Scotsman, will appreciate the -delicate musical taste of the bear, in the matter of bagpipes--Bruin -cannot stand the skirling, and, in the illustration, seems to be -remonstrating with the piper. - -"It is well enough known that Bears, Dolphins, Stags, Sheep, Calves and -Lambs, are much delighted with Musick: and, again, they are to be driven -from their Heards by some harsh sounding Pipes, or Horns, that when they -hear the sound they will be gone into the Woods, a great way off. Now -the Shepheards of the Cattel know this well enough: they will play upon -their two horned Pipes continually, which sometimes are taken away by -Bears, until such time as the Bear is forced by Hunger to go away to get -his food. Wherefore they take a Goat's Horn, and sometimes a Cow's Horn, -and make such a horrid noise, that they scare the wild beasts, and so -return safe to their dispersed flocks. This two horned Pipe, which in -their tongue they call _Seec-Pipe_, they carry to the fields with them, -for they have learned by use, that their Flocks and Heards will feed the -better and closer together. - -[Illustration] - -"The _Russians_ and _Lithuanians_ are more near to the Swedes and Goths -on the Eastern parts: and these hold it a singular delight, to have -always the most cruel Beasts bred up tame with them, and made obedient -to their commands in all things. Wherefore to do this the Sooner, they -keep them in Caves, or tyed with Chains, chiefly Bears newly taken in -the Woods, and half starve them; and they appoint one or two Masters, -cloathed one like the other, to carry Victuals to them, that they may be -accustomed to play with them, and handle them when they are loose. Also -they play on Pipes sweetly, and with this they are much taken: and thus -they use them to sport and dance, and then, when the Pipes sound -differently, they are taught to lift up their legs, as by a more sharp -sign, to end the Dance with, that they may go on their hinder feet, with -a Cap in their fore feet, held out to the Women and Maids, and others -that saw them dance, and ask a reward for their dancing; and, if it is -not given freely, they will murmure, as they are directed by their -Master, and will nod their heads, as desiring them to give more money: -So the Master of these Bears, that cannot speak the language of other -countries, will get a good gain by his dumb Beast. Nor doth this seem to -be done onely because that these should live by this small gain; for the -Bearherds that lead these Bears, are, at least, ten or twelve lusty men; -and in their company, sometimes, there go Noblemen's sons, that they may -learn the manners, fashions, and distances of places, the Military Arts, -and Concord of Princes, by these merry Pastimes. But since they were -found, in _Germany_, to spoil Travellers, and to cast them to their -Bears to eat, most strict Laws are made against them, that they may -never come there again. - -"There is another Sport, when Bears taken, are put into a Ship, and shew -merry pastimes in going up and down the Ropes, and sometimes are -profitable for some unexpected accident. For Histories of the -Provincials mention, that it hapned, that one was thus freed from a -Pirate that was like to set upon him; for the Pirate coming on, was -frighted at it, when he saw afar off, men, as he supposed, going up and -down the Ropes, from the Top Mast, as the manner is to defend the Ship. -Whereas they were but young Bears, playing on the Ropes. But the most -pleasant sight of all is, that when the Bears look out of the Ship into -the Waters, a great number of Sea Calves will come and gaze upon them, -that you would think an innumerable Company of Hogs swam about the Ship, -and they are caught by the Sea men with long Spears, with Hooks, and a -Cord tyed to them; and so are also the other Beasts, that come to help -the Sea Calves, taken, and crying like to Hogs. Also the Bears are let -down to swim, that they may catch these wandering Sea-Calves, or else, -when it thunders, and the weather is tempestuous, they be taken above -Water. - -[Illustration] - -"But that tame Bears may not onely be kept unprofitably to feed, and -make sport, they are set to the Wheels in the Courts of great men, that -they may draw up Water out of deep Wells; and that in huge Vessels made -for this purpose, and they do not help alone this Way, but they are set -to draw great Waggons, for they are very strong in their Legs, Claws, -and Loins; nor is it unfit to make them go upright, and carry burdens of -Wood, and such like, to the place appointed, or they stand at great -men's doors, to keep out other hurtful Creatures. When they are young, -they will play wonderfully with Boys, and do them no hurt." - -Topsell goes through the usual stories of bears licking their cubs into -shape, and subsisting by sucking their claws--but he also affords us -much information about bears, which we do not find in modern Natural -Histories:--"At what time they come abroad, being in the beginning of -May, which is the third moneth from the Spring. The old ones being -almost dazled with long darknes, comming into light againe, seeme to -stagger and reele too and fro, and then for the straightnesse of their -guts, by reason of their long fasting, doe eat the herbe _Arum_, called -in English _Wake-Robbin_, or _Calves-foot_, being of very sharpe and -tart taste, which enlargeth their guts, and so, being recovered, they -remaine all the time their young are with them, more fierce, and cruell -than at other times. And concerning the same _Arum_, called also -_Dracunculus_, and _Oryx_, there is a pleasant vulgar tale, whereby some -have conceived that Beares eat this herbe before their lying secret, and -by vertue thereof (without meat, or sence of cold) they passe away the -whole winter in sleepe. - -"There was a certaine cow-heard, in the Mountains of _Helvetia_, which, -comming downe a hill, with a great caldron on his backe, he saw a beare -eating a root which he had pulled up with his feet; the cowheard stood -still till the beare was gone, and afterward came to the place where the -beast had eaten the same, and, finding more of the same roote, did -likewise eat it; he had no sooner tasted thereof, but he had such a -desire to sleepe, that hee could not containe himselfe, but he must -needs lie down in the way, and there fell a sleep, having covered his -heade with the caldron, to keep himself from the vehemency of the colde, -and there slept all the Winter time without harme, and never rose againe -till the spring time; which fable if a man will beleeve, then, -doubtlesse, this hearbe may cause the Beares to be sleepers, not for -fourteene dayes, but for fourscore dayes together. - -"The ordinary food of Beares is fish; for the Water beare, and others -will eate fruites, Apples, Grapes, Leaves, and Pease, and will breake -into bee hives sucking out the honey; likewise Bees, Snayles and Emmets, -and flesh, if it bee leane, or ready to putrifie; but, if a Beare doe -chance to kill a swine, or a Bull, or Sheepe, he eateth them presentlie, -whereas other beasts eate not hearbes, if they eate flesh: likewise they -drinke water, but not like other beastes, neither sucking it, or lapping -it, but as it were, even bitinge at it. - -"They are exceeding full of fat or Larde-greace, which some use -superstitiouslie beaten with oile, wherewith they anoint their -grape-sickles when they go to vintage, perswading themselves that if no -bodie knows thereof, their tender vine braunches shall never be consumed -by catterpillers. - -"Others attribute this to the vertue of Beare's blood, and -_Theophrastus_ affirmeth, that if beare's grease be kept in a vessell, -at such time as the beares lie secret, it will either fill it up, or -cause it to runne over. The flesh of beares is unfit for meate, yet some -use to eate it, after it hath been twice sodden; other eat it baked in -pasties, but the truth is, it is better for medicine than food. -_Theophrastus_ likewise affirmeth, that at the time when beares lie -secret, their dead flesh encreaseth, which is kept in houses, but -beare's fore feet are held for a verie delicate and well tasted foode, -full of sweetnes, and much used by the German Princes. - -"And because of the fiercenesse of this beast, they are seldome taken -alive, except they be very young, so that some are killed in the -Mountaines by Poyson, the Country being so steepe and rocky that hunters -cannot followe them; some taken in ditches of the earth and other -ginnes. _Oppianus_ relateth that neare _Tygris_ and _Armenia_, the -inhabitauntes use this Stratigem to take Beares. - -"The people go often to the Wooddes to find the Denne of the Beare, -following a leam hound, whose nature is, so soone as he windeth the -beast, to barke, whereby his leader discovereth the prey, and so draweth -off the hounde with the leame; then come the people in great multitude, -and compasse him about with long nets, placing certaine men at each end: -then tie they a long rope to one side of the net, as high from the -ground, as the small of a Man's belly; whereunto are fastned divers -plumes and feathers of vultures, swannes, and other resplendant coloured -birdes, which, with the wind make a noise or hissing, turning over and -glistering; on the other side of the net they build foure little hovels -of greene boughes, wherein they lay foure men covered all over with -greene leaves; then, all being prepared, they sound their Trumpets, and -wind their horns; at the noise whereof the beare ariseth, and in his -fearefull rage runneth too and fro as if he sawe fire: the young men, -armed, make unto him, the beare, looking round about, taketh the -plainest way toward the rope hung full of feathers, which, being -stirred, and haled by those that holde it, maketh the beare much affraid -with the ratling and hissing thereof, and so flying from that side halfe -mad, runneth into the nets, where the keepers entrap him so cunningly, -that he seldome escapeth. - -"When a Beare is set upon by an armed man, he standeth upright, and -taketh the man betwixt his forefeet, but he, being covered all over with -yron plates can receive no harm, and then may easily, with a sharpe -knife or dagger pierce thorough the heart of the beast. - -"If a shee beare having young ones be hunted, shee driveth her Whelpes -before her, untill they be wearied, and then, if she be not prevented, -she climbeth uppon a tree, carrying one of her young in her mouth, and -the other on her backe. A Beare will not willingly fight with a man, -but, being hurt by a man, he gnasheth his teeth, and licketh his -forefeete, and it is reported by an Ambassador of _Poland_, that when -the _Sarmatians_ finde a beare, they inclose the whole Wood by a -multitude of people standing not above a cubit one from another; then -cut they downe the outmost trees, so that they raise a Wall of wood to -hemme in the Beares; this being effected, they raise the Beare, having -certaine forkes in their hands, made for that purpose, and, when the -Beare approacheth, they, (with those forkes) fall upon him, one keeping -his head, another one leg, other his body, and so, with force, muzzle -him and tie his legges, leading him away. The Rhaetians use this policy -to take Wolves and Beares; they raise up great posts, and crosse them -with a long beame laded with heavy weightes, unto the which beame they -fasten a corde with meat therein, whereunto the beast comming, and -biting at the meat, pulleth downe the beame upon her owne pate. - -"The inhabitants of _Helvetia_ hunt them with mastiffe Dogges, because -they should not kill their cattell left at large in the fielde in the -day time; They likewise shoote them with gunnes, giving a good summe of -money to them that can bring them a slaine beare. The _Sarmatians_ use -to take Beares by this sleight; under those trees wherein bees breed, -they plant a great many of sharpe pointed stakes, putting one hard into -the hole wherein the bees go in and out, whereunto the Beare climbing, -and comming to pull it forth, to the end that she may come to the hony, -and being angry that the stake sticketh so fast in the hole, with -violence plucketh it foorth with both her fore feet, whereby she looseth -her holde, and falleth downe upon the picked stakes, whereupon she -dieth, if they that watch for her come not to take her off. There was -reported by _Demetrius_, Ambassador at _Rome_, from the King of _Musco_, -that a neighbor of his, going to seek hony, fell into a hollow tree, up -to the brest in hony, where he lay two days, being not heard by any man -to complain; at length came a great Beare to this hony, and, putting his -head into the tree, the poore man tooke hold thereof, whereat, the -Beare, suddenly affrighted, drew the man out of that deadly danger, and -so ranne away for feare of a worse creature. - -"But, if there be no tree wherein Bees doe breed neere to the place -where the Beare abideth, then they use to annoint some hollow place of a -tree with hony, whereinto Bees will enter and make hony combes, and when -the Beare findeth them, she is killed as aforesaide. In _Norway_ they -use to saw the tree almost asunder, so that when the beast climbeth it, -she falleth downe upon piked stakes laid underneath to kill her; and -some make a hollow place in a tree, wherein they put a great pot of -water, having annointed it with hony, at the bottome wherof are fastened -certaine hookes bending downeward, leaving an easie passage for the -beare to thrust in her head to get the honie, but impossible to pull it -foorth againe alone, because the hookes take holde on her skinne; this -pot they binde fast to a tree, whereby the Beare is taken alive and -blinde folded, and though her strength breake the corde or chaine -wherewith the pot is fastened, yet can shee not escape or hurt any bodie -in the taking, by reason her head is fastened in the pot. - -"To conclude, other make ditches or pits under Apple trees, laying upon -their mouth rotten stickes, which they cover with earth, and strawe -uppon it herbes, and when the beare commeth to the Apple tree, she -falleth into the pit and is taken. - -"The herbe _Wolfebaine_ or _Liberdine_ is poison to Foxes, Wolves, Dogs, -and Beares, and to all beasts that are littered blind, as the _Alpine -Rhaetians_ affirme. There is one kinde of this called _Cyclamine_, which -the _Valdensians_ call _Tora_, and with the juice thereof they poison -their darts, whereof I have credibly received this story; That a certain -_Valdensian_, seeing a wilde beare, having a dart poysond heerewith, did -cast it at the beare, being farre from him, and lightly wounded her, it -being no sooner done, but the beare ran to and fro in a wonderful -perplexitie through the woods, unto a verie sharpe cliffe of a rocke, -where the man saw her draw her last breath, as soon as the poison -entered to her hart, as he afterward found by opening of her bodie. The -like is reported of henbane, another herb. But there is a certaine -blacke fish in _Armenia_ full of poison, with the pouder whereof they -poison figs, and cast them in those places where wilde beastes are most -plentifull, which they eat, and so are killed. - -"Concerning the industrie or naturall disposition of a beare, it is -certaine that they are very hardlie tamed, and not to be trusted though -they seeme never so tame; for which cause there is a storie of _Diana_ -in _Lysias_, that there was a certaine beare made so tame, that it went -uppe and downe among men, and woulde feede with them, taking meat at -their handes, giving no occasion to feare or mistrust her cruelty; on a -daye, a young mayde playing with the Beare, lasciviously did so provoke -it, that he tore her in pieces; the Virgin's brethren seeing the -murther, with their Dartes slew the Beare, whereupon followed a great -pestilence through all that region: and when they consulted with the -Oracle, the paynim God gave answeare, that the plague could not cease -untill they dedicated some virginnes unto _Diana_ for the Beare's sake -that was slaine; which, some interpreting that they should sacrifice -them, _Embarus_, upon condition the priesthoode might remaine in his -family, slewe his onely daughter to end the pestilence, and for this -cause the virgins were after dedicated to _Diana_ before their marriage, -when they were betwixt ten and fifteene yeare olde, which was performed -in the moneth of _January_, otherwise they could not be married: yet -beares are tamed for labours, and especially for sports among the -_Roxalani_ and _Libians_, being taught to draw water with wheeles out of -the deepest wels; likewise stones upon sleds, to the building of wals. - -"A prince of _Lituania_ nourished a Beare very tenderly, feeding her -from his table with his owne hand, for he had used her to be familiar in -his court, and to come into his owne chamber, when he listed, so that -she would goe abroad into the fields and woods, returning home againe of -her owne accord, and with her hand or foote rub the Kinge's chamber -doore to have it opened, when she was hungry, it being locked. It -happened that certaine young Noble men conspired the death of this -Prince, and came to his chamber doore, rubbing it after the custome of -the beare, the King not doubting any evill, and supposing it had bene -his beare, opened the doore, and they presently slewe him.... - -"There are many naturall operations in Beares. _Pliny_ reporteth, that, -if a woman bee in sore travaile of child-birth, let a stone, or arrow, -which hath killed a man, a beare, or a bore, be throwne over the house -wherein the Woman is, and she shall be eased of her paine. There is a -small worme called _Volvox_, which eateth the vine branches when they -are young, but if the vine-sickles be annointed with Beare's blood, that -worme will never hurt them. If the blood or greace of a Beare be set -under a bed, it will draw unto it all the fleas, and so kill them by -cleaving thereunto. But the vertues medicinall are very many; and first -of all, the blood cureth all manner of bunches and apostems in the -flesh, and bringeth haire upon the eyelids if the bare place be -annointed therewith. - -"The fat of a Lyon is most hot and dry, and next to a Lyon's a -Leopard's; next to a Leopard's a Beare's; and next to a Beare's, a -Bul's. The later Physitians use it to cure convulsed and distracted -parts, spots, and tumors in the body. It also helpeth the paine of the -loins, if the sicke part be annointed therewith, and all ulcers in the -legges or shinnes, when a plaister is made thereof with bole armoricke. -Also the ulcers of the feet, mingled with allome. It is soveraigne -against the falling of the haire, compounded with wilde roses. The -Spaniards burne the braines of beares, when they die in any publicke -sports, holding them venemous; because, being drunke, they drive a man -to be as mad as a beare; and the like is reported of the heart of a -Lyon, and the braine of a Cat. The right eie of a beare dried to pouder, -and hung about children's neckes in a little bag, driveth away the -terrour of dreames, and both the eyes whole, bound to a man's left arme, -easeth a quartan ague. - -"The liver of a sow, a lamb, and a bear put togither, and trod to pouder -under one's shoos, easeth and defendeth cripples from inflamation: the -gall being preserved and warmed in water, delivereth the bodie from -Colde, when all other medicine faileth. Some give it, mixt with Water, -to them that are bitten with a mad Dogge, holding it for a singular -remedie, if the party can fast three daies before. It is also given -against the palsie, the king's evill, the falling sickenesse, an old -cough, the inflamation of the eies, the running of the eares, delevery -in child birth, the Haemorrhods, the weaknes of the backe, and the -palsie: and that women may go their full time, they make ammulets of -Bear's nails, and cause them to weare them all the time they are with -Child." - - - - -THE FOX. - - -By Englishmen, the Fox has been raised to the height of at least a -demigod--and his cult is a serious matter attended with great minutiae of -ritual. Englishmen and Foxes cannot live together, but they live for one -another, the man to hunt the fox, the fox to be hunted. If there be a -fox anywhere, even in the Campagna at Rome, and there are sufficient -Englishmen to get up a scratch pack of hounds, there must "bold Reynard" -be tortured with fear and exertion, only, in all probability, to die a -cruel death in the end. In the Peninsular War, a pack of foxhounds -accompanied the army; in India, failing foxes, they take the nearest -substitute, the jackal; and in Australia, _faute de mieux_, they hunt -the Dingo, or native dog. No properly constituted Englishman could ever -compass the death of a poor fox, otherwise than by hunting. The -Vulpecide--in any other manner--is, in an English county, a social -leper--he is a thing _anathema_. Running away with a neighbour's wife -may be condoned by county society, at least, among the men, but with -them the man that shoots foxes is a very pariah, and it were good for -that man had he never been born. - -Every other nation, even from historic antiquity, has reckoned the Fox -as among the ordinary _ferae naturae_, to be killed, when met with, for -the sake only of his skin, for his flesh is not toothsome: and when he -arrives at the dignity of a silver or a black fox, his fur enwraps royal -personages, as being of extreme value. - -The Fox is noted everywhere for its "_craftiness_," and was so famed -long before the epic of Reineke Fuchs was evolved, and, indeed, this may -be said to be its principal attribute. Many are the stories told by -country firesides of his stratagems, both in plundering and in his -endeavours to escape from his enemies. Indeed, no country ought to be -able to compare in Fox lore with our own. Its sagacity, cunning, or call -it what you like, dates far back. Pliny tells us that "in Thrace, when -all parts are covered with ice, the foxes are consulted, an animal, -which, in other respects, is baneful from its Craftiness. It has been -observed, that this animal applies its ear to the ice, for the purpose -of testing its thickness; hence it is, that the inhabitants will never -cross frozen rivers and lakes, until the foxes have passed over them and -returned." - -The Fox is most abundant in the northern parts of Europe, and therefore -we hear more about him from the pages of Olaus Magnus, Gessner, and -Topsell. - -[Illustration] - -The former says:--"When the fox is pressed with hunger, Cold and Snow, -and he comes near men's houses, he will bark like a dog, that house -creatures may come nearer to him with more confidence. Also, he will -faign himself dead, and lie on his back, drawing in his breath, and -lolling out his tongue. The birds coming down, unawares, to feed on the -carkasse, are snapt up by him, with open mouth. Moreover, when he is -hungry, and finds nothing to eat, he rolls himself in red earth, that he -may appear bloody; and, casting himself on the earth, he holds his -breath, and when the birds see that he breaths not, and that his tongue -hangs forth of his mouth, they think he is dead; but so soon as they -descend, he draws them to him and devours them. - -"Again, when he sees that he cannot conquer the Urchin, for his -prickles, he lays him on his back, and so rends the soft part of his -body. Sometimes fearing the multitude of wasps, he counterfeits and -hides himself, his tail hanging out: and when he sees that they are all -busie, and entangled in his thick tail, he comes forth, and rubs them -against a stone or Tree, and kills them and eats them. The same trick, -almost, he useth, when he lyes in wait for crabs and small fish, running -about the bank, and he lets down his tail into the water, they admire at -it, and run to it, and are taken in his fur, and pull'd out. Moreover, -when he hath fleas, he makes a little bundle of soft hay wrapt in hair, -and holds it in his mouth; then he goes by degrees into the water, -beginning with his tail, that the fleas fearing the water, will run up -all his body till they come at his head: then he dips in his head, that -they may leap into the hay; when this is done, he leaves the hay in the -water, and swims forth. - -"But when he is hungry, he will counterfeit to play with the Hare, which -he presently catcheth and devoureth, unlesse the Hare escape by flight, -as he often doth. Sometimes he also escapes from the dogs by barking, -faigning himself to be a dog, but more surely when he hangs by a bough, -and makes the dogs hunt in vain to find his footing. He is also wont to -deceive the Hunter and his dogs, when he runs among a herd of Goats, and -goes for one of them, leaping upon the Goat's back, that he may sooner -escape by the running of the Goat, by reason of the hatefull Rider on -his back. The other Goats follow, which the Hunter fearing to molest, -calls off his Dogs that many be not killed. - -"If he be taken in a string, he will sometime bite off his own foot, and -so get away. But, if there be no way open he will faign himself dead, -that being taken out of the snare, he may run away. Moreover, when a dog -runs after him, and overtakes him, and would bite him, he draws his -bristly tail through the dog's mouth, and so he deludes the dog till he -can get into the lurking places of the Woods. I saw also in the Rocks of -_Norway_ a Fox with a huge tail, who brought many Crabs out of the -water, and then he ate them. And that is no rare sight, when as no fish -like Crabs will stick to a bristly thing let down into the water, and to -dry fish, laid on the rocks to dry. They that are troubled with the -Gowt, are cured by laying the warm skin of this beast about the part, -and binding it on. The fat, also, of the same creature, laid smeered -upon the ears or lims of a gowty person, heals him; his fat is good for -all torments of the guts, and for all pains, his brain often given to a -child will preserve it ever from the Falling-sicknesse. These and -such-like simple medicaments the North Country people observe." - -A portion of the above receives a curious corroboration from Mr. P. -Robinson in his book, _The Poets' Beasts_. Speaking of the Lynx, he -says:--"But it is not, as is supposed, 'untamable.' The Gaekwar of Baroda -has a regular pack of trained lynxes, for stalking and hunting pea-fowl, -and other kinds of birds. I have, myself, seen a tame lynx that had been -taught to catch crows--no simple feat--and its strategy was as diverting -as its agility amazing. It would lie down with the end of a string in -its mouth, the other end being fast to a stake, and pretend to be -asleep, dead asleep, drunk, chloroformed, anything you like that means -profound and gross slumber. A foot or so off would be lying a piece of -meat, or a bone. - -"The crows would very soon discover the bone, and collecting round in a -circle, would discuss the probabilities of the lynx only shamming, and -the chances of stealing his dinner. The animal would take no notice -whatever, but lie there looking so limp and dead, that at last one crow -would make so bold as to come forward. The others let it do so alone, -knowing that afterwards there would be a free fight for the plunder, and -the thief, probably, not enjoy it, after all. So the delegate would -advance with all the caution of a crow--and nothing exceeds it--until -within seizing distance. There it would stop, flirt its wings nervously, -stoop, take a last long look at the lynx to make sure that it really -_was_ asleep, and then dart like lightning at the bone. But, if the crow -was as quick as lightning, the lynx was as swift as thought, and lo! the -next instant there was the beast sitting up with the bird in its -mouth!... - -"Next time it had to practise a completely different manoeuvre. The same -crows are not to be 'humbugged' a second time by a repetition of the -being-dead trick. So the lynx, when a sufficient number of the birds had -assembled, would take the string in its mouth, and run round and round -the stake, at the extreme limit of its tether, as if it were tied. The -crows, after their impudent fashion, would close in. They thought they -knew the exact circumference of the animal's circle, and getting as -close to the dangerous line as possible, without actually transgressing -it, would mock and abuse the supposed betethered brute. But all of a -sudden, the circling lynx would fly out at a tangent, right into the -thick of his black tormentors, and, as a rule, bag a brace, right and -left." - -Topsell gives some curious particulars of the Fox, and, speaking of -their earths, he says:--"These dens have many caves in them, and -passages in and out, that when the Terrars shall set upon him in the -earth, he may go forth some other way, and forasmuch as the Wolfe is an -enemy to the Foxe, he layeth in the mouth of his den, an Herbe (called -Sea-onyon) which is so contrary to the nature of a Wolfe, and he so -greatly terrified therewith, that hee will never come neere the place -where it groweth, or lyeth; the same is affirmed of the Turtle to save -her young ones, but I have not read that Wolves will prey upon Turtles, -and therefore we reject that as a fable.... If a Foxe eat any meat -wherein are bitter Almondes, they die thereof, if they drinke not -presently: and the same thing do Aloes in their meate worke uppon them, -as _Scaliger_ affirmeth upon his owne sighte or knowledge. _Apocynon_ or -Bear-foot given to dogs, wolves, Foxes, and all other beasts which are -littered blind, in fat, or any other meat, killeth them, if vomit helpe -them not, which falleth out very seldome, and the seeds of this hearbe -have the same operation. It is reported by _Democritus_, that, if wilde -rue be secretly hunge under a Hen's wing, no Fox will meddle with her, -and the same writer also declareth for approoved, that, if you mingle -the gal of a Fox, or a Cat, with their ordinary foode, they shall -remaine free from the danger of these beasts. - -"The medicinall uses of this beast are these: first, (as _Pliny_, and -_Marcellus_ affirme) a Fox sod in water until nothing of the Foxe be -left whole except the bones, and the Legges, or other parts of a gouty -body, washed, and daily bathed therein, it shall drive away all paine -and griefe strengthening the defective and weake members; so also it -cureth all the shrinking up and paines in the sinnewes: and _Galen_ -attributeth the same vertue to an _Hyaena_ sod in Oyle, and the lame -person bathed therein, for it hath such power to evacuate and draw forth -whatsoever evill humour aboundeth in the body of man, that it leaveth -nothing hurtfull behinde. - -"Neverthelesse, such bodies are soon againe replenished through evill -dyet, and relapsed into the same disease againe. The Fox may be boyled -in fresh or salt water with annise and time, and with his skin on whole, -and not slit, or else his head cut off, there being added to the -decoction two pintes of oyle. - -"The flesh of a Foxe sod and layed to afore bitten by a Sea hare, it -cureth and healeth the same. The Foxe's skinne is profitable against all -moyste fluxes in the skinne of the body, and also the gowt, and cold in -the sinnewes. The ashes of Foxe's flesh burnt and drunk in wine, is -profitable against the shortnesse of breath and stoppings of the liver. - -"The blood of a Foxe dissected, and taken forth of his urine alive, and -so drunk, breaketh the stone in the bladder, or else (as _Myrepsus_ -saieth) kill the Foxe, and take the blood, and drink a Cupfull thereof, -and afterward with the same wash the parts, and, within an houre the -stone shall be voyded: the same vertue is in it being dryed and drunke -in wine with sugar. - -"_Oxycraton_ and Foxes blood infused into the Nostrils of a lethargick -Horsse, cureth him. The fat is next to a Bul's and a Swine's, so that -the fat or larde of Swine may be used for the fat of Foxes, and the fat -of Foxes for the Swines grease in medicine. Some do herewith annoynte -the places which have the Crampe, and all trembling and shaking -members. The fatte of a Foxe and a Drake enclosed in the belly of a -Goose, and so rosted, with the dripping that commeth from it, they -annoynt paralyticke members. - -"The same, with powder of Vine twigs mollified and sod in lye, -attenuateth, and bringeth downe, all swelling tumours of the flesh. The -fat alone healeth the _Alopecias_ and looseness of the haire; it is -commended in the cure of all sores and ulcers of the head, but the gall, -and time, with Mustard-seede is more approved. The fat is also respected -for the cure of paine in the eares, if it be warmed and melt at the -fire, and so instilled; and this is used against tingling in the eares. -If the Haires rot away on a Horse's taile, they recover them againe, by -washing the place with urine and branne, with Wyne and Oyle, and -afterward annoynt it with foxe's grease. When sores or ulcers have -procured the haire to fall off from the heade, take the head of a young -foxe burned with the leaves of blacke _Orchanes_ and _Alcyonium_, and -the powder cast upon the head recovereth againe the haire. - -"If the braine be often given to infants and sucking children, it maketh -them that they shall remaine free from the falling evill. _Pliny_ -prescribeth a man which twinkleth with his eies, and cannot looke -stedfastly, to weare in a chaine, the tongue of a foxe; and _Marcellus_ -biddeth to cut out the tongue of a live foxe, and to turne him away, and -hang uppe that tongue to dry in purple thred, and, afterward put it -about his necke that is troubled with the whitenesse of the eies, and it -shall cure him. - -"But it is more certainely affirmed, that the tongue, either dryed, or -greene, layed to the flesh wherein is any Dart or other sharpe head, it -draweth them forth violently, and rendeth not the flesh, but, only where -it is entred. The liver dryed, and drunke cureth often sighing. The -same, or the lights drunke in blacke Wine, openeth the passages of -breathing. The same washed in Wyne, and dryed in an earthen pot in an -Oven, and, afterward, seasoned with Sugar, is the best medicine in the -world for an old cough, for it hath bin approved to cure it, although it -hath continued twenty years, drinking every day two sponfuls in Wine. - -"The lightes of foxes drunke in Water after they have beene dryed into -powder, helpeth the Melt, and _Myrepsus_ affirmeth, that when he gave -the same powder to one almost suffocated in a pleurisie it prevailed for -a remedy. _Archigene_ prescribeth the dried liver of a Fox for the -Spleneticke with Oxymell: and _Marcellinus_ for the Melt, drunke after -the same manner; and _Sextus_ adviseth to drinke it simply without -composition of Oxymell. The gall of a Foxe instilled into the eares with -Oyle, cureth the paine in them, and, mixed with Hony Atticke, and -annointed upon the eies, taketh away al dimnes from them, after an -admirable manner. The melt, bound upon the tumors, and bunches of the -brest, cureth the Melt in man's body. The reynes dried and mingled with -Honie, being anointed uppon Kernels, take them away. For the swelling of -the Chaps, rub the reines of a Fox within the mouth. The dung, pounded -with Vineger, by annointment cureth the Leprosie speedily. These and -such other vertues medicinal, both the elder and later Phisitians have -observed in a Fox,--wherewithal we wil conclude this discourse." - - - - -THE WOLF. - - -The Wolf, as a beast of prey, is invested with a terror peculiarly its -own; when solitary, it is not much dreaded by, and generally shrinks -from, man, but, united by hunger into packs, they are truly to be -dreaded, for they spare not man nor beast. They lie, too, under the -imputation of magic, and have done so from a very early age. Their -cunning, instinct, or reasoning powers, are almost as well developed as -in the fox, and, of all the authorities I have consulted, the one best -fitted to discourse upon the Wolf and his peculiarities is Topsell, and -here is one of their idiosyncrasies:-- - -"It is said that Wolves doe also eate a kind of earth called _Argilla_, -which they doe not for hunger, but to make their bellies waigh heavy, to -the intent, that when they set upon a Horsse, an Oxe, a Hart, an Elke, -or some such strong beast, they may waigh the heavier, and hang fast at -their throates till they have pulled them downe, for by vertue of that -tenacious earth, their teeth are sharpened, and the waight of their -bodies encreased; but, when they have killed the beast that they set -upon, before they touch any part of his flesh, by a kind of natural -vomit, they disgorge themselves, and empty their bellies of the earth, -as unprofitable food.... - -"They also devoure Goates and Swyne of all sortes, except Bores, who doe -not easily yeald unto Wolves. It is said that a Sow, hath resisted a -Wolfe, and when he fighteth with her, hee is forced to use his greatest -craft and suttelty, leaping to and from her with his best activity, -least she should lay her teeth upon him, and so at one time deceive him -of his prey, and deprive him of his life. It is reported of one that saw -a Wolfe in a Wood, take in his mouth a peece of Timber of some thirty or -forty pound waight, and with that he did practise to leape over the -trunke of a tree that lay upon the earth; at length, when he perceived -his own ability and dexterity in leaping with that waight in his mouth, -he did there make his cave, and lodged behinde that tree; at last, it -fortuned there came a wild Sow to seeke for meat along by that tree, -with divers of her pigs following her, of different age, some a yeare -olde, some halfe a yeare, and some lesse. When he saw them neare him, he -suddenly set upon one of them, which he conjectured was about the waite -of Wood which he carried in his mouth, and when he had taken him, -whilest the old Sow came to deliver her pig at his first crying, he -suddenly leaped over the tree with the pig in his mouth, and so was the -poore Sow beguiled of her young one, for she could not leape after him, -and yet might stand and see the Wolfe to eate the pigge, which hee had -taken from her. It is also sayd, that when they will deceive Goates, -they come unto them with the greene leaves and small boughes of Osiers -in their mouthes, wherewithall they know Goats are delighted, that so -they may draw them therewith, as to a baite, to devour them. - -"Their maner is, when they fal upon a Goat or a Hog, or some such other -beast of smal stature, not to kil them, but to lead them by the eare -with al the speed they can drive them, to their fellow Wolves, and, if -the beast be stubborne, and wil not runne with him, then he beateth his -hinder parts with his taile, in the mean time holding his ear fast in -his mouth, whereby he causeth the poore beast to run as fast, or faster -than himselfe unto the place of his owne execution, where he findeth a -crew of ravening Wolves to entertaine him, who, at his first appearance -seize upon him, and, like Divels teare him in peeces in a moment, -leaving nothing uneaten but onely his bowels.... - -"Now although there be a great difference betwixt him and a Bul, both in -strength and stature, yet he is not affraid to adventure combat, -trusting in his policy more than his vigor, for when he setteth upon a -Bul, he commeth not upon the front for feare of his hornes, nor yet -behind him for feare of his heeles, but first of al standeth a loofe -from him, with his glaring eyes, daring and provoking the Bul, making -often profers to come neere unto him, yet is wise enough to keepe a -loofe till he spy his advauntage, and then he leapeth suddenly upon the -backe of the Bul at the one side, and being so ascended, taketh such -hold, that he killeth the beast, before he loosen his teeth. It is also -worth the observation, how he draweth unto him a Calfe that wandereth -from the dam, for by singular treacherie he taketh him by the nose, -first drawing him forwarde, and then the poore beast striveth and -draweth backward, and thus they struggle togither, one pulling one way, -and the other another, till at last the Wolfe perceiving advantage, and -feeling when the Calfe pulleth heavyest, suddenly he letteth go his -hold, whereby the poore beast falleth backe upon his buttocks, and so -downe right upon his backe; then flyeth the Wolfe to his belly which is -then his upper part, and easily teareth out his bowels, so satisfieng -his hunger and greedy appetite. - -"But, if they chance to see a Beast in the water, or in the marsh, -encombred with mire, they come round about him, stopping up al the -passages where he shold come out, baying at him, and threatning him, so -as the poore distressed Oxe plungeth himselfe many times over head and -eares, or at the least wise they so vex him in the mire, that they never -suffer him to come out alive. At last, when they perceive him to be -dead, and cleane without life by suffocation, it is notable to observe -their singular subtilty to drawe him out of the mire, whereby they may -eat him; for one of them goeth in, and taketh the beast by the taile, -who draweth with al the power he can, for wit without strength may -better kill a live Beast, than remove a dead one out of the mire; -therefore, he looketh behind him, and calleth for more helpe; then, -presently another of the wolves taketh that first wolve's tail in his -mouth, and a third wolf the second's, a fourth the third's, a fift the -fourth, and so forward, encreasing theyr strength, until they have -pulled the beast out into the dry lande. _Sextus_ saith that, in case a -Wolf do see a man first, if he have about him the tip of a Wolf's taile, -he shal not neede to feare anie harme. All domestical Foure footed -beasts, which see the eie of a wolfe in the hand of a man, will -presently feare and runne away. - -"If the taile of a wolfe be hung in the cratch of Oxen, they can never -eat their meate. If a horse tread upon the foote steps of a Wolfe, which -is under a Horse-man or Rider, hee breaketh in peeces, or else standeth -amazed. If a wolfe treadeth in the footsteps of a horse which draweth a -waggon, he cleaveth fast in the rode, as if he were frozen. - -"If a Mare with foale, tread upon the footsteps of a wolfe, she casteth -her foal, and therefore the Egyptians, when they signifie abortment doe -picture a mare treading upon a wolf's foot. These and such other things -are reported, (but I cannot tell how true) as supernaturall accidents in -wolves. The wolfe also laboureth to overcome the Leoparde, and followeth -him from place to place, but, for as much as they dare not adventure -upon him single, or hand to hand, they gather multitudes, and so -devoure them. When wolves set upon wilde Bores, although they bee at -variance amonge themselves, yet they give over their mutual combats, and -joyne together against the Wolfe their common adversarie. - -"And this is the nature of this beast, that he feareth no kind of weapon -except a stone, for, if a stone be cast at him, he presently falleth -downe to avoide the stroke, for it is saide that in that place of his -body where he is wounded by a stone, there are bred certaine wormes -which doe kill and destroie him.... As the Lyon is afraide of a white -Cocke and a Mouse, so is the wolfe of a Sea crab, or shrimp. It is said -that the pipe of _Pithocaris_ did represse the violence of wolves when -they set upon him, for he sounded the same unperfectly, and -indistinctly, at the noise whereof the raging wolfe ran away; and it -hath bin beleeved that the voice of a singing man or woman worketh the -same effect. - -"Concerning the enimies of wolves, there is no doubt but that such a -ravening beast hath fewe friends, ... for this cause, in some of the -inferiour beasts their hatred lasteth after death, as many Authors have -observed; for, if a sheepe skinne be hanged up with a wolves's skin, the -wool falleth off from it, and, if an instrument be stringed with -stringes made of both these beasts the one will give no sounde in the -presence of the other." - -Here we have had all the bad qualities of the Wolf depicted in glowing -colours; but, as a faithful historian, I must show him also under his -most favourable aspect--notably in two instances--one the she-wolf that -suckled Romulus and Remus, and the other who watched so tenderly over -the head of the Saxon Edmund, King and Martyr, after it had been severed -from his body by the Danes, and contemptuously thrown by them into a -thicket. His mourning followers found the body, but searched for some -time for the head, without success; although they made the woods resound -with their cries of "Where artow, Edward?" After a few days' search, a -voice answered their inquiries, with "Here, here, here." And, guided by -the supernatural voice, they came upon the King's head, surrounded by a -glory, and watched over, so as to protect it from all harm--by a _WOLF_! -The head was applied deftly to the body, which it joined naturally; -indeed, so good a job was it, that the junction could only be perceived -by a thin red, or purple, line. - -It must be said of this wolf, that he was _thorough_, for not content -with having preserved the head of the Saintly King from harm, he meekly -followed the body to St. Edmund's Bury, and waited there until the -funeral; when he quietly trotted back, none hindering him, to the -forest. - - - - -WERE-WOLVES. - - -But of all extraordinary stories connected with the Wolf, is the belief -which existed for many centuries, (and in some parts of France still -does exist, under the form of the "Loup-garou,") and which is mentioned -by many classical authors--Marcellus Sidetes, Virgil, Herodotus, -Pomponius Mela, Ovid, Pliny, Petronius, &c.