A Hundred Anecdotes of Animals Part 5

Ostrich Riding.

A gentleman tells how, during the time of his residence at Podor, a French factory on the banks of the river Niger, there were two ostriches, though young, of gigantic size, which afforded him a very remarkable sight. "They were," he says, "so tame, that two little blacks mounted both together on the back of the largest. No sooner did he feel their weight, than he began to run as fast as possible, and carried them several times round the village, as it was impossible to stop him otherwise than by obstructing the pa.s.sage. This sight pleased me so much, that I wished it to be repeated, and to try their strength, directed a full-grown negro to mount the smallest, and two others the largest. This burthen did not seem at all disproportionate to their strength. At first they went at a tolerably sharp trot, but when they became heated a little, they expanded their wings as though to catch the wind, and moved with such fleetness, that they scarcely seemed to touch the ground. Most people have, at one time or another, seen a partridge run; and consequently know that there is no man whatever able to keep up with it; and it is easy to imagine, that if this bird had a longer step, its speed would be considerably augmented. The ostrich moves like the partridge, with this advantage; and I am satisfied that those I am speaking of would have distanced the fleetest racehorses that were ever bred in England. It is true they would not hold out so long as a horse; but they would undoubtedly go over a given s.p.a.ce in less time.

I have frequently beheld this sight, which is capable of giving one an idea of the prodigious strength of an ostrich, and of showing what use it might be of, had we but the method of breaking and managing it as we do a horse."

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ANECDOTE XLI.

A Choice Retaliation.

A tame elephant kept by a merchant was suffered to go at large. The animal used to walk about the streets in as quiet and familiar a manner as any of the inhabitants, and delighted much in visiting the shops, particularly those which sold herbs and fruit, where he was well received, except by a couple of brutal cobblers, who, without any cause, took offence at the generous creature, and once or twice attempted to wound his proboscis with their awls. The n.o.ble animal, who knew it was beneath him to crush them, did not disdain to chastise them by other means. He filled his large trunk with a considerable quant.i.ty of water, not of the cleanest quality, and advancing to them as usual, covered them at once with a dirty flood. The fools were laughed at, and the punishment applauded.

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ANECDOTE XLII.

The Horse and Greyhound.

Various have been the opinions upon the difference of speed between a well-bred greyhound and a racehorse if opposed to each other. Wishes had been frequently indulged by the sporting world that some criterion could be adopted by which the superiority of speed could be fairly ascertained, when the following circ.u.mstance accidentally took place, and afforded some information upon what had been previously considered a matter of great uncertainty. In the month of December 1800 a match was to have been run over Doncaster racecourse for one hundred guineas, but one of the horses having been withdrawn, a mare started alone, that by running the ground she might ensure the wager; when having run about one mile in the four, she was accompanied by a greyhound, which joined her from the side of the course, and emulatively entering into the compet.i.tion, continued to race with the mare for the other three miles, keeping nearly head and head, and affording an excellent treat to the field by the energetic exertions of each. At pa.s.sing the distance post five to four was betted in favour of the greyhound, when parallel with the stand it was even betting, and any person might have taken his choice from five to ten; the mare, however, had the advantage by a head at the termination of the course.

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ANECDOTE XLIII.

The Goat.

A gentleman who had taken an active share in the rebellion of 1715, after the battle of Preston escaped into the West Highlands, where a lady, a near relative, afforded him an asylum. A faithful servant conducted him to the mouth of a cave, and furnished him with an abundant store of provisions. The fugitive crept in at a low aperture, dragging his stores along. When he reached a wider and loftier expanse he found some obstacle before him. He drew his dirk, but unwilling to strike, lest he might take the life of a companion in seclusion, he stooped down, and discovered a goat with her kid stretched on the ground. He soon perceived that the animal was in great pain, and feeling her body and limbs, ascertained that her leg was fractured. He bound it up with his garter, and offered her a share of the bread beside him; but she stretched out her tongue, as if to apprise him that her mouth was parched with thirst. He gave her water, which she took readily, and then ate some bread. After midnight he ventured out of the cave: all was still. He plucked an armful of gra.s.s and cut tender twigs, which the goat accepted with manifestations of joy and thankfulness. The prisoner derived much comfort in having a living creature in this dungeon, and he caressed and fed her tenderly. The man who was entrusted to bring him supplies fell sick; and when another attempted to penetrate into the cavern the goat furiously opposed him, presenting her horns in all directions, till the fugitive, hearing a disturbance, came forward. This new attendant giving the watchword removed every doubt of his good intentions, and the amazon of the recess obeyed her benefactor in permitting him to advance. The gentleman was convinced that had a band of military attacked the cavern, his grateful patient would have died in his defence.