--of men being able to change -themselves into wolves. This was called _Lycanthropy_, from two Greek -words signifying wolf, and man, and those who were thus gifted, were -dignified by the name of _Versipellis_, or able to change the skin. It -must be said, however, for Pliny, amongst classical authors, that -although he panders sufficiently to popular superstition to mention -Lycanthropy, and quotes from others some instances of it, yet he -writes:--"It is really wonderful to what a length the credulity of the -Greeks will go! There is no falsehood, if ever so barefaced, to which -some of them cannot be found to bear testimony." - -This curious belief is to be found in Eastern writings, and it was -especially at home with the Scandinavian and Teutonic nations. It is -frequently mentioned in the Northern Sagas--but space here forbids more -than just saying that the best account of these _eigi einhamir_ (not of -one skin) is to be found in _The Book of Were-Wolves_, by the Rev. S. -Baring-Gould. - -The name of _Were Wolf_, or _Wehr Wolf_, is derived thus, according to -Mr. Gould:--"_Vargr_ is the same as _u-argr_, restless; _argr_ being the -same as the Anglo-Saxon _earg_. _Vargr_ had its double signification in -Norse. It signified a Wolf, and also a godless man. This _vargr_ is the -English _were_, in the word were-wolf, and the _garou_ or _varou_ in -French. The Danish word for were-wolf is _var-ulf_ the Gothic, -_vaira-ulf_." Lycanthropy was a widespread belief, but it gradually -dwindled down in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to those _eigi -einhamir_, the witches who would change themselves into hares, &c. - -Olaus Magnus tells us _Of the Fiercenesse of Men who by Charms are -turned into Wolves_:--"In the Feast of Christ's Nativity, in the night, -at a certain place, that they are resolved upon amongst themselves, -there is gathered together such a huge multitude of Wolves changed from -men, that dwell in divers places, which afterwards the same night doth -so rage with wonderfull fiercenesse, both against mankind, and other -creatures that are not fierce by nature, that the Inhabitants of that -country suffer more hurt from them than ever they do from the true -natural Wolves. For as it is proved, they set upon the houses of men -that are in the Woods, with wonderfull fiercenesse, and labour to break -down the doors, whereby they may destroy both men and other creatures -that remain there. - -"They go into the Beer-Cellars, and there they drink out some Tuns of -Beer or Mede, and they heap al the empty vessels one upon another in the -midst of the Cellar, and so leave them: wherein they differ from natural -and true Wolves. But the place, where, by chance they stayd that night, -the Inhabitants of those Countries think to be prophetical: Because, if -any ill successe befall a Man in that place; as, if his Cart overturn, -and he be thrown down in the Snow, they are fully perswaded that man -must die that year, as they have for many years proved it by experience. -Between _Lituania_, _Samogetia_, and _Curonia_, there is a certain wall -left, of a Castle that was thrown down; to this, at a set time, some -thousands of them come together, that each of them may try his -nimblenesse in leaping. He that cannot leap over this wall, as commonly -the fat ones cannot, are beaten with whips by their Captains. - -"And it is constantly affirmed that amongst that multitude there are the -great men, and chiefest Nobility of the Land. The reason of this -metamorphosis, that is exceeding contrary to Nature, is given by one -skilled in this witchcraft, by drinking to one in a Cup of Ale, and by -mumbling certain words at the same time, so that he who is to be -admitted into that unlawful Society, do accept it. Then, when he -pleaseth, he may change his humane form, into the form of a Wolf -entirely, going into some private Cellar, or secret Wood. Again, he can, -after some time put off the same shape he took upon him, and resume the -form he had before at his pleasure.... - -"But for to come to examples; When a certain Nobleman took a long -journey through the Woods, and had many servile Country-fellows in his -Company, that were acquainted with this witchcraft, (as there are many -such found in those parts) the day was almost spent; wherefore he must -lie in the Woods, for there was no Inne neare that place; and withall -they were sore pinched with hunger and want. Last of all, one of the -Company propounded a seasonable proposall, that the rest must be quiet, -and if they saw any thing they must make no tumulte; that he saw afar -off a flock of sheep feeding; he would take care that, without much -labor, they should have one of them to rost for Supper. Presently he -goes into a thick Wood that no man might see him, and there he changed -his humane shape like to that of a Wolf. After this he fell upon the -flock of sheep with all his might, and he took one of them that was -running back to the Wood, and then he came to the Chariot in the form of -a Wolf, and brought the sheep to them. His companions being conscious -how he stole it, receive it with grateful mind, and hide it close in the -Chariot; but he that had changed himself into a Wolf, went into the Wood -again, and became a Man. - -"Also in _Livonia_ not many years since, it fell out that there was a -dispute between a Nobleman's wife and his servant, (of which they have -plenty more in that Country, than in any Christian Land) that men could -not be turned into Wolves; whereupon he brake forth into this speech, -that he would presently shew her an example of that businesse, so he -might do it with her permission: he goes alone into the cellar, and, -presently after, he came forth in the form of a Wolf. The dogs ran -after him through the fields to the wood, and they bit out one of his -eyes, though he defended himself stoutly enough. The next day he came -with one eye to his Lady. Lastly, as is yet fresh in memory, how the -Duke of _Prussia_, giving small credit to such a Witchcraft, compelled -one who was cunning in this Sorcery, whom he held in chains, to change -himself into a Wolf; and he did so. Yet that he might not go unpunished -for this Idolatry, he afterwards caused him to be burnt. For such -heinous offences are severely punished both by Divine and Humane Laws." - -Zahn, on the authority of Trithemius, who wrote in 1335, says that men -having the spine elongated after the manner of a tail were Were-wolves. -Topsell takes a more sensible view of the matter:--"There is a certaine -territorie in Ireland (whereof M. _Cambden_ writeth) that the -inhabitants which live till they be past fifty yeare old, are foolishly -reported to be turned into wolves, the true cause whereof he -conjectureth to be, because for the most part they are vexed with the -disease called _Lycanthropia_, which is a kind of melancholy, causing -the persons so affected, about the moneth of February, to forsake their -owne dwelling or houses, and to run out into the woodes, or neare the -graves and sepulchers of men, howling and barking like Dogs and Wolves. -The true signes of this disease are thus described by _Marcellus_: -those, saith he, which are thus affected, have their faces pale, their -eies dry and hollow, looking drousily and cannot weep. Their tongue as -if it were al scab'd, being very rough, neither can they spit, and they -are very thirsty, having many ulcers breaking out of their bodies, -especially on their legges; this disease some cal _Lycaon_, and men -oppressed therewith, _Lycaones_, because that there was one _Lycaon_, as -it is fained by the poets, who, for his wickednes in sacrificing of a -child, was by _Jupiter_ turned into a Wolf, being utterly distracted of -human understanding, and that which the poets speake of him. And this is -most strange, that many thus diseased should desire the graves of the -dead." - - - - -THE ANTELOPE. - - -[Illustration] - -When not taken from living specimens, or skins, the artists of old drew -somewhat upon their imaginations for their facts, as is the case with -this Antelope, of which Topsell gives the following description:--"They -are bred in _India_, and _Syria_, neere the River _Euphrates_, and -delight much to drinke of the cold water thereof. Their bodie is like -the body of a _Roe_, and they have hornes growing forthe of the crowne -of their head, which are very long and sharpe; so that _Alexander_ -affirmed that they pierced through the sheeldes of his Souldiers, and -fought with them very irefully: at which time his company slew as he -travelled to _India_, eight thousand, five hundred, and fifty; which -great slaughter may be the occasion why they are so rare, and seldome -seene to this day, by cause thereby the breeders, and meanes of their -continuance (which consisted in their multitude) were weakened and -destroyed. Their hornes are great, and made like a saw, and they, with -them, can cut asunder the braunches of _Osier_, or small trees, whereby -it commeth to passe that many times their necks are taken in the twists -of the falling boughes, whereat the Beast with repining cry, bewrayeth -himselfe to the Hunters, and so is taken. The vertues of this Beast are -unknowne, and therefore _Suidas_ sayth an _Antalope_ is but good in -part." - - - - -THE HORSE. - - -Aldrovandus gives us a curious specimen of a horse, which the artist has -drawn with the slashed trunk breeches of the time. He says that -_Fincelius_, quoting _Licosthenes_, mentions that this animal had its -skin thus slashed, from its birth, and was to be seen about the year -1555. Its skin was as thick as sole-leather. It was, probably, an ideal -Zebra. - -Topsell gives us some fine horse-lore, especially as to their love for -their masters:--"_Homer_ seemeth also to affirme that there are in -Horsses divine qualityes, understanding things to come, for, being tyed -to their mangers they mournd for the death of _Patroclus_, and also -shewed _Achilles_ what should happen unto him; for which cause _Pliny_ -saieth of them that they lament their lost maisters with teares, and -foreknow battailes. _Accursius_ affirmeth that _Caesar_ three daies -before he died, found his ambling Nag weeping in the stable, which was a -token of his ensewing death, which thing I should not beleeve, except -_Tranquillus_ in the life of _Caesar_, had related the same thing, and he -addeth moreover, that the Horsses which were consecrated to _Mars_ for -passing over _Rubicon_, being let to run wilde abroad, without their -maisters, because no man might meddle with the horses of the Gods, were -found to weepe abundantly, and to abstaine from all meat. - -[Illustration] - -"Horsses are afraid of Elephants in battaile, and likewise of a -Cammell, for which cause when _Cyrus_ fought against _Croesus_, he -overthrew his Horse by the sight of Camels, for a horse cannot abide to -looke upon a Camell. If a Horse tread in the footpath of a Wolfe, he -presently falleth to be astonished; Likewise, if two or more drawing a -Charriot, come into the place where a Wolfe hath trod, they stand so -still as if the Charriot and they were frozen to the earth, sayth -_AElianus_ and _Pliny_. _AEsculapius_ also affirmeth the same thing of a -Horsse treading in a Beare's footsteppes, and assigneth the reason to be -in some secret, betweene the feete of both beastes.... - -"Al kind of Swine are enemies to Horses, the Estridge also, is so feared -of a Horse, that the Horsse dares not appeare in his presence. The like -difference also is betwixt a Horse, and a Beare. There is a bird which -is called _Anclorus_, which neyeth like a Horse, flying about; the Horse -doth many times drive it away; but because it is somewhat blind, and -cannot see perfectly, therefore the horsse doth oftentimes ketch it, and -devoure it, hating his owne voice in a creature so unlike himself. - -"It is reported by _Aristotle_, that the Bustard loveth a Horsse -exceedingly, for, seeing other Beastes feeding in the pastures, -dispiseth and abhorreth them; but, as soone as ever it seeth a Horsse, -it flyeth unto him for joy, although the Horsse run away from it: and, -therefore, the Egyptians, when they see a weake man driving away a -stronger, they picture a Bustard flying to a Horsse.... - -"_Julius Caesar_ had a horsse which had cloven hooves like a man's -fingers, and because he was foaled at that time when the sooth-sayers -had pronounced that hee should have the government of the world, -therefore he nourished him carefully, and never permitted any man to -backe him but himselfe, which he afterwards dedicated in the Temple of -Venus.... - -"If one do cut the vaines of the pallet of a horse's mouth, and let it -runne downe into his belly, it will presently destroy and consume the -maw, or belly worms, which are within him. The Marrow of a horse is also -very good to loosen the sinewes which are knit and fastned together, but -first let it be boiled in wine, and afterwards be made cold, and then -anointed warmly either by the Fire, or Sun. The teeth of a male horse -not gelded, or by any labor made feeble, being put under the head, or -over the head of him that is troubled or startleth in his dreame, doth -withstand and resist all unquietnes which in the time of his rest might -happen unto him. The teeth also of a horse is verye profitable for the -curing of the Chilblanes which are rotten and full of corruption when -they are swollen full ripe. The teeth which do, first of all, fall from -horses, being bound or fastned upon children in their infancie, do very -easily procure the breeding of the teeth, but with more speed, and more -effectually, if they have never touched the ground.... - -"If you anoint a combe with the foame of a horse, wherewith a young man -or youth doth use to comb his head, it is of such force as it will cause -the haire of his head neither to encrease or any whit to appeare. The -foame of a horse is also very much commended for them which have either -pain or difficulty of hearing in their ears, or else the dust of horse -dung, being new made and dryed, and mingled with oyle of Roses. The -griefe or soreness of a man's mouth or throat, being washed or annointed -with the foame of a Horse, which hath bin fed with Oates or barly, doth -presently expell the paine of the Sorenesse, if so be that it be 2 or 3 -times washed over with the juyce of young or greene Sea-crabs beaten -small together." But I could fill pages with remedial recipes furnished -by the horse. - - - - -THE MIMICK DOG. - - -[Illustration] - -"The Mimicke or Getulian Dogge," is, I take it, meant for a poodle. It -was "apt to imitate al things it seeth, for which cause some have -thought that it was conceived by an Ape, for in wit and disposition it -resembleth an Ape, but in face, sharpe and blacke like an Hedgehog, -having a short recurved body, very long legs, shaggy haire, and a short -taile: this is called of some _Canis Lucernarius_. These being brought -up with apes in their youth, learne very admirable and strange feats, -whereof there were great plenty in _Egypt_ in the time of king -_Ptolemy_, which were taught to leap, play, and dance, at the hearing of -musicke, and in many poore men's houses they served insteed of servaunts -for divers uses. - -"These are also used by Plaiers and Puppet-Mimicks to worke straunge -trickes, for the sight whereof they get much money; such an one was the -Mimick's dog, of which _Plutarch_ writeth that he saw in a publicke -spectacle at Rome before the Emperor _Vespasian_. The dog was taught to -act a play, wherein were contained many persons' parts, I mean the -affections of many other dogs; at last, there was given him a piece of -bread, wherein, as was saide, was poison, having vertue to procure a -dead sleepe, which he received and swallowed; and presently, after the -eating thereof, he began to reele and stagger too and fro like a drunken -man, and fell downe to the ground, as if he had bin dead, and so laie a -good space, not stirring foot nor lim, being drawne uppe and downe by -divers persons, according as the gesture of the play he acted did -require, but when he perceived by the time, and other signes that it was -requisite to arise, he first opened his eies, and lift up his head a -little, then stretched forth himself, like as one doth when he riseth -from sleepe; at last he geteth up, and runneth to him to whom that part -belonged, not without the joy, and good content of _Caesar_ and all other -beholders. - -"To this may be added another story of a certaine Italian about the -yeare 1403, called _Andrew_, who had a red Dog with him, of strange -feats, and yet he was blind. For standing in the Market place compassed -about with a circle of many people, there were brought by the standers -by, many Rings, Jewels, bracelets, and peeces of gold and silver, and -these, within the circle were covered with earth, then the dog was bid -to seeke them out, who with his nose and feet did presently find and -discover them, then was hee also commaunded to give to every one his -owne Ring, Jewell, Bracelet, or money, which the blind dog did performe -directly without stay or doubt. Afterward, the standers by, gave unto -him divers pieces of coine, stamped with the images of sundry princes, -and then one of them called for a piece of English money, and the Dog -delivered him a piece; another for the Emperor's coine, and the dog -delivered him a piece thereof; and so consequently, every princes coine -by name, till all was restored; and this story is recorded by Abbas -Urspergensis, where upon the common people said, the dog was a divell, -or else possessed with some pythonicall spirit." - -It is curious to note some of the remedies against hydrophobia--and I -only give a portion of the long list. - -"For the outward compound remedies, a plaister made of _Opponax_ and -Pitch, is much commended, which _Menippus_ used, taking a pound of Pitch -of Brutias, and foure ounces of _Opponax_, adding withall, that the -_Opponax_ must be dissolved in vinegar, and afterwards the Pitch and the -vinegar must be boiled together, and when the vinegar is consumed, then -put in the _Opponax_, and of both together make like taynters or -splints, and thrust them into the wound, so let them remaine many dayes -together, and in the meane time drinke an antidot of sea crabs and -vineger, (for vineger is alway pretious in this confection). Other use -_Basilica_, Onyons, Rue, Salt, Rust of Iron, white bread, seedes of hore -hound, and triacle: but the other plaister is most forcible to be -applyed outwardly, above al medicines in the world. - -"For the simple or uncompounded medicines to be taken against this sore, -are many: As Goose-grease, the roote of Wilde roses drunke; bitter -Almonds, leaves of Chickweed, or Pimpernell, the old skinne of a snake -pounded with a male sea Crab, Betony, Cabbage-leaves, or stalkes, with -Persneps and vineger, lime and sewet, poulder of Sea-Crabs with Hony; -poulder of the shels of Sea-Crabs, the haires of a Dog layed on the -wound, the head of the Dog which did bite, mixed with a little -_Euphorbium_; the haire of a man with vineger, dung of Goates with wine, -Walnuts with Hony and salte, poulder of fig tree in a sear cloth, -Fitches in wine, _Euphorbium_, warme horse-dung, raw beanes chewed in -the mouth, fig tree leaves, greene figs with vineger, fennel stalkes, -Gentians, dung of pullen, the Lyver of a Buck-goate, young swallowes, -burned to poulder, also their dung; the urine of a man, an Hyaena's skin, -flower de luce with honey, a Sea hearb called _Kakille_, _Silphum_ with -salt, the flesh and shels of snayles, leeke seeds with salt, mints, the -taile of a field mouse cut off from her alive, and she suffered to live, -rootes of Burres, with salt of the Sea plantaine, the tongue of a Ramme -with salt, the flesh of al Sea-fishes, the fat of a sea-Calfe and -Vervine, besides many other superstitious amulets which are used to be -bound to the Armes, neckes, and brests, as the Canine tooth bound up in -a leafe, and tyed to the Arme. A worme bred in the dung of Dogges, -hanged about the necke, the roots of _Gentian_ in an Hyaena's skin, or -young Wolfe's Skin, and such like; whereof I know no reason beside the -opinion of men." - -Let us now see what medicinal properties exist in dogs themselves; and, -here again, I must very much curtail the recital of their benefits to -mankind. - -"The vertues of a Dog's head made into poulder, are both many and -unspeakable, by it is the biting of mad dogs cured, it cureth spots, and -bunches in the head, and a plaister thereof made with Oyle of Roses, -healeth the running in the head. The poulder of the teeth of Dogges, -maketh Children's teeth to come forth with speed and easie, and, if -their gums be rub'd with a dog's tooth, it maketh them to have the -sharper teeth; and the poulder of these Dogs teeth rubbed upon the -Gummes of young or olde, easeth toothache, and abateth swelling in the -gummes. The tongue of a Dogge, is most wholesome both for the curing of -his owne wounds by licking, as also of any other creature. The rennet of -a Puppy drunke with Wine, dissolveth the Collicke in the same houre -wherein it was drunke," &c., &c., &c. - - - - -THE CAT. - - -Aldrovandus gives us a picture of a curly-legged Cat, but, beyond saying -that it was so afflicted (or ornamented) from its birth, he gives no -particulars. Topsell, too, is singularly silent on the merits of Cats; -but yet he mentions some interesting particulars respecting them:--"To -keepe Cats from hunting of Hens, they use to tie a little wild rew under -their wings, and so likewise from Dove-coates, if they set it in the -windowes, they dare not approach unto it for some secret in nature. Some -have said that cats will fight with Serpentes, and Toads, and kill them, -and, perceiving that she is hurt by them, she presently drinketh water, -and is cured: but I cannot consent unto this opinion.... _Ponzettus_ -sheweth by experience that cats and Serpents love one another, for -there was (sayth he) in a certain Monastery, a Cat norished by the -Monkes, and suddenly the most part of the Monkes which used to play with -the Cat, fell sicke; whereof the Physitians could find no cause, but -some secret poyson, and al of them were assured that they never tasted -any: at the last a poore laboring man came unto them, affirming that he -saw the Abbey-Cat playing with a Serpent, which the Physitians -understanding, presently conceived that the Serpent had emptied some of -her poyson upon the Cat, which brought the same to the Monkes, and they -by stroking and handeling the Cat, were infected therewith; and whereas -there remained one difficulty, namely, how it came to passe the Cat -herself was not poisoned thereby, it was resolved, that, forasmuch as -the Serpentes poison came from him but in playe and sporte, and not in -malice and wrath, that therefore the venom thereof being lost in play, -neither harmed the Cat at al, nor much endangered the Monkes; and the -very like is observed of Myce that will play with Serpents.... - -[Illustration] - -"Those which will keepe their Cattes within doores, and from hunting -Birds abroad, must cut off their eares, for they cannot endure to have -drops of raine distil into them, and therefore keep themselves in -harbor.... They cannot abide the savour of oyntments, but fall madde -thereby; they are sometimes infected with the falling evill, but are -cured with _Gobium_." - - - - -THE LION. - - -Of the great Cat, the Lion, the ancients give many wonderful stories, -some of them not altogether redounding to his character for bravery:--"A -serpent, or snake doth easily kill a lion, where of _Ambrosius_ writeth -very elegantly. _Eximia leonis pulchritudo, per comantes cervicis toros -excutitur, cum subito a serpente os pectore tenus attolitur, itaque -Coluber cervum fugit sed Leonem interficit. The splendant beautie of a -lion in his long curled mane is quickly abated, and allayed, when the -serpent doth but lift up his head to his brest._ For such is the -ordinance of God, that the Snake, which runneth from a fearefull Hart, -should without all feare kill a courageous Lyon; and the writer of Saint -_Marcellus_ life, _How much more will he feare a great Dragon, against -whom he hath not power to lift up his taile_. And _Aristotle_ writeth -that the Lyon is afraid of the Swine, and _Rasis_ affirmeth as much of -the mouse. - -"The Cocke also both seene and heard for his voice and combe, is a -terror to the Lion and Basiliske, and the Lyon runneth from him when he -seeth him, especially from a white cocke, and the reason hereof, is -because they are both partakers of the Sunnes qualities in a high -degree, and therefore the greater body feareth the lesser, because there -is a more eminent and predominant sunny propertie in the Cocke, than in -the Lion. _Lucretius_ describes this terrour notably, affirming that, in -the morning, when the Cocke croweth, the lions betake themselves to -flight, because there are certain seedes in the body of Cockes, which -when they are sent, and appeare to the eyes of Lions, they vexe their -pupils and apples, and make them, against Nature, become gentle and -quiet." - - - - -THE LEONTOPHONUS--THE PEGASUS--THE CROCOTTA. - - -The Lion has a dreadful enemy, according to Pliny, who says:--"We have -heard speak of a small animal to which the name of _Leontophonus_[36] -has been given, and which is said to exist only in those countries where -the Lion is produced. If its flesh is only tasted by the Lion, so -intensely venomous is its nature, that this lord of the other quadrupeds -instantly expires. Hence it is that the hunters of the Lion burn its -body to ashes, and sprinkle a piece of flesh with the powder, and so -kill the Lion by means of its ashes even--so fatal to it is this poison! -The Lion, therefore, not without reason, hates the Leontophonus, and, -after destroying its sight, kills it without inflicting a bite: the -animal, on the other hand, sprinkles the Lion with its urine, being well -aware that this, too, is fatal to it." - -We have read, in the Romances of Chivalry, how that Guy, Earl of -Warwick, having seen a Lion and a Dragon fighting, went to the -assistance of the former, and, having killed its opponent, the Lion -meekly trotted after him, and ever after, until its death, was his -constant companion. How, in the absence of Sir Bevis of Hampton, two -lions having killed the Steward Boniface, and his horse, laid their -heads in the fair Josian's lap. The old romancists held that a lion -would always respect a virgin, and Spenser has immortalised this in his -character of Una. Most of us remember the story given by Aulus Gellius -and AElian, of Androcles, who earned a lion's gratitude by extracting a -thorn from its paw, and Pliny gives similar instances:-- - -"Mentor, a native of Syracuse, was met in Syria by a lion, who rolled -before him in a suppliant manner; though smitten with fear, and desirous -to escape, the wild beast on every side opposed his flight, and licked -his feet with a fawning air. Upon this, Mentor observed on the paw of -the lion, a swelling and a wound; from which, after extracting a -splinter, he relieved the creature's pain. - -"In the same manner, too, Elpis, a native of Samos, on landing from a -vessel on the coast of Africa, observed a lion near the beach, opening -his mouth in a threatening manner; upon which he climbed a tree, in the -hope of escaping, while, at the same time, he invoked the aid of Father -Liber (_Bacchus_); for it is the appropriate time for invocations where -there is no room left for hope. The wild beast did not pursue him when -he fled, although he might easily have done so; but, lying down at the -foot of the tree, by the open mouth which had caused so much terror, -tried to excite his compassion. A bone, while he was devouring his food -with too great avidity, had stuck fast between his teeth, and he was -perishing with hunger; such being the punishment inflicted upon him by -his own weapons, every now and then he would look up, and supplicate -him, as it were, with mute entreaties. Elpis, not wishing to risk -trusting himself to so formidable a beast, remained stationary for some -time, more at last from astonishment than from fear. At length, however, -he descended from the tree, and extracted the bone, the lion, in the -meanwhile, extending his head, and aiding in the operation as far as it -was necessary for him to do. The story goes on to say, that as long as -the vessel remained off that coast, the lion shewed his sense of -gratitude by bringing whatever he had chanced to procure in the chase." - -The same author mentions two curious animals, the Leucrocotta, and the -Eale, which are noticeable among other wonders:--"AEthiopia produces the -lynx in abundance, and the sphinx, which has brown hair and two mammae on -the breast, as well as many monstrous kinds of a similar nature; horses -with wings, and armed with horns, which are called pegasi: the Crocotta, -an animal which looks as though it had been produced by the union of the -wolf and the dog, for it can break anything with its teeth, and -instantly, on swallowing it, it digests it with the stomach; monkeys, -too, with black heads, the hair of the ass, and a voice quite unlike -that of any other animal." - - - - -THE LEUCROCOTTA--THE EALE--CATTLE FEEDING BACKWARDS. - - -"There are oxen, too, like that of India, some with one horn, and others -with three; the leucrocotta, a wild beast of extraordinary swiftness, -the size of the wild ass, with the legs of a Stag, the neck, tail, and -breast of a lion, the head of a badger, a cloven hoof, the mouth slit -up as far as the ears, and one continuous bone instead of teeth; it is -said, too, that this animal can imitate the human voice. - -"Among the same people there is found an animal called the eale; it is -the size of the river-horse, has the tail of the elephant, and is of a -black or tawny colour. It has, also, the jaws of the wild boar and horns -that are moveable, and more than a cubit in length, so that, in -fighting, it can employ them alternately, and vary their position by -presenting them directly, or obliquely, according as necessity may -dictate." - -The Eale, with its movable horns, is run hard by the Cattle of the -Lotophagi, which are thus described by Herodotus:--"From the Augilae at -the end of another ten days' journey is another hill of salt and water, -and many fruit-bearing palm trees, as also in other places; and men -inhabit it, who are called Gavamantes, a very powerful nation; they lay -earth upon the salt, and then sow their ground. From these to the -Lotophagi, the shortest route is a journey of thirty days: amongst them -the kine that feed backwards are met with; they feed backwards for this -reason. They have horns that are bent forward, therefore they draw back -as they feed; for they are unable to go forward, because their horns -would stick in the ground. They differ from other kine in no other -respect than this, except that their hide is thicker and harder." - - - - -ANIMAL MEDICINE. - - -We have already seen some of the wonderfully curative properties of -animals--let us learn something of their own medical attainments--as -described by Pliny. "The hippopotamus has even been our instructor in -one of the operations of medicine. When the animal has become too bulky, -by continued overfeeding, it goes down to the banks of the river, and -examines the reeds which have been newly cut; as soon as it has found a -stump that is very sharp, it presses its body against it, and so wounds -one of the veins in the thigh; and by the flow of blood thus produced, -the body, which would otherwise have fallen into a morbid state, is -relieved; after which, it covers up the wound with mud. - -"The bird, also, which is called the Ibis, a native of the same country -of Egypt, has shewn us some things of a similar nature. By means of its -hooked beak, it laves the body through that part by which it is -especially necessary for health, that the residuous food should be -discharged. Nor, indeed, are these the only inventions which have been -borrowed from animals to prove of use to man. The power of the herb -_dittany_, in extracting arrows, was first disclosed to us by stags that -had been struck by that weapon; the weapon being discharged on their -feeding upon this plant. The same animals, too, when they happen to have -been wounded by the _phalangium_, a species of spider, or by any insect -of a similar nature, cure themselves by eating crabs. One of the very -best remedies for the bite of the serpent, is the plant with which -lizards treat their wounds when injured in fighting with each other. The -swallow has shown us that the _chelidonia_ is very serviceable to the -sight, by the fact of its employing it for the cure of its young, when -their eyes are affected. The tortoise recruits its powers of effectually -resisting serpents by eating the plant which is known as _cunile -bubula_; and the weasel feeds on _rue_, when it fights with the serpent -in pursuit of mice. The Stork cures itself of its diseases, with _wild -marjoram_, and the wild boar with _ivy_, as also by eating _crabs_, and, -more particularly, those that have been thrown up by the sea. - -"The snake, when the membrane which covers its body, has been contracted -by the cold of winter, throws it off in the spring, by the aid of the -juices of _fennel_, and thus becomes sleek and youthful in appearance. -First of all it disengages the head, and then it takes no less than a -day and a night in working itself out, and divesting itself of the -membrane in which it has been enclosed. The same animal, too, on finding -its sight weakened during its winter retreat, anoints and refreshes its -eyes by rubbing itself on the plant called _fennel_, or _marathrum_; -but, if any of the scales are slow in coming off, it rubs itself against -the thorns of the _juniper_. The dragon relieves the nausea which -affects it in spring, with the juices of the _lettuce_. The barbarous -nations go to hunt the panther, provided with meat that has been rubbed -with _Aconite_, which is a poison. Immediately on eating it, compression -of the throat overtakes them, from which circumstance it is, that the -plant has received the name of _pardalianches_ (_pard-strangler_). The -animal, however, has found an antidote against this poison in human -excrements; besides which, it is so eager to get at them, that the -shepherds purposely suspend them in a vessel, placed so high, that the -animal cannot reach them, even by leaping, when it endeavours to get at -them; accordingly, it continues to leap, until it has quite exhausted -itself, and at last expires: otherwise, it is so tenacious of life that -it will continue to fight, long after its intestines have been dragged -out of its body. - -"When an elephant has happened to devour a chameleon, which is of the -same colour with the herbage, it counteracts this poison by means of the -_wild olive_. Bears, when they have eaten of the fruit of the -_Mandrake_, lick up numbers of Ants. The Stag counteracts the effect of -poisonous plants by eating the _artichoke_. Wood pigeons, jackdaws, -blackbirds, and partridges, purge themselves once a year by eating _bay_ -leaves; pigeons, turtle-doves, and poultry, with _wall pellitory_, or -_helxine_; ducks, geese, and other aquatic birds of a similar nature, -with the _bulrush_. The raven, when it has killed a chameleon, a contest -in which even the conqueror suffers, counteracts the poison by means of -laurel." - - - - -THE SU. - - -Topsell mentions a fearful beast called the Su. "There is a region in -the new-found world, called _Gigantes_, and the inhabitants thereof, are -called _Patagones_; now, because their country is cold, being far in the -South, they cloath themselves with the skins of a beast called in their -owne toong _Su_, for by reason that this beast liveth for the most part -neere the waters, therefore they cal it by the name of _Su_, which -signifieth water. The true image thereof, as it was taken by -_Thenestus_, I have heere inserted, for it is of a very deformed shape, -and monstrous presence, a great ravener, and an untamable wilde beast. - -"When the hunters that desire her skinne, set upon her, she flyeth very -swift, carrying her yong ones upon her back, and covering them with her -broad taile; now, for so much as no dogge or man dareth to approach -neere unto her, (because such is the wrath thereof, that in the pursuit -she killeth all that commeth near her:) The hunters digge severall -pittes or great holes in the earth, which they cover with boughes, -sticks, and earth, so weakly, that if the beast chance at any time to -come upon it, she, and her young ones fall down into the pit, and are -taken. - -[Illustration] - -"This cruell, untamable, impatient, violent, ravening, and bloody beast, -perceiving that her natural strength cannot deliver her from the wit and -policy of men, her hunters, (for being inclosed, she can never get out -againe) the hunters being at hand to watch her downfall, and worke her -overthrowe, first of all to save her young ones from taking and taming, -she destroyeth them all with her own teeth; for there was never any of -them taken alive, and when she seeth the hunters come about her, she -roareth, cryeth, howleth, brayeth, and uttereth such a fearefull, -noysome, and terrible clamor, that the men which watch to kill her, are -not thereby a little amazed; but, at last, being animated, because -there can be no resistance, they approach, and with their darts and -speares, wound her to death, and then take off her skin, and leave the -Carcasse in the earth. And this is all that I finde recorded of this -most strange beast." - - - - -THE LAMB-TREE. - - -As a change from this awful animal, let us examine the _Planta Tartarica -Borometz_--which was so graphically delineated by Joannes Zahn in 1696. -Although this is by no means the first picture of it, yet it is the best -of any I have seen. - -[Illustration] - -A most interesting book[37] on the "Vegetable Lamb of Tartary" has been -written by the late Henry Lee, Esq., at one time Naturalist of the -Brighton Aquarium, and I am much indebted to it for matter on the -subject, which I could not otherwise have obtained. - -The word _Borometz_ is supposed to be derived from a Tartar word -signifying a lamb, and this plant-animal was thoroughly believed in, -many centuries ago--but there seem to have been two distinct varieties -of plant, that on which little lambs were found in pods, and that as -represented by Zahn, with a living lamb attached by its navel to a short -stem. This stalk was flexible, and allowed the lamb to graze, within -its limits; but when it had consumed all the grass within its reach, or -if the stalk was severed, it died. This lamb was said to have the actual -body, blood, and bones of a young sheep, and wolves were very fond of -it--but, luckily for the lamb-tree, these were the only carnivorous -animals that would attack it. - -In his "Histoire Admirable des Plantes" (1605) Claude Duret, of Moulins, -treats of the Borometz, and says: "I remember to have read some time -ago, in a very ancient Hebrew book entitled in Latin the _Talmud -Ierosolimitanum_, and written by a Jewish Rabbi Jochanan, assisted by -others, in the year of Salvation 436, that a certain personage named -Moses Chusensis (he being a native of Ethiopia) affirmed, on the -authority of Rabbi Simeon, that there was a certain country of the earth -which bore a zoophyte, or plant-animal, called in the Hebrew _Jeduah_. -It was in form like a lamb, and from its navel, grew a stem or root by -which this Zoophyte, or plant-animal, was fixed attached, like a gourd, -to the soil below the surface of the ground, and, according to the -length of its stem or root, it devoured all the herbage which it was -able to reach within the circle of its tether. The hunters who went in -search of this creature were unable to capture, or remove it, until they -had succeeded in cutting the stem by well-aimed arrows, or darts, when -the animal immediately fell prostrate to the earth, and died. Its bones -being placed with certain ceremonies and incantations in the mouth of -one desiring to foretell the future, he was instantly seized with a -spirit of divination, and endowed with the gift of prophecy." - -Mr. Lee then says: "As I was unable to find in the Latin translation of -the Talmud of Jerusalem, the passage mentioned by Claude Duret, and was -anxious to ascertain whether any reference to this curious legend -existed in the Talmudical books, I sought the assistance of learned -members of the Jewish community, and, amongst them, of the Rev. Dr. -Hermann Adler, Chief Rabbi Delegate of the United Congregations of the -British Empire. He most kindly interested himself in the matter, and -wrote to me as follows: 'It affords me much gratification to give you -the information you desire on the Borametz. In the Mishna _Kilaim_, -chap. viii. Sec. 5 (a portion of the Talmud), the passage occurs: -"Creatures called _Adne Hasadeh_ (literally 'lords of the field') are -regarded as beasts." There is a variant reading, _Abne Hasadeh_ (stones -of the field). A commentator, Rabbi Simeon, of Sens (died about 1235), -writes as follows, on this passage: 'It is stated in the Jerusalem -Talmud that this is a human being of the mountains: it lives by means of -its navel: if its navel be cut, it cannot live. I have heard in the name -of Rabbi Meir, the son of Kallonymos of Speyer, that this is the animal -called _Jeduah_. This is the _Jedoui_ mentioned in Scripture (lit. -_wizard_, Lev. xix. 31); with its bones witchcraft is practised. A kind -of large stem issues from a root in the earth on which this animal, -called _Jadua_, grows, just as gourds and melons. Only the _Jadua_ has, -in all respects, a human shape, in face, body, hands, and feet. By its -navel it is joined to the stem that issues from the root. No creature -can approach within the tether of the stem, for it seizes and kills -them. Within the tether of the stem it devours the herbage all around. -When they want to capture it, no man dares approach it, but they tear at -the stem until it is ruptured, whereupon the animal dies.' Another -commentator, Rabbi Obadja, of Berbinoro, gives the same explanation, -only substituting 'They aim arrows at the stem until it is ruptured,' -&c. - -"The author of an ancient Hebrew work, _Maase Tobia_ (Venice, 1705), -gives an interesting description of this animal. In Part IV. c. 10, page -786, he mentions the Borametz found in Great Tartary. He repeats the -description of Rabbi Simeon, and adds, that he has found, in 'A New Work -on Geography,' namely, that 'the Africans (_sic_) in Great Tartary, in -the province of Sambulala, are enriched by means of seeds, like the -seeds of gourds, only shorter in size, which grow and blossom like a -stem to the navel of an animal which is called _Borametz_ in their -language, i.e. _lamb_, on account of its resembling a lamb in all its -limbs, from head to foot; its hoofs are cloven, its skin is soft, its -wool is adapted for clothing, but it has no horns, only the hairs of its -head, which grow, and are intertwined like horns. Its height is half a -cubit and more. According to those who speak of this wondrous thing, its -taste is like the flesh of fish, its blood as sweet as honey, and it -lives as long as there is herbage within reach of the stem, from which -it derives its life. If the herbage is destroyed or perishes, the animal -also dies away. It has rest from all beasts and birds of prey, except -the wolf, which seeks to destroy it.' The author concludes by expressing -his belief that this account of the animal having the shape of a lamb is -more likely to be true than it is of human form." - -As I have said, there are several delineations of this Borametz or -Borometz, but there is one, a frontispiece to the 1656 edition of the -_Paridisi in Sole--Paradisus Terrestris_, of John Parkinson, Apothecary -of London, in which, together with Adam and Eve, the _lamb-tree_ is -shown as flourishing in the Garden of Eden; and Du Bartas, in "His -_divine WEEKES And WORKES_" in his poem of Eden, (the first day of the -second week), makes Adam to take a tour of Eden, and describes his -wonder at what he sees, especially at the "lamb-plant." - - "Musing, anon through crooked Walks he wanders, - Round-winding rings, and intricate Meanders, - Fals-guiding paths, doubtfull beguiling strays, - And right-wrong errors of an end-less Maze: - Not simply hedged with a single border - Of _Rosemary_, cut-out with curious order, - In _Satyrs_, _Centaurs_, _Whales_, and _half-men-Horses_, - And thousand other counterfaited corses; - But with true Beasts, fast in the ground still sticking, - Feeding on grass, and th' airy moisture licking: - Such as those _Bonarets_, in _Scythia_ bred - Of slender seeds, and with green fodder fed; - Although their bodies, noses, mouthes and eys, - Of new-yean'd Lambs have full the form and guise; - And should be very Lambs, save that (for foot) - Within the ground they fix a living root, - Which at their navell growes, and dies that day - That they have brouz'd the neighbour grass away. - O wondrous vertue of God onely good! - The Beast hath root, the Plant hath flesh and blood - The nimble Plant can turn it to and fro; - The nummed Beast can neither stir nor go: - The Plant is leaf-less, branch-less, void of fruit; - The Beast is lust-less, sex-less, fire-less, mute; - The Plant with Plants his hungry panch doth feed; - Th' admired Beast is sowen a slender seed." - -Of the other kind of "lamb-tree," that which bears lambs in pods, we -have an account, in Sir John Maundeville's Travels. "Whoso goeth from -Cathay to Inde, the high and the low, he shal go through a Kingdom that -men call Cadissen, and it is a great lande, there groweth a manner of -fruite as it were gourdes, and when it is ripe men cut it a sonder, and -men fynde therein a beast as it were of fleshe and bone and bloud, as -it were a lyttle lambe without wolle, and men eate the beaste and fruite -also, and sure it seemeth very strange." - -And in the "Journall of Frier Odoricus," which I have incorporated in my -edition of "The Voiage and Travayle of Syr John Maundeville, Knight," he -says: "I was informed also by certaine credible persons of another -miraculous thing, namely, that in a certaine Kingdome of the sayd Can, -wherein stand the mountains called Kapsei (the Kingdomes name is Kalor) -there groweth great Gourds or Pompions, (_pumpkins_) which being ripe, -doe open at the tops, and within them is found a little beast like unto -a yong lambe." - - - - -THE CHIMAERA. - - -[Illustration] - -Aldrovandus gives us the accompanying illustration of a Chimaera, a -fabulous Classical monster, said to possess three heads, those of a -lion, a goat, and a dragon. It used so to be pictorially treated, but in -more modern times as Aldrovandus represents. The mountain _Chimaera_, now -called Yanar, is in ancient Lycia, in Asia Minor, and was a burning -mountain, which, according to Spratt, is caused by a stream of -inflammable gas, issuing from a crevice. This monster is easily -explained, if we can believe Servius, the Commentator of Virgil, who -says that flames issue from the top of the mountain, and that there are -lions in the vicinity; the middle part abounds in goats, and the lower -part with serpents. - - - - -THE HARPY AND SIREN. - - -[Illustration] - -The conjunction of the human form with birds is very easy, wings being -fitted to it, as in the case of angels--and as applied to beasts, this -treatment is very ancient, _vide_ the winged bulls of Assyria, and the -classical Pegasus, or winged horse. With birds, the best form in which -it is treated in Mythology is the Harpy. This is taken from Aldrovandus, -and fully illustrates the mixture of bird and woman, described by -Shakespeare in _Pericles_ (iv. 3):-- - - "_Cleon._ Thou'rt like the harpy, - Which to betray, dost, with thine angel's face, - Seize with thine eagle's talons." - -[Illustration] - -Then, also, we have the Siren, shown by this illustration, taken from -Pompeii. These Sea Nymphs were like the Harpies, depicted as a compound -of bird and woman. Like them also, there were three of them; but, -unlike them, they had such lovely voices, and were so beautiful, that -they lured seamen to their destruction, they having no power to combat -the allurements of the Sirens; whilst the Harpies emitted an infectious -smell, and spoiled whatever they touched, with their filth, and -excrements. - -[Illustration] - -Licetus, writing in 1634, and Zahn, in 1696, give the accompanying -picture of a monster born at Ravenna in 1511 or 1512. It had a horn on -the top of its head, two wings, was without arms, and only one leg like -that of a bird of prey. It had an eye in its knee, and was of both -sexes. It had the face and body of a man, except in the lower part, -which was covered with feathers. - -Marcellus Palonius Romanus made some Latin verses upon this prodigy, -which may be thus rendered into English:-- - - A Monster strange in fable, and deform - Still more in fact; sailing with swiftest wing, - He threatens double slaughter, and converts - To thy fell ruin, flames of living fire. - Of double sex, it spares no sex, alike - With kindred blood it fills th' AEmathian plain; - Its corpses strew alike both street and sea. - There hoary Thetis and the Nereids - Swim shudd'ring through the waves, while floating wide - The fish replete on human bodies----. Such, - Ravenna, was the Monster which foretold - Thy fall, which brings thee now such bitter woe, - Tho' boasting in thy image triumph-crowned. - - - - -THE BARNACLE GOOSE. - - -Of all extraordinary beliefs, that in the Barnacle Goose, which obtained -credence from the eleventh to the seventeenth centuries, is as wonderful -as any. The then accepted fact that the Barnacle Goose was generated on -trees, and dropped alive in the water, dates back a hundred years before -Gerald de Barri. Otherwise Giraldus Cambrensis wrote in 1187, about -these birds, the following being a translation:-- - -"There are here many birds which are called Bernacae, which nature -produces in a manner contrary to nature, and very wonderful. They are -like marsh-geese, but smaller. They are produced from fir timber tossed -about at sea, and are at first like geese upon it. Afterwards they hang -down by their beaks, as if from a sea-weed attached to the wood, and are -enclosed in shells that they may grow the more freely. Having thus, in -course of time, been clothed with a strong covering of feathers, they -either fall into the water, or seek their liberty in the air by flight. -The embryo geese derive their growth and nutriment from the moisture of -the wood or of the sea, in a secret and most marvellous manner. I have -seen with my own eyes more than a thousand minute bodies of these birds -hanging from one piece of timber on the shore, enclosed in shells, and -already formed. The eggs are not impregnated _in coitu_, like those of -other birds, nor does the bird sit upon its eggs to hatch them, and in -no corner of the world have they been known to build a nest. Hence the -bishops and clergy in some parts of Ireland are in the habit of -partaking of these birds, on fast days, without scruple. But in doing so -they are led into sin. For, if any one were to eat of the leg of our -first parent, although he (Adam) was not born of flesh, that person -could not be adjudged innocent of eating flesh." - -We see here, that Giraldus speaks of these barnacles being developed on -wreckage in the sea, but does not mention their growing upon trees, -which was the commoner belief. I have quoted both Sir John Maundeville, -and Odoricus, about the lamb-tree, which neither seem to consider very -wonderful, for Sir John says: "Neverthelesse I sayd to them that I held -y^t for no marvayle, for I sayd that in my countrey are trees y^t beare -fruit, y^t become byrds flying, and they are good to eate, and that that -falleth on the water, liveth, and that that falleth on earth, dyeth, -and they marvailed much thereat." And the Friar, in continuation of his -story of the _Borometz_, says: "Even as I my selfe have heard reported -that there stand certaine trees upon the shore of the Irish Sea, bearing -fruit like unto a gourd, which at a certaine time of the yeere doe fall -into the water, and become birds called Bernacles, and this is most -true." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus, in speaking of the breeding of Ducks in Scotland, says: -"Moreover, another _Scotch_ Historian, who diligently sets down the -secret of things, saith that in the _Orcades_, (_the Orkneys_) Ducks -breed of a certain Fruit falling in the Sea; and these shortly after, -get wings, and fly to the tame or wild ducks." And, whilst discoursing -on Geese, he affirms that "some breed from Trees, as I said of Scotland -Ducks in the former Chapter." Sebastian Mueenster, from whom I have taken -the preceding illustration, says in his _Cosmographia Universalis_:--"In -Scotland there are trees which produce fruit, conglomerated of their -leaves; and this fruit, when, in due time, it falls into the water -beneath it, is endowed with new life, and is converted into a living -bird, which they call the 'tree goose.' This tree grows in the Island -of Pomonia, which is not far from Scotland, towards the North. Several -old Cosmographers, especially Saxo Grammaticus, mention the tree, and it -must not be regarded as fictitious, as some new writers suppose." - -In Camden's "Britannia" (translated by Edmund Gibson, Bishop of London) -he says, speaking of Buchan:--"It is hardly worth while to mention the -clayks, a sort of geese; which are believed by some, (with great -admiration) to grow upon the trees on this coast and in other places, -and, when they are ripe, to fall down into the sea; because neither -their nests nor eggs can anywhere be found. But they who saw the ship, -in which Sir Francis Drake sailed round the world, when it was laid up -in the river Thames, could testify, that little birds breed in the old -rotten keels of ships; since a great number of such, without life and -feathers, stuck close to the outside of the keel of that ship; yet I -should think, that the generation of these birds was not from the logs -of wood, but from the sea, termed by the poets 'the parent of all -things.'" - -[Illustration] - -In "Purchas, his Pilgrimage," is the voyage of Gerat de Veer to China, -&c., in 1569--and he speaks of the Barnacle goose thus:--"Those geese -were of a perfit red colour, such as come to Holland about Weiringen, -and every yeere are there taken in abundance, but till this time, it was -never knowne where they hatcht their egges, so that some men have taken -upon them to write that they sit upon trees in Scotland, that hang over -the water, and such eggs that fall from them downe into the water, -become young geese, and swim there out of the water: but those that fall -upon the land, burst asunder, and are lost; but that is now found to be -contrary, that no man could tell where they breed their egges, for that -no man that ever wee knew, had ever beene under 80 deg.; nor that land under -80 deg. was never set downe in any card, much lesse the red geese that -breede therein." He and his sailors declared that they had seen these -birds sitting on their eggs, and hatching them, on the coasts of Nova -Zembla. - -Du Bartas thus mentions this goose:-- - - "So, slowe Booetes underneath him sees, - In th' ycie iles, those goslings hatcht of trees; - Whose fruitfull leaves, falling into the water, - Are turned, (they say) to living fowls soon after. - So, rotten sides of broken ships do change - To barnacles; O transformation strange! - 'Twas first a green tree, then a gallant hull, - Lately a mushroom, now a flying gull." - -I could multiply quotations on this subject. Gesner and every other -naturalist believed in the curious birth of the Barnacle goose--and so -even did Aldrovandus, writing at the close of the seventeenth century, -for from him I take this illustration. But enough has been said upon the -subject. - - - - -REMARKABLE EGG. - - -[Illustration] - -No wonder that a credulous age, which could see nothing extraordinary in -the Barnacle goose, could also, metaphorically, swallow such an egg, as -Licetus, first of all, and Aldrovandus, after him, gives us in the -accompanying true picture. The latter says that a goose's egg was found -in France, (he leaves a liberal margin for locality,) which on being -broken appeared exactly as in the picture. Comment thereon is useless. - - - - -MOON WOMAN. - - -[Illustration] - -One would have imagined that this Egg would be sufficient to test the -credulity of most people, but Aldrovandus was equal to the occasion, and -he gives us a "Moon Woman," who lays eggs, sits upon them, and hatches -Giants; and he gives this on the authority of Lycosthenes and Ravisius -Textor. - - - - -THE GRIFFIN. - - -There always has been a tradition of birds being existent, of far -greater size than those usually visible. - -The Maoris aver that at times they still hear the gigantic Moa in the -scrub--and, even, if extinct, we know, by the state of the bones found, -that its extinction must have been of comparatively recent date. But no -one credits the Moa with the power of flight, whilst the Griffin, which -must not be confounded with the gold-loving Arimaspian Gryphon, was a -noble bird. Mandeville knew him:--"In this land (_Bactria_) are many -gryffons, more than in other places, and some say they have the body -before as an Egle, and behinde as a Lyon, and it is trouth, for they be -made so; but the Griffen hath a body greater than viii Lyons, and stall -worthier (_stouter_, _braver_) than a hundred Egles. For certainly he -wyl beare to his nest flying, a horse and a man upon his back, or two -Oxen yoked togither as they go at plowgh, for he hath longe nayles on -hys fete, as great as it were hornes of Oxen, and of those they make -Cups there to drynke of, and of his rybes they make bowes to shoote -with." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus says they live in the far Northern mountains, that they -prey upon horses and men, and that of their nails drinking-cups were -made, as large as ostrich eggs. These enormous birds correspond in many -points to the Eastern Ruc or Rukh, or the Rok of the "Arabian Nights," -of whose mighty powers of flight Sindbad took advantage. - -Ser Marco Polo, speaking of Madagascar, says:--"'Tis said that in those -other Islands to the south, which the ships are unable to visit because -this strong current prevents their return, is found the bird _Gryphon_, -which appears there at certain seasons. The description given of it is, -however, entirely different from what our stories and pictures make it. -For persons who had been there and had seen it, told Messer Marco Polo -that it was for all the world like an eagle, but one indeed of enormous -size; so big in fact, that its wings covered an extent of 30 paces, and -its quills were 12 paces long, and thick in proportion. And it is so -strong that it will seize an Elephant in its talons, and carry him high -into the air, and drop him so that he is smashed to pieces: having so -killed him, the bird gryphon swoops down on him, and eats him at -leisure. The people of those isles call the bird _Ruc_, and it has no -other name. So I wot not if this be the real gryphon, or if there be -another manner of bird as great. But this I can tell you for certain, -that they are not half lion and half bird, as our stories do relate; -but, enormous as they be, they are fashioned just like an eagle. - -"The Great Kaan sent to those parts to enquire about these curious -matters, and the story was told by those who went thither. He also sent -to procure the release of an envoy of his who had been despatched -thither, and had been detained; so both those envoys had many wonderful -things to tell the Great Kaan about those strange islands, and about the -birds I have mentioned. They brought (as I heard) to the Great Kaan, a -feather of the said Ruc, which was stated to measure 90 Spans, whilst -the quill part was two palms in circumference, a marvellous object! The -Great Kaan was delighted with it, and gave great presents to those who -brought it." - -This quill seems rather large; other travellers, however, perhaps not so -truthful as Ser Marco, speak of these enormous quills. The Moa of New -Zealand (_Dinornis giganteus_) is supposed to have been the largest bird -in Creation--and next to that is the _AEpyornis maximus_--_whose bones -and egg have been found in Madagascar_. An egg is in the British Museum, -and it has a liquid capacity of 2.35 gallons, but, alas, for the quill -story--this bird was wingless. - -The Condor has been put forward as the real and veritable Ruc, but no -living specimens will compare with this bird as it has been -described--especially if we take the picture of it in Lane's "Arabian -Nights," where it is represented as taking up _three_ elephants, one in -its beak, and one in each of its claws. - -The Japanese have a legend of a great bird which carried off men--and -there is a very graphic picture now on view at the White Wing of the -British Museum, where one of these birds, having seized a man, -frightens, very naturally, the whole community. - - - - -THE PHOENIX. - - -Pliny says of the Phoenix:--"AEthiopia and India, more especially produce -birds of diversified plumage, and such as quite surpass all -description. In the front rank of these is the Phoenix, that famous bird -of Arabia; though I am not sure that its existence is not a fable. - -"It is said that there is only one in existence in the whole world, and -that that one has not been seen very often. We are told that this bird -is of the size of an eagle, and has a brilliant golden plumage around -the neck, whilst the rest of the body is a purple colour; except the -tail, which is azure, with long feathers intermingled, of a roseate hue; -the throat is adorned with a crest, and the head with a tuft of -feathers. The first Roman who described this bird, and who has done so -with great exactness, was the Senator Manilius, so famous for his -learning; which he owed, too, to the instructions of no teacher. He -tells us that no person has ever seen this bird eat, that in Arabia it -is looked upon as sacred to the Sun; that it lives five hundred and -forty years. That when it is old it builds a nest of Cassia and sprigs -of incense, which it fills with perfumes, and then lays its body down -upon them to die: that from its bones and marrow there springs at first -a sort of small worm, which, in time, changes into a little bird; that -the first thing it does is to perform the obsequies of its predecessor, -and to carry the nest entire to the City of the Sun near Panchaia, and -there deposit it upon the altar of that divinity. - -"The same Manilius states also, that the revolution of the great year is -completed with the life of this bird, and that then a new cycle comes -round again with the same characteristics as the former one, in the -seasons and the appearance of the stars; and he says that this begins -about midday of the day in which the Sun enters the sign of Aries. He -also tells us that when he wrote to the above effect, in the consulship -of P. Licinius, and Cneius Cornelius, (B.C. 96) it was the two hundred -and fifteenth year of the said revolution. Cornelius Valerianus -says that the Phoenix took its flight from Arabia into Egypt in the -Consulship of Q. Plautius and Sextus Papinius, (A.D. 36). This bird was -brought to Rome in the Censorship of the Emperor Claudius, being the -year from the building of the City, 800, (A.D. 47) and it was exposed to -public view in the Comitium. This fact is attested by the public Annals, -but there is no one that doubts that it was a fictitious Phoenix." - -Cuvier seems to think that the bird described above was a Golden -Pheasant, brought from the interior of Asia--at a time when these birds -were unknown to civilised Europe. - -Du Bartas, in his metrical account of the Creation, mentions this winged -prodigy:-- - - "The Heav'nly Phoenix first began to frame - The earthly _Phoenix_, and adorn'd the same - With such a Plume, that Phoebus, circuiting - From _Fez_ to _Cairo_, sees no fairer thing: - Such form, such feathers, and such Fate he gave her - That fruitfull Nature breedeth nothing braver: - Two sparkling eyes; upon her crown, a crest - Of starrie Sprigs (more splendent than the rest) - A goulden doun about her dainty neck, - Her brest deep purple, and a scarlet back, - Her wings and train of feathers (mixed fine) - Of orient azure and incarnadine. - He did appoint her Fate to be her Pheer, - And Death's cold kisses to restore her heer - Her life again, which never shall expire - Untill (as she) the World consume in fire. - For, having passed under divers Climes, - A thousand Winters, and a thousand Primes; - Worn out with yeers, wishing her endless end, - To shining flames she doth her life commend, - Dies to revive, and goes into her Grave - To rise againe more beautifull and brave. - With Incense, Cassia, Spiknard, Myrrh, and Balm, - By break of Day shee builds (in narrow room) - Her Urn, her Nest, her Cradle, and her Toomb; - Where, while she sits all gladly-sad expecting - Some flame (against her fragrant heap reflecting) - To burn her sacred bones to seedfull cinders, - (Wherein, her age, but not her life, she renders.) - - * * * * * - - And _Sol_ himself, glancing his goulden eyes - On th' odoriferous Couch wherein she lies, - Kindles the spice, and by degrees consumes - Th' immortall _Phoenix_, both her flesh and plumes. - But instantly, out of her ashes springs - A Worm, an Egg then, then a Bird with wings, - Just like the first, (rather the same indeed) - Which (re-ingendred of its selfly seed) - By nobly dying, a new Date begins, - And where she loseth, there her life she wins: - Endless by'r End, eternall by her Toomb; - While, by a prosperous Death, she doth becom - (Among the cinders of her sacred Fire) - Her own selfs Heir, Nurse, Nurseling, Dam and Sire." - - - - -THE SWALLOW. - - "And is the swallow gone? - Who beheld it? - Which way sailed it? - Farewell bade it none?" - - (_W. Smith, Country book._) - - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus answered this question, according to his lights, and when, -discoursing on the Migration of Swallows he says:--"Though many Writers -of Natural Histories have written that Swallows change their stations; -that is, when cold Winter begins to come, they fly to hotter Climats; -yet oft-times, in the Northern Countries, Swallows are drawn forth, by -chance by Fishermen, like a lump cleaving together, where they went -amongst the Reeds, after the beginning of Autumn, and there fasten -themselves bill to bill, wing to wing, feet to feet. For it is observed, -that they, about that time ending their most sweet note, (?) do so -descend, and they fly out peaceably after the beginning of the Spring, -and come to their old Nests, or else they build new ones by their -natural care. Now that lump being drawn forth by ignorant young men (for -the old Fishermen that are acquainted with it, put it in again) is -carryed and laid on the Sea Shore, and by the heat of the Sun, the Lump -is dissolved, and the Swallows begin to fly, but they last but a short -time because they were not set at liberty by being taken so soon, but -they were made captive by it. It hapneth also in the Spring, when they -return freely, and come to their old Nests, or make new ones, if a very -cold Winter come upon them, and much snow fall, they will all dye; that -all that Summer you shall see none of them upon the Houses, or Banks, -or Rivers; but a very few that came later out of the Waters, or from -other Parts, which by Nature come flying thither, to repair their Issue. -Winter being fully ended in _May_; For Husband-Men, from their Nests, -built higher or lower, take their Prognostications, whether they shall -sowe in Valleys, or Mountains or Hills, according as the Rain shall -increase or diminish. Also the Inhabitants hold it an ill sign, if the -Swallows refuse to build upon their houses; for they fear those -House-tops are ready to fall." - -This is proper, and good, and what we might expect from Olaus Magnus; -but it is somewhat singular to see, printed in _Notes and Queries_ for -October 22, 1864, the following:-- - -"The Duke de R---- related to me, a few days ago, that in Sweden, the -swallows, as soon as the winter begins to approach, plunge themselves -into the lakes, where they remain asleep and hidden under the ice till -the return of the summer; when, revived by the new warmth, they come out -from the water, and fly away as formerly. While the lakes are frozen, if -somebody will break the ice in those parts where it appears darker than -in the rest, he will find masses of swallows--cold, asleep, and half -dead; which, by taking out of their retreat, and warming, he will see -gradually to vivify again and fly. - -"In other countries they retire very often to the Caverns, under the -rocks. As many of these exist between the City of Caen, and the Sea, on -the banks of the river Orne, there are found sometimes, during the -winter, piles of swallows suspended in these vaults, like bundles of -grapes. I witnessed the same thing, myself, in Italy; where, as well as -in France, it is considered (as I have heard) very lucky by the -inhabitants when swallows build nests on their habitations.... -_Rhodocanakis._" - -Of course, these stories of curious hybernation were pooh-poohed, -although it could not be denied that the subaqueous hybernation of -swallows is given in Goldsmith's "Animated Nature," and many other -Natural Histories, which succeeded his. - -The wintering of swallows in caverns, has another eye-witness in Edward -Williams (_Iolo Morganwg_), who in his "Poems, Lyrics, and Pastorals," -published 1794, says:--"About the year 1768, the author, with two or -three more, found a great number of swallows in a torpid state, clinging -in clusters to each other by their bills, in a cave of the sea-cliffs -near Dunraven Castle, in the County of Glamorgan. They revived after -they had been some hours in a warm room, but died a day or two after, -though all possible care had been taken of them." - - - - -THE MARTLET, AND FOOTLESS BIRDS. - - -Of the Martin, or, as in Heraldry it is written, _Martlet_, Guillim thus -writes:--"The Martlet, or Martinet, saith Bekenhawh, hath Legs so -exceeding short, that they can by no means go: (_walk_) And thereupon, -it seemeth, the _Grecians_ do call them _Apodes, quasi sine pedibus_; -not because they do want Feet, but because they have not such Use of -their Feet, as other Birds have. And if perchance they fall upon the -Ground, they cannot raise themselves upon their Feet, as others do, and -prepare themselves to flight. For this Cause they are accustomed to make -their Nests upon Rocks and other high places, from whence they may -easily take their flight, by Means of the Support of the Air. Hereupon -it came, that this Bird is painted in Arms without Feet: and for this -Cause it is also given for a Difference of younger Brethren, to put them -in mind to trust to their wings of Vertue and Merit, to raise -themselves, and not to their Legs, having little Land to put their foot -on." - -The Alerion is a small bird of the eagle tribe, heraldically depicted as -without beak or feet. - -Butler in "Hudibras" writes-- - - "Like a bird of paradise, - Or herald's Martlet, has no legs, - Nor hatches young ones, nor lays eggs." - -The Bird of Paradise was unknown to the ancients, and one of the -earliest notices of this bird is given in Magalhaen's voyage in -1521:--"The King of Bachian, one of the Molucca Islands, sent two dead -birds preserved, which were of extraordinary beauty. In size they were -not larger than the thrush: the head was small, with a long bill; the -legs were of the thickness of a common quill, and a span in length; the -tail resembled that of the thrush; they had no wings, but in the place -where wings usually are, they had tufts of long feathers, of different -colours; all the other feathers were dark. The inhabitants of the -Moluccas had a tradition that this bird came from Paradise, and they -call it _bolondinata_, which signifies the 'bird of God.'" - -By-and-by, as trade increased, the skins of this bird were found to have -a high market value, but the natives always brought them, when they came -to trade, with their legs cut off. Thence sprang the absurd rumour that -they had no legs, although in the early account just quoted, their legs -are expressly mentioned. Linnaeus called the emerald birds of Paradise -_apoda_ or legless; whilst Tavernier says that these birds getting drunk -on nutmegs, fall helpless to the ground, and then the ants eat off their -legs. - - "But note we now, towards the rich _Moluques_, - Those passing strange and wondrous (birds) _Manueques_. - (Wond'rous indeed, if Sea, or Earth, or Sky, - Saw ever wonder swim, or goe, or fly) - None knowes their Nest, none knowes the dam that breeds them; - Foodless they live; for th' Aire alonely feeds them: - Wingless they fly; and yet their flight extends, - Till with their flight, their unknown live's-date ends." - - - - -SNOW BIRDS. - - -But we must leave warm climes, and birds of Paradise, and speak of -"Birds shut up under the Snow." - -[Illustration] - -"There are in the Northern Countries Wood-Cocks, like to pheasant for -bigness, but their Tails are much shorter, and they are cole black all -over their bodies, with some white feathers at the end of their Tails -and Wings. The Males have a red Comb standing upright; the Females have -one that is low and large, and the colour is grey. These Birds are of an -admirable Nature to endure huge Cold in the Woods, as the Ducks in the -Waters. But when the Snow covers the Superficies of the Earth, like to -Hills, all over, and for a long time presse down the boughs of the Trees -with their weight, they eat certain Fruits of the Birch-Tree, called in -_Italian_ (_Gatulo_) like to a long Pear, and they swallow them whole, -and that in so great quantity, and so greedily, that their throat is -stuffed, and seems greater than all their body. - -"Then they part their Companies, and thrust themselves all over into the -snow, especially in _January_, _February_ and _March_, when Snow and -Whirlwinds, Storms, and grievous Tempests, descend from the Clouds. And -when they are covered all over, that not one of them can be seen, lying -all in heaps, for certain weeks they live, with meat collected in their -throats, and cast forth, and resumed. The Hunter's Dogs cannot find -them; yet by the Cunning of the crafty Hunters, it falls out, that when -the Dogs err in their scent, they, by signs, will catch a number of -living Birds, and will draw them forth to their great profit. But they -must do that quickly; because when they hear the Dogs bark, they -presently rise like Bees, and take up on the Wing, and fly aloft. But, -if they perceive that the Snow will be greater, they devour the foresaid -Fruit again, and take a new dwelling, and there they stay till the end -of March: or, if the snow melt sooner, when the Sun goes out of _Aries_; -for then the snow melting, by an instinct of Nature (as many other -Birds) they rise out of their holes to lay Eggs, and produce young ones; -and this in Mountains where bryars are, and thick Trees. Males and -Females sit on the Eggs by turns, and both of them keep the Young, and -chiefly the Male, that neither the Eagle nor Fox may catch them. - -"These Birds fly in great sholes together, and they remain in high -Trees, chiefly Birch-Trees; and they come not down, but for propagation, -because they have food enough on the top of their Trees. And when -Hunters or Countreymen, to whom those fields belong, see them fly all -abroad, over the fields full of snow, they pitch up staves obliquely -from the Earth, above the Snow, eight or ten foot high; and at the top -of them, there hangs a snare, that moves with the least touch, and so -they catch these Birds; because they, when they Couple, leap strangely, -as Partridges do, and so they fall into these snares, and hang there. -And when one seems to be caught in the Gin, the others fly to free her, -and are caught in the like snare. There is also another way to catch -them, namely with arrows and stalking-horses, that they may not suspect -it.... - -"There is also another kind of Birds called _Bonosa_, whose flesh is -outwardly black, inwardly white: they are as delicate good meat as -Partridges, yet as great as Pheasants. At the time of Propagation, the -Male runs with open mouth till he foam; then the Female runs and -receives the same; and from thence she seems to conceive, and bring -forth eggs, and to produce her young." - - - - -THE SWAN. - - -The ancient fable so dear, even to modern poets, that Swans sing before -they die--was not altogether believed even in classical times, as saith -Pliny:--"It is stated that at the moment of the swan's death, it gives -utterance to a mournful song; but this is an error, in my opinion; at -least, I have tested the truth of the story on several occasions." That -some swans have a kind of voice, and can change a note or two, no one -who has met with a flock or two of "hoopers," or wild swans, can deny. - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus relates the fable--and quotes Plato, that the swan sings at -its death, not from sorrow, but out of joy, at finishing its life. He -also gives us a graphic illustration of how swans may be caught by -playing to them on a lute or other stringed instrument, and also that -they were to be caught by men (playing music) with stalking-horses, in -the shape of oxen, or horses; and, in another page, he says, that not -far from London, the Metropolis of England, on the River Thames, may be -found more than a thousand domesticated swans. - - - - -THE ALLE, ALLE. - - -[Illustration] - -"There is also in this Lake (_the White Lake_) a kind of bird, very -frequent; and in other Coasts of the _Bothnick_ and _Swedish_ Sea, that -cries incessantly all the Summer, _Alle, Alle_, therefore they are -called all over, by the Inhabitants, _Alle, Alle_. For in that Lake such -a multitude of great birds is found, (as I said before) by reason of the -fresh Waters that spring from hot springs, that they seem to cover all -the shores and rivers, especially Sea-Crows, or Cormorants, Coots, More -Hens, two sorts of Ducks, Swans, and infinite smaller Water Birds. These -Crows, and other devouring birds, the hunters can easily take, because -they fly slowly, and not above two or four Cubits above the Water: thus -they do it on the narrow Rocks, as in the Gates of Islands, on the Banks -of them, they hang black nets, or dyed of a Watry Colour upon Spears; -and these, with Pulleys, will quickly slip up or down, that in great -Sholes they catch the Birds that fly thither by letting the Nets fall -upon them: and this is necessary, because those Birds fly so slowly, and -right forward; so that few escape. Also, sometimes Ducks, and other -Birds are taken in these Nets. Wherefore these black, or slow Birds, -whether they swim or fly, are always crying _Alle, Alle_, which in -Latine signifies _All, All_, (_Omnes_) and so they do when they are -caught in the Nets: and this voyce the cunning Fowler interprets thus, -that he hath not, as yet, all of them in his Nets; nor ever shall have, -though he had six hundred Nets." - - - - -THE HOOPOE AND LAPWING. - - -Whether the following bird is meant for the Hoopoe, or the Lapwing, I -know not. The Latin version has "De Upupis," which clearly means -Hoopoes--and the translation says, "Of the Whoups or Lapwings"--I follow -the latter. "_Lapwings_, when at a set time they come to the Northern -Countries from other parts, they foreshew the nearnesse of the Spring -coming on. It is a Bird that is full of crying and lamentation, to -preserve her Eggs, or young. By importunate crying, she shews that Foxes -lye hid in the grasse; and so she cries out in all places, to drive away -dogs and other Beasts. They fight with Swallows, Pies, and Jackdaws. - -[Illustration] - -"On Hillocks, in Lakes, she lays her Eggs, and hatcheth her young ones. -Made tame she will cleane a house of Flyes, and catch Mice. She -foreshews Rain when she cries; which also Field Scorpions do, called -Mares, Cuckows; who by flying overthwart, and crying loudly, foreshew -Rain at hand; also the larger Scorpions, with huge long snouts, fore -signifie Rain; so do Woodpeckers. There is a Bird also called Rayn, as -big as a Partridge that hath Feathers of divers colours, of a yellow, -white, and black colour: This is supposed to live upon nothing but Ayr, -though she be fat, nothing is found in her belly. The Fowlers hunt her -with long poles, which they cast high in the Ayr to fright her, so that -they may catch the Bird flying down." - - - - -THE OSTRICH. - - -[Illustration] - -Modern observation, and especially Ostrich farming, has thoroughly -exploded the old errors respecting this bird. We believe in its powers -of _swallowing_ anything not too large, but not in its _digesting_ -everything, and certainly not, as Muenster would fain have us believe, -that an Ostrich's dinner consists of a church-door key, and a -horse-shoe. As matters of fact, we know that, when pursued, they do not -bury their heads in the sand, or a bush; and instead of covering their -eggs with sand, and leaving the sun to hatch them, both the male and -female are excellent, and model parents. - -Pliny, however, says differently:--"This bird exceeds in height a man -sitting on horseback, and can surpass him in swiftness, as wings have -been given to aid it in running; in other respects Ostriches cannot be -considered as birds, and do not raise themselves from the earth. They -have cloven talons, very similar to the hoof of the stag (_they have but -two toes_); with these they fight, and they also employ them in seizing -stones for the purpose of throwing at those who pursue them. They have -the marvellous property of being able to digest every substance without -distinction, but their stupidity is no less remarkable: for although the -rest of their body is so large, they imagine when they have thrust their -head and neck into a bush, that the whole body is concealed." - -Giovanni Leone Africano writes that "this fowle liveth in drie desarts -and layeth to the number of ten or twelve egges in the sand, which being -about the bignesse of great bullets weigh fifteen pounds a piece; but -the ostrich is of so weak a memorie, that she presently forgetteth the -place where her egges were laid, and, afterwards the same, or some other -ostrich hen finding the said eggs by chance hatched and fostereth them -as if they were certainely her owne. The chickens are no sooner crept -out of the shell but they prowle up and downe the desarts for their -food, and before theyr feathers be growne they are so swifte that a man -shall hardly overtake them. The ostrich is a silly and deafe creature, -feeding upon any thing which it findeth, be it as hard and indigestible -as yron." - - - - -THE HALCYON. - - -Of this bird, the Kingfisher, Aristotle thus discourses:--"The halcyon -is not much larger than a sparrow; its colour is blue and green, and -somewhat