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ANECDOTE XLIV.

A Mother Watching her Young.

The following singular instance of the far-sighted watchfulness of the turkey-hen over her young is narrated by a French priest. "I have heard,"

he says, "a turkey-hen, when at the head of her brood, send forth the most hideous scream, without being able to perceive the cause; her young ones, however, immediately when the warning was given skulked under the bushes, the gra.s.s, or whatever else seemed to offer shelter or protection. They even stretched themselves at full length on the ground, and continued motionless as if dead. In the meantime the mother, with her eyes directed upwards, continued her cries and screaming as before. On looking up in the direction in which she seemed to gaze I discovered a black spot just under the clouds, but was unable at first to determine what it was; however, it soon appeared to be a bird of prey, though at first at too great a distance to be distinguished. I have seen one of those animals continue in this agitated state, and her whole brood pinned down, as it were, to the ground for four hours together, whilst their formidable foe has taken its circuits, has mounted and hovered directly over their heads; at last upon his disappearing the parent changed her note and sent forth another cry, which in an instant gave life to the whole trembling tribe, and they all flocked round her with expressions of pleasure, as if conscious of their happy escape from danger."

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ANECDOTE XLV.

Concerts of Animals.

An abbot, a man of wit, and skilled in the construction of new musical instruments, was ordered by Louis XI., King of France, more in jest than in earnest, to procure him a concert of swines' voices. The abbot said that the thing could doubtless be done, but that it would take a good deal of money. The king ordered that he should have whatever he required for the purpose. The abbot then wrought a thing as singular as ever was seen; for out of a great number of hogs of several ages which he got together, and placed under a tent, or pavilion, covered with velvet, before which he had a table of wood painted, with a certain number of keys, he made an organical instrument, and as he played upon the said keys with little spikes, which p.r.i.c.ked the hogs, he made them cry in such order and consonance, he highly delighted the king and all his company.

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ANECDOTE XLVI.

Travellers.

An innkeeper once sent, as a present by the carrier, to a friend a dog and cat tied up in a bag, who had been companions more than ten months. A short time after the dog and cat took their departure together and returned to their old habitation, a distance of thirteen miles. They jogged along the road side by side, and on one occasion the dog gallantly defended his fellow-traveller from the attack of another dog they met.

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ANECDOTE XLVII.

The Watch Dog.

A thief who had broken into the shop of Cellini, the Florentine artist, and was breaking open the caskets in order to come at some jewels, was arrested in his progress by a dog, against whom he found it a difficult matter to defend himself with a sword. The faithful animal ran to the room where the journeymen slept, but as they did not seem to hear him barking he drew away the bedclothes, and pulling them alternately by the arms, forcibly awaked them; then barking very loud he showed the way to the thief, and went on before; but the men would not follow him, and at last locked their door. The dog having lost all hopes of the a.s.sistance of these men undertook the task alone, and ran downstairs; he could not find the villain in the shop, but immediately rus.h.i.+ng into the street came up with him, and tearing off his cloak, would have treated him according to his deserts if the fellow had not called to some tailors in the neighbourhood, and begged they would a.s.sist him against a mad dog; the tailors believing him came to his a.s.sistance, and compelled the poor animal to retire.

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ANECDOTE XLVIII.