purple; its whole body is composed of these colours as well as -the wings and neck, nor is any part without every one of these colours. -Its bill is somewhat yellow, long and slight; this is its external form. -Its nest resembles the marine balls which are called halosachnae -(_probably a Zoophyte_, Alcyonia) except in colour, for they are red; in -form it resembles those sicyae (cucumbers) which have long necks; its -size is that of a very large sponge, for some are greater, others less. -They are covered up, and have a thick solid part, as well as the cavity; -it is not easily cut with a sharp knife, but, when struck or broken with -the hand, it divides readily like the halosachnae. The mouth is narrow, -as it were a small entrance, so that the sea water cannot enter, even if -the Sea is rough: its cavity is like that of the Sponge. The material of -which the nest is composed is disputed, but it appears to be principally -composed of the spines of the _belone_, for the bird lives on fish." - -Pliny says:--"It is a thing of very rare occurrence to see a halcyon, -and then it is only about the time of the setting of the Vergiliae, and -the summer and winter solstices; when one is sometimes to be seen to -hover about a ship, and then immediately disappear. They hatch their -young at the time of the winter solstice, from which circumstance those -days are known as the 'halcyon days;' during this period the sea is calm -and navigable, the Sicilian sea in particular." - -"Halcyon days" is used proverbially, but the Kingfisher had another -very useful trait. If a dead Kingfisher were hung up by a cord, it would -point its beak to the quarter whence the wind blew. Shakespeare mentions -this property in _King Lear_ (ii. 1):-- - - "Turn their halcyon beaks - With every gale and vary of their masters." - -And Marlowe, in his _Jew of Malta_ (i. 1):-- - - "But now, how stands the wind? - Into what corner peers my halcyon bill?" - - - - -THE PELICAN. - - -[Illustration] - -The fable of the Pelican "in her piety, vulning herself," as it is -heraldically described--is so well known, as hardly to be worth -mentioning, even to contradict it. In the first place, the heraldic bird -is as unlike the real one, as it is possible to be; but the legend seems -to have had its origin in Egypt, where the vulture was credited with -this extraordinary behaviour, and this bird is decidedly more in -accordance with the heraldic ideal. Du Bartas, singing of "Charitable -birds," praises equally the Stork and the Pelican:-- - - "The _Stork_, still eyeing her deer _Thessalie_, - The _Pelican_ comforteth cheerfully: - Prayse-worthy Payer; which pure examples yield - Of faithfull Father, and Officious Childe: - Th' one quites (in time) her Parents love exceeding, - From whom shee had her birth and tender breeding; - Not onely brooding under her warm brest - Their age-chill'd bodies bed-rid in the nest; - Nor only bearing them upon her back - Through th' empty Aire, when their own wings they lack; - But also, sparing (This let Children note) - Her daintiest food from her own hungry throat, - To feed at home her feeble Parents, held - From forraging, with heavy Gyves of Eld. - The other, kindly, for her tender Brood - Tears her own bowells, trilleth-out her blood, - To heal her young, and in a wondrous sort, - Unto her Children doth her life transport: - For finding them by som fell Serpent slain, - She rends her brest, and doth upon them rain - Her vitall humour; whence recovering heat, - They by her death, another life do get." - - - - -THE TROCHILUS. - - -This bird, as described by Aristotle, and others, is of a peculiar turn -of mind:--"When the Crocodile gapes, the trochilus flies into its mouth -to cleanse its teeth; in this process the trochilus procures food, and -the other perceives it, and does not injure it; when the Crocodile -wishes the trochilus to leave, it moves its neck that it may not bite -the bird." - -Giovanni Leone--before quoted--says, respecting this bird:--"As we -sayled further we saw great numbers of crocodiles upon the banks of the -ilands in the midst of Nilus lye baking them in the sunne with their -jawes wide open, whereinto certaine little birds about the bignesse of a -thrush entering, came flying forth againe presently after. The occasion -whereof was told me to be this: the crocodiles by reason of their -continuall devouring beasts and fishes have certaine pieces of flesh -sticking fast betweene their forked teeth, which flesh being putrified, -breedeth a kind of worme, wherewith they are cruelly tormented; wherefor -the said birds flying about, and seeing the wormes enter into the -Crocodile's jaws to satisfie their hunger thereon, but the Crocodile -perceiving himselfe freede from the wormes of his teeth, offereth to -shut his mouth, and to devour the little bird that did him so good a -turne, but being hindred from his ungratefull attempt by a pricke which -groweth upon the bird's head, hee is constrayned to open his jawes, and -to let her depart." - -Du Bartas gives another colour to the behaviour of the Trochilus:-- - - "The _Wren_, who seeing (prest with sleep's desire) - _Nile's_ poys'ny Pirate press the slimy shoar, - Suddenly coms, and, hopping him before, - Into his mouth he skips, his teeth he pickles, - Clenseth his palate, and his throat so tickles, - That, charm'd with pleasure, the dull _Serpent_ gapes. - Wider and wider, with his ugly chaps: - Then, like a shaft, th' _Ichneumon_ instantly - Into the Tyrants greedy gorge doth fly, - And feeds upon that Glutton, for whose Riot, - All _Nile's_ fat margents scarce could furnish diet." - - - - -WOOLLY HENS. - - -Sir John Maundeville saw in "the kingdome named Mancy, which is the best -kingdome of the worlde--(Manzi, _that part of China south of the river -Hoang-ho_) whyte hennes, and they beare no feathers, but woll as shepe -doe in our lande." - - - - -TWO-HEADED WILD GEESE. - - -Near the land of the _Cynocephali_ or dog-headed men, there were many -islands, and, "Also in this yle, and in many yles thereabout are many -wyld geese with two heads." But these were not the only extraordinary -breed of wild geese, extant. - - "As the wise Wilde-geese, when they over-soar - Cicilian mounts, within their bills do bear, - A pebble stone both day and night: for fear - Lest ravenous Eagles of the North descry - Their Armies passage, by their Cackling Cry." - -Aristotle mentions the Crane as another stone-bearing bird:--"Among -birds, as it was previously remarked, the Crane migrates from one -extremity of the earth to the other, and they fly against the wind. As -for the story of the stone, it is a fiction, for they say that they -carry a stone as ballast, which is useful as a touchstone for gold, -after they have vomited it up." - - - - -FOUR-FOOTED DUCK. - - -[Illustration] - -Gesner describes a four-footed duck, which he says is like the English -puffin, except in the number of its feet: but Aldrovandus "out-Herods -Herod" when he gives us "A monstrous Cock with Serpent's tail." - -If we can believe Pliny, there are places where certain birds are never -found:--"With reference to the departure of birds, the owlet, too, is -said to lie concealed for a few days. No birds of this last kind are to -be found in the island of Crete, and if any are imported thither, they -immediately die. Indeed, this is a remarkable distinction made by -Nature; for she denies to certain places, as it were, certain kinds of -fruits and shrubs, and of animals as well;... - -"Rhodes possesses no Eagles. In Italy, beyond the Padus, there is, near -the Alps, a lake known by the name of Larius, beautifully situate amid a -country covered with shrubs; and yet this lake is never visited by -storks, nor, indeed, are they ever known to come within eight miles of -it; whilst on the other hand, in the neighbouring territory of the -Montres, there are immense flocks of magpies and jackdaws, the only bird -that is guilty of stealing gold and silver, a very singular propensity. - -"It is said that in the territory of Tarentum, the woodpecker of Mars is -never found. It is only lately, too, and that but very rarely, that -various kinds of pies have begun to be seen in the districts that lie -between the Apennines, and the City; birds which are known by the name -of _Variae_, and are remarkable for the length of the tail. It is a -peculiarity of this bird, that it becomes bald every year at the time of -sowing rape. The partridge does not fly beyond the frontiers of Boeotia, -into Attica; nor does any bird, in the island in the Euxine in which -Achilles was buried, enter the temple there consecrated to him. - -[Illustration] - -"In the territory of Fidenae, in the vicinity of the City, the storks -have no young, nor do they build nests; but vast numbers of ring-doves -arrive from beyond sea every year in the district of Volaterrae. At Rome, -neither flies, nor dogs ever enter the temple of Hercules in the Cattle -Market."... - - - - -FISH. - - -Terrestrial and Aerial animals were far more familiar to the Ancients -than were the inhabitants of the vast Ocean, and not knowing much about -them, their habits and ways, took "omne ignotum pro magnifico." - -We have seen the union of Man and Beast, and Man and Bird; and Man and -Fish was just as common, and perhaps more ancient than either of the -former--for Berosus, the Chaldean historian, gives us an account of -Oannes, or Hea, who corresponded to the Greek Cronos, who is identified -with the fish-headed god so often represented on the sculptures from -Nimroud, and of whom, clay figures have been found at Nimroud and -Khorsabad, as well as numerous representations on seals and gems. - -[Illustration] - -Of this mysterious union of Man and Fish, Berosus says:--"In the -beginning there were in Babylon a great number of men of various races, -who had colonised Chaldea. They lived without laws, after the manner of -animals. But in the first year there appeared coming out of the -Erythrian Sea (_Persian Gulf_) on the coast where it borders Babylonia, -an animal endowed with reason, named Oannes. He had all the body of a -fish, but below the head of the fish another head, which was that of a -man; also the feet of a man, which came out of its fish's tail. He had a -human voice, and its image is preserved to this day. This animal passed -the day time among men, taking no nourishment. It taught them the use of -letters, of sciences, and of arts of every kind; the rules for the -foundation of towns, and the building of temples, the principles of -laws, and geometry, the sowing of seeds, and the harvest; in one word, -it gave to men all that conduced to the enjoyment of life. Since that -time nothing excellent has been invented. At the time of sunset, this -monster Oannes threw itself into the sea, and passed the night beneath -the waves, for it was amphibious. He wrote a book upon the beginning of -all things, and of Civilisation, which he left to mankind." - -Helladice quotes the same story, and calls the composite being Oes; -while another writer, Hyginus, calls him Euahanes. M. Lenormant thinks -that it is evident that this latter name is more correct than Oannes, -for it points to one of the Akkadian names of Hea--"Hea-Khan," _Hea, the -fish_--and must be identified with the fish-God in the illustration. - -Alexander Polyhistor, who mainly copied from Berosus, says that Oannes -wrote concerning the generation of Mankind, of their different ways of -life, and of their civil polity; and the following is the purport of -what he wrote:-- - -"There was a time in which there existed nothing but darkness, and an -abyss of waters, wherein resided most hideous beings, which were -produced on a twofold principle. There appeared men, some of whom were -furnished with two wings, others with four, and two faces. They had one -body, but two heads; the one that of a man, the other of a woman; they -were likewise in their several organs both male and female. Other human -beings were to be seen with the legs and horns of a goat; some had -horse's feet, while others united the hind-quarters of a horse with the -body of a man, resembling in shape the hippocentaurs. Bulls likewise -were bred then with the heads of men, and dogs with fourfold bodies, -terminated in their extremities with the tails of fishes; horses also -with the heads of dogs; men, too, and other animals, with the heads and -bodies of horses, and the tails of fishes. In short, there were -creatures in which were combined the limbs of every species of animals. -In addition to these, fishes, reptiles, serpents, with other monstrous -animals, which assumed each other's shape and countenance. Of all which -were preserved delineations in the temple of Belus, at Babylon." - -[Illustration] - -But, undoubtedly, the earliest representation of the _real_ -Merman--half-man, half-fish--comes to us from the uncovered palace of -Khorsabad. On a portion of its sculptured walls is a representation of -Sargon, the father of Sennacherib, sailing on his expedition to Cyprus, -B.C. 720--on which occasion he had wooden images of the gods made and -thrown overboard in order to accompany him on his voyage. Among these is -Hea, or Oannes, which I venture to assert is the first representation of -a Merman. - -In Hindoo Mythology, one of the incarnations, or _avatars_ of Vishnu, -represents him as issuing from the mouth of a fish. The God Dagon (Dag -in Hebrew, signifying fish) was probably Oannes or Hea--and Atergatis -was depicted as a Mermaid, half-woman, half-fish. The Greeks worshipped -her as Astarte, and later on as Venus Aphrodite she was perfect woman, -still, however, born of the Sea-foam, and attended by Tritons or Mermen. - -These Tritons and Nereids, male and female, were firmly believed in by -both Greek and Roman--who both depicted them alike--the Triton, -sometimes having a trident, sometimes without, but both Triton, and -Nereid, perfect man and woman, of high types of manly and feminine -beauty, to the waist--below which was the body of a fish of the -Classical dolphin type. So ingrained have these forms become in -humanity, that it would seem almost impossible to realise a Merman, or -Mermaid, other than as usually depicted. - -Pliny, of course, tells about them:--"A deputation of persons from -Olisipo (_Lisbon_) that had been sent for the purpose, brought word to -the Emperor Tiberius that a Triton had been both seen and heard in a -certain cavern, blowing a Conch shell, and of the form they are usually -represented. Nor yet is the figure generally attributed to the nereids -at all a fiction, only in them the portion of the body that resembles -the human figure, is still rough all over with scales. For one of these -creatures was seen upon the same shores, and, as it died, its plaintive -murmurs were heard, even by the inhabitants, at a distance. - -[Illustration] - -"The legatus of Gaul, too, wrote word to the late Emperor Augustus, that -a considerable number of nereids had been found dead upon the sea-shore. -I have, too, some distinguished informants of equestrian rank, who state -that they themselves once saw, in the Ocean of Gades, a sea-man, which -bore in every part of his body, a perfect resemblance to a human being, -and that during the night he would climb up into ships; upon which the -side of the vessel, where he seated himself, would instantly sink -downward, and, if he remained there any considerable time, even go under -water." - -AElian tells us, that it is reported that the great sea which surrounds -the Island of Taprobana (_Ceylon_) contains an immense multitude of -fishes and whales, and some of them have the heads of lions, panthers, -rams, and other animals; and (which is more wonderful still) some of the -Cetaceans have the form of Satyrs. - -[Illustration] - -Gesner obligingly depicts this Pan, Sea Satyr, Ichthyo centaurus, or Sea -Demon, as he is indifferently called, and wants to pass it off as a -veritable Merman, probably on account of its human-like trunk. He also -quotes AElian as to the authenticity of this monster,--and he gives a -picture of another Man-fish, which he says was seen at Rome, on the -third of November, 1523. Its size was that of a boy about five years of -age. (See next page.) - -Mermen and Mermaids do not seem to affect any particular district, they -were met with all over the world--and records of their having been seen, -come to us from all parts. That was well, and occurred in the ages of -faith, but now the materialism of the present age would shatter, if it -could, our cherished belief in these Marine eccentricities, and would -fain have us to credit that all those that have been seen, were some of -the Phocidae, such as a "Dugong," or else they would attempt to persuade -us that a beautiful mermaid, with her comb and looking-glass, was -neither more nor less than a repulsive-looking "Manatee." - -[Illustration] - -Sir J. Emerson Tennent quotes in his "Natural History of Ceylon" from -the description of one of the Dutch Colonial Chaplains, named Valentyn, -who wrote an account of the Natural History of Amboyna. He says that in -1663, a lieutenant in the Dutch army was with some soldiers on the -sea-beach at Amboyna, when they all saw mermen swimming near the beach. -He described them as having long and flowing hair, of a colour between -grey and green. And he saw them again, after an interval of six weeks, -when he was in company with some fifty others. He also says that these -Marine Curiosities, both male and female, have been taken at Amboyna: -and he cites a special one, of which he gives a portrait, that was -captured by a district visitor of the Church, and presented by him to -the Governor. - -This last animal enjoyed European fame, as in 1716, whilst Peter the -Great was the guest of the British Ambassador at Amsterdam, the latter -wrote to Valentyn, asking that the marvel should be sent over for the -Czar's inspection--but it came not. Valentyn also tells how, in the year -1404, a mermaid, tempest-tossed, was driven through a breach in a dyke -at Edam, in Holland, and was afterwards taken alive in the lake of -Parmen, whence she was carried to Haarlem. The good Dutch vrows took -kindly care of her, and, with their usual thriftiness, taught her a -useful occupation, that of spinning; nay, they Christianised her--and -she died a Roman Catholic, several years after her capture. - -The authentic records, if trust can be placed in them, are various and -many--but are hardly worth recapitulating because of their sameness, and -the smile of incredulity which their recital provokes. - -Let us therefore turn to the monarch of the deep, the Whale--and of this -creature we get curious glimpses from the Northern Naturalists; but, -before investigating this authentic denizen of ocean, we will examine -some whose title to existence is not quite so clearly made out. Olaus -Magnus gives us an introduction to some of "The horrible Monsters of the -Coast of Norway. There are monstrous fish on the Coasts or Sea of -_Norway_, of unusual Names, though they are reputed a kind of _Whales_; -and, if men look long on them they will fright and amaze them. Their -forms are horrible, their heads square, all set with prickles, and they -have sharp and long Horns round about, like a tree rooted up by the -roots: they are ten or twelve Cubits long, very black, and with huge -eyes, the Compass whereof (i.e., _of the fish_) is above eight or ten -Cubits: the apple of the eye is of one Cubit, and is red and fiery -coloured, which in the dark night appears to Fisher-men afar off under -Waters, as a burning Fire, having hairs like Goose-Feathers, thick and -long, like a beard hanging down; the rest of the body, for the greatness -of the head, which is square, is very small, not being above fourteen or -fifteen cubits long; one of these Sea Monsters will drown easily many -great ships, provided with many strong Marriners." - -[Illustration] - -He also speaks of a Cetacean, called a Physeter:--"The Whirlpool, or -Prister, is of the kind of Whales, two hundred Cubits long, and is very -cruel. For, to the danger of Sea men, he will sometimes raise himself -beyond the Sail yards, and cast such floods of Waters above his head, -which he had sucked in, that with a cloud of them, he will often sink -the strongest ships, or expose the Marriners to extream danger. This -Beast hath also a long and large round mouth like a Lamprey, whereby he -sucks in his meat or water, and by his weight cast upon the Fore or -Hinder-Deck, he sinks, and drowns a ship. - -[Illustration] - -"Sometimes, not content to do hurt by water onely, as I said, he will -cruelly over throw the ship like any small Vessel, striking it with his -back, or tail. He hath a thick black Skin, all his body over; long fins, -like to broad feet, and a forked tail 15 or 20 foot broad, wherewith he -forcibly binds any parts of the ship, he twists it about. A Trumpet of -War is the fit remedy against him, by reason of the sharp noise, which -he cannot endure: and by casting out huge great Vessels, that hinders -this Monster's passage, or for him to play withall; or with Strong Canon -and Guns, with the sound thereof he is more frighted, than with a Stone, -or Iron Bullett; because this Ball loseth its force, being hindered by -his Fat, or by the Water, or wounds but a little, his most vast body, -that hath a Rampart of mighty Fat to defend it. Also, I must add, that -on the Coasts of _Norway_, most frequently both Old and New Monsters are -seen, chiefly by reason of the inscrutable depth of the Waters. -Moreover, in the deep Sea, there are many kinds of fishes that are -seldome or never seen by Man." - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - -We have the saying, "Throw a tub to the Whale," and we not only find -that it is the proper treatment to conciliate Physeters, but Gesner -shows us the real thing applied to Whales, trumpet and all complete, and -he also shows us the close affinity between the Whale and the Physeter, -in the accompanying illustration, which depicts a whale uprearing, and -coming down again on an unfortunate vessel. - -There is another Whale, described by Gesner, which he calls the "Trol" -whale, or in German, "Teuefelwal," or Devil Whale. This whale lies asleep -on the water, and is of such a deceptive appearance that seamen mistake -it for an island, and cast anchor into it, a proceeding which this -peculiar class of whale does not appear to take much heed of. But, when -it comes to lighting a fire upon it, and cooking thereon, it naturally -wakes up the whale. It is of this "Teuefelwal" that Milton writes -("Paradise Lost," Bk. i., l. 200):-- - - "Or that sea-beast - Leviathan, which God of all His works - Created hugest that swim the ocean-stream. - Him, haply slumbering on the Norway foam, - The pilot of some small night-foundered skiff, - Deeming some island, oft, as seamen tell, - With fixed anchor in his scaly rind, - Moors by his side under the lee, while night - Invests the sea, and wished morn delays." - -[Illustration] - -And the same story is told in the First Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor, -or, as Mr. Lane, whose translation (ed. 1883) I use, calls him, -Es-Sindibad of the Sea:--"We continued our voyage until we arrived at an -island like one of the gardens of Paradise, and at that island, the -master of the ship brought her to anchor with us. He cast the anchor, -and put forth the landing plank, and all who were in the ship landed -upon that island. They had prepared for themselves fire-pots, and they -lighted the fires in them, and their occupations were various: some -cooked, others washed, and others amused themselves. I was among those -who were amusing themselves upon the shores of the island, and the -passengers were assembled to eat and drink, and play and sport. But -while we were thus engaged, lo, the master of the ship, standing upon -its side, called out with his loudest voice, 'O ye passengers, whom may -God preserve! come up quickly into the ship, hasten to embark, and leave -your merchandise, and flee with your lives, and save yourselves from -destruction; for this apparent island upon which ye are, is not, in -reality, an island, but it is a great fish that hath become stationary -in the midst of the sea, and the sand hath accumulated upon it, so that -it hath become like an island, and trees have grown upon it, since times -of old; and, when ye lighted upon it the fire, it felt the heat, and put -itself in motion, and now it will descend with you into the sea, and ye -will all be drowned; then seek for yourselves escape before destruction, -and leave the merchandise!' The passengers, therefore, hearing the words -of the master of the ship, hastened to go up into the vessel, leaving -the merchandise, and their other goods, and their copper cooking-pots, -and their fire-pots; and some reached the ship, and others reached it -not. The island had moved, and descended to the bottom of the sea, with -all that were upon it, and the roaring sea, agitated with waves, closed -over it." - -Olaus Magnus, too, tells of sleeping whales being mistaken for -islands:--"The Whale hath upon its Skin a superficies, like the gravel -that is by the sea side; so that oft times when he raiseth his back -above the waters, Sailors take it to be nothing else but an Island, and -sayl unto it, and go down upon it, and they strike in piles upon it, and -fasten them to their ships: they kindle fires to boyl their meat; until -at length the Whale feeling the fire, dives down to the bottome; and -such as are upon his back, unless they can save themselves by ropes -thrown forth of the ship, are drown'd. This Whale, as I have said before -of the Whirlpool and Pristes, sometimes so belcheth out the waves that -he hath taken in, that, with a Cloud of Waters, oft times, he will drown -the ship; and when a Tempest ariseth at Sea, he will rise above water, -that he will sink the ships, during these Commotions and Tempests. -Sometimes he brings up Sand on his back, upon which, when a Tempest -comes, the Marriners are glad that they have found Land, cast Anchor, -and are secure on a false ground; and when as they kindle their fires, -the Whale, so soon as he perceives it, he sinks down suddenly into the -depth, and draws both men and ships after him, unless the Anchors -break." - -But _apropos_ of the whale casting forth such quantities of water, it -is, as a matter of fact, untrue. The whale has a tremendously strong -exhalation, and when it breathes under water, its breath sends up two -columns of _spray_, but, if its head is above water, it cannot spout. - -One thing in favour of whales, is "The Wonderful affection of the whales -towards their young. Whales, that have no Gills, breathe by Pipes, which -is found but in few creatures. They carry their young ones, when they -are weak and feeble; and if they be small, they take them in at their -mouths. This they do also when a Tempest is coming; and after the -Tempest, they Vomit them up. When for want of water their young are -hindered, that they cannot follow their Dams, the Dams take water in -their mouths, and cast it to them like a river, that she may so free -them from the Land they are fast upon. Also she accompanies them long, -when they are grown up; but they quickly grow up, and increase ten -years." - -[Illustration] - -According to Olaus Magnus, there be many kinds of whales:--"Some are -hairy, and of four Acres in bigness; the Acre is 240 foot long and 120 -broad; some are smooth skinned, and those are smaller, and are taken in -the West and Northern Sea; some have their Jaws long and full of teeth; -namely, 12 or 14 foot long, and the Teeth are 6, 8, or 12 foot long. But -their two Dog teeth, or Tushes, are longer than the rest, underneath, -like a Horn, like the teeth of Bores, or Elephants. This kind of whale -hath a fit mouth to eat, and his eyes are so large, that fifteen men may -sit in the room of each of them, and sometimes twenty, or more, as the -beast is in quantity. - -"His horns are 6 or 7 foot long, and he hath 250 upon each eye, as hard -as horn, that he can stir stiff or gentle, either before or behind. -These grow together, to defend his eyes in tempestuous weather, or when -any other Beast that is his enemy sets upon him; nor is it a wonder, -that he hath so many Horns, though they be very troublesome to him; -when, as between his eyes, the space of his forehead is 15 or 20 foot." - -[Illustration] - -The Spermaceti whale (_Physeter macrocephalus_) is the subject of a -curious story, according to Olaus Magnus. He declares Ambergris is the -sperm of the male Whale, which is not received by the female. "It is -scattered wide on the sea, in divers figures, of a blew colour, but more -tending to white; and these are glew'd together; and this is carefully -collected by Marriners, as I observed, when, in my Navigation I saw it -scattered here and there: This they sell to Physitians, to purge it; and -when it is purged, they call it _Amber-greese_, and they use it against -the Dropsie and Palsie, as a principal and most pretious unguent. It is -white; and if it be found, that is of the colour of Gyp, it is the -better. It is sophisticated with the powder of Lignum, Aloes, Styrax, -Musk, and some other things. But this is discovered because that which -is sophistocated will easily become soft as Wax, but pure _Amber-greese_ -will never melt so. It hath a corroborating force, and is good against -swoundings and the Epilepsie." - -As a matter of fact, it is believed to be a morbid secretion in the -intestinal canal of the whale, originating in its bile. It is found in -its bowels, and also floating on the sea, grey-coloured, in lumps -weighing from half an ounce to one hundred pounds. Its price is about L3 -per oz. It is much used in perfumery, but not in medicine, at least in -Europe: but in Asia and Africa, it is, in some parts, so used, and also -in cookery. - -Olaus Magnus, too, tells us of the benefits the whale confers on the -inhabitants of the cold and dreary North. How they salt the flesh for -future eating, and the usefulness of the fat for lighting and warming -through the long Arctic winter, while the small bones are used as fuel. -Of the skin of this useful mammal, they make Belts, Bags, and Ropes, -whilst a whole skin will clothe forty men. But these are not all its -uses. - -"Having spoken that the bodies of Whales are very large, for their head, -teeth, eyes, mouth and skin; the bones require a place to be described; -and it is thus. Because the vehemency of Cold in the farther parts of -the North, and horrid Tempests there, will hardly suffer Trees to grow -up tall, whereof necessary houses may be builded: therefore provident -Nature hath provided for the Inhabitants, that they may build their -houses of the most vast Ribs of Sea Creatures, and other things -belonging thereunto. For these monsters of the Sea, being driven to -land, either by some others that are their Enemies, or drawn forth by -the frequent fishing for them by men, that the Inhabitants there may -make their prey of them, or whether they die and consume; it is certain, -that they leave such vast bones behind them, that whole Mansion Houses -may be made of them, for Walls, Gates, Windows, Coverings, Seats, and -for Tables also. For these Ribs are 20, 30, or more feet in length. -Moreover the Back-bones, and Whirl-bones, and the Forked-bones of the -vast head, are of no small bigness: and all these by the industry of -Artists, are so fitted with Saws and Files, that the Carpenter in Wood, -joyn'd together with Iron, can make nothing more compleat. - -[Illustration] - -"When, therefore, the flesh of this most huge Beast is eat and -dissolved, onely his bones remain like a great Keel; and when these are -purged by Rain, and the Ayr, they raise them up like a house, by the -force of men that are called unto it. Then by the industry of the Master -Builder, Windows being placed on the top of the house, or sides of the -Whale, it is divided into many convenient Habitations; and gates are -made of the same Beasts Skin, that is taken off long before, for that -and some other use, and is hardened by the sharpness of the winds. Also -a part within this Keel raised up like a house, they make several Hog -Sties and places for other creatures, as the fashion is in other houses -of Wood; leaving always under the top of this structure, a place for -Cocks, that serve instead of Clocks, that men may be raised to their -labour in the night, which is there continual in the Winter-time. They -that sleep between these Ribs, see no other Dreams, than as if they were -always toiling in the Sea-waves, or were in danger of Tempests, to -suffer shipwreck." - -Besides men, Whales had their foes, in the deep, and there was, -according to Du Bartas, one very formidable and cunning enemy, in the -shape of a bird:-- - - "Meanwhile the _Langa_, skimming, (as it were,) - The Ocean's surface, seeketh everywhere, - The hugy Whale; where slipping in (by Art), - In his vast mouth, shee feeds upon his Hart." - -But it is cheering to find, on the authority of the same author, that he -also has a helpful friend:-- - - "As a great Carrak, cumbred and opprest - With her-self's burthen, wends not East and West, - Star-boord, and Lar-boord, with so quick Careers - As a small Fregat, or swift Pinnass steers; - And as a large and mighty limbed Steed, - Either of _Friseland_, or of _German_ breed, - Can never manage half so readily, - As _Spanish_ Jennet, or light _Barbarie_; - So the huge _Whale_ hath not so nimble motion - As smaller fishes that frequent the Ocean; - But, sometimes, rudely 'gainst a Rock he brushes, - Or in some roaring straight he blindly rushes, - And scarce could live a Twelve month to an end, - But for the little _Musculus_ (his friend), - A little Fish, that, swimming still before, - Directs him safe from Rock, from shelf and shoar." - -But we have only spoken of a very few varieties of Whales; some yet -remain, which may be styled "fancy" Whales. At all events, they are lost -to our times. Herodotus tells us that in the Borysthenes (_Dneiper_) -were "large whales without any spinal bones, which they call Antacaei, -fit for salting." Then, Gesner gives us varieties of Whales, of which we -know nothing. There is the bearded and maned creature with a face -somewhat resembling that of a human being, found only in the remotest -North, and there is the hairy whale, _Cetum Capillatum vel Crinitum_, or -_Germanice_, Haarwal, but no particulars of this curious creature are -given. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - -He presents us with the image of a Cetacean, which he calls an Indian -Serpent--but he evidently is so doubtful of the creature's authenticity -that he tells us that Hieronimus Cardanus sent it formerly to him. He -cannot quite make it out, with its monkey's head, and paws, but points -out that it must be an aquatic animal, because of its tail. - -[Illustration] - -In his _Addenda et Emendanda_, he gives, on the authority of Olaus -Magnus, a picture of an unnamed Whale--he says it was of great size, and -had terrible teeth. - -[Illustration] - -He also gives us two or three curious pictures of now extinct Cetaceans, -something like terrestrial animals or men. And the first is a Leonine -Monster, and for its authority he quotes Rondeletius. - -This creature had none of its parts fitted to act as a marine animal of -prey, but he says that Gisbertus (_Horstius_) Germanus, a physician at -Rome, certifies that it was taken on the high seas, not long before the -death of Pope Paul III., which took place A.D. 1549. It was of the size -and shape of a Lion, it had four feet, not mutilated, or imperfect as -those of the Seal, and not joined together as is the case with the -beaver or duck, but perfect, and divided into toes with nails: a long -thin tail ending in hair; ears hardly visible, and its body covered with -scales--but he adds that Gisbertus found fault with the artist, who had -made the feet longer than they ought to have been--and the ears too -large for an aquatic animal. - -[Illustration] - -Gesner also gives us (and so does Aldrovandus) pictures of the Monk -and Bishop fishes. The Monk-fish, he says, was caught off Norway, in a -troubled sea: and he quotes Boeothius as describing a similar monster -found in the Firth of Forth. The Bishop-fish was only _seen_ off the -coast of Poland, A.D. 1531. - -[Illustration] - -The existence of these marine monsters had, at all events, very wide -credence, even if they never existed, for Sluper, whom I have before -quoted, gives, in his curious little book, two pictures of these two -fishes (more awful than Gesner did). Of the Sea Monk he says: - - "La Mer poissons en abondance apporte, - Par dons divins que devons estimer. - Mais fort estrange est le Moyne de Mer, - Qui est ainsi que ce pourtrait le porte." - -And of the Sea Bishop: - - "La terre n'a Evesques seulement, - Qui s[=o]t [p=] bulle en gr[=a]d h[=o]neur et titre, - L'evesque croist en mer sembablement, - Ne parl[=a]t point, c[=o]bien qu'il porte Mitre." - -[Illustration] - -And Du Bartas writes of them, as if all in air, or on the earth, had its -double in the sea--and he specially mentions these piscine -ecclesiastics:-- - - "Seas have (as well as skies) Sun, Moon, and Stars; - (As well as ayre) Swallows, and Rooks, and Stares; - (As well as earth) Vines, Roses, Nettles, Millions,[38] - Pinks, Gilliflowers, Mushrooms, and many millions - Of other Plants (more rare and strange than these) - As very fishes living in the Seas. - And also Rams, Calfs, Horses, Hares, and Hogs, - Wolves, Lions, Urchins, Elephants and Dogs, - Yea, Men and Mayds; and (which I more admire[39]) - The mytred Bishop, and the cowled Fryer; - Whereof, examples, (but a few years since) - Were shew'n the Norways, and Polonian Prince." - -Was the strange fish that Stow speaks of in his _Annales_ one of these -two?--"A.D. 1187. Neere unto Orforde in Suffolke, certaine Fishers of -the sea tooke in their Nettes, a Fish having the shape of a man in all -pointes, which Fish was kept by _Bartlemew de Glanville_, Custos of the -castle of Orforde, in the same Castle, by the space of sixe monethes, -and more, for a wonder: He spake not a word. All manner of meates he -gladly did eate, but more greedilie raw fishe, after he had crusshed out -all the moisture. Oftentimes he was brought to the Church where he -showed no tokens of adoration. At length, when he was not well looked -to, he stale away to the Sea and never after appeared." If this was not -the real Simon Pure, yet I think it may put in a claim as a first-class -British production, and, as far as I know, unique--all other denizens of -the deep having some trace of their watery habitat, either in wearing -scales, or a tail. - -Following Du Bartas' idea, let us take some marine animals which have a -somewhat similar counterpart on shore. - -Gesner gives us the picture, Olaus Magnus gives us the veracious -history, of the Sea-cow:--"The Sea Cow is a huge Monster, strong, angry, -and injurious; she brings forth a young one like to herself; yet not -above two, but one often, which she loves very much, and leads it about -carefully with her, whithersoever she swims to Sea, or goes on Land. -Lastly this Creature is known to have lived 130 years, by cutting off -her tail." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus calls the Seal, the Sea-calf; and with trifling exceptions, -gives a fair account of its habits, only there are some points which -differ from the modern Seal, at all events:--"The Sea-Calf, which also -in Latine is called _Helcus_, hath its name from the likeness of a -Land-Calf, and it hath a hard fleshy body; and therefore it is hard to -be killed, but by breaking the Temples of the head. It hath a voice like -a Bull, four feet, but not his ears; because the manner and mansion of -its life is in the Waters. Had it such ears, they would take in much -Water, and hinder the swimming of it.... They will low in their sleep, -thence they are called Calves. They will learn, and with their voyce and -countenance salute the company, with a confused murmuring; called by -their names, they will answer, and no Creature sleeps more profoundly. -The Fins that serve them for to swim in the Sea, serve for legs on Land, -and they go hobling up and down as lame people do. Their Skins, though -taken from their bodies, have always a sense of the Seas, and when the -Sea goes forth, they will stand up like Bristles. The right Fin hath a -soporiferous quality to make one sleep, if it be put under one's head. -They that fear Thunder, think those Tabernacles best to live in, that -are made of Sea-Calves Skins, because onely this Creature in the Sea, as -an Eagle in the Ayr is safe and secure from the Stroke of Thunder.... If -the Sea be boisterous and rise, so doth the Sea Calfe's hair: if the Sea -be calm, the hair is smooth; and thus you may know the state of the Sea -in a dead Skin. The _Bothnick_ Marriners conjecture by their own -Cloaths, that are made of these Skins, whether the Sea shall be calm, -and their voyage prosperous, or they shall be in danger of Shipwreck.... -These Creatures are so bold, that when they hear it thunder, and they -see it clash and lighten, they are glad, and ascend upon the plain -Mountains, as Frogs rejoyce against Rain." - -A very fine piece of casuistry is shown, in "the perplexity of those -that eat the flesh of _Sea-Calves_ in _Lent_," and it seems to be -finally settled that, according to "the men of a more clear judgment, -rejecting many Reasons, brought on both sides, do say, and prove, that -when the Sea-Calf brings forth on the shore, if the Beast driven by the -Hunter, run into the Woods, men must forbear to eat of it in Lent, when -flesh is forbidden; but if he run to the Waters, one may fairly eat -thereof." - -Gesner, in giving this delineation of a Sea-Horse, openly says that it -is the Classical horse, as used by Neptunus; but Olaus Magnus declares -that "The Sea Horse, between _Britany_ and _Norway_, is oft seen to have -a head like a horse, and to neigh; but his feet and hoof are cloven -like to a Cow's; and he feeds both on Land, and in the Sea. He is -seldome taken, though he grow to be as big as an Ox. He hath a forked -Tail like a Fish. - -[Illustration] - - - - -"THE SEA-MOUSE. - - -"The Sea-Mouse makes a hole in the Earth, and lays her Eggs there, and -then covers them with Earth: on the 30th day she digs it open again, and -brings her young to the Sea, first blind, and, afterwards, he comes to -see. - - - - -"THE SEA-HARE. - - -"The Sea-Hare is found to be of divers kinds in the Ocean, but so soon -as he is caught, onely because he is suspected to be Venemous, how like -so ever he is to a Hare, he is let loose again. He hath four Fins behind -his Head, two whose motion is all the length of the fish, and they are -long, like to a Hare's ears, and two again, whose motion is from the -back, to the depth of the fishes belly, wherewith he raiseth up the -weight of his head. This Hare is formidable in the Sea; on the Land he -is found to be as timorous and fearful as a hare." - - - - -THE SEA-PIG. - - -[Illustration] - -Again we are indebted to Gesner for the drawing of this Sea Monster. -Olaus Magnus, speaking of "The Monstrous Hog of the _German Ocean_," -says:--"I spake before of a Monstrous Fish found on the Shores of -_England_, with a clear description of his whole body, and every member -thereof, which was seen there in the year 1532, and the Inhabitants made -a Prey of it. Now I shall revive the memory of that Monstrous Hog that -was found afterwards, _Anno_ 1537, in the same _German Ocean_, and it -was a Monster in every part of it. For it had a Hog's head, and a -quarter of a Circle, like the Moon, in the hinder part of its head, four -feet like a Dragon's, two eyes on both sides in his Loyns, and a third -in his belly, inclining towards his Navel; behind he had a forked Tail, -like to other Fish commonly." - - - - -THE WALRUS. - - -[Illustration] - -Of the Walrus, Rosmarus, or Morse, Gesner draws, and Olaus Magnus -writes, thus:--"The _Norway_ Coast, toward the more Northern parts, -hath a great Fish, as big as Elephants, which are called _Morsi_, or -_Rosmari_, may be they are (called) so from their sharp biting; for, if -they see any man on the Sea-shore, and can catch him, they come suddenly -upon him, and rend him with their Teeth, that they will kill him in a -trice. Therefore these Fish called _Rosmari_, or _Morsi_, have heads -fashioned like to an Oxes, and a hairy Skin, and hair growing as thick -as straw or corn-reeds, that lye loose very largely. They will raise -themselves with their Teeth, as by Ladders to the very tops of Rocks, -that they may feed on the Dewie Grasse, or Fresh Water, and role -themselves in it, unless in the mean time they fall very fast asleep, -and rest upon the Rocks; for then Fishermen make all the haste they can, -and begin at the Tail, and part the Skin from the Fat; and unto this -that is parted, they put most strong Cords, and fasten them on the -rugged rocks or Trees, that are near; then they throw stones at his -head, out of a Sling, to raise him, and they compel him to descend, -spoiled of the greatest part of his Skin, which is fastned to the Ropes: -he being thereby debilitated, fearful, and half dead, he is made a rich -prey, especially for his Teeth, that are very pretious amongst the -_Scythians_, the _Muscovites_, _Russians_, and Tartars, (as Ivory -amongst the Indians,) by reason of its hardness, whiteness, and -ponderousnesse. For which Cause, by excellent industry of Artificers -they are made fit for handles for Javelins: And this is also testified -by _Mechovita_, an historian of _Poland_, in his double _Sarmatia_, and -_Paulus Jovius_ after him, relates it by the Relation of one -_Demetrius_, that was sent from the great Duke of _Muscovy_ to Pope -Clement the 7th." - -Although Olaus Magnus is very circumstantial in his detail as to the -intense somnolence, and brutal flaying alive of the "thereby -debilitated" Walrus, I can find no confirmation of either, in any other -account--on the contrary, in "A Briefe Note of the Morse and the use -thereof," published in Hakluyt, it is described as very wakeful and -vigilant, and certainly not an animal likely to have salt put on its -tail after Magnus's manner:-- - -"In the voyage of Jacques Carthier, wherein he discovered the Gulfe of -S. Laurance, and the said Isle of Ramea in the yeere 1534, he met with -these beastes, as he witnesseth in these words: About the said island -are very great beasts as great as oxen, which have two great teeth in -their mouthes like unto elephant's teeth, and live in the Sea. Wee sawe -one of them sleeping upon the banks of the water, and, thinking to take -it, we went to it with our boates, but so soon as he heard us, he cast -himselfe into the sea. Touching these beasts which Jacques Carthier -saith to be as big as oxen, and to have teeth in their mouthes like -elephants teeth; true it is that they are called in Latine _Boves -marini_ or _Vaccae marinae_, and in the Russian tongue morsses, the hides -whereof I have seene as big as any ox hide, and being dressed, I have -yet a piece of one thicker than any two oxe, or bul's hides in England. - -"The leather dressers take them to be excellent good to make light -targets against the arrowes of the savages; and I hold them farre better -than the light leather targets which the Moores use in Barbarie against -arrowes and lances, whereof I have seene divers in her Majesties stately -armourie in the Toure of London. The teeth of the sayd fishes, whereof I -have seene a dry flat full at once, are a foote and sometimes more in -length; and have been sold in England to the combe and knife makers at 8 -groats and 3 shillings the pound weight, whereas the best ivory is solde -for halfe the money; the graine of the bone is somewhat more yellow than -the ivorie. One Mr. Alexander Woodson of Bristoll, my old friend, an -excellent mathematician and skilful phisitian, shewed me one of these -beasts teeth which were brought from the Isle of Ramea in the first -prize, which was half a yard long, or very little lesse: and assured mee -that he had made tryall of it in ministering medicine to his patients, -and had found it as sovereigne against poyson as any unicorne's horne." - - - - -THE ZIPHIUS. - - -This Voracious Animal, whose size may be imagined by comparison with the -Seal it is devouring, is thus described by Magnus:--"Because this Beast -is conversant in the Northern Waters, it is deservedly to be joined with -other monstrous Creatures. The Swordfish is like no other, but in -something it is like a Whale. He hath as ugly a head as an Owl: his -mouth is wondrous deep, as a vast pit, whereby he terrifies and drives -away those that look into it. His Eyes are horrible, his Back -Wedge-fashion, or elevated like a Sword; his snout is pointed. These -often enter upon the Northern Coasts as Thieves and hurtful Guests, that -are always doing mischief to ships they meet, by boring holes in them, -and sinking them. - -[Illustration] - - - - -"THE SAW FISH. - - -"The Saw fish is also a beast of the Sea; the body is huge great, the -head hath a crest, and is hard and dented like to a Saw. It will swim -under ships and cut them, that the Water may come in, and he may feed on -the men when the ship is drowned." - - - - -THE ORCA - - -is probably the Thresher whale. Pliny thus describes it:--"The Balaena -(_whale of some sort_) penetrates to our seas even. It is said that they -are not to be seen in the ocean of Gades (_Bay of Cadiz_) before the -winter solstice, and that at periodical seasons they retire and conceal -themselves in some calm capacious bay, in which they take a delight in -bringing forth. This fact, however, is known to the Orca, an animal -which is particularly hostile to the Balaena, and the form of which -cannot be in any way accurately described, but as an enormous mass of -flesh, armed with teeth. This animal attacks the Balaena in its place of -retirement, and with its teeth tears its young, or else attacks the -females which have just brought forth, and, indeed, while they are still -pregnant; and, as they rush upon them, it pierces them just as though -they had been attacked by the beak of a Liburnian Galley. The female -Balaenae, devoid of all flexibility, without energy to defend themselves, -and overburdened by their own weight; weakened, too, by gestation, or -else the pains of recent parturition, are well aware that their only -resource is to take flight in the open sea, and to range over the whole -face of the ocean; while the Orcae, on the other hand, do all in their -power to meet them in their flight, throw themselves in their way, and -kill them either cooped up in a narrow passage, or else drive them on a -shoal, or dash them to pieces against the rocks. When these battles are -witnessed, it appears just as though the sea were infuriate against -itself; not a breath of wind is there to be felt in the bay, and yet the -waves, by their pantings and their repeated blows, are heaved aloft in a -way which no whirlwind could effect. - -"An Orca has been seen even in the port of Ostia, where it was attacked -by the Emperor Claudius. It was while he was constructing the harbour -there that this orca came, attracted by some hides, which, having been -brought from Gaul, had happened to fall overboard there. By feeding -upon these for several days it had quite glutted itself, having made for -itself a channel in the shoaly water. Here, however, the sand was thrown -up by the action of the wind to such an extent that the creature found -it quite impossible to turn round; and while in the act of pursuing its -prey, it was propelled by the waves towards the shore, so that its back -came to be perceived above the level of the water, very much resembling -in appearance the keel of a vessel turned bottom upwards. Upon this, -Caesar ordered a number of nets to be extended at the mouth of the -harbour, from shore to shore, while he himself went there with the -Praetorian Cohorts, and so afforded a spectacle to the Roman people; for -boats assailed the monster, while the soldiers on board showered lances -upon it. I, myself, saw one of the boats sunk by the water which the -animal, as it respired, showered down upon it." - -Olaus Magnus thus writes "Of the fight between the Whale and the Orca. A -_Whale_ is a very great fish, about one hundred, or three hundred foot -long, and the body is of a vast magnitude, yet the _Orca_, which is -smaller in quantity, but more nimble to assault, and cruel to come on, -is his deadly Enemy. An Orca is like a Hull turned inwards outward; a -Beast with fierce Teeth, with which, as with the Stern of a Ship, he -rends the _Whale's_ Guts, and tears its Calve's body open, or he quickly -runs and drives him up and down with his prickly back, that he makes him -run to Fords and Shores. But the _Whale_, that cannot turn its huge -body, not knowing how to resist the wily _Orca_, puts all its hopes in -flight; yet that flight is weak, because this sluggish Beast, burdned by -its own weight, wants one to guide her, to fly to the Foords, to escape -the dangers." - - - - -THE DOLPHIN. - - -Pliny says:--"The Dolphin is an animal not only friendly to man, but a -lover of music as well; he is charmed by melodious concerts, and more -especially by the notes of the water organ. He does not dread man, as -though a stranger to him, but comes to meet ships, leaps and bounds to -and fro, vies with them in swiftness, and passes them even when in full -sail. - -"In the reign of the late Emperor Augustus, a dolphin which had been -carried to the Lucrine Lake, conceived a most wonderful affection for -the child of a certain poor man, who was in the habit of going that way -from Baiae to Puteoli to school, and who used to stop there in the middle -of the day, call him by his name of _Simo_, and would often entice him -to the banks of the lake with pieces of bread which he carried for the -purpose. At whatever hour of the day he might happen to be called by the -boy, and although hidden and out of sight at the bottom of the water, he -would instantly fly to the surface, and after feeding from his hand, -would present his back for him to mount, taking care to conceal the -spiny projection of his fins in their sheath, as it were; and so, -sportively taking him up on his back, he would carry him over a wide -expanse of sea to the school at Puteoli, and in a similar manner bring -him back again. This happened for several years, until, at last, the boy -happened to fall ill of some malady, and died. The Dolphin, however, -still came to the same spot as usual, with a sorrowful air, and -manifesting every sign of deep affliction, until at last, a thing of -which no one felt the slightest doubt, he died purely of sorrow and -regret. - -"Within these few years also, another at Hippo Diarrhytus, on the coast -of Africa, in a similar manner used to receive his food from the hands -of various persons, present himself for their caresses, sport about -among the swimmers, and carry them on his back. On being rubbed with -unguents by Flavianus, the then pro-consul of Africa, he was lulled to -sleep, as it appeared, by the sensation of an odour so new to him, and -floated about just as though he had been dead. For some months after -this, he carefully avoided all intercourse with man, just as if he had -received some affront or other; but, at the end of that time, he -returned, and afforded just the same wonderful scenes as before. At -last, the vexations that were caused them by having to entertain so many -influential men who came to see this sight, compelled the people of -Hippo to put the animal to death.... - -"Hegesidemus has also informed us, that, in the city of Iasus (_the -island and city of Caria_), there was another boy also, Hermias by name, -who in a similar manner used to traverse the sea on a dolphin's back, -but that, on one occasion, a tempest suddenly arising, he lost his life, -and was brought back dead: upon which, the dolphin, who thus admitted -that he had been the cause of his death, would not return to the sea, -but lay down upon dry land and there expired." - -Du Bartas gives us a new trait in the Dolphin's character:-- - - "Even as the Dolphins do themselves expose, - For their live fellows, and beneath the waves - Cover their dead ones under sandy graves." - - - - -THE NARWHAL, - - -generally called the Monoceros or Sea Unicorn, is thus shown in one -place, by Gesner; and, rough though it is, it is far more like the -Narwhal's horn than is the other, also, in his work, of a Sea Rhinoceros -or Narwhal engaged in combat with an outrageous-sized Lobster, or -Kraken, I know not which; for, as we shall presently see, the Kraken is -represented as a Crayfish or Lobster. It was the long twisted horn of -the Narwhal which did duty for ages as the horn of the fabled Unicorn, a -gift worthy to be presented by an Emperor to an Emperor. - -[Illustration] - -This sketch of Gesner's, he describes as a one-horned monster with a -sharp nose, devouring a Gambarus. Olaus Magnus dismisses the Narwhal -very curtly:--"The Unicorn is a Sea Beast, having in his forehead a -very great Horn, wherewith he can penetrate, and destroy the ships in -his way, and drown multitudes of men. But divine goodnesse hath provided -for the safety of Marriners herein; for, though he be a very fierce -Creature, yet is he very slow, that such as fear his coming may fly from -him." - -[Illustration] - -The earlier voyagers who really saw the Narwhal, fairly accurately -described it; as Baffin, whose name is so familiar to us by the bay -called after him:--"As for the Sea Unicorne, it being a great fish, -having a long horn or bone growing forth of his forehead or nostrill, -such as Sir Martin Frobisher, in his second voyage found one, in divers -places we saw them, which, if the horne be of any good value, no doubt -but many of them may be killed;" and Frobisher, as reported in Hakluyt, -says:--"On this west shore we found a dead fish floating, which had in -his nose a horne streight, and torquet, (_twisted_) of length two yards -lacking two ynches. Being broken in the top, here we might perceive it -hollow, into the which some of our sailors, putting spiders, they -presently died. I saw not the triall hereof, but it was reported unto me -of a truth; by the vertue thereof we supposed it to be the Sea -Unicorne." - - - - -THE SWAMFISCK. - - -[Illustration] - -The accompanying illustration, though heading the chapter in Olaus -Magnus regarding the Swamfisck and other fish, does not at all seem to -elucidate the text:--"The Variety of these Fish, or rather Monsters, is -here set down, because of their admirable form, and many properties of -Nature, as they often come to the _Norway_ Shores amongst other -Creatures, and they are catcht for their Fat, which they have in great -plenty and abundance. For the Fisher-men purge it, by boyling it like -flesh, on the fire, and they sell it to anoint leather, or for Oyl to -burn in Lamps, to continue light, when it is perpetual darkness. -Wherefore the first Monster that comes, is of a round form, in _Norway_ -called _Swamfisck_, the greatest glutton of all other Sea-Monsters. For -he is scarce satisfied, though he eat continually. He is said to have no -distinct stomach; and so what he eats turns into the thickness of his -body, that he appears nothing else than one Lump of Conjoyned Fat. He -dilates and extends himself beyond measure, and when he can be extended -no more, he easily casts out fishes by his mouth because he wants a neck -as other fishes do. His mouth and belly are continued one to the other. -But this Creature is so thick, that when there is danger, he can, (like -the Hedg-Hog) re-double his flesh, fat and skin, and contract and cover -himself; nor doth he that but to his own loss, because fearing Beasts -that are his Enemies, he will not open himself when he is oppressed -with hunger, but lives by feeding on his own flesh, choosing rather to -be consumed in part by himself, than to be totally devoured by Wild -Beasts. If the danger be past, he will try to save himself. - - - - -"THE SAHAB. - - -"There is also another Sea-Monster, called _Sahab_, which hath small -feet in respect of its great body, but he hath one long one, which he -useth in place of a hand to defend all his parts; and with that he puts -meat into his mouth, and digs up grass. His feet are almost gristly, and -made like the feet of a Cow or Calf. This Creature swimming in the -water, breathes, and when he sends forth his breath, it returns into the -Ayr, and he casts Water aloft, as Dolphins and Whales do. - - - - -"THE CIRCHOS. - - -"There is also another Monster like to that, called _Circhos_, which -hath a crusty and soft Skin, partly black, partly red, and hath two -cloven places in his Foot, that serve for to make three Toes. The right -foot of this Animal is very small, but the left is great and long; and, -therefore, when he walks all his body leans on the left side, and he -draws his right foot after him: When the Ayr is calm he walketh, but -when the Wind is high, and the Sky cloudy, he applies himself to the -Rocks, and rests unmoved, and sticks fast, that he can scarce be pulled -off. The nature of this is wonderful enough: which in calm Weather is -sound, and in stormy Weather is sick." - -[Illustration] - -The Northern Naturalists did not enjoy the monopoly of curious fish, -for Zahn gives us a very graphic picture of the different sides of two -small fish captured in Denmark and Norway (_i.e._, presumably in some -northern region) with curious letters marked on them. He does not -attempt to elucidate the writing; and as it is of no known language, we -may charitably put it down to the original "Volapuek." He also favours us -with the effigies of a curious fish found in Silesia in 1609, also -ornamented with an inscription in an unknown tongue. - -[Illustration] - -He also supplies us with the portrait of a pike, which was daintily -marked with a cross on its side and a star on its forehead. - -But too much space would be taken up if I were to recount all the -piscine marvels that he relates. - -Aristotle mentions that fish do not thrive in cold weather, and he says -that those which have a stone in their head, as the chromis, labrax, -sciaena, and phagrus, suffer most in the winter; for the refrigeration of -the stone causes them to freeze, and be driven on shore. - -Sir John Mandeville, speaking of the kingdom of Talonach, says:--"And -that land hath a marvayle that is in no other land, for all maner of -fyshes of the sea cometh there once a yeare, one after the other, and -lyeth him neere the lande, sometime on the lande, and so lye three -dayes, and men of that lande come thither and take of them what he will, -and then goe these fyshes awaye, and another sort commeth, and lyeth -also three dayes and men take of them, and do thus all maner of fyshes -tyll all have been there, and menne have taken what they wyll. And men -wot not the cause why it is so. But they of that Countrey saye, that -those fyshes come so thyther to do worship to theyr king, for they say -he is the most worthiest king of the worlde, for he hath so many wives, -and geateth so many children of them." (See next page.) - -[Illustration] - -I know of no other fish of such an accomodating nature, except it be -those of whom Ser Marco Polo speaks, when writing of Armenia:--"There is -in this Country a certain Convent of Nuns called St. Leonard's about -which I have to tell you a very wonderful circumstance. Near the church -in question there is a great lake at the foot of a mountain, and in this -lake are found no fish, great or small, throughout the year till Lent -come. On the first day of Lent they find in it the finest fish in the -world, and great store, too, thereof; and these continue to be found -till Easter Eve. After that they are found no more till Lent come round -again; and so 'tis every year. 'Tis really a passing great miracle!" - -[Illustration] - -Edward Webbe, "Master Gunner," whose travels were printed in 1590, -informs us that in the "Land of Siria there is a River having great -store of fish like unto Samon-trouts, but no Jew can catch them, though -either Christian and Turk shall catch them in abundance, with great -ease." - -Pliny has some curious natural phenomena to tell us about, of showers of -Milk, Blood, Flesh, Iron, and Wool; nay, he even says that, the year of -this woolly shower, when Titus Annius Milo was pleading his own cause, -there fell a shower of baked tiles! - -[Illustration] - -After this we can swallow Olaus Magnus's story of a rain of fishes very -comfortably, especially as he supplements it with showers of frogs and -worms. - -He gives a curious story of the black river at the New Fort in -Finland:--"There is a Fort in the utmost parts of _Finland_ that is -under the Pole, and it belongs to the Kingdom of _Sweden_, and it is -called the New-Fort, because it was wonderfull cunningly built, and -fortified by Nature and Art; for it is placed on a round Mountain, -having but one entrance and outlet toward the West; and that by a ship -that is tyed with great Iron Chains, which by strong labour and benefit -of Wheels, by reason of the force of the Waters, is drawn to one part -of the River by night, by keepers appointed by the King of _Sweden_, or -such as farm it. A vast river runs by this Castle, whose depth cannot be -found; it ariseth from the White Lake, and falls down by degrees: at the -bottome it is black, especially round this Castle, where it breeds and -holds none but black Fish, but of no ill taste, as are Salmons, Trouts, -Perch, Pikes, and other soft Fish. It produceth also the Fish _Trebius_, -that is black in Summer, and white in Winter, who, as _Albertus_ saith, -grows lean in the Sea; but when he is a foot long, he is five fingers -fat: This, seasoned with Salt, will draw Gold out of the deepest waters -that it is fallen in, and make it flote from the bottome. At last, it -makes the black Lake passing by _Viburgum_, as _Nilus_ makes a black -River, where he dischargeth himself. - -[Illustration] - -"When the Image of a Harper, playing, as it were, upon his Harp, in the -middle of the Waters above them appears, it signifies some ill _Omen_, -that the Governor of the Fort, or Captain shall suddenly be slain, or -that the negligent and sleepy Watchman shall be thrown headlong from -the high walls, and die by Martial Law. Also this water is never free -from Ghosts and Visions that appear at all times; and a man may hear -Pipes sound, and Cymbals tinkle, to the shore." - -Aristotle mentions a fish called the Meryx that chewed the cud, and -Pliny speaks of the Scarus, which, he says, "at the present day is the -only fish that is said to ruminate, and feed on grass, and not on other -fish." But he seems to have forgotten that in a previous place in the -same book, he speaks of a large peninsula in the Red Sea, on the -southern coast of Arabia, called Cadara, where "the sea monsters, just -like so many cattle, were in the habit of coming on shore, and after -feeding on the roots of shrubs, they would return; some of them, which -had the heads of horses, asses, and bulls, found a pasture in the crops -of grain." - - - - -THE REMORA. - - -Of this fish Pliny writes:--"There is a very small fish that is in the -habit of living among the rocks, and is known as the Echeneis, [Greek: -Apo tou echein neas]. (_From holding back ships._) It is believed that -when this has attached itself to the keel of a ship, its progress is -impeded, and that it is from this circumstance that it takes its name. -For this reason, also, it has a disgraceful repute, as being employed -in love philtres, and for the purpose of retarding judgments and legal -proceedings.... It is never used, however, for food.... Mucianus speaks -of a Murex of larger size than the purple, with a head that is neither -rough nor round; and the shell of which is single, and falls in folds -on either side. He tells us, also, that some of these creatures once -attached themselves to a ship freighted with children of noble birth, -who were being sent by Periander for the purpose of being castrated, and -that they stopped its course in full sail; and he further says, that the -shell-fish which did this service are duly honoured in the temple of -Venus, at Cnidos. Trebius Niger says that this fish is a foot in length, -and five fingers in thickness, and that it can retard the course of -vessels; besides which, it has another peculiar property--when preserved -in salt, and applied, it is able to draw up gold which has fallen into a -well, however deep it may happen to be." - - "But, _Clio_, wherefore art thou tedious - In numbering _Neptune's_ busie burgers thus? - If in his works thou wilt admire the worth - Of the Sea's Soverain, bring but only forth - One little _Fish_, whose admirable story - Sufficeth sole to shewe his might and glory. - Let all the Windes, in one Winde gather them, - And (seconded with _Neptune's_ strongest stream) - Let all at once blowe all the stiffest gales - Astern a Galley under all her sails; - Let her be holpen with a hundred Owers, - Each lively handled by five lusty Rowers; - The _Remora_, fixing her feeble horn - Into the tempest beaten Vessel's Stern, - Stayes her stone still, while all her stout Consorts - Saile thence, at pleasure, to their wished Ports, - Then loose they all the sheats, but to no boot: - For the charm'd Vessell bougeth not a foot; - No more than if, three fadom under ground, - A score of Anchors held her fastly bound: - No more than doth the Oak, that in the Wood, - Hath thousand Tempests, (thousand times) withstood; - Spreading as many massy roots belowe, - As mighty arms above the ground do growe." - - - - -THE DOG-FISH AND RAY. - - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus writes of "The cruelty of some Fish, and the kindness of -others. There is a fish of the kind of Sea-Dogfish, called _Boloma_, in -_Italian_, and in _Norway_, _Haafisck_, that will set upon a man -swimming in the Salt-Waters, so greedily, in Troops, unawares, that he -will sink a man to the bottome, not only by his biting, but also by his -weight; and he will eat his more tender parts, as his nostrils, fingers, -&c., until such time as the Ray come to revenge these injuries; which -runs thorow the Waters armed with her natural fins, and with some -violence drives away these fish that set upon the drown'd man, and doth -what he can to urge him to swim out. And he also keeps the man, until -such time as his spirit being quite gone; and after some days, as the -Sea naturally purgeth itself, he is cast up. This miserable spectacle is -seen on the Coasts of _Norway_ when men go to wash themselves, namely, -strangers and Marriners that are ignorant of the dangers, leap out of -their ships into the sea. For these Dogfish, or _Boloma_, lie hid under -the ships riding at Anchor as Water Rams, that they may catch men, their -malicious natures stirring them to it." - - - - -THE SEA DRAGON. - - -[Illustration] - -Of the Ray tribe of fishes, the Sea Dragon is the most -frightful-looking, but we know next to nothing about it. Pliny only -cursorily mentions it thus:--"The Sea Dragon again, if caught, and -thrown on the sand, works out a hole for itself with its muzzle, with -the most wonderful celerity." Olaus Magnus simply copies Pliny almost -word for word. Gesner, from whom I have taken this illustration, merely -classes it among the Rays, and gives no further information about it; -neither does Aldrovandus, from whom I have taken another picture. - - - - -THE STING RAY. - - -Pliny mentions the Sting Ray, and ascribes to it marvellous powers, -which it does not possess:--"There is nothing more to be dreaded than -the sting which protrudes from the tail of the _Trygon_, by our people -known as the _Pastinaca_, a weapon five inches in length. Fixing this in -the root of a tree, the fish is able to kill it; it can pierce armour, -too, just as though with an arrow, and to the strength of iron it adds -all the corrosive qualities of poison." - -[Illustration] - - - - -SENSES OF FISHES. - - -He also tells us about the senses of fishes, and first of their -hearing:--"Among the marine animals, it is not probable that Oysters -enjoy the sense of hearing, but it is said that immediately a noise is -made, the Solen (_razor-sheath_) will sink to the bottom; it is for this -reason, too, that silence is observed by persons while fishing at sea. -Fishes have neither organs of hearing, nor yet the exterior orifice. And -yet it is quite certain that they do hear, for it is a well-known fact, -that in some fish-ponds they are in the habit of being assembled to be -fed by the clapping of the hands. In the fish-ponds, too, that belong to -the Emperor, the fish are in the habit of coming, each kind, as it hears -its name. So, too, it is said the Mullet, the Wolf-fish, the Salpa, and -the Chromis, have a very exquisite sense of hearing, and that it is for -this reason that they frequent shallow water. - -"It is quite manifest that fishes have the sense of smell also; for they -are not all to be taken with the same bait, and are seen to smell at it -before they seize it. Some, too, that are concealed in the bottom of -holes are driven out by the fishermen, by the aid of the smell of salted -fish; with this he rubs the entrance of their retreat in the rock, -immediately upon which they take to flight from the spot, just as though -they had recognized the dead carcases of those of their kind. Then, -again, they will rise to the surface at the smell of certain odours, -such, for instance, as roasted sepia and polypus; and hence it is that -these baits are placed in the osier-kipes used for taking fish. They -immediately take to flight upon smelling the bilge-water in a ship's -hold, and more especially upon scenting the blood of fish. - -"The Polypus cannot possibly be torn away from the rock to which it -clings; but upon the herb _cunila_ being applied, the instant it smells -it, the fish quits its hold.... All animals have the sense of touch, -those even which have no other sense; for even in the oyster, and, among -land animals, in the worm, this sense is found. I am strongly inclined -to believe, too, that the sense of taste exists in all animals; for why -else should one seek one kind of food, and one another?" - - - - -ZOOPHYTES. - - -Writing on the lower phases of Marine Animal life, he says:--"Indeed, -for my own part, I am strongly of opinion that there is sense existing -in those bodies which have the nature of neither animals nor vegetables, -but a third, which partakes of them both:--sea-nettles, and sponges, I -mean. The Sea Nettle wanders to and fro by night, and at night changes -its locality. These creatures are by nature a sort of fleshy branch, and -are nurtured upon flesh. They have the power of producing an itching, -smarting pain, just like that caused by the nettle found on land. For -the purpose of seeking its prey, it contracts, and stiffens itself to -the utmost possible extent, and then, as a small fish swims past, it -will suddenly spread out its branches, and so seize and devour it. At -another time it will assume the appearance of being quite withered away, -and let itself be tossed to and fro, by the waves, like a piece of -sea-weed, until it happens to touch a fish. The moment it does so, the -fish goes to rub itself against a rock, to get rid of the itching: -immediately upon which, the nettle pounces upon it. By night also it is -on the look-out for Scallops and Sea-urchins. When it perceives a hand -approaching it, it instantly changes its colour, and contracts itself; -when touched, it produces a burning sensation, and if ever so short a -time is afforded, makes its escape. Its mouth is situate, it is said, at -the root or lower part, and the excrements are discharged by a small -canal situated above. - - - - -"SPONGES. - - -"We find three kinds of sponges mentioned; the first are thick, very -hard, and rough, and are called _tragi_: the second are thick, and much -softer, and are called _mani_: of the third, being fine, and of a closer -texture, tents for sores are made; this last is known as _Achillium_. -All of these sponges grow on rocks, and feed upon shell and other fish, -and slime. - -"It would appear that these creatures, too, have some intelligence; for, -as soon as ever they feel the hand about to tear them off, they contract -themselves, and are separated with much greater difficulty: they do the -same also, when the waves buffet them to and fro. The small shells that -are found in them, clearly show that they live upon food; about Torone -it is even said that they will survive after they have been detached, -and that they grow again from the roots which have been left adhering to -the rock. They leave a colour similar to that of blood upon the rock -from which they have been detached, and those, more especially, which -are produced in the Syrtes of Africa." - -Olaus Magnus gives us the accompanying illustration of Zoophytes and -Sponges. Of the latter, he says:--"Sponges are much multiplied near the -Coasts of _Norway_; the nature of it is, that it agrees with other -living creatures in the way of contracting, and dilating itself: yet -some are immovable from rocks, and if they be broken off at the Roots, -they grow again; some are movable from place to place; and these are -found in huge plenty on the foresaid shores. They are fed with mud, -small fish, and oysters. When they are alive, they are black, as they -are when they are wet." - -[Illustration] - - - - -THE KRAKEN. - - -This enormous monster, peculiar to the Northern Seas, is scarcely a -fable, because huge Calamaries are not infrequently seen. Poor -Pontoppidan has often been considered a Danish Ananias, but there are -authentic accounts of these enormous Cuttle-fish; for instance, in 1854, -one was stranded at the Skag, in Jutland, which was cut in pieces by the -fishermen in order to be used as bait, and filled many wheelbarrows. -Another, either in 1860 or 1861, was stranded between Hillswick and -Scalloway, on the west of Scotland, and its tentacles were sixteen feet -long, the pedal arms about half as long, and its body seven feet. The -French ship _Alecton_, on 30th November 1861, between Madeira and -Teneriffe, slipped a rope with a running knot over an enormous calamary, -but only brought a portion on board, the body breaking off. It was -estimated at being sixteen to eighteen feet in length, without counting -its arms. The legend of its sinking ships and taking sailors from them -is common to many countries, even the Chinese and Japanese thus -depicting them. - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus gives us a graphic picture of a huge Polyp, thus seizing a -sailor, and dragging him from his ship in spite of all his efforts to -prevent him. On the next page is a huge calamary shown with a man in its -clutches. This is both in Gesner and Aldrovandus. But this terror to -mariners had its master in the Conger eel. Gesner, who has taken his -picture from some description of the World, introduces it as a -Sea-Serpent; but Aristotle says that "the Congers devour the Polypi, -which cannot adhere to them on account of the smoothness of their -surface." Magnus also speaks of the antipathy between the two. - -[Illustration] - -According to Pliny, quoting Trebius Niger, the Polypus shows a fair -amount of cunning:--"Shell fish are destitute of sight, and, indeed, all -other sensations but those which warn them of hunger, and the approach -of danger. Hence it is that the Polypus lies in ambush till the fish -opens its shell, immediately upon which, it places within it a small -pebble, taking care, at the same time, to keep it from touching the body -of the animal, lest, by making some movement, it should chance to eject -it. Having made itself thus secure, it attacks its prey, and draws out -the flesh, while the other tries to contract itself, but all in vain, in -consequence of the separation of the shell, thus effected by the -insertion of the wedge. - -[Illustration] - -"In addition to the above, the same author states that there is not an -animal in existence, that is more dangerous for its powers of destroying -a human being when in the water. Embracing his body, it counteracts his -struggles, and draws him under with its feelers and its numerous -suckers, when, as often is the case, it happens to make an attack upon -a shipwrecked mariner or a child. If, however, the animal is turned -over, it loses all its power; for when it is thrown upon its back, the -arms open of themselves. - -"The other particulars which the same author has given, appear still -more closely to border upon the marvellous. At Carteia, in the preserves -there, a Polypus was in the habit of coming from the sea to the pickling -tubs that were left open, and devouring the fish laid in salt there--for -it is quite astonishing how eagerly all sea animals follow even the very -smell of salted condiments, so much so, that it is for this reason that -the fishermen take care to rub the inside of the wicker fish-kipes with -them.--At last, by its repeated thefts and immoderate depredations, it -drew down upon itself the wrath of the keepers of the works. Palisades -were placed before them, but these the Polypus managed to get over by -the aid of a tree, and was only caught at last by calling in the -assistance of trained dogs, which surrounded it at night, as it was -returning with its prey; upon which, the keepers, awakened by the noise, -were struck with alarm at the novelty of the sight presented. - -"First of all, the size of the Polypus was enormous beyond all -conception: and then it was covered all over with dried brine, and -exhaled a most dreadful stench. Who could have expected to find a -Polypus there, or could have recognised it as such, under these -circumstances? They really thought that they were joining battle with -some monster, for at one instant, it would drive off the dogs by its -horrible fumes, and lash at them with the extremities of its feelers; -while at another, it would strike them with its stronger arms, giving -blows with so many clubs, as it were; and it was only with the greatest -difficulty that it could be dispatched with the aid of a considerable -number of three-pronged fish-spears. The head of this animal was shewn -to Lucullus; it was in size as large as a cask of fifteen amphorae -(_about 135 gallons_), and had a beard (_iti tentaculae_), to use the -expression of Trebius himself, which could hardly be encircled with both -arms, full of knots, like those upon a club, and thirty feet in length; -the suckers, or calicules, as large as an urn, resembled a basin in -shape, while the teeth again were of a corresponding largeness: its -remains, which were carefully preserved as a curiosity, weighed seven -hundred pounds." - -Olaus Magnus says:--"On the Coasts of _Norway_ there is a Polypus, or -creature with many feet, which hath a pipe on his back, whereby he puts -to Sea, and he moves that sometimes to the right, and sometimes to the -left. Moreover, with his Legs as it were by hollow places, dispersed -here and there, and by his Toothed Nippers, he fastneth on every living -Creature that comes near to him, that wants blood. Whatever he eats he -heaps up in the holes where he resides: Then he casts out the Skins, -having eaten the flesh, and hunts after fishes that swim to them: Also -he casts out the shels, and hard outsides of Crabs that remain. He -changeth his colour by the colour of the stone he sticks unto, -especially when he is frighted at the sight of his Enemy, the Conger. He -hath 4 great middle feet, in all 8; a little body, which the great feet -make amends for. He hath also some small feet that are shadowed and can -scarce be perceived. By these he sustains, moves, and defends himself, -and takes hold of what is from him: and he lies on his back upon the -stones, that he can scarce be gotten off, onlesse you put some stinking -smell to him." - - - - -CRAYFISH AND CRABS. - - -Pliny tells us that in the Indian Ocean are Crayfish four cubits in -length (six feet), and he claims for crabs a sovereign specific against -bites of scorpions and snakes:--"River-Crabs taken fresh and beaten up -and drunk in water, or the ashes of them, kept for the purpose, are -useful in all cases of poisoning, as a counter poison; taken with asses' -milk they are particularly serviceable as a neutralizer of the venom of -the scorpion; goat's milk or any other kind of milk being substituted, -where asses' milk cannot be procured. Wine, too, should also be used in -all such cases. River-Crabs beaten up with Ocimum, and applied to -Scorpions, are fatal to them. They are possessed of similar virtues, -also, for the bites of all other kinds of venomous animals, the Scytale -in particular, adders, the sea hare, and the bramble frog. The ashes of -them, preserved, are good for persons who give symptoms of hydrophobia -after being bitten by a mad dog, some adding gentian as well, and -administering the mixture in wine. In cases, too, where hydrophobia has -already appeared, it is recommended, that these ashes should be kneaded -up into boluses with wine and swallowed. If ten of these crabs be tied -together with a handful of Ocimum, all the scorpions in the -neighbourhood, the magicians say, will be attracted to the spot. They -recommend, also, that to wounds inflicted by the scorpion, these crabs, -or the ashes of them, should be applied with Ocimum. For all these -purposes, however, sea crabs, it should be remembered, are not so -useful. Thrasyllus informs us that there is nothing so antagonistic to -serpents as crabs: that swine, when stung by a serpent, cure themselves -by eating them; and that, when the sun is in the sign of Cancer, -serpents suffer the greatest tortures.... - -"It is said that while the sun is passing through the sign of Cancer, -the dead bodies of the crabs, which are lying on the shore, are -transformed into serpents." - - - - -THE SEA-SERPENT. - - -Of the antiquity of the belief in the Sea-Serpent there can be no doubt, -for it is represented on the walls of the Assyrian palace at Khorsabad, -more than once, in the sculpture representing the voyage of Sargon to -Cyprus, thus giving it an authentic antiquity of over 2600 years: but as -its existence must then have been a matter of belief, it naturally comes -that it must be much older than that. - -[Illustration] - -Aristotle, who wrote nearly 400 years later, speaks of them, and their -savage disposition:--"In Libya, the serpents, as it has been already -remarked, are very large. For some persons say that as they sailed along -the coast, they saw the bones of many oxen, and that it was evident to -them that they had been devoured by the serpents. And, as the ships -passed on, the serpents attacked the triremes, and some of them threw -themselves upon one of the triremes, and overturned it." - -These, together with Sargon's Sea-Serpent, were doubtless marine snakes, -which are still in existence, and are found in the Indian Ocean, but the -larger ones seem to have been seen in more northern waters. It has been -the fashion to pooh-pooh the existence of this sea monster, but there -are many that still do believe in it most thoroughly; only, to express -that belief would be to certainly expose oneself to ridicule. No one -doubts the _bona fides_ of those who narrate having seen them, but some -one is sure to come forward with his pet theory as to its being a school -of porpoises, or an enormous cuttle-fish, with its tentacles playing on -the surface of the water; so that no one likes to confess that he has -seen it. - -[Illustration] - -Both Olaus Magnus and Gesner give illustrations of the Sea-Serpent of -Norway, and I give that of the latter, as it is the best. The former -says:--"They who Work of Navigation, on the Coasts of _Norway_, employ -themselves in fishing, or merchandize, do all agree in this strange -Story, that there is a Serpent there which is of a Vast Magnitude, -namely 200 feet long, and, moreover, 20 foot thick; and is wont to live -in Rocks and Caves toward the Sea Coast about _Berge_; which will go -alone from his holes in a clear night in Summer, and devour Calves, -Lambs, and Hogs, or else he goes into the Sea to feed on Polypus, -Locusts, and all sorts of Sea Crabs. He hath commonly hair hanging from -his neck a cubit long, and sharp Scales, and is black, and he hath -flaming shining eys. This Snake disquiets the Shippers, and he puts up -his head on high like a pillar, and catcheth away men, and he devours -them; and this hapneth not, but it signifies some wonderful change of -the Kingdom near at hand; namely, that the Princes shall die, or be -banished; or some Tumultuous Wars shall presently follow. There is also -another Serpent of an incredible magnitude in a town called _Moos_, of -the Diocess of _Hammer_; which, as a Comet portends a change in all the -World, so, that portends a change in the Kingdom of _Norway_, as it was -seen, _Anno_ 1522, that lifts himself high above the Waters, and rouls -himself round like a sphere. This Serpent was thought to be fifty Cubits -long by conjecture, by sight afar off: there followed this the -banishment of King _Christiernus_, and a great persecution of the -Bishops; and it shew'd also the destruction of the Country." - -Topsell, in his _Historie of Serpents_, 1608, does not add much to -Sea-Serpent lore, but he adds the picture of another kind of Serpent, as -does also Aldrovandus, whose illustration I give. (See p. 272.) Erik -Pontoppidan, Bishop of Bergen, in his _Natuerlichen Historie von -Norwegen_, gives a picture of the Sea-Serpent, somewhat similar to that -previously given by Hans Egede, "the Apostle of Greenland." (See next -page.) Pontoppidan tried to sift the wheat from the chaff, in connection -with the Natural History of the North, but he was not always successful. -He gives several cases, one seemingly very well authenticated, of the -appearance of Sea-Serpents. - -But possibly more credence may be given to more modern instances. Sir -Walter Scott, in the Notes to _The Pirate_, says (speaking of Shetland -and Orkney fishermen):--"The Sea-Snake was also known, which, arising -out of the depths of the ocean, stretches to the skies his enormous -neck, covered with a mane like that of a war-horse, and with his broad -glittering eyes, raised mast-head high, looks out, as it seems, for -plunder or for victims." "The author knew a mariner, of some reputation -in his class, vouch for having seen the celebrated Sea-Serpent. It -appeared, as far as could be guessed, to be about a hundred feet long, -with the wild mane and fiery eyes which old writers ascribe to the -monster; but it is not unlikely the spectator might, in the doubtful -light, be deceived by a good Norway log on the water." - -[Illustration] - -Mr. Maclean, the pastor of Eigg, an island in the Small Isles parish, -Inverness-shire, wrote, in 1809, to Dr. Neill, the Secretary of the -Wernerian Society, that he had seen a Sea-Serpent, while he was in a -boat about two miles from land. The serpent followed the boat, and the -minister escaped by getting on to a rock. He described it as having a -large head and slender tail, with no fins, its body tapering to its -tail. It moved in undulations, and he thought its length might be -seventy to eighty feet. It was seen, also, by the crews of thirteen -fishing-boats, who, being frightened thereat, fled to the nearest creek -for safety. - -[Illustration] - -A Sea-Serpent, judged to be of the length of about eighty feet, was seen -by a party of British officers, in Margaret's Bay, whilst crossing from -Halifax to Mahone Bay, on 15th May 1833. - -In 1847 a Sea-Serpent was seen frequently, in the neighbourhood of -Christiansand and Molde, by many persons, and by one Lars Johnoeen, -fisherman at Smolen, especially. He said that one afternoon, in the -dog-days, when sitting in his boat, he saw it twice in the course of two -hours, and quite close to him. It came, indeed, to within six feet of -him, and, becoming alarmed, he commended his soul to God, and lay down -in the boat, only holding his head high enough to enable him to observe -the monster. It passed him, disappeared, and returned; but a breeze -springing up, it sank, and he saw it no more. He described it as being -about six fathoms (thirty-six _feet_) long, the body (which was as round -as a serpent's) two feet across, the head as long as a ten-gallon cask, -the eyes round, red, sparkling, and about five inches in diameter; close -behind the head, a mane, like a fin, commenced along the neck, and -spread itself out on both sides, right and left, when swimming. The -mane, as well as the head, was of the colour of mahogany. The body was -quite smooth, its movements occasionally fast and slow. It was -serpent-like, and moved up and down. The few undulations which those -parts of the body and tail that were out of water made, were scarce a -fathom in length. His account was confirmed by several people of -position, a Surgeon, a Rector, and a Curate, being among those who had -seen a Sea-Serpent. - -But an appearance of the Sea-Serpent, without doubt, is most -satisfactorily attested by the captain and officers of H.M.S. _Daedalus_. -The first notice of it was in the _Times_ of 10th October 1848, in which -was a paragraph, dated 7th October, from Plymouth:-- - -"When the _Daedalus_ frigate, Captain M'Quhae, which arrived here on the -4th inst., was on her passage home from the East Indies, between the -Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena, her captain, and most of her officers -and crew, at four o'clock one afternoon, saw a Sea-Serpent. The creature -was twenty minutes in sight of the frigate, and passed under her -quarter. Its head appeared about four feet out of the water, and there -was about sixty feet of its body in a straight line on the surface. It -is calculated that there must have been under water a length of thirty -or forty feet more, by which it propelled itself at the rate of fifteen -miles an hour. The diameter of the exposed part of the body was about -sixteen inches; and when it extended its jaws, which were full of large -jagged teeth, they seemed sufficiently capacious to admit of a tall man -standing upright between them. The ship was sailing north at the rate of -eight miles an hour. The _Daedalus_ left the Cape of Good Hope on the -30th of July, and reached St. Helena on the 16th of August." - -Captain M'Quhae sent the following letter to Admiral Sir W. H. Gage, -G.C.H., at Devonport:-- - - "HER MAJESTY'S SHIP _DAEDALUS_, HAMOAZE, - _Oct. 11, 1848_. - - "SIR,--In reply to your letter of this day's date, requiring - information as to the truth of a statement published in the Times - newspaper, of a Sea-Serpent of extraordinary dimensions having been - seen from Her Majesty's Ship _Daedalus_, under my command, on her - passage from the East Indies, I have the honour to acquaint you, for - the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that at - five o'clock P.M., on the 6th of August last, in latitude 24 deg. 44' S. - and longitude 9 deg. 22' E., the weather dark and cloudy, wind fresh - from the N.W., with a long ocean swell from the S.W., the ship on - the port tack heading N.E. by N., something very unusual was seen by - Mr. Sartoris, midshipman, rapidly approaching the ship from before - the beam. The circumstance was immediately reported by him to the - officer of the watch, Lieutenant Edgar Drummond, with whom, and Mr. - William Barrett, the master, I was at the time walking the - quarter-deck. The ship's company were at supper. - - [Illustration] - - "On our attention being called to the object, it was discovered to - be an enormous Serpent, with head and shoulders kept about four feet - constantly above the surface of the sea; and, as nearly as we could - approximate by comparing it with the length of what our - maintopsail-yard would show in the water, there was, at the very - least, sixty feet of the animal _a fleur d'eau_, no portion of which - was, to our perception, used in propelling it through the water, - either by vertical or horizontal undulation. It passed rapidly, but - so close under our lee quarter that, had it been a man of my - acquaintance, I should have easily recognised his features with the - naked eye; and it did not, either in approaching the ship or after - it had passed our wake, deviate in the slightest degree from its - course to the S.W., which it held on at the pace of from twelve to - fifteen miles per hour, apparently on some determined purpose. - - "The diameter of the Serpent was about fifteen or sixteen inches - behind the head, which was, without any doubt, that of a snake; and - it was never, during the twenty minutes that it continued in sight - of our glasses, once below the surface of the water. Its colour, a - dark brown, with yellowish white about the throat. It had no fins, - but something like the mane of a horse, or rather a bunch of - seaweed, washed about its back. It was seen by the quartermaster, - the boatswain's mate, and the man at the wheel, in addition to - myself and officers above mentioned. - - "I am having a drawing of the Serpent made from a sketch taken - immediately after it was seen, which I hope to have ready for - transmission to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty by - to-morrow's post.--I have, &c., - - PETER M'QUHAE, CAPTAIN." - -Space will not allow me to chronicle all the other appearances of -Sea-Serpents from 1848 to the present time. Suffice it to say, they are -not very uncommon, and as for veracity, I will give another instance of -its being seen on board the Royal Yacht _Osborne_, on 2nd June 1877, off -Cape Vito, Sicily. Lieutenant Haynes made sketches, and wrote a -description, of it, which was confirmed by the Captain and several -officers. He wrote:-- - - "ROYAL YACHT _OSBORNE_, GIBRALTAR, - _June 6, 1877_. - - "On the evening of that day (June 2), the sea being perfectly - smooth, my attention was first called by seeing a ridge of fins - above the surface of the water extending about thirty feet, and - varying from five to six feet in height. On inspecting it by means - of a telescope, at about one and a half cable's distance, I - distinctly saw a head, two flappers, and about thirty feet of an - animal's shoulder. - - "The head, as nearly as I could judge, was about six feet thick, the - neck narrower, about four or five feet, the shoulder about fifteen - feet across, and the flappers each about fifteen feet in length. The - movements of the flappers were those of a turtle, and the animal - resembled a huge seal, the resemblance being strongest about the - back of the head. I could not see the length of the head, but from - its crown or top to just below the shoulder (where it became - immersed) I should reckon about fifty feet. The tail end I did not - see, being under water, unless the ridge of fins to which my - attention was first attracted, and which had disappeared by the time - I got a telescope, were really the continuation of the shoulder to - the end of the object's body. The animal's head was not always above - water, but was thrown upwards, remaining above for a few seconds at - a time, and then disappearing. There was an entire absence of - 'blowing' or 'spouting.'" - -I think the verdict may be given that its existence, although belonging -to "Curious Zoology," is not impossible, and can hardly be branded as a -falsehood. - - - - -SERPENTS. - - -Of Serpents Topsell has written a "Historie," which, if not altogether -veracious, is very amusing; and I shall quote largely from it, as it -shows us "the latest thing out" in Serpents as believed in, and taught, -in the time of James I. He begins, of course, with their creation, and -the Biblical mention of them, and then passes to the power of man over -them in charming and taming them. Of the former he tells the following -tale:-- - -"_Aloisius Cadamustus_, in his description of the New World, telleth an -excellent hystorie of a _Lygurian_ young Man, beeing among the _Negroes_ -travailing in _Affrick_, whereby he endeavoureth to proove, how ordinary -and familiar it is to them, to take and charme Serpents. - -"The young man beeing in _Affricke_ among the _Negroes_, and lodged in -the house of a Nephew to the Prince of _Budoniell_, when he was taking -himselfe to his rest, suddenly awakened by hearing the unwonted noise of -the hissing of innumerable sorts of Serpents; wherat he wondred, and -beeing in some terror, he heard his Host (the Prince's Nephew) to make -himselfe readie to go out of the doores, (for he had called up his -servants to sadle up his Cammels:) the young man demaunded of him the -cause, why he would go out of doores now so late in the darke night? to -whom he answered, I am to goe a little way, but I will returne againe -verie speedily; and so he went, and with a charme quieted the Serpents, -and drove them all away, returning againe with greater speed than the -_Lygurian_ young man, his ghest, expected. And when he had returned, he -asked his ghest if hee did not heare the inmoderate hyssing of the -Serpents? and he answered, that he had heard them to his great terrour. -Then the Prince's Nephew (who was called Bisboror) replyed, saying, they -were Serpents which had beset the house, and would have destroyed all -their Cattell and Heards, except hee had gone foorth to drive them away -by a Charme, which was very common and ordinary in those parts, wherin -were abundance of very hurtfull Serpents. - -"The Lygurian young man, hearing him say so, marvailed above measure, -and said, that this thing was so rare and miraculous, that scarcely -Christians could beleeve it. The _Negro_ thought it as strange that the -young man should bee ignorant heereof, and therefore told him, that -their Prince could worke more strange things by a Charme which he had, -and that this, and such like, were small, vulgar, and not be counted -miraculous. For, when he is to use any strong poyson upon present -necessitie, to put any man to death, he putteth some venom uppon a -sword, or other peece of Armour, and then making a large round Circle, -by his Charme compelleth many Serpents to come within that circle, hee -himselfe standing amongst them, and observing the most venomous of them -all so assembled, which he thinketh to contain the strongest poyson, -killeth him, and causeth the residue to depart away presentlie; then, -out of the dead Serpent hee taketh the poyson, and mixeth it with the -seede of a certaine vulgar Tree, and therewithall annoynteth his dart, -arrow, or sword's point, whereby is caused present death, if it give the -bodie of a man but a very small wound, even to the breaking of the -skinne, or drawing of the blood. And the saide _Negro_ did earnestly -perswade the young man to see an experiment hereof, promising him to -shew all as he had related, but the _Lygurian_ beeing more willing to -heare such things told, than bolde to attempt the triall, told him that -he was not willing to see any such experiment. - -"And by this it appeareth, that all the _Negroes_ are addicted to -Incantations, which never have anie approbation from God, except against -Serpents, which I cannot very easilie be brought to beleeve." - -Of the affection of some serpents for the human-kind he gives some -examples:--"We reade also in Plutarch of certain Serpents, lovers of -young virgins, and by name there was one that was in love with one -_AEtolia_, a Virgin, who did accustome to come unto her in the night -time, slyding gentlie all over her bodie, never harming her, but as one -glad of such acquaintance, tarried with her in that dalliance till the -morning, and them would depart away of his owne accorde: the which thing -beeing made manifest unto the Guardians and Tutours of the Virgin, they -removed her unto another Towne. The Serpent missing his Love, sought her -uppe and downe three or four dayes, and at last mette her by chance, and -then hee saluted her not as he was wont, with fawning, and gentle -slyding, but fiercely assaulted her with grimme and austere countenance, -flying to her hands, and binding them with the spire of his bodie, fast -to her sides, did softly with his tayle beat her upon her backer parts. -Whereby was collected, some token of his chastisement unto her, who had -wronged such a Lover, with her wilfull absence and disappointment. - -"It is also reported by _AElianus_ that _Egemon_ in his verses, writeth -of one _Alena_, a _Thessalian_ who, feeding his Oxen in _Thessaly_, -neere the Fountaine _Haemonius_, there fell in love with him a Serpent of -exceeding bignesse and quantitie, and the same would come unto him, and -softly licke his face and golden haire, without dooing him any manner of -hurt at all." - -He tells a few more "Snake stories," and quotes from "a little Latine -booke printed at _Vienna_, in the yeare of the Lorde 1551," the -following:--"There was (sayth mine Author) found in a mowe or rycke of -corne, almost as many Snakes, Adders, and other Serpentes, as there were -sheafes, so as no one sheafe could be removed, but there presently -appeared a heape of ougly and fierce Serpents. The countrey men -determined to set fire upon the Barne, and so attempted to doe, but in -vaine, for the straw would take no fire, although they laboured with all -their wit and pollicye, to burne them up; At last, there appeared unto -them at the top of the heap a huge great Serpent, which, lifting up his -head, spake with man's voyce to the countrey men, saying: _Cease to -prosecute your devise, for you shall not be able to accomplish our -burning, for wee were not bredde by Nature, neither came we hither of -our own accord, but were sent by God to take vengeance on the sinnes of -men._" - -And some serpents were "very fine and large," for he says:--"_Gellius_ -writeth, that when the Romanes were in the Carthaginian Warre, and -_Attilius Regulus_ the Consull had pitched his Tents neere unto the -river _Bragrada_, there was a Serpent of monstrous quantitie, which had -beene lodged within the compasse of the Tents, and therefore did cause -to the whole Armie exceeding great calamitie, untill by casting of -stones with slings, and many other devises, they oppressed and slew that -Serpent, and afterward fleyed off the skinne and sent it to _Rome_; -which was in length one hundred and twentie feete. - -"And, although this seemeth to be a beast of unmatchable stature, yet -_Postdenius_ a Christian writer, relateth a storie of another which was -much greater, for hee writeth that he saw a Serpent dead, of the length -of an acre of Land, and all the residue both of head and bodie, were -answerable in proportion, for the bulke of his bodie was so great, and -lay so high, that two Horsemen could not see one the other, beeing at -his two sides, and the widenes of his mouth was so great, that he could -receive at one time, within the compasse thereof, a horse and a man on -his backe both together: The scales of his coate or skinne, being every -one like a large buckler or target. So that now, there is no such cause -to wonder at the Serpent which is said to be killed by _St. George_, -which was, as is reported, so great, that eight Oxen were but strength -enough to drawe him out of the Cittie _Silena_.... - -"Among the _Scyritae_, the Serpents come by great swarmes uppon their -flocks of sheepe and cattell, and some they eate up all, others they -kill, and sucke out the blood, and some part they carry away. But if -ever there were anything beyond credite, it is the relation of -_Volateran_ in his twelfth booke of the _New-found Lands_, wherein he -writeth, that there are Serpents of a mile long, which at one certaine -time of the yeere come abroad out of the holes and dennes of habitation, -and destroy both the Heards and Heard-men if they find them. Much more -favourable are the Serpents of a _Spanish_ Island, who doe no harme to -any living thing, although they have huge bodies, and great strength to -accomplish their desires." - -After this it will be refreshing to have one of Topsell's own particular -_true stories_: and this is "Of a true history done in _England_, in -the house of a worshipfull Gentleman, upon a servant of his, whom I -could name if it were needfull. He had a servant that grew very lame and -feeble in his legges, and thinking that he could never be warme in his -bed, did multiply his clothes, and covered himselfe more and more, but -all in vaine, till at length he was not able to goe about, neither could -any skill of Phisitian or Surgeon find out the cause. - -"It hapned on a day as his Maister leaned at his Parlour window, he saw -a great Snake to slide along the house side, and to creepe into the -chamber of this lame man, then lying in his bedde, (as I remember,) for -hee lay in a lowe chamber, directly against the Parlour window -aforesaid. The Gentleman desirous to see the issue, and what the Snake -would doe in the chamber, followed, and looked into the chamber by the -window; where hee espied the snake to slide uppe into the bed-straw, by -some way open in the bottome of the bedde, which was of old bordes. -Straightway, his hart rising thereat, he called two or three of his -servaunts, and told them what he had seene, bidding them goe take their -Rapiers, and kill the said snake. The serving-men came first, and -removed the lame man (as I remember) and then the one of them turned up -the bed, and the other two the straw, their Maister standing without, at -the hole, whereinto the said snake had entered into the chamber. The -bedde was no sooner turned up, and the Rapier thrust into the straw, but -there issued forth five or six great snakes that were lodged therein: -Then the serving-men bestirring themselves, soone dispatched them, and -cast them out of doores dead. Afterward, the lame man's legges -recovered, and became as strong as ever they were; whereby did -evidentlie appeare, the coldnes of these snakes or Serpents, which came -close to his legges everie night, did so benumme them, as he could not -goe." - -Yet one more:-- - -"I cannot conceale a most memorable historie as ever was any in the -world, of a fight betwixt the Serpents of the Land and the Water. This -history is taken out of a Booke of _Schilt-bergerus_, a _Bavarian_, who -knew the same, (as he writeth) while hee was a captive in _Turky_; his -words are these. In the kingdome called _Genyke_, there is a Citty -called _Sampson_, about which, while I was prisoner with _Baiazeta_ King -of _Turkes_, there pitched or arrived, an innumerable company of Land -and Water Serpents, compassing the said Cittie, a mile about. The Land -Serpents came out of the woods of _Trienick_, which are great and many, -and the Water Serpents came out of the bordering Sea. These were nine -dayes together assembling in that place, and for feare of them there was -not any man that durst goe out of the Citty, although it was not -observed that they hurt any man, or living creature there-abouts. - -"Wherefore the Prince also commanded, that no man should trouble them, -or doe them any harme, wisely judging, that such an accident came not -but by Divine Miracle, and that also to signifie some notable event. -Uppon the tenth day, these two valiant troupes joyned battell, early in -the morning, before the sunne-rising, so continuing in fight untill the -sunne-set, at which time the Prince, with some horsemen, went out of the -Cittie to see the battell, and it appeared to him and his associates, -that the Water Serpents gave place to the Land Serpents. So the Prince, -and his company, returned into the Citty againe, and the next day went -forth againe, but found not a Serpent alive, for there were slaine above -eyght thousand: all which, he caused presently to be covered with earth -in ditches, and afterwards declared the whole matter to _Baiazeta_ by -letters, after he had gotten that Cittie, whereat the great Turke -rejoyced, for hee thereby interpreted happinesse to himselfe." - -Luckily, man has found out things inimical to Serpents, and they, and -their use, seem to be very simple:-- - -"There is such vertue in the Ashe tree, that no Serpent will endure to -come neere either the morning or evening shadow of it; yea, though very -farre distant from them, they do so deadlie hate it. We set downe -nothing but that wee have found true by experience: If a great fire be -made, and the same fire encircled round with Ashen-boughes, and a -serpent put betwixt the fire and the Ashen-boughes, the Serpent will -sooner runne into the fire, than come neere the Ashen-boughes: thus -saith _Pliny_. _Olaus Magnus_ saith, that those Northern Countries which -have great store of Ash-trees, doe want venemous beasts, of which -opinion is also _Pliny_. _Callimachus_ saith, there is a Tree growing in -the Land of _Trachinia_, called _Smilo_, to which, if any Serpents doe -either come neere, or touch, they foorthwith die. _Democritus_ is of -opinion, that any Serpent will die if you cast Oken-leaves upon him. -_Pliny_ is of opinion that _Alcibiadum_, which is a kind of wild -Buglosse, is of the same use and qualitie; and further, being chewed, if -it be spet upon any serpent, that it cannot possibly live. In time of -those solemne Feastes which the _Athenians_ dedicated to the Goddesse -_Ceres_, their women did use to lay and strew their beddes, with the -leaves of the Plant called _Agnos_, because serpents could not endure -it, and because they imagined it kept them chast, Where-upon they -thought the name was given it. The herbe called Rosemarie, is terrible -to serpents. - -"The _Egyptians_ doe give it out, that _Polydamna_ the wife of _Thorris_ -their King, taking pittie upon _Helen_, caused her to be set on shore in -the Island of _Pharus_, and bestowed upon her an herbe (whereof there -was plenty) that was a great enemy to serpents: whereof the serpents -having a feeling sence (as they say) and so readily knowne of them, they -straightwaies got them to their lurking holes in the earth; and _Helen_ -planted this herbe, who, coming to the knowledge thereof, she perceived -that in his due time it bore a seede that was a great enemy to serpents, -and thereupon was called _Helenium_, as they that are skilfull in Plants -affirme; and it groweth plentifully in _Pharus_, which is a little Ile -against the mouth of _Nylus_, joyned to _Alexandria_ by a bridge. - -"Rue, (called of some, Herbe of Grace) especially that which groweth in -_Lybia_, is but a backe friend to Serpents, for it is most dry, and -therefore causing Serpents soon to faint, and loose their courage, -because (as _Simocatus_ affirmeth) it induceth a kind of heavinesse or -drunkennesse in their head, with a vertiginie, or giddines through the -excesse of his drinesse, or immoderate sticcitie. Serpents cannot endure -the savour of Rue, and, therefore, a Wesill, when she is to fight with -any serpent, eateth Rue, as a defensative against her enemie, as -_Aristotle_, and _Pliny_ his Interpreter, are of opinion. - -"The Country people leaving their vessels of Milke abroade in the open -fieldes, doe besmeare them round about with garlick, lest some venomous -serpents should creepe into them, but the smell of garlick, as -_Erasmus_ saith, driveth them away. No serpents were ever yet seene to -touch the herbe _Trifolie_, or Three-leaved-grasse, as _AEdonnus_ wold -make us believe. And _Cardan_ the Phisitian hath observed as much, that -serpents, nor anything that is venemous will neither lodge, dwell, or -lurk privily neere unto _Trifolie_, because that is their bane, as they -are to other living creatures: and therefore it is sowne to very good -purpose, and planted in very hot countries, where there is most store of -such venomous creatures. - -"_Arnoldus Villanonanus_ saith that the herb called _Dracontea_ killeth -serpents. And _Florentinus_ affirmeth that, if you plant Woormwood, -Mugwort, or Sothernwood about your dwelling, that no venomous serpents -will ever come neer, or dare enterprise to invade the same. No serpent -is found in Vines, when they flourish, bearing flowers or blossoms, for -they abhor the smell, as _Aristotle_ saith. _Avicen_, an _Arabian_ -Phisitian, saith, that Capers doe kill worms in the guts, and likewise -serpents. If you make a round circle with herbe Betonie, and therein -include any serpents, they will kill themselves in the place, rather -than strive to get away. Galbanum killeth serpents only by touching, if -oyle and the herbe called Fenell-giant be mixt withall. There is a -shrubbe called Therionarca, having a flower like a Rose, which maketh -serpents heavy, dull and drousie, and so killeth them, as _Pliny_ -affirmeth." - -There are more plants inimical to serpents, but enough have been given -to enable the reader, if he have faith in them, to defend himself; and -it is comforting to think, that although the serpent is especially -noxious, when alive, he is marvellously useful, medicinally, when dead. -Even now, in some country places, viper broth is used as a medicine; -and, in the first half of the eighteenth century, its flesh, prepared in -various ways, was thoroughly recognised in the Pharmacopoeia. But -Topsell, who gathered together all the wisdom of the ancients, gives so -very many remedies (for all kinds of illnesses) that may be derived from -different parts, and treatment, of serpents, that I can only pick out a -few:-- - -"_Pliny_ saith, that if you take out the right eye of a serpent, and so -bind it about any part of you, that it is of great force against the -watering or dropping of the eyes, by meanes of a rhume issuing out -thereat, if the serpent be againe let goe alive. And so hee saith, that -a serpent's or snake's hart, if either it be bitten or tyed to any part -of you, that it is a present remedie for the toothach: and hee addeth -further, that if any man doe tast of the snake's hart, that he shall -never after be hurt of any serpent.... The blood of a serpent is more -precious than _Balsamum_, and if you annoynt your lips with a little of -it, they will looke passing redde: and, if the face be annoynted -therewith, it will receive no spot or fleck, but causeth it to have an -orient and beautiful hue. It represseth all scabbiness of the body, -stinking in the teeth, and gummes, if they be therewith annointed. The -fat of a serpent speedily helpeth all rednes, spots, and other -infirmities of the eyes, and beeing annoynted upon the eyeliddes, it -cleereth the eyes exceedingly. - -"Item, put them (_serpents_) into a glassed pot, and fill the same with -Butter in the Month of May, then lute it well with paste (that is, Meal -well kneaded) so that nothing may evaporate, then sette the potte on the -fire, and let it boyle wel-nigh halfe a day: after this is done, -straine the Butter through a cloth, and the remainder beate in a morter, -and straine it againe, and mixe them together, then put them into water -to coole, and so reserve it in silver or golden boxes, that which is not -evaporated, for the older, the better it is, and so much the better it -will be, if you can keepe it fortie years. Let the sicke patient, who is -troubled eyther with the Goute, or the Palsie, but annoynt himselfe -often against the fire with this unguent, and, without doubt, he shall -be freed, especially if it be the Goute." - -Of serpents in general, I shall have little to say, except those few of -which the descriptions are the most _outre_. And first let us have out -the "Boas," which cannot mean that enormous serpent the Boa-Constrictor, -which enfolds oxen, deer, &c., crushing their bones in its all-powerful -fold, and which sometimes reaches the length of thirty or -five-and-thirty feet--long enough, in all conscience, for a respectable -serpent. But Topsell begins his account of "The Boas" far more -magnificently:-- - -"It was well knowne among all the Romans, that when _Regulus_ was -Governour, or Generall, in the _Punick_ warres, there was a Serpent -(neere the river _Bagrade_) killed with slings and stones, even as a -Towne or little Cittie is over-come, which Serpent was an hundred and -twenty foote in length; whose skinne and cheeke bones, were reserved in -a Temple at _Rome_, untill the _Numantine_ warre. - -"And this History is more easie to be beleeved, because of the Boas -Serpent bred in Italy at this day: for we read in _Solinus_, that when -_Claudius_ was Emperour, there was one of them slaine in the _Vatican_ -at Rome, in whose belly was found an Infant swallowed whole, and not a -bone thereof broken.... - -[Illustration: The Boas] - -"The Latines call it _Boa_, and _Bova_, because by sucking Cowe's milke -it so encreaseth, that in the end it destroyeth all manner of herdes, -Cattell, and Regions.... The Italians doe usually call them, _Serpeda de -Aqua_, a Serpent of the water, and, therefore, all the Learned expound -the Greeke word _Hydra_, for a Boas. _Cardan_ saith, that there are of -this kind in the Kingdom of _Senega_, both without feet and wings, but -most properly, as they are now found in Italy, according to these -verses: - - _Boa quidem serpens quem tellus Itala nutrit - Hunc bubulum plures lac enutrire docent._ - -Which may be englished thus: - - _The Boas Serpent which Italy doth breede, - Men say, uppon the milke of Cowes doth feede._ - -"Their fashion is in seeking for their prey among the heardes, to -destroy nothing that giveth suck, so long as it will live, but they -reserve it alive untill the milk be dryed up, then afterwards they kill -and eate it, and so they deale with whole flocks and heards." - -[Illustration] - -Whilst on the subject of Hydra, I give Topsell's idea of the Lernean -Hydra, whose story is so familiar to us. (See p. 292.) But, after -presenting us with such a frightful ideal, he says:--"And some ignorant -men of late daies at _Venice_, did picture this Hydra with wonderfull -Art, and set it forth to the people to be seene, as though it had beene -a true carkase, with this inscription: In the yeare of Christe's -incarnation, 550, about the Month of January, 'this monstrous Serpent -was brought out of _Turky_ to _Venice_, and afterwards given to the -French King: It was esteemed to be worth 600 duckats. These monsters -signifie the mutation or change of worldly affaires,' &c." And, after -giving a long-winded inscription, _apropos_ of nothing, he says:--"I -have also heard that in _Venice_ in the Duke's treasury, among the rare -Monuments of that Citty, there is preserved a Serpent with seaven heads, -which, if it be true, it is the more probable that there is a Hydra, and -that the Poets were not altogether deceived, that say _Hercules_ killed -such an one." - -[Illustration] - -Mr. Henry Lee, in his little book, "Sea Fables Explained," says that the -Lernean Hydra was neither more nor less than a huge Octopus, and gives -an illustration of a marble tablet in the Vatican (also given in -"Smith's Classical Dictionary"), which does not seem unlike one. - -The Wingless Dragons belong to the serpent tribe, with the exception -that they are generally furnished with legs. These are "Wormes," of -several of which we, in England, were the happy possessors. Of course, -in the northern parts of Europe, they survived (in story at all events) -much later than with us, and Olaus Magnus gives accounts of several -fights with them, notably that of Frotho and Fridlevus, two Champions, -against a serpent. - -[Illustration] - -"_Frotho_, a Danish Champion and a King, scarce being past his -childhood, in a single combat killed a huge fierce great Serpent, -thrusting his sword into his belly, for his hard skin would not be -wounded, and all darts thrown at him, flew back again, and it was but -labour lost. _Fridlevus_ was no lesse valiant, who, both to try his -valour, and to find out some hidden treasure, set upon a most formidable -Serpent for his huge body and venomous teeth, and, for a long time, he -cast his darts against his scaly sides, and could not hurt him, for his -hard body made nothing of the weapons cast with violence against him. -But this Serpent twisting his tail in many twines, by turning his tail -round, he would pull up trees by the roots, and by his crawling on the -ground, he had made a great hollow place, that in some places, hills -seemed to be parted as if a valley were between them, wherefore -_Fridlevus_ considering that the upper parts of this beast could not be -penetrated, he runs him in with his sword underneath; and, piercing into -his groine, he drew forth his virulent matter, as he lay panting: when -he had killed the Serpent, he dug up the money, and carried it away." - -He gives another story of a combat with "Wormes," although in the Latin -they are called _Vipers_: yet I leave my readers to judge whether the -small snake, the viper, would require such an amount of killing as -Regner had to bestow upon them:-- - -"Of _Regnerus_, called Hair-Coat. There was a King of the _Sueons_ -called _Herothus_, whose troubled mind was not a little urged how to -preserve his Daughter's chastity; whether he should guard her with wild -beasts (as the manner of most Princes was then) or else should commit -the custody of her to man's fidelity. But he, preferring cruelty of -Beasts to man's fidelity, he soonest chose what would do most hurt. For, -hunting in the woods, he brought some Snakes that his Company had found, -for his Daughter to feed up. She, quickly obeying her Father's commands, -bred up a generation of vipers by her Virgin hands. And that they might -want no meat, her curious Father caused the whole body of an Ox to be -brought, being ignorant that, by this private food, he maintain'd a -publick destruction. These, being grown up, by their venomous breath -poysoned the neighbouring parts; but the King, repenting his folly, -proclaimed that he who could remove this plague, should have his -daughter. - -"When _Regnerus_ of _Norway_, descended of the King's race, who was the -chief Suiter this Virgin had, heard this Report, he obtained from the -Nurse a woollen Cassock, and hairy Breeches, whereby he might hinder the -biting of the Adders. And when he came to _Sweden_ in a ship, he -purposely suffered his Clothes to grow stiff with cold, casting water -upon them: and thus clothed, having onely his Sword and Dart to defend -him, he went to the King. As he went forward, two huge Adders met him on -the way, that would kill the young man, with the twisting of their -tails, and by the venome they cast forth. - -"But _Regnerus_ confiding in the hardness of his frozen Garments, both -endured and repulsed their Venome, by his clothes, and their biting his -Harness, being indefatigable in pressing hard upon these Wild Beasts. -Last of all he strongly casts out of his hand his Javelin that was -fastened with a Hoop, and struck it into their bodies. Then, with his -two-edged Sword, rending both their hearts, he obtained a happy end of -an ingenious and dangerous fight. The King, looking curiously on his -clothes, when he saw them so hairy on the back-side, and unpolished like -ragged Frize, he spake merrily, and called him _Lodbrock_: that is _Hair -Coat_; and to recreate him after his pains, he sent for him to a Banquet -with his friends. He answered, _That he must first go see those -Companions he had left_: and he brought them to the King's Table, very -brave in clothes, as he was then: and lastly, when that was done, he -received the pledge of his Victory, by whom he begat many hopeful -Children: and he had her true love to him the more, and the rather -enjoyed his company, by how much she knew the great dangers he underwent -to win her by, and the ingenious practises he used." - -We were favoured in England with several "Wormes." Nor only in England, -but in Scotland and Wales. Of course, Ireland can boast of none, as St. -Patrick banished all the serpents from that island. - -Of the Dragon of Wantley I say nothing; he has been reslain in modern -times, and all the romance has gone out of him. Nobody wishes to know -that the Dragon was Sir Francis Wortley, who was at loggerheads with his -neighbours, notably one Lionel Rowlestone, whose advocate was More of -More Hall. We had rather have had our dear old Dragon, and have let the -champion More slay him in the orthodox manner. - -But the "laidley Worme" of Lambton is still all our own, and its story -is thus told by Surtees in his "History, &c., of Durham," 1820:-- - -"The heir of Lambton, fishing, as was his profane custom, in the Wear, -on a Sunday, hooked a small worm or eft, which he carelessly threw into -a well, and thought no more of the adventure. The worm (at first -neglected) grew till it was too large for its first habitation, and, -issuing forth from the _Worm Well_, betook itself to the Wear, where it -usually lay a part of the day coiled round a crag in the middle of the -water; it also frequented a green mound near the well (_the Worm Hill_), -where it lapped itself nine times round, leaving vermicular traces, of -which, grave living witnesses depose that they have seen the vestiges. -It now became the terror of the country, and, amongst other enormities, -levied a daily contribution of nine cows' milk, which was always placed -for it at the green hill, and in default of which it devoured man and -beast. Young Lambton had, it seems, meanwhile, totally repented him of -his former life and conversation, had bathed himself in a bath of holy -water, taken the sign of the cross, and joined the Crusaders. - -"On his return home, he was extremely shocked at witnessing the effects -of his youthful imprudences, and immediately undertook the adventure. -After several fierce combats, in which the Crusader was foiled by his -enemy's _power of self-union_, he found it expedient to add policy to -courage, and not, perhaps, possessing much of the former quality, he -went to consult a witch or wise woman. By her judicious advice he armed -himself in a coat-of-mail studded with razor blades; and, thus prepared, -placed himself on the crag in the river, and awaited the monster's -arrival. - -"At the usual time the worm came to the rock, and wound himself with -great fury round the armed knight, who had the satisfaction to see his -enemy cut in pieces by his own efforts, whilst the stream washing away -the severed parts, prevented the possibility of reunion. - -"There is still a sequel to the story: the witch had promised Lambton -success only on one condition, that he should slay the first living -thing which met his sight after the victory. To avoid the possibility of -human slaughter, Lambton had directed his father, that as soon as he -heard him sound three blasts on his bugle, in token of the achievement -performed, he should release his favourite greyhound, which would -immediately fly to the sound of the horn, and was destined to be the -sacrifice. On hearing his son's bugle, however, the old chief was so -overjoyed, that he forgot his instructions, and ran himself with open -arms to meet his son. Instead of committing a parricide, the conqueror -again repaired to his adviser, who pronounced, as the alternative of -disobeying the original instructions, that no chief of the Lambtons -should die in his bed for seven, (or as some accounts say) for nine -generations--a commutation which, to a martial spirit, had nothing -probably very terrible, and which was willingly complied with.... - -"In the garden-house at Lambton are two figures of no great antiquity. A -Knight in good style, armed cap-a-pie, the back _studded with razor -blades_, who holds the worm by one ear with his left hand, and with his -right crams his sword to the hilt down his throat; and a Lady who wears -a coronet, with bare breasts, &c., in the style of Charles 2nd's -Beauties, a wound on whose bosom and an accidental mutilation of the -hand are said to have been the work of the worm." - -There were several other English "Wormes," but this must suffice as a -type. Also, as a typical Scotch "Worme," the Linton Worme will serve. A -writer (W. E.) tells its story so well in _Notes and Queries_, February -24, 1866, that I transfer it here, in preference to telling it myself. -It was slain by Sir John Somerville, about the year 1174, who received -the lands and barony of Linton, in Roxburghshire, as the reward of his -exploit. W. E. quotes from a family history entitled a "Memorie of the -Somervills," written by James, the eleventh lord, A.D. 1679:-- - -"'In the parochene of Lintoune, within the sheriffdome of Roxburghe, -ther happened to breede ane hydeous monster, in the forme of a worme, -soe called and esteemed by the country people (but in effecte has beene -a serpente or some suche other creature), in length three Scots yards, -and somewhat bigger than ane ordinarie man's leg, &c.... This creature, -being a terrour to the country people, had its den in a hollow piece of -ground, on the syde of a hill, south east from Lintoun Church, some more -than a myle, which unto this day is knowne by the name of the Worme's -glen, where it used to rest and shelter itself; but, when it sought -after prey, then would it wander a myle or two from its residence, and -make prey of all sort of bestiall that came in its way, which it easily -did because of its lownesse, creeping amongst the peat, heather, or -grasse, wherein that place abounded much, by reasone of the meadow -grounde, and a large flow moss, fit for the pasturage of many -cattell.... Soe that the whole country men thereabout wer forced to -remove ther bestiall and transport them 3 or 4 myles from the place, -leaving the country desolate, neither durst any person goe to the -Church, or mercat, upon that rod, for fear of this beast.' - -"Somerville happening to come to Jedburgh, on the King's business, found -the inhabitants full of stories about the wonderful beast. - -"'The people who had fled ther for shelter, told soe many lies, as -first, that it increased every day, and was beginning to get wings: -others pretended to have seen it in the night, and asserted it was full -of fyre, and in tyme, would throw it out, &c., with a thousand other -ridiculous stories.' - -"Somerville determined to see the monster, and, accordingly, rode to the -glen about sunrise, when he was told it generally came forth. He had not -to wait long, till he perceived it crawl out of its den. When it -observed him, it raised itself up, and stared at him, for some time, -without venturing to approach; whereupon he drew nearer to observe it -more closely, on which it turned round, and slunk into its lair. - -"Satisfied that the beast was not so dangerous as reported, he resolved -to destroy it, but as every one declared that neither sword nor dagger -had any effect on it, and that its venom would destroy any one that came -within its reach: he prepared a spear double the ordinary length, plated -with iron, four feet from the point, on which he placed a slender iron -wheel, turning on its centre. On this he fastened a lighted peat, and -exercised his horse with it for several days, until it shewed no fear or -dislike to the fire and smoke. He then repaired to the den, and, on the -worme appearing, his servant set fire to the peat, and, putting spurs to -his horse, he rode full at the beast. The speed at which he advanced, -caused the wheel to spin round, and fanned the peat into a blaze. He -drove the lance down the monster's throat full a third part of its -length, when it broke, and he left the animal writhing in the agonies of -death." - -I am afraid the Welsh "Worme" is not so well authenticated as the -others; but the story is, that Denbigh is so named from a Dragon slain -by John Salusbury of Lleweni, who died 1289. It devastated the country -far and wide, after the manner of its kind, and all the inhabitants -prayed for the destruction of this _bych_. This the Champion effected, -and in his glee, joyfully sang, _Dyn bych, Dyn bych_ (_No bych_); and -the country round was so named. - -There arises the question, whether, having regard to the fact that the -Lambton worm, at all events, was amphibious, it might not have been a -Plesiosaurus, which had survived some of its race, such as the -illustration now given, of the one reconstructed by Thos. Hawkins, in -his "Book of the Great Sea Dragons." We know that at some time or other -these animals existed, and, it may be, some few lingered on. At all -events most civilised nations have had a belief in it, and it was held -to be the type of all that was wicked; so much so, that one of Satan's -synonyms is "the Great Dragon." In the Romances of Chivalry, its -destruction was always reserved for the worthiest knight; in classical -times it was a terror. Both Hindoos and Chinese hold it in firm faith, -and, take it all in all, belief in its entity was general. - -[Illustration] - -The Winged Dragons were undoubtedly more furious and wicked than the -Wormes, and there is scarcely any reason to go farther than its -portrait by Aldrovandus, to enable us to recognise it at any time. (See -next page.) Topsell gives another, but with scarcely so much detail. - -But, although we in our times have not seen flying dragons in the flesh, -we have their fossilised bones in evidence of their existence. The -Pterodactyl, as Mr. Hawkins observes, "agrees with the Dragon in nearly -all its more important features. Thus, it was of great size, possessed a -large head, with long jaws and powerful teeth. It had wings of great -span, and at the same time three powerful clawed fingers to each hand, -wings devoid of feathers, and capable of being folded along the sides of -the body, while the large size of the orbits may not, improbably, have -suggested the name dragon; for dragon, which is derived from the Greek -[Greek: drakon], means, literally, _keen-sighted_." - -We now have flying lizards, both in India and the Malay Archipelago, in -which latter is found a small lemur which can fly from tree to tree, and -we are all familiar with bats, some of which attain a large size. - -Topsell has exercised great research among old authorities respecting -dragons, and he draws their portraits thus:--"_Gyllius_, _Pierius_, and -_Grevinus_, following the authority of _Nicander_, do affirme that a -Dragon is of a blacke colour, the bellie somewhat green, and very -beautifull to behold, having a treble rowe of teeth in their mouthes -upon every jawe, and with most bright and cleare seeing eyes, which -caused the Poets to faine in their writings, that these dragons are the -watchfull keepers of Treasures. They have also two dewlappes growing -under their chinne, and hanging downe like a beard, which are of a redde -colour; their bodies are set all over with very sharpe scales, and over -their eyes stand certaine flexible eyeliddes. When they -gape wide with their mouth, and thrust forth their tongue, theyr teeth -seeme very much to resemble the teeth of Wilde Swine: And theyr neckes -have many times grosse thicke hayre growing upon them, much like unto -the bristles of a Wylde Boare." - -[Illustration] - -Apart from looks, he does not give dragons, as a rule, a very bad -character, and says they do not attack men unless their general food -fails them:--"They greatlie preserve their health (as _Aristotle_ -affirmeth) by eating of Wild lettice, for that they make them to vomit, -and cast foorth of theyr stomacke what soever meate offendeth them, and -they are most speciallie offended by eating Apples, for theyr bodies are -much subject to be filled with winde, and therefore they never eate -Apples, but first they eate Wilde lettice. Theyr sight also (as -_Plutarch_ sayth) doth many times grow weake and feeble, and therefore -they renew and recover the same againe by rubbing their eyes against -Fennel, or else by eating it. Their age could never yet be certainely -knowne, but it is conjectured that they live long, and in great health, -like all other serpents, and therefore they grow so great. - - * * * * * - -"Neither have wee in Europe onely heard of Dragons, and never seene -them, but also even in our own Country, there have (by the testimonie of -sundry writers) divers been discovered and killed. And first of all, -there was a Dragon, or winged Serpent, brought unto _Francis_ the French -King, when hee lay at _Sancton_, by a certaine Country man, who had -slaine the same Serpent himselfe with a Spade, when it sette upon him in -the fields to kill him. And this thinge was witnessed by many Learned -and Credible men which saw the same; and they thought it was not bredde -in that Country, but rather driven by the winde thither from some -forraine Nation. For Fraunce was never knowne to breede any such -Monsters. Among the _Pyrenes_, too, there is a cruell kinde of Serpent, -not past foure foot long, and as thicke as a man's arme, out of whose -sides growe winges, much like unto gristles. - -"_Gesner_ also saith, that in the yeere of our Lord 1543 there came many -Serpents both with wings and legs into the parts of Germany neere -_Stiria_, who did bite and wound many men incurably. _Cardan_ also -describeth certaine serpents with wings, which he saw at Paris, whose -dead bodies were in the hands of _Gulielmus Musicus_; hee saith that -they had two legges, and small winges, so that they could scarce flie, -the head was little, and like to the head of a serpent, their colour -bright, and without haire or feathers, the quantitie of that which was -greatest, did not exceede the bignes of a Cony, and it is saide they -were brought out of India.... - -"There have beene also Dragons many times seene in Germaine, flying in -the ayre at mid-day, and signifying great and fearefull fiers to follow, -as it happened neere to the Cittie called _Niderburge_, neere to the -shore of the _Rhyne_, in a marvailous cleere sun-shine day, there came a -dragon three times successively together in one day, and did hang in the -ayre over a Towne called _Sanctogoarin_, and shaking his tayle over that -Towne every time: it appeared visibly in the sight of many of the -inhabitants, and, afterwards it came to passe, that the said towne was -three times burned with fire, to the great harme and undooing of the -people dwelling in the same; for they were not able to make any -resistance to quench the fire, with all the might, Art, and power they -could raise. And it was further observed, that about the time there were -many dragons seene washing themselves in a certaine Fountaine or Well -neere the towne, and if any of the people did by chance drinke of the -water of that Well, theyr bellyes did instantly begin to swell, and they -dyed as if they had been poysoned. Whereupon it was publicly decreed, -that the said well should be filled up with stones, to the intent that -never any man should afterwards be poisoned with that water; and so a -memory thereof was continued, and these thinges are written by _Justinus -Goblerus_, in an Epistle to _Gesner_, affirming that he did not write -fayned things, but such things as were true, and as he had learned from -men of great honesty and credite, whose eyes did see and behold both the -dragons, and the mishaps that followed by fire." - -Hitherto we have only seen that side of a Dragon's temperament that is -inimical to man, but there are stories, equally veracious, of their -affection and love for men, women, and children: how they, by kindness, -may be tamed, and brought into kindly relations with the human species. - -_Pliny_, quoting _Democritus_, says that "a Man, called _Thoas_, was -preserved in _Arcadia_ by a Dragon. When a boy he had become much -attached to it, and had reared it very tenderly; but his father, being -alarmed at the nature and monstrous size of the reptile, had taken and -left it in the desert. _Thoas_ being here attacked by some robbers, who -lay in ambush, he was delivered from them by the Dragon, which -recognised his voice, and came to his assistance." - -Topsell tells us that "there be some which by certaine inchaunting -verses doe tame Dragons, and rydeth upon their neckes, as a man would -ride upon a horse, guiding and governing them with a bridle." - -And so widely spread was the belief that these fearful animals could be -brought into subjection, that Magnus gives us an account "Of the Fight -of King _Harald_ against a tame Dragon," but this one seems hardly as -docile as those previously instanced:--"_Haraldus_ the most illustrious -King of _Norway_, residing, in his youth, with the King of -_Constantinople_, and being condemned for man-slaughter, he was -commanded to be cast to a tame Dragon that should rend him in pieces. As -he went into the prison, one very faithfull servant he had, offered -himself freely to die with his Master. - -[Illustration] - -"The keeper of the Castle, curiously observing them both, let them down -at the mouth of the Den, being unarmed, and well searched; wherefore, -when the servant was naked, he admitted _Harald_ to be covered with his -shirt, for modesty's sake, who gave him a braslet privily, and he -scattered little fish on the pavement, that the Dragon might first stay -his hunger on them, and that the guilty persons that are shut up in the -dark prison, might have a little light by the shining of the Fins and -Scales. Then _Haraldus_ picking up the bones of a Carkeis, stopt them -into the linen he had, and bound them fast together like a Club. And -when the Dragon was let forth, and rushed greedily on his prey cast to -him, he lept quickly on his back, and he thrust a Barber's razor in at -his navill, that would only be pierced by iron, which, as luck was, he -brought with him, and kept it concealed by him: this cold Serpent that -had most hard scales all over, disdained to be entred in any other part -of his body. But _Haraldus_ sitting so high above him, could neither be -bitten by his mouth, or hurt by his sharp teeth; or broken with the -turnings of his tayle. And his servant using the weapons, or bones put -together, beat the Dragon's head till he bled, and died thereof by his -many weighty strokes. When the King knew this, he freely changed his -revenge, into his service, and pardoned these valiant persons, and -furnishing them with a Ship and Monies, he gave them leave to depart." - -The natural instinct of Dragons was undoubtedly vicious, and they must -have been most undesirable neighbours, _teste_ the following story -quoted by Topsell from Stumpsius:--"When the Region of _Helvetia_ -beganne first to be purged from noysome beasts, there was a horrible -dragon found neere a Country towne called _Wilser_, who did destroy all -men and beastes, that came within his danger in the time of his hunger, -inasmuch that that towne and the fields therto adjoyning, was called -_Dedwiler_, that is, a Village of the Wildernes, for all the people and -inhabitants had forsaken the same, and fledde to other places. - -"There was a man of that Towne whose name was _Winckleriedt_, who was -banished for manslaughter: this man promised, if he might have his -pardon, and be restored againe to his former inheritance, that he would -combat with that Dragon, and by God's helpe destroy him; which thing was -granted unto him with great joyfulnes. Wherefore he was recalled home, -and in the presence of many people went foorth to fight with that -Dragon, whom he slew and overcame, whereat for joy hee lifted uppe his -sword imbrued in the dragon's blood, in token of victory, but the blood -distilled downe from the sword uppon his body, and caused him instantly -to fall downe dead. - -"There be certaine beasts called _Dracontopides_, very great and potent -Serpents, whose faces are like to the faces of Virgins, and the residue -of their body like to dragons. It is thought that such a one was the -Serpent that deceived _Eve_, for _Beda_ saith it had a Virgin's -countenance, and therefore the woman, seeing the likenes of her owne -face, was the more easily drawne to believe it: into which the devill -had entred; they say he taught it to cover the body with leaves, and to -shew nothing but the head and face. But this fable is not worthy to be -refuted, because the Scripture itself, dooth directly gaine-say everie -part of it. For, first of all it is called a Serpent, and if it had been -a Dragon, _Moses_ would have said so; and, therefore, for ordinary -punishment, GOD doth appoint it to creepe upon the belly, wherefore it -is not likely that it had either wings or feete. Secondly, it was -impossible and unlikely, that any part of the body was covered or -conceiled from the sight of the woman, seeing she knew it directly to be -a Serpent, as shee afterward confessed before GOD and her husband. - -"There be also certaine little dragons called in _Arabia_, _Vesga_, and -in _Catalonia_, _Dragons of houses_; these, when they bite, leave their -teeth behind them, so as the wound never ceaseth swelling, as long as -the teeth remain therein, and therefore, for the better cure thereof, -the teeth are drawne forth, and so the wound will soone be healed. - -"And thus much for the hatred betwixt men and dragons, now we will -proceede to other creatures. - -"The greatest discord is between the Eagle and the Dragon, for the -Vultures, Eagles, Swannes and Dragons, are enemies to one another. The -Eagles, when they shake their winges, make the dragons afraide with -their ratling noyse; then the dragon hideth himselfe within his den, so -that he never fighteth but in the ayre, eyther when the Eagle hath taken -away his young ones, and he, to recover them, flieth aloft after her, or -else when the Eagle meeteth him in her nest, destroying her egges and -young ones: for the Eagle devoureth the dragons, and little Serpents -upon earth, and the dragons againe, and Serpents do the like against the -Eagles in the ayre. Yea, many times the dragon attempteth to take away -the prey out of the Eagle's talants, both on the ground, and in the -ayre, so that there ariseth betwixt them a very hard and dangerous -fight. - -"In the next place we are to consider the enmitie that is betwixt -Dragons and Elephants, for, so great is their hatred one to another, -that in Ethyopia the greatest dragons have no other name but Elephant -killers. Among the Indians, also, the same hatred remaineth, against -whom the dragons have many subtile inventions: for, besides the greate -length of their bodies, wherewithall they claspe and begirt the body of -the Elephant, continually byting of him, untill he fall downe dead, and -in the which fall they are also bruzed to peeces; for the safeguard of -themselves, they have this device. They get and hide themselves in -trees, covering their head, and letting the other part hang downe like a -rope: in those trees they watch untill the Elephant come to eate and -croppe of the branches; then, suddenly, before he be aware, they leape -into his face, and digge out his eyes, then doe they claspe themselves -about his necke, and with their tayles, or hinder parts, beate and vexe -the Elephant, untill they have made him breathlesse, for they strangle -him with theyr fore parts, as they beate them with the hinder, so that -in this combat they both perrish: and this is the disposition of the -Dragon, that he never setteth upon the Elephant, but with the advantage -of the place, and namely from some high tree or Rocke. - -"Sometimes againe, a multitude of dragons doe together observe the -pathes of the Elephants, and crosse those pathes they tie together their -tailes as it were in knots, so that when the Elephant commeth along in -them, they insnare his legges, and suddainly leape uppe to his eyes, for -that is the part they ayme at above all other, which they speedily pull -out, and so not being able to doe him any more harme, the poore beast -delivereth himselfe from present death by his owne strength, and yet -through his blindnesse received in that combat, hee perrisheth by -hunger, because he cannot choose his meate by smelling, but by his -eyesight." - - - - -THE CROCODILE. - - -The largest of the Saurians which we have left us, is the Crocodile; and -it formerly had the character of being very deceitful, and, by its -weeping, attracted its victims. Sir John Mandeville thus describes -them:--"In this land, and many other places of Inde, are many -cocodrilles, that is a maner of a long serpent, and on nights they dwell -on water, and on dayes they dwell on land and rocks, and they eat not in -winter. These serpents sley men, and eate them weeping, and they have no -tongue." - -On the contrary, the Crocodile has a tongue, and a very large one too. -As to the fable of its weeping, do we not even to this day call sham -mourning, "shedding crocodile's tears?" Spenser, in his "Faerie Queene," -thus alludes to its supposed habits (B. I. c. 5. xviii.):-- - - "As when a wearie traveller, that strayes - By muddy shore of broad seven-mouthed Nile, - Unweeting of the perillous wandring wayes, - Doth meete a cruell craftie crocodile, - Which in false griefe hyding his harmeful guile, - Doth weepe full sore, and sheddeth tender tears: - The foolish man, that pities all this while - His mourneful plight, is swallowed up unawares, - Forgetfull of his owne, that mindes another's cares." - -And Shakespeare, from whom we can obtain a quotation on almost anything, -makes Othello say (Act iv. sc. 1):-- - - "O devil, devil! - If that the earth could teem with woman's tears, - Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile;-- - Out of my sight!" - -Gesner, and Topsell, in his "Historie of Four-Footed Beastes," give the -accompanying illustration of a hippopotamus eating a crocodile, the -original of which, they say, came from the Coliseum at Rome, and was -then in the Vatican. - -[Illustration] - -Topsell, in his "History of Serpents," dwells lovingly, and lengthily, -on the crocodile. He says:--"Some have written that the Crocodile -runneth away from a man if he winke with his left eye, and looke -steadfastly uppon him with his right eye, but if this bee true, it is -not to be attributed to the vertue of the right eye, but onely to the -rarenesse of sight, which is conspicuous to the Serpent from one eye. -The greatest terrour unto Crocodiles, as both _Seneca_ and _Pliny_ -affirme, are the inhabitants of the Ile _Tentyrus_ within _Nilus_, for -those people make them runne away with their voyces, and many times -pursue and take them in snares. Of these people speaketh _Solinus_ in -this manner:--There is a generation of men in the Ile _Tentyrus_ within -the waters of _Nilus_, which are of a most adverse nature to the -Crocodile, dwelling also in the same place. And, although their persons -or presence be of small stature, yet heerein is theyr courage admired, -because at the suddaine sight of a Crocodile, they are no whit daunted; -for one of these dare meete and provoke him to runne away. They will -also leape into Rivers and swimme after the Crocodile, and, meeting -with it, without feare cast themselves uppon the Beasts backe, ryding on -him as uppon a horse. And if the Beast lift uppe his head to byte him, -when hee gapeth they put into his mouth a wedge, holding it hard at both -ends with both their hands, and so, as it were with a bridle, leade, or -rather drive, them captives to the Land, where, with theyr noyse, they -so terrifie them, that they make them cast uppe the bodies which they -had swallowed into theyr bellies; and because of this antypathy in -Nature, the Crocodyles dare not come neare to this Iland. - -"And _Strabo_ also hath recorded, that at what time crocodiles were -brought to Rome, these _Tentyrites_ folowed and drove them. For whom -there was a certaine great poole or fish-pond assigned, and walled -about, except one passage for the Beast to come out of the water into -the sun shine: and when the people came to see them, these _Tentyrites_, -with nettes would draw them to the Land, and put them backe againe into -the water at theyr owne pleasure. For they so hooke them by theyr eyes, -and bottome of their bellyes, which are their tenderest partes, that, -like as horses broken by theyr Ryders, they yeelde unto them, and forget -theyr strength in the presence of these theyr Conquerors.... - -"To conclude this discourse of Crocodiles inclination, even the -Egyptians themselves account a Crocodile a savage, and cruell murthering -beast, as may appeare by their Hieroglyphicks, for when they will -decypher a mad man, they picture a Crocodile, who beeing put from his -desired prey by forcible resistance, hee presently rageth against -himselfe. And they are often taught by lamentable experience, what -fraude and malice to mankind liveth in these beasts; for, when they -cover themselves under willowes and greene hollow bankes, till some -people come to the waters side to draw and fetch water, and then -suddenly, or ever they be aware, they are taken, and drawne into the -water. - -"And also, for this purpose, because he knoweth that he is not able to -overtake a man in his course or chase, he taketh a great deale of water -in his mouth, and casteth it in the pathwaies, so that when they -endeavour to run from the crocodile, they fall downe in the slippery -path, and are overtaken and destroyed by him. The common proverbe also, -_Crocodili lachrimae_, the Crocodile's teares, justifieth the treacherous -nature of this beast, for there are not many bruite beasts that can -weepe, but such is the nature of the Crocodile, that to get a man within -his danger, he will sob, sigh, and weepe, as though he were in -extremitie, but suddenly he destroyeth him. Others say, that the -Crocodile weepeth after he hath devoured a man.... - -"Seeing the friendes of it are so few, the enemies of it must needes be -many, and therefore require a more large catalogue or story. In the -first ranke whereof commeth (as worthy the first place), the _Ichneumon_ -or _Pharaoh's Mouse_, who rageth against their egges and their persons; -for it is certaine that it hunteth with all sagacity of sense to find -out theyr nests, and having found them, it spoyleth, scattereth, -breaketh, and emptieth all theyr egs. They also watch the old ones a -sleepe, and finding their mouths open against the beames of the Sunne, -suddenly enter into them, and, being small, creepe downe theyr vast and -large throates before they be aware, and then, putting the Crocodile to -exquisite and intollerable torment, by eating their guttes asunder, and -so their soft bellies, while the Crocodile tumbleth to and fro sighing -and weeping, now in the depth of water, now on the Land, never resting -till strength of nature fayleth. For the incessant gnawing of the -_Ichneumon_ so provoketh her to seek her rest, in the unrest of every -part, herbe, element, throwes, throbs, rowlings, tossings, mournings, -but all in vaine, for the enemy within her breatheth through her breath, -and sporteth herselfe in the consumption of those vitall parts, which -wast and weare away by yeelding to her unpacificable teeth, one after -the other, till shee that crept in by stealth at the mouth, like a puny -theefe, come out at the belly like a conquerour, thorough a passage -opened by her owne labour and industry.... - -"The medicines arising out of it are also many. The first place -belongeth to the Caule, which hath moe benefits or vertues in it, than -can be expressed. The bloud of a Crocodile is held profitable for many -thinges, and among other, it is thought to cure the bitings of any -Serpent. Also by annoynting the eyes, it cureth both the dregs, or spots -of blood in them, and also restoreth soundnesse and clearenesse to the -sight, taking away all dulnesse, or deadnesse from the eyes. And it is -said, that if a man take the liquor which commeth from a piece of a -Crocodyle fryed, and annoynte therewithall his wound or harmed part, -that then he shall bee presently rid of all paine and torment. The -skinne both of the Land and Water Crocodile dryed into powder, and the -same powder, with Vineger or Oyle, layd upon a part or member of the -body, to be seared, cut off or lanced, taketh away all sense and feeling -of paine from the instrument in the action. - -"All the AEgytians doe with the fat or sewet of a Crocodile, (_is to_) -annoynt all them that be sick of Feavers, for it hath the same -operation which the fat of a Sea-dogge, or Dog-fish hath, and, if those -parts of men and beasts which are hurt and wounded with Crocodile's -teeth, be annoynted with this fat, it also cureth them. Being concocted -with Water and Vineger, and so rowled uppe and downe in the mouth, it -cureth the tooth-ache: and also it is outwardly applyed agaynst the -byting of Flyes, Spyders, Wormes, and such like, for this cause, as also -because it is thought to cure Wennes, bunches in the flesh, and olde -woundes. It is solde deare, and held pretious in _Alcair_, (Cairo.) -_Scaliger_ writeth that it cureth the _Gangren_. The Canyne teeth which -are hollow, filled with Frankinsence, and tyed to a man or woman, which -hath the toothach, cureth them, if the party know not of the carrying -them about: And so they write, that if the little stones which are in -their belly be taken forth and so used, they work the same effect -against Feavers. The dung is profitable against the falling off of the -hayre, and many such other things." - - - - -THE BASILISK AND COCKATRICE. - - -[Illustration] - -Aldrovandus portrays the Basilisk with eight legs. Topsell says it is -the same as the Cockatrice, depicts it as a crowned serpent, and -says:--"This Beast is called by the Graecian _Baziliscos_, and by the -Latine, _Regulus_, because he seemeth to be the King of Serpents, not -for his magnitude or greatnesse: For there are many Serpents bigger than -he, as there be many foure-footed Beastes bigger than the Lyon, but, -because of his stately pace, and magnanimious mind: for hee creepeth not -on the earth like other Serpents, but goeth halfe upright, for which -occasion all other Serpentes avoyde his sight. And it seemeth nature -hath ordayned him for that purpose; for, besides the strength of his -poyson, which is uncurable, he hath a certain combe or Corronet uppon -his head, as shall be shewed in due place." - -[Illustration] - -Pliny thus describes "The Serpents called Basilisks. There is the same -power[40] also in the serpent called the Basilisk. It is produced in -the province of Cyrene, being not more than twelve fingers in length. It -has a white spot on the head, strongly resembling a sort of diadem. When -it hisses, all the other serpents fly from it: and it does not advance -its body, like the others, by a succession of folds, but moves along -upright and erect upon the middle. It destroys all shrubs, not only by -its contact, but even those that it has breathed upon; it burns up all -the grass too, and breaks the stones, so tremendous is its noxious -influence. It was formerly a general belief that if a man on horseback -killed one of these animals with a spear, the poison would run up the -weapon and kill, not only the rider, but the horse as well. To this -dreadful monster the effluvium of the weasel is fatal, a thing which has -been tried with success, for kings have often desired to see its body -when killed; so true is it that it has pleased Nature that there should -be nothing without its antidote. The animal is thrown into the hole of -the basilisk, which is easily known from the soil around it being -infected. The weasel destroys the basilisk by its odour, but dies itself -in this struggle of nature against its own self." - -Du Bartas says:-- - - "What shield of Ajax could avoid their death - By th' Basilisk whose pestilentiall breath - Doth pearce firm Marble, and whose banefull eye - Wounds with a glance, so that the wounded dye." - -The origin of the Cockatrice is, to say the least, peculiar:--"There is -some question amongest Writers, about the generation of this Serpent: -for some, (and those very many and learned,) affirme him to be brought -forth of a Cockes egge. For they say that when a Cocke groweth old, he -layeth a certaine egge without any shell, instead whereof it is covered -with a very thicke skinne, which is able to withstand the greatest force -of an easie blow or fall. They say, moreover, that this Egge is layd -onely in the Summer time, about the beginning of the Dogge-dayes, being -not so long as a Hens Egge, but round and orbiculer: Sometimes of a -Foxie, sometimes of a yellowish muddy colour, which Egge is generated of -the putrified seed of the Cocke, and afterward sat upon by a Snake or a -Toad, bringeth forth the Cockatrice, being halfe a foot in length, the -hinder part like a Snake, the former part like a Cocke, because of a -treble combe on his forehead. - -"But the vulger opinion of Europe is, that the Egge is nourished by a -Toad, and not by a Snake; howbeit, in better experience it is found that -the Cocke doth sit on that egge himselfe: whereof _Levinus Lemnius_ in -his twelfth booke of the hidden miracles of nature, hath this discourse, -in the fourth chapter thereof. There happened (saith he) within our -memory in the Citty _Pirizaea_, that there were two old Cockes which had -layd Egges, but they could not, with clubs and staves drive them from -the Egges, untill they were forced to breake the egges in sunder, and -strangle the Cockes.... - -"There be many grave humaine Writers, whose authority is irrefragable, -affirming not onely that there be cockatrices, but also that they infect -the ayre, and kill with their sight. And _Mercuriall_ affirmeth, that -when he was with _Maximilian_ the Emperour, hee saw the carkase of a -cockatrice, reserved in his treasury among his undoubted monuments.... -Wee doe read that in Rome, in the dayes of Pope _Leo_ the fourth (847 to -855), there was a cockatrice found in a Vault of a Church or Chappell, -dedicated to Saint _Lucea_, whose pestiferous breath hadde infected the -Ayre round about, whereby great mortality followed in Rome: but how the -said Cockatrice came thither, it was never knowne. It is most probable -that it was created, and sent of God for the punnishment of the Citty, -which I do the more easily beleeve, because _Segonius_ and _Julius -Scaliger_ do affirme, that the sayd pestiferous beast was killed by the -prayers of the said _Leo_ the fourth.... - -"The eyes of the Cockatrice are redde, or somewhat inclyning to -blacknesse; the skin and carkase of this beast have beene accounted -precious, for wee doe read that the _Pergameni_ did buy but certaine -peeces of a Cockatrice, and gave for it two pound and a halfe of Sylver: -and because there is an opinion that no Byrd, Spyder, or venomous Beast -will endure the sight of this Serpent, they did hang uppe the skinne -thereof stuffed, in the Temples of _Apollo_ and _Diana_, in a certaine -thinne Net made of Gold; and therefore it is sayde, that never any -Swallow, Spider, or other Serpent durst come within those Temples; And -not onely the skinne or the sight of the Cockatrice worketh this effect, -but also the flesh thereof, being rubbed uppon the pavement, postes, or -Walles of any House. And moreover, if Silver bee rubbed over with the -powder of the Cockatrices flesh, it is likewise sayde that it giveth it -a tincture like unto Golde: and, besides these qualities, I remember not -any other in the flesh or skinne of this serpent.... - -"We read also that many times in _Affrica_, the Mules fall downe dead -for thirst, or else lye dead on the ground for some other causes, unto -whose Carkase innumerable troupes of Serpentes gather themselves to -feede there uppon; but when the Bazeliske windeth the sayd dead body, -he giveth forth his voyce: at the first hearing whereof, all the -Serpents hide themselves in the neare adjoyning sandes, or else runne -into theyr holes, not daring to come forth againe, untill the Cockatrice -have well dyned and satisfied himselfe. At which time he giveth another -signall by his voyce of his departure: then come they forth, but never -dare meddle with the remnants of the dead beast, but go away to seeke -some other prey. And if it happen that any other pestiferous beast -cometh unto the waters to drinke neare the place wherein the Cockatrice -is lodged, so soone as he perceiveth the presence thereof, although it -be not heard nor seene, yet it departeth back againe, without drinking, -neglecting his owne nutriment, to save itselfe from further danger: -whereupon _Lucanus_ saith, - - _----Late sibi submovet omne - Vulgus, et in vacua regnat Basiliscus arena._ - -Which may be thus englished; - - _He makes the vulgar farre from him to stand, - While Cockatrice alone raignes on the sand._ - -"Now we are to intreate of the poyson of this serpent, for it is a hot -and a venemous poyson, infecting the Ayre round about, so as no other -Creature can live neare him, for it killeth, not onely by his hissing, -and by his sight, (as is sayd of the Gorgons) but also by his touching, -both immediately, and mediately; that is to say, not onely when a man -toucheth the body it selfe, but also by touching a Weapon wherewith the -body was slayne, or any other dead beast slaine by it, and there is a -common fame, that a Horseman taking a Speare in his hand, which had -beene thrust through a Cockatrice, did not onely draw the poyson of it -unto his owne body, and so dyed, but also killed his horse thereby." - - - - -THE SALAMANDER. - - -Many writers have essayed this fabled creature, but almost all have -approached the subject with diffidence, as if not quite sure of the -absolute entity of the animal. Thus, Aristotle does not speak of it -authoritatively:--"And the Salamander shews that it is possible for some -animal substances to exist in the fire, for _they say_ that fire is -extinguished when this animal walks over it." Pliny, on Salamanders, -writes:--"We find it stated by many authors, that a serpent is produced -from the spinal marrow of a man. Many creatures, in fact, among the -quadrupeds even, have a secret, and mysterious origin. - -[Illustration] - -"Thus, for instance, the salamander, an animal like a lizard in shape, -and with a body starred all over, never comes out except during heavy -showers, and disappears the moment it becomes fine. This animal is so -intensely cold as to extinguish fire by its contact, in the same way -that ice doth. It spits forth a milky matter from its mouth; and -whatever part of the human body is touched with this, all the hair falls -off, and the part assumes the appearance of leprosy.... The wild boar of -Pamphylia, and the mountainous parts of Cilicia, after having devoured -a Salamander, will become poisonous to those who eat its flesh; and yet -the danger is quite imperceptible by reason of any peculiarity in the -smell and taste. The Salamander, too, will poison either water or wine -in which it happens to be drowned; and, what is more, if it has only -drunk thereof, the liquid becomes poisonous." - -This idea of an animal supporting life in the fire is not confined to -the Salamander alone, for both Aristotle and Pliny aver that there is a -fly which possesses this accomplishment. Says the former:--"In Cyprus, -when the manufacturers of the stone called _chalcitis_ burn it for many -days in the fire, a winged creature something larger than a great fly is -seen walking and leaping in the fire: these creatures perish when taken -from the fire." And the latter:--"That element, also, which is so -destructive to matter, produces certain animals; for in the -copper-smelting furnaces of Cyprus, in the very midst of the fire, there -is to be seen, flying about, a four-footed animal with wings, the size -of a large fly: this creature, called the 'pyrallis,' and by some the -'pyrausta.' So long as it remains in the fire it will live, but if it -comes out, and flies a little distance from it, it will instantly die." - -Ser Marco Polo thoroughly pooh-poohs the idea of the Salamander, and -says it is Asbestos. Speaking of the Province of Chingintalas, he -says:--"And you must know that in the same mountain there is a vein of -the substance of which Salamander is made. For the real truth is that -the Salamander is no beast, as they allege in our part of the world, but -is a substance found in the earth; and I will tell you about it. - -"Everybody must be aware that it can be no animal's nature to live in -fire, seeing that every animal is composed of all the four elements. -Now, I, Marco Polo, had a Turkish acquaintance of the name of Zurficar, -and he was a very clever fellow, and this Turk related to Messer Marco -Polo how he had lived three years in that region on behalf of the Great -Kaan, in order to procure those Salamanders for him. He said that the -way they got them was by digging in that mountain till they found a -certain vein. The substance of this vein was then taken and crushed, -and, when so treated, it divides, as it were, into fibres of wool, which -they set forth to dry. When dry, these fibres were pounded in a great -copper mortar, and then washed, so as to remove all the earth, and to -leave only the fibres, like fibres of wool. These were then spun, and -made into napkins. When first made, these napkins are not very white, -but by putting them in the fire for a while they come out as white as -snow. And so again, whenever they become dirty they are bleached by -being put in the fire. - -"Now this, and nought else, is the truth about the Salamander, and the -people of the country all say the same. Any other account of the matter -is fabulous nonsense. And I may add that they have, at Rome, a napkin -out of this stuff, which the Grand Kaan sent to the Pope, to make a -wrapper, for the Holy Sudarium of Jesus Christ." - -That extremely truthful person, Benvenuto Cellini, in his thoroughly -veracious autobiography, tells us the following _Snake Story_:--"When I -was about five years old, my father happened to be in a basement-chamber -of our house, where they had been washing, and where a good fire of -oak-logs was still burning; he had a viol in his hand, and was playing -and singing alone beside the fire. - -"The weather was very cold. Happening to look into the fire, he spied in -the middle of those most burning flames a little creature like a lizard, -which was sporting in the core of the intensest coals. Becoming -instantly aware of what the thing was, he had my sister and me called, -and, pointing it out to us children, gave me a great box on the ears, -which caused me to howl and weep with all my might. Then he pacified me -good-humouredly, and spoke as follows: 'My dear little boy, I am not -striking you for any wrong that you have done, but only to make you -remember that that lizard which you see in the fire is a salamander, a -creature which has never been seen before, by any one of whom we have -credible information.' So saying, he kissed me, and gave me some pieces -of money." - -Even Topsell is half-hearted about its fire-resisting qualities, giving -no modern instances, and only, for it, quoting old authors. According to -his account, and to the picture which I have taken from him, the -Salamander is not a prepossessing-looking animal:--"The Salamander is -also foure-footed like a Lyzard, and all the body over it is set with -spots of blacke and yellow, yet is the sight of it abhominable, and -fearefull to man. The head of it is great, and sometimes they have -yellowish bellyes and tayles, and sometimes earthy." - -He also says its bite is not only poisonous, but incurable, and that it -poisons all it touches. - - - - -THE TOAD. - - -Toads were always considered venomous and spiteful, and they had but one -redeeming quality, which seems to be lost to its modern descendants:-- - - "Sweet are the uses of adversity; - Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, - Wears yet a precious jewel in his head." - - (_As You Like It_, Act ii. sc. 1.) - -Pliny says of these animals:--"Authors quite vie with one another in -relating marvellous stories about them; such, for instance, as that if -they are brought into the midst of a concourse of people, silence will -instantly prevail; as also that, by throwing into boiling water, a small -bone that is found in their right side, the vessel will immediately -cool, and the water refuse to boil again until it has been removed. This -bone, they say, may be found by exposing a dead toad to ants, and -letting them eat away the flesh; after which the bones must be put into -the vessel one by one. - -"On the other hand, again, in the left side of this reptile there is -another bone, they say, which, when thrown into water, has all the -appearance of making it boil, and the name given to which is 'apocynon' -(_averting dogs_). This bone it is said has the property of assuaging -the fury of dogs, and, if put in the drink, of conciliating love, and -ending discord and strife. Worn, too, as an amulet, it acts as an -aphrodisiac, we are told." - -Topsell writes so diffusely on the virtues of these "toad stones" that I -can only afford space for a portion of his remarks:--"There be many late -Writers, which doe affirme that there is a precious stone in the head of -a Toade, whose opinions (because they attribute much to the vertue of -this stone) is good to examine in this place.... There be many that -weare these stones in Ringes, beeing verily perswaded that they keepe -them from all manner of grypings and paines of the belly, and the small -guttes. But the Art, (as they term it) is in taking of it out, for they -say it must be taken out of the head alive, before the Toade be dead, -with a peece of cloth of the colour of redde Skarlet, wherewithall they -are much delighted, so that while they stretch out themselves as it were -in sport upon that cloth, they cast out the stone of their head, but -instantly they sup it up againe, unlesse it be taken from them through -some secrete hole in the said cloth, whereby it falleth into a cesterne -or vessell of water, into the which the Toade dare not enter, by reason -of the coldnes of the water.... - -"This stone is that which in auncient time was called _Batrachites_, and -they attribute unto it a vertue besides the former, namely, for the -breaking of the stone in the bladder, and against the Falling sicknes. -And they further write that it is a discoverer of present poyson, for in -the presence of poyson it will change the colour. And this is the -substaunce of that which is written about this stone. Now for my part I -dare not conclude either with it, or against it, for many are directlie -for this stone ingendered in the braine or head of the Toade: on the -other side, some confesse such a stone by name and nature, but they make -doubt of the generation of it, as others have delivered; and therefore, -they beeing in sundry opinions, the hearing whereof might confound the -Reader, I will referre him for his satisfaction unto a Toade, which hee -may easily every day kill: For although when the Toade is dead, the -vertue thereof be lost, which consisted in the eye, or blew spot in the -middle, yet the substance remaineth, and, if the stone be found there in -substance, then is the question at an end; but, if it be not, then must -the generation of it be sought for in some other place." - - - - -THE LEECH. - - -The Leech has, from a very early age, been used as a means of letting -blood; but, among the old Romans, it had medicinal uses such as we know -not of now. It was used as a hair dye. Pliny gives two receipts for -making it, and it must have been powerful stuff, if we can believe his -authority:--"Leeches left to putrify for forty days in red wine, stain -the hair black. Others, again, recommend one sextarius of leeches to be -left to putrefy the same number of days in a leaden vessel, with two -sextarii of vinegar, the hair to be well rubbed with the mixture in the -sun. According to Sornatius this preparation is, naturally, so -penetrating, that if females, when they apply it, do not take the -precaution of keeping some oil in the mouth, the teeth, even, will -become blackened thereby." - -[Illustration] - -Olaus Magnus gives us the accompanying picture of the luxurious man in -his arm-chair by the river-side, catching his own leeches, and suffering -from gnats; and also his far more prudent friend, who makes the -experiment on the vile body of his horse, and thus saves his own blood; -but he gives us no account of its habits and customs. - - - - -THE SCORPION. - - -Of the Scorpion, Pliny says:--"This animal is a dangerous scourge, and -has a venom like that of the serpent; with the exception that its -effects are far more painful, as the person who is stung will linger for -three days before death ensues. The sting is invariably fatal to -virgins, and nearly always so to matrons. It is so to men also, in the -morning, when the animal has issued from its hole in a fasting state, -and has not yet happened to discharge its poison by an accidental -stroke. The tail is always ready to strike, and ceases not for an -instant to menace, so that no opportunity may possibly be lost.... - -"In Scythia, the Scorpion is able to kill even the swine, with its -sting, an animal which, in general, is proof against poisons of this -kind in a remarkable degree. When stung, those swine which are black, -die more speedily than others, and more particularly if they happen to -throw themselves into the water. When a person has been stung, it is -generally supposed that he may be cured by drinking the ashes of the -Scorpion mixed with wine. It is the belief also that nothing is more -baneful to the Scorpion than to dip it in oil.... Some writers, too, are -of opinion that the Scorpion devours its offspring, and that the one -among the young which is most adroit avails itself of its sole mode of -escape, by placing itself on the back of the mother, and thus finding a -place where it is in safety from the tail and sting. The one that thus -escapes, they say, becomes the avenger of the rest, and, at last, taking -advantage of its elevated position, puts its parents to death." - -Topsell has some marvels to relate concerning the generation of -Scorpions:--"And it is reported by _Elianus_, that about _Estamenus_ in -India, there are abundance of Scorpions generated, onely by corrupt -raine water standing in that place. Also, out of the Baziliske beaten -into peeces, and so putrified, are Scorpions engendred. And when as one -had planted the herbe _Basilica_ on a wall, in the roome or place -thereof hee found two Scorpions. And some say that if a man chaw in his -mouth, fasting, this herbe Basill before he wash, and, afterwards, lay -the same abroade uncovered where no sun commeth at it for the space of -seaven nights, taking it in all the daytime, he shall at length find it -transmuted into a Scorpion, with a tayle of seaven knots. - -"_Hollerius_, to take away all scruple of this thing, writeth that in -Italy, in his dayes, there was a man that had a Scorpion bredde in his -braine, by continuall smelling to this herbe Basil; and _Gesner_ by -relation of an Apothecary in Fraunce, writeth also a storie of a young -mayde, who by smelling to Basill, fell into an exceeding head-ach, -whereof she died without cure, and, after her death, beeing opened, -there were found little Scorpions in her braine. - -"_Aristotle_ remembreth an herbe which he calleth _Sisimbriae_, out of -which putrified Scorpions are engendered. And wee have showed already, -in the history of the Crocodile, that out of the Crocodile's egges doe -many times come Scorpions, which at their first egression doe kill theyr -dam that hatched them." - -There is a curious legend, that if a Scorpion is surrounded by fire, so -that it cannot escape, it will commit suicide by stinging itself to -death. - - - - -THE ANT. - - -No one would credit the industrious Ant, whose ways we are told to -consider, and gather wisdom therefrom, was avaricious and lustful after -gold; but it seems it was even so, at least, in Pliny's time; but then -they were abnormally large:--"The horns of an Indian Ant, suspended in -the temple of Hercules at Erythrae (_Ritri_) have been looked upon as -quite miraculous for their size. This ant excavates gold from holes, in -a country to the north of India, the inhabitants of which are known as -the Dardae. It has the colour of a cat, and is in size as large as an -Egyptian wolf. This gold, which it extracts in the winter, is taken by -the Indians during the heats of summer, while the Ants are compelled, by -the excessive warmth, to hide themselves in their holes. Still, however, -on being aroused by catching the scent of the Indians, they sally forth, -and frequently tear them to pieces, though provided with the swiftest -Camels for the purpose of flight; so great is their fleetness, combined -with their ferocity, and their passion for gold!" - - - - -THE BEE. - - -The Busy Bee, too, according to Olaus Magnus, developed, in the regions -of the North, a peculiarity to which it seems a stranger with us, but -which might be encouraged, with beneficial effect, by the Temperance -Societies. - -[Illustration] - -The Bees infested drunkards, being drawn to them by the smell of the -liquor with which they had soaked their bodies, and stung them. - - - - -THE HORNET. - - -[Illustration] - -So also, up North, they seem to have had a special breed of Hornets, -which must have been ferocious indeed, sparing neither man nor beast, as -is evidenced by the corpses, and by the extremely energetic efforts of -the yet living man to cope with his enemies. - -[Illustration] - - - - -FOOTNOTES. - - -[1] Supposed to be Sumatra. - -[2] [Greek: ges kleithron], meaning the limit or boundary of the earth. - -[3] The Gryphon must not be confounded with the Griffin, as will be seen -later on. - -[4] The Roman cubit was eighteen inches, so that these men were nearly -eight feet high. - -[5] From [Greek: apo tou monou kolou], "from having but one leg." - -[6] From [Greek: Skiapous], "making a shadow with his foot." - -[7] See illustration, p. 9. - -[8] Sparrow footed, from [Greek: strouthos], a sparrow. - -[9] Probably cotton. - -[10] Or long livers, from [Greek: makros], "long," and [Greek: bios], -"life." - -[11] A palm was three inches, so that these men would be eight feet -high. - -[12] From [Greek: Gymnetes], one who takes much bodily exercise. - -[13] Mirage. - -[14] Other editions read _rough hair_. - -[15] In Greek, [Greek: Topazo], means to guess, divine, or conjecture. - -[16] Burn. - -[17] Breast. - -[18] At war. - -[19] From [Greek: treis], _three_, [Greek: spithamai], _spans_. - -[20] Other editions say six or seven years. - -[21] See his letters dated September 1888, which arrived in England -early in April 1889. - -[22] Ox horns, horn cups. - -[23] A lake between Macedonia and Thrace. - -[24] The fishermen of lake Prasias still have lake dwellings as in the -time of Herodotus. - -[25] The most abundant were the oyster, mussel, cockle, and periwinkle. - -[26] Transactions of the Ethnological Society, 1866, vol. iv., p. 34. - -[27] Thyrsi. - -[28] The italics are mine.--J. A. - -[29] From [Greek: katablepo], "to look downwards." - -[30] Spirals. - -[31] Plaits. - -[32] Taking the Ducat at 9s. 4-1/2d., it would come to L37,000, but if -this were multiplied by three, the lowest computation of the value of -money then, and now, it would be worth considerably over L100,000. - -[33] Another name for short--vide _Cutty pipe_--_Cutty sark_. - -[34] "An unlicked cub" is a proverb which has sprung from this fable. -Aristotle was right when he said that bears when newly born were without -hair, and blind, but wrong in continuing "its legs, and almost all its -parts, are without joints." Still, the popular idea that bears licked -their young into shape, lasted till very modern times, and still -survives in the proverb quoted. Shakespeare mentions it in 3 Henry VI. -iii. 2:-- - - "Like to Chaos, or an unlick'd bear whelp, - That carries no impression like the dam." - -And Chester, in his _Love's Martyr_, speaking of the Bear, says-- - - "Brings forth at first a thing that's indigest, - A lump of flesh without all fashion, - Which she, by often licking brings to rest, - Making a formal body, good and sound. - Which often in this iland we have found." - -[35] This use of bear's grease is about 1800 years old. - -[36] From [Greek: Leontophonos], the Lion Killer. - -[37] Written to prove that this plant was the Cotton-plant. - -[38] Melons. - -[39] Wonder at. - -[40] Alluding to the Catoblepon (see ante, p. 85), and its power of -killing animals and human beings with its eye. This power does not seem -confined to animals, for Sir John Mandeville says:--"An other yle there -is northward where there are many evill and fell women, and they have -precious stones in their eies, and they have such kinde y^t if they -behold any man with wrath, they sley them of the beholding, as the -Basalisk doeth." - - - - -INDEX. - - - - -[Illustration] - -INDEX. - - - Abarimon, _country of men with legs reversed_, 9. - - Acanthis, the, 70. - - Accursius, 147. - - Achillium. See _Sponges_. - - AEdonaus, 287. - - AEgipanae, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - AEgithus, the, 70, 71. - - AEgopithecus, the, 55. - - AElianus, 88, 93, 96, 148, 158, 212, 280, 331. - - AEsalon, the, 70. - - AEsculapius, 148. - - AEtolia, 280. - - Agatharcides, 10, 16. - - Ainos, the, _a hairy people of Japan_, 50, 51. - - Albertus, 93, 100, 252. - - Albinos, 10. - - Alciatus, 65. - - Aldrovandus, 47, 48, 81, 97, 154, 170, 171, 172, 179, 180, 204, 228, - 256, 262, 270, 302, 317. - - Alexander, 146. - - Alumnus, 100. - - Amahut, _a tree_, 67. - - Amazons, 23; - _their fate after their defeat by the Greeks_, 24, 25; - _Sir John Mandeville's account of them_, 25, 26; - _called Medusae_, 85. - - Ambergris, 222, 223. - - Anclorus, the, 148. - - Andrew, _an Italian_, 151. - - Androgyni, _tribe of_, 11. - - Animal lore, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71. - - Ant, the, 71, 112, 332. - - Antacaei (_whales without spinal bones_), 226. - - Antelope, the, 145, 146. - - Anthropophagi, 6, 9, 10, 18, 72. - - Anthus, the, 71. - - Anu, 80. - - Apes, 65, 66. - - Apocynon. See _The Toad_. - - Apollonides, 12. - - Apollonius, 58, 59. - - Archelaues, 21. - - Archigene, 134. - - Arctopithecus, the, _or Bear-Ape_, 55, 66. - - Arimaspi, 8, 9. - - Aristotle, 71, 105, 148, 156, 199, 201, 203, 248, 253, 262, 268, 286, - 287, 323, 324, 331. - - Artemidorus, 16. - - Asbestos. See _Salamander_. - - Astomi, _a people with no mouths, and who subsist by smell_, 15. - - Ass, the, 70. - - Ass, the Indian, 88. - - Ass, the wild, 68. - - Atergatis, 209. - - Athenaeus, 86. - - Ausonius, 64. - - Avicen, 72, 287. - - - B. - - Baboons, 62. - - Bacchantes, 80. - - Bacchae, _a name for Satyrs_, 56. - - Baffin, 245. - - Balaena, the, 239, 240. - - Barnacle Goose, the, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179. - - Bartlemew de Glanville, 231. - - Basilisk, 156, 317, 318, 319, 321, 331. - - Batrachites. See _The Toad_. - - Bear, the, 68, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, - 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 148. - - Bear-Ape. See _Arctopithecus_. - - Bee, the, 112, 113, 332, 333. - - Beeton, 10. - - Bekenhawh, 189. - - Bellonius, Petrus, 96. - - Berosus, 79, 206. - - Bevis of Hampton, 158. - - Bird, Miss, 50. - - Birds, peculiarities of, 204, 206. - - Bishop-fish, the, 228, 230. - - Boar, the wild, 69, 111, 139. - - Boas, the, 289, 290, 291. - - Bolindinata. See _Bird of Paradise_. - - Boloma, the. See _Dog-fish_. - - Bonosa, the, 193. - - Boeothius, 228. - - Borometz, the. See _Lamb Tree_. - - Boscawen, W. St. Chad, 78. - - Brazavolus, 94. - - Bugil, the, 84. - - Bull, the, _and Bears_, 109; - _and Wolves_, 137. - - Bustard, the, 148. - - - C. - - Cadamustus, Aloisius, 278. - - Cadmus, 64, 65. - - Caesar, Julius, 46, 47, 148. - - Calf and Wolves, 137. - - Calingae, _a tribe of India whose women conceive at the age of five - years and die at eight_, 17. - - Callimachus, 285. - - Calliphanes, 11. - - Cambden, Mr., 144. - - Camden, 177. - - Camel, the, 148. - - _Canis Lucernarius_, 150, 151. - - Cardanus, Hieronimus, 53, 226, 287, 291, 305. - - Cartazonon. See _Unicorn_. - - Carthier, Jacques, 237. - - Cat, the, 154, 155, 156. - - Caterpillar, the, 71. - - Catharcludi, _a tribe in India_, 14. - - Catableponta, _name for Gorgon_, 84, 85, 318. - - Cattle, _curious_, 23. - - Cebi, the, 57. - - Cellini, Benvenuto, 325, 326. - - Centaurs, 65, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83. - - Cephus, the, 74. - - Cercopithecus, the, 52, 53. - - Cetum Capillatum vel Crinitum. See _Whale, Hairy_. - - Chameleon, the, 163. - - Chimaera, the, 64, 170, 171. - - Chiron, _the Centaur_, 79. - - Chloraeus, the, 69. - - Choromandae, _a nation without a proper voice_, 15. - - Christie, Mr., _on Palaeolithic remains_, 39. - - Cicero, 12. - - Circhos, the, 247. - - Claudius, Emperor. See _Orca_. - - Clayks. See _Barnacle Geese_. - - Clement, Pope, 96. - - Clitarchus, 16. - - Cock, the, 156, 157. - - Cock with serpent's tail, 204, 205. - - Cockatrice, the, 85, 317, 319, 320, 321, 322. - - Coelius, 77. - - Condor, the, 183. - - Conger Eel, the, 262. - - Corocotta, the, 72. - - Couret, M. de, 5. - - Crab, the, 129, 267, 268. - - Crane, the, 203. - - Crannoges, 41. - - Crates of Pergamus, 10, 17. - - Crawford, John, 49. - - Crayfish, 267. - - Cristotinius. See _Lamia_. - - Crocodile, the, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317. - - Crocotta, the, 159. - - Cronos, or Hea, 79. - - Crow, the, 70, 129, 130, 131. - - Ctesias, 4, 14, 16, 71. - - Cuvier, 185. - - Cyclops, 7, 65. - - Cynocephalus, the, 55, 56, 63. - - Cyrni, the, _who live 400 years_, 15. - - - D. - - Daedalus, H.M.S., 274, 275, 276. - - Dagon, 209. - - Damon, 12. - - Darwin, _Descent of Man_, 1; - _Tailed men_, 4; - _Shell-fish middens in Tierra del Fuego_, 42. - - Davis, Barnard, 50. - - De Barri, Gerald, 174. - - Deer and Bears, 109. - - De Leo, Ronzo, 31. - - Demetrius, 121, 237. - - Democritus, 131, 285, 306. - - Denbigh Worme, the. See _Dragons_. - - Descent of Man, 1. - - De Thaun, Philip, 91. - - De Veer, Gerat, 177. - - Devil Whale, the. See _Trol Whale_. - - Dingo, the, 126. - - _Dinornis Giganteus._ See _Moa_. - - Dion, 77. - - Dog, the, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154. - - Dog-fish, the, 255. - - Dog, _the Mimic or Getulian_, 150, 151. - - Dolphin, the, 242, 243. - - Dordogne, _Palaeolithic remains in caves at_, 39. - - Dormouse, the, 67. - - Draco, 64. - - Dracontopides. See _Dragons_. - - Dragon, the, 158, 162, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, - 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311. - - Drake, Sir Francis, 177. - - Du Bartas, 74, 168, 169, 179, 185, 186, 200, 202, 225, 230, 231, - 243, 319. - - Duck, the, 70; - _four-footed_, 203. - - Dugong, the, 213. - - Duret, Claude, 166. - - Dwarfs, _with no mouth_, 19; - _mentioned in the Bible_, 26; - _Homer and the pygmies--battle with the Cranes_, 26, 27, 28; - _only twenty-seven inches high_, 28; - _their age_, 28; - _Spurious pygmies_, 28; - _Northern dwarfs_, 29; - _in America_, 29, 30, 31; - _African dwarfs_, 31, 32; - _their acuteness_, 33. - - - E. - - Eagle, the, 69, 70. - - Eale, the, 159, 160. - - Echeneis, the. See _Remora_. - - Edmund, St., 139, 140. - - Eels, _thirty feet long_, 18. - - Egede, Hans, 270. - - Egemon, 280. - - Egg, Remarkable, 179, 180. - - Ehannum. See _Lamia_. - - Eigi-einhamir. See _Were Wolves_. - - Elephant, the, 100, 147, 163, 310, 311. - - Elpis, 158. - - Embarus, 123. - - Emin Pacha, 32. - - Empusae. See _Lamia_. - - Enchanters, _families of_, 11. - - _Epyornis maximus_, 183. - - Ethiopia, _wonders of_, 13. - - Eudoxus, 15. - - Euryale, 85. - - - F. - - Fabricius, George, 61. - - Falisci, or Hirpi, _a tribe unharmed by fire_, 12. - - Farnesius, 90. - - Fauns, 5, 56, 57, 60. - - Ferrerius, Joannes, 95. - - Fincelius, 146. - - Fish, curious, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253. - - Fish, senses of, 258, 259. - - Flavianus, 243. - - Florentinus, 287. - - Footless birds. See _Apodes_. - - Formicae Lions, 58. - - Fox, the, 68, 70, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134. - - Fridlevus, 293, 294. - - Frobisher, Sir Martin, 245. - - Frog, the, 68. - - Frotho, 293. - - - G. - - Gaekwar of Baroda, 129. - - Gambarus, the, 244. - - Gazelle, the, 67. - - Geese, two-headed wild, 203. - - Gellius, or Gyllius, Aulus, 158, 281, 302. - - Geryon, 64. - - Geskleithron, _dwelling of one-eyed men_, 8. - - Gesner, 52, 97, 127, 179, 203, 212, 217, 226, 228, 229, 231, 233, 236, - 244, 256, 262, 269, 305, 306, 312, 331. - - Getulian Dog, the, 150, 151. - - Giants, 13, 16, 17, 32; - _their stupidity_, 33; - _their sobriety_, 33; - _Starchaterus Thavestus_, 33, 34, 35, 36; - _Giants mentioned in the Bible_, 36; - _height of Adam, &c._, 37; - _Gabbaras_, 37; - _Posio and Secundilla_, 37; - _Sir John Mandeville's giants_, 37, 38. - - Gibson, Edmund, 177. - - Giraldus Cambrensis, 77, 174, 175. - - Gisbertus Germanus, 227, 228. - - Gizdhubar, 78, 79, 80. - - Glutton, the. See _Gulo_. - - Goat, the, 128, 136. - - Goblerus, Justinus, 306. - - Gorgon, the, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87. - - Gorgon blepen, _sharp-sighted persons_, 86. - - Gould, Rev. S. Baring, 141. - - Grevinus, 302. - - Griffins, 8, 180, 181, 182, 183. - - Gryphons, 8, 9, 181. - - Guenon, the. See _Haut_. - - Guillim, 89, 189. - - Gulielmus Musicus, 305. - - Gulo, the, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. - - Guy, Earl of Warwick, 157. - - Gymnetae, _who live a hundred years_, 16. - - - H. - - Haafisch, the. See _Dog-fish_. - - Haarwal, the. See _Whale, Hairy_. - - Hakluyt, 237, 245. - - Halcyon, the, 199, 200. - - Hanno, 86. - - Harald, King, 307, 308. - - Hare, the, 68, 128. - - Harmona, 64. - - Harpe, the, _a falcon_, 70. - - Harpy, the, 171, 172. - - Hauser, Caspar, _a wild man_, 45. - - Haut or Hauti, the, 66, 67. - - Hawkins, Thos., 301, 302. - - Hea, 79, 206, 207, 208, 209. - - Hea-bani, 79, 80. - - Hedgehog, the, 69, 111, 128. - - Hegesidemus, 243. - - Helcus, the. See _Sea Calf_. - - Helen, 286. - - Helladice, 208. - - Hens, Woolly, 202. - - Hentzner, Paul, 93. - - Hermias, 243. - - Herodotus, 8, 21, 23, 39, 140, 160, 226. - - Heron, the, 70. - - Hesiodus, 85. - - Hippocentaur, the, 59. - - Hippopotamus, the, 161, 312. - - Hirpi, or Falisci, _a tribe unharmed by fire_, 12. - - Hollerius, 331. - - Homer, 75. - - Hoopoe, the, 196. - - Hornet, the, 333, 334. - - Horse, the, 112, 138, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150. - - Horstius, 227. - - Hyaena, the, 74, 132. - - Hydra, 64, 291, 292. - - Hydrophobia, 152, 153. - - - I. - - Ibis, the, 161. - - Ichneumon, the, 70, 202, 315, 316. - - Ichthyo Centaurus, the, 212. - - Ierom, Saint, 59. - - Illyrii, _a tribe having fascination in their eyes_, 12. - - Incubi, 60. - - India, _Wonders of_, 13. - - Isodorus, 100. - - Isogonus of Nicaea, 10, 11, 12, 15. - - Istar, 80. - - - J. - - James IV. and VI. of Scotland, 88. - - Jeduah, the. See _Lamb Tree_. - - Jerff. See _Gulo_. - - Jocasta, 65. - - Jochanan, Rabbi, 166. - - Johnoeen, Lars, 273. - - Jovius, Paulus, 237. - - Juba, 21. - - Jugurtha, 86. - - - K. - - Khumbaba, 79. - - Kingfisher. See _Halcyon_. - - Kite, the, 69. - - Kjoekkenmoeddings, 41, 42, 43, 44. - - Kraken, the, 244, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 292. - - - L. - - Lacus insanus, 23. - - Laius, 65. - - Lake dwellings, 39, 40, 41. - - La Madelaine, _Palaeolithic remains at_, 39. - - Lamb tree, the, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170. - - Lambri, _Kingdom of_, 5. - - Lambton Worme, the. See _Dragons_. - - Lamia, the, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78. - - Lane, Mr., 218. - - Langa, the, 225. - - Lapithae, 80. - - Lapwing, the, 196, 197. - - Lee, Henry, 165, 292. - - Leech, the, 329, 330. - - Lemnius, Levinus, 320. - - Lenormant, M., 208. - - Leone, Giovanni, 198, 201. - - Leonine Monster, a, 227. - - Leontophonus, the, 158. - - Leontopithecus, the, 55. - - Leopard, the, 138. - - Leucrocotta, the (see also _Manticora_), 159, 160. - - Leviathan, 218. - - Licetus, 173, 179. - - Licosthenes, 81, 146, 180. - - Lilith. See _Lamia_. - - Linton Worme, the. See _Dragons_. - - Lion, the, 71, 88, 156, 157, 158, 159. - - Livingstone, Dr., 31. - - Livy, 9. - - Lizards, flying, 302. - - Lotophagi, _Cattle of_, 160. - - Loup-garou. See _Were Wolf_. - - Lucanus, 322. - - Lucretius, 157. - - Lycanthropy. See _Were Wolf_. - - Lycaon. See _Were Wolf_. - - Lynx, the, 129, 159. - - - M. - - Machlyae, _the tribe of, are androgynous_, 11. - - Maclean, Rev. --, 271. - - Macrobii, _people who live four hundred years_, 15, 16. - - M'Quhae, Capt., 274, 275, 276. - - Magalhaen, 190. - - Magnus, Olaus, 29, 33, 104, 108, 127, 141, 176, 182, 187, 188, 194, - 214, 219, 221, 223, 227, 231, 232, 233, 236, 237, 241, 244, 245, - 251, 255, 256, 260, 262, 264, 266, 269, 285, 293, 329, 332. - - Manatee, 213. - - Mandeville, Sir John, 17, 21, 25, 28, 37, 169, 175, 181, 202, 249, - 312, 318. - - Mandi, _who live on locusts_, 16. - - Mandragora, 112. - - Man-fish, 212, 213, 231. - - Mani. See _Sponges_. - - Manilius, Senator, 184. - - Manticora, the, 71, 72, 73, 74, 159. - - Maphoon, _a hairy woman_, 49, 50. - - Mappa Mundi, 7, 17. - - Marcellinus, 134. - - Marcellus, 131, 133, 134, 140, 144, 174. - - Marco Polo, 5, 28, 100, 182, 249, 324, 325. - - Maricomorion, the. See _Manticora_. - - Marion, the. See _Manticora_. - - Marius, 86. - - Marsi, _the tribe of_, 11. - - Martlet, the, 189, 190. - - Mechovita, 102, 237. - - Megasthenes, 14, 15, 16. - - Meir, Rabbi, 167. - - Men, _tailed_, 4, 5, 17; - _one-eyed_, 8, 18; - _with legs reversed_, 9; - _with sea-green eyes_, 10, 15; - _with white hair_, 10, 14, 16; - _eat every other day_, 10; - _those whose touch cures the sting of serpents_, 10; - _saliva cures ditto_, 10; - _testing the fidelity of wives by means of serpents_, 11; - _possessing both sexes_, 11; - _families of enchanters_, 11; - _with the power of fascination in their eyes_, 12; - _with two pupils in each eye_, 12; - _whose bodies will not sink in water_, 12; - _whose perspiration causes consumption_, 12; - _the glance of women with double pupils in their eyes - is noxious_, 12; - _Indians never expectorate, and are subject to no pains_, 13; - _Men eight feet high_, 13, 16; - _with feet turned backwards, and eight toes_, 14; - _with heads of dogs_, 14; - _Women only pregnant once in their lives_, 14, 16; - _Men with one leg_, 14, 20; - _whose feet shade them from the sun_, 14, 20; - _without necks, and eyes in their shoulders_, 14, 19; - _large and small feet_, 15; - _with holes in their faces instead of nostrils, - and flexible feet_, 15; - _with no mouths, who subsist by smell_, 15; - _who live 400 years_, 15; - _living on vipers_, 16; - _with no shadow_, 16; - _live to 130 years and never seem to get old_, 16; - _who live 200 years_, 16; - _do not live over 40 years_, 16; - _who live on locusts_, 16; - _Women bear children at seven years of age_, 16; - _Women conceive at five years of age and die in their - eighth year_, 17; - _Men with ears which cover their bodies_, 17; - _twelve feet high_, 17; - _live on baboon's milk_, 17; - _green and yellow_, 18; - _Men eating each other_, 18; - _without eyes or nose_, 19; - _with mouths in their shoulders_, 19; - _cover their faces with their lips_, 19; - _Dwarfs with no mouth_, 19; - _with ears to their shoulders_, 19; - _with horses' feet_, 19; - _go on all fours_, 19; - _go on their knees_, 19; - _live by the smell of wild apples_, 19; - _covered with feathers_, 20; - _Elephant-headed men_, 20; - _feed on serpents and lizards_, 21; - _Amazons_, 23, 24, 25, 26; - _Pygmies_, 26; - _their height_, 28; - _Early men_, 38; - _their skulls_, 38; - _the Stone Age_, 38; - _Bronze and Iron Ages_, 39; - _Palaeolithic remains in caves_, 39; - _the Lake men_, 39; - _early mention of them_, 39; - _their food_, 41; - _Kitchen middens_, 41; - _their wide range_, 41; - _Shell-fish middens in Tierra del Fuego_, 42, 43; - _Danish middens_, 44; - _Wild men_, 41; - _Ancient Britons_, 46, 47; - _Hairy men_, 47, 49, 50, 51; - _Julia Pastrana_, 47; - _Puella pilosa of Aldrovandus_, 47, 48; - _Hairy people at Ava_, 49, 50; - _the Ainos of Japan_, 50, 51; - _Moon Woman_, 180. - - Menippus, 74, 75, 76, 152. - - Menismini, _who live on baboon's milk_, 17. - - Mentor, 158. - - Mercuriall, 320. - - Mermen and Mermaids, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214. - - Meryx, the, 253. - - Midas, 58. - - Milo, Titus Annius, 251. - - Milroy, General, 30. - - Milton, 8, 218. - - Mimick Dog, the, 150, 151. - - Mirage, 17. - - Moa, the, 181, 183. - - Mole, the, 68. - - Monboddo, Lord, 5. - - Monk-fish, the, 228, 229. - - Monoceros. See _Unicorn_, also _Narwhal_. - - Monocoli, _people having but one leg_, 14. - - Monster, a, 173. - - Moon Woman, 180. - - Mormolicae. See _Lamia_. - - Morse, the. See _Walrus_. - - Moses Chusensis, 166. - - Mucianus, 253. - - Mueenster, Sebastian, 177. - - Murex, the, 253, 254. - - Musculus, the, 226. - - Myrepsus, 132, 134. - - - N. - - Narwhal, the, 244, 245. - - Nasomenes, _the tribe of_, 11. - - Nebuchadnezzar, 78. - - Nemaean Lion, 64. - - Nereids, 210. - - Niam Niams, 5. - - Nicander, 302. - - Nisus, the, 70. - - Nymphae, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - Nymphodorus, 11. - - - O. - - Oannes, _or Hea_, 206, 207, 208, 209. - - Obadja, Rabbi, 167. - - Octopus. See _Kraken_. - - Odoricus, Friar, 170, 175. - - Oedipus, 64, 65. - - Olaus Magnus. See _Magnus, O._ - - Onisecritus, 16. - - Onocentaur, the, 56, 83. - - Ophiogenes, 10. - - Oppianus, 99, 119. - - Orca, the, 239, 240, 241. - - _Osborne_, the Royal Yacht, 276, 277. - - Ostridge or Estridge, 148, 197, 198. - - Ouran Outan, the, 51, 52. - - Ourani Outanis, 4. - - Ovid, 140. - - Owl, the, 70. - - Oxen and Wolves, 137, 138. - - - P. - - Pan, the, _a satyr_, 55, 57. - - Pan, the Sea, 212. - - Pandore, _live two hundred years_, 16. - - Panther, the, 162. - - Paradise, Birds of, 190, 191. - - Parkinson, John, 168. - - Pastrana, Julia, _a hairy woman_, 47. - - Pausanias, 65. - - Pelican, the, 200, 201. - - Pegasus, the, 159. - - Pergannes, 16. - - Peter, the wild boy, 45. - - Peter Martyr, 4. - - Petronius, 140. - - Phalangium, the, 68, 70, 161. - - Pharnaces, _a tribe whose perspiration causes consumption_, 12. - - Philostratus, 58. - - Phoenix, the, 183, 184, 185, 186. - - Pholus, _the Centaur_, 80. - - Phylarcus, 12. - - Physeter, the, 215, 216, 217. - - Pierius, 302. - - Pitan, _a tribe living on the smell of wild apples_, 19. - - Pithocaris, 139. - - Plato, 194. - - Plesiosaurus, the, 300, 301. - - Pliny, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 53, 57, 67, 72, 81, 86, 87, - 88, 105, 124, 127, 131, 133, 140, 148, 158, 161, 183, 193, 198, - 199, 204, 210, 239, 242, 251, 253, 256, 264, 267, 285, 286, 287, - 288, 306, 313, 318, 324, 327, 329, 330, 332. - - Plutarch, 151, 281. - - Polydamna, 286. - - Polypus, the. See _Kraken_. - - Poaeius, Paulus, 95. - - Pomponius, Mela, 140. - - Pontoppidan, Erik, 261, 270. - - Ponzettus, 154. - - Pope, Alex., 26. - - Postdenius, 282. - - Prister, the, 215, 220. - - Psylli, _a race whose saliva cures the sting of serpents_, 10. - - Pterodactyl, the, 302. - - Ptolemy, 5. - - Ptolemy, King, 151. - - Purchas, _his Pilgrimage_, 29, 177. - - Pygmies. See _Dwarfs_. - - Pygmaeogeranomachia, _a poem on the battle between the Pygmies - and the Cranes_, 26. - - Pyrallis, the, 70. See also _Salamander_. - - Pyrausta. See _Salamander_. - - Pyrrhus, King, _His right great toe cured diseases of the spleen_, 13. - - - R. - - Rabbit, the, 68. - - Rasis, 156. - - Raven, the, 69, 70, 163. - - Ravenna, _Monster at_, 173, 174. - - Ravisius, Textor, 180. - - Ray, the, 255. - - Rayn, the, 197. - - Regnerus, 294, 295. - - _Reineke Fuchs_, 126. - - Remora, the, 253, 254. - - Rhinoceros, 89, 97, 98, 99, 100. - - Robinson, Phil, 129. - - Rodocanakis, 188, 189. - - Rondeletius, 227. - - Rosmarus, the. See _Walrus_. - - Rossamaka, the. See _Gulo_. - - Ruc, Rukh, or Rok. See _Griffin_. - - - S. - - Sahab, the, 247. - - St. John, Mr., 5. - - Salamander, 323, 324, 325, 326. - - Salusbury, John, 300. - - Sargon, 209, 268. - - Satyr, the, 14. - - Satyr, _the classical_, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60. - - Satyrs, 55, 56, 61, 62. - - Saw Fish, the, 239. - - Saxo, 33, 34, 177. - - Scaliger, 131, 317, 321. - - Scarus, the, 253. - - Schilt-bergerus, 284. - - Sciapodae, _men whose feet shade them from the sun_, 14. - - Scirti, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - Scorpion, the, 69, 330, 331, 332. - - Scott, Sir Walter, 270, 271. - - Scyritae, _a tribe in India with holes in their faces instead of - nostrils, and flexible feet_, 15. - - Sea Animals, various, 231. - - Sea Calves, 116, 232, 233. - - Sea-Cow, the, 232. - - Sea Demon, 212. - - Sea Dragon, the, 256. - - Sea Hare, 132, 234. - - Sea-Horse, the, 233, 234. - - Seamew, the, 70. - - Sea-Mouse, the, 234. - - Sea-Nettle, the, 259, 260. - - Sea-Pig, the, 235. - - Sea Rhinoceros, the. See _Narwhal_. - - Sea Satyr, 212. - - Sea Serpent, the, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277. - - Sea Unicorn, the. See _Narwhal_. - - Seal, the. See _Sea Calves_. - - Segonius, 321. - - Seneca, 313. - - Sennacherib, 209. - - Serae, _who live four hundred years_, 15. - - Serpeda de Aqua, 291. - - Serpents, _bite of, cured by men's saliva_, 10; - _ditto by odour of men_, 11; - _test of fidelity of wives_, 11; - _destroy strangers_, 69; - _war with Weasels and Swine_, 70; - _killed by Spiders_, 71; - _and Cats_, 154, 155, 156; - _and Mice_, 156; - _and Lions_, 156; - _cure for bite of_, 161; - _take medicine_, 162; - _the Indian, a kind of whale_, 226, 227; - _and Crabs_, 267, 268; - _charming them_, 278, 279; - _their loves_, 280, 281; - _talking_, 281; - _size_, 281, 282; - _their coldness_, 283, 284; - _pugnacity_, 284, 285; - _their antipathies_, 285, 286, 287; - _as medicine_, 288, 289. - - Servius, 171. - - Sextus, 134, 138. - - Shrew mouse, the, 68, 70. - - Shu-Maon, _a hairy man_, 49. - - Sicinnis, Sicinnistae, _a name for Satyrs_, 57. - - Sidetes, 140. - - Sileni, _a name for Satyrs_, 56, 57. - - Simeon, Rabbi, 166, 167, 168. - - Simia Satyrus, the, 52, 53, 54, 56. - - Simiinae, the, 51. - - Simocatus, 286. - - Sindbad the Sailor, 218. - - Siren, the, 172, 173. - - Sluper, John, 7, 45, 65, 229. - - Snow Birds, 191, 192, 193. - - Solinus, 58, 313. - - Solyman, Sultan, 96. - - Somerville, Sir John, 298, 299, 300. - - Sow, 135, 136. - - Spenser, 88, 158, 312. - - Spermaceti Whale, the, 222. - - Sphyngium, the, 53. - - Sphynx or Sphynga, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 159. - - Spider, the, 69, 70, 71. - - Sponges, 260, 261. - - Spratt, 171. - - Stag, the, 68, 69, 163. - - Stanley, H. M., 31, 32. - - Starchaterus Thavestus, _a giant_, 33, 34, 35. - - Steingo, _a name for a Gorgon_, 85. - - Stheno, 85. - - Sting-ray, the, 256, 257. - - Stork, the, 162, 200, 201. - - Stow, John, 231. - - Strabo, 314. - - Struthpodes, _a tribe with small feet_, 15. - - Stumpsius, 308. - - Su, the, 163, 164, 165. - - Suidas, 65, 146. - - Swallow, the, 161, 186, 187, 188, 189. - - Swamfisck, the, 245, 246, 247. - - Swan, the, 69, 193, 194. - - Swine, 70, 148, 156. - - Swordfish, the, 238, 239. - - Sylla, 58. - - Syrbotae, _men twelve feet high_, 17. - - - T. - - Tantalus apples, 75. - - Tauron, 15. - - Tavernier, 191. - - Tennent, Sir J. E., 213. - - Teuefelwal, the. See _Trol Whale_. - - Thenestus, 163. - - Theophrastus, 106, 118, 119. - - Thibii, _a tribe having two pupils to each eye_, 12. - - Thos, the, 71. - - Thresher-Whale, the. See _Orca_. - - Tiles, _shower of baked_, 251. - - Toad, the, 326, 327, 328. - - Topazos, _a beautiful stone_, 21, 22. - - Topsell, Edward, 53, 55, 66, 74, 83, 91, 92, 94, 97, 99, 104, 127, - 131, 145, 146, 154, 163, 270, 278, 282, 288, 289, 291, 302, 306, - 308, 312, 313, 317, 325, 326, 327, 331. - - Tortoise, the, 161. - - Traconyt, _a beautiful stone_, 21. - - Tragi. See _Sponges_. - - Tranquillus, 147. - - Trebius, the, 252. - - Trebius Niger, 254, 264, 266. - - Triballi, _a tribe having the power of fascination with their - eyes_, 12. - - Triorchis, the, _a hawk_, 70. - - Trispithami, _a race three spans high_, 27. - - Trithemius, 144. - - Tritons, 65, 210. - - Trochilus, the, 70, 201, 202. - - Troglodytae, _dwellers in caves_, 14; - _their swiftness_, 17; - _their remains_, 20; - _feed on serpents and lizards_, 21; - _their commerce_, 22. - - Trol Whale, the, 217. - - Trygon, the. See _Sting-ray_. - - Turtles, _horned_, 23. - - Turtle-dove, the, 70. - - Tytiri, _a name for Satyrs_, 56. - - Tzetzes, 93. - - - U. - - Unicorn, the, 74, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97. - See also _Rhinoceros_. - - Urchin, the, 128. - - - V. - - Valentyn, 213. - - Varinus, 64. - - Varro, 10. - - Versipellis. See _Were Wolves_. - - Vespasian, 151. - - Vielfras, the. See _Gulo_. - - Villanonanus, Arnoldus, 287. - - Vipers, _flesh of, causing longevity_, 16. - - Virgil, 140. - - Vishnu, 209. - - Volateran, 282. - - - W. - - Wallace, A. R., 52. - - Walrus, the, 235, 236, 237, 238. - - Wantley, Dragon of. See _Dragons_. - - Wasp, the, 70. - - Weasel, the, 68, 70, 163. - - Webbe, Edward, 250. - - Webber, _Romance of Natural History_, 30. - - Were Wolves, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144. - - Whale, the, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, - 225, 226, 227. - - Whale, _the hairy_, 226. - - Whaup, the. See _Lapwing_. - - Whirlpool, the, 215, 220. - - Williams, Edward, 189. - - Woodcock, the, 69. - - Wolf, the, 68, 131, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 148. - - Wolff, G. E., 31. - - Wolverine, the. See _Gulo_. - - Wood, E. J., _book on Giants and Dwarfs_, 29. - - Wood, W. Martin, 50. - - "Wormes." See _Dragons_. - - - X. - - Xenophon, 86. - - - Y. - - Youle, Captain Henry, 49. - - - Z. - - Zahn, Joannes, 4, 144, 165, 173, 248. - - Zaidu, 79. - - Zebra, 146, 147. - - Ziphius, the, 238, 239. - - Zoophytes, 259, 260. - - - - -THE END. - -PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON. - - - - -Transcriber's Notes. - -Punctuation has been standardised, and simple typographical errors have -been repaired. Hyphenation, quotation mark usage, and obsolete/variant -spelling have been preserved as printed. Characters printed superscript -in the original book are here preceded by the caret symbol. - -Page 62, beasts => breasts (having the breasts of women) - -Page 87, eartd => earth (downeward to the earth) - -Page 135, nor => not (for they spare not man nor beast) - -Page 141, Greeks => Greek (from two Greek words) - -Page 230, tiltre => titre (h[=o]neur et titre) - -Page 262, added "the" (On the next page is a huge calamary) - -Page 337, Abamiron => Abarimon - -Page 340, Gaekwar => Gaekwar - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Curious Creatures in Zoology, by John Ashton - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CURIOUS CREATURES IN ZOOLOGY *** - -***** This file should be named 42508.txt or 42508.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/5/0/42508/ - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Jennifer Linklater and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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