THE RHINOCEROS. 25 



his chains, and escape from the bondage in which he was re- 

 tained. Bread and fruits, however, always pacified him ; and 

 the claims of hunger always silenced those of liberty; so 

 that this resource against his fury was always kept in reserve. 

 He knew those persons who most indulged him in his gour- 

 tnandise, and they were received with the liveliest manifesta- 

 tions of affection : the moment he saw them he stretched 

 towards them his long upper lip, opened his mouth, and drew 

 in his tongue. The narrow stall in which he was confined did 

 not allow him to manifest much intelligence ; and his keeper 

 took no other pains than to induce him to forget or miscon- 

 ceive his own strength, and to obey : but from the attention 

 which he paid to everything which was passing around him, 

 and from the readiness with which he distinguished indivi- 

 duals and recognised those circumstances which seemed the 

 preliminaries of his receiving something agreeable to him, one 

 can readily judge that his intelligence would have acquired a 

 greater development under favourable circumstances. But 

 his immense force, and the apprehensions constantly enter- 

 tained that in one of his fits of passion he would break down 

 his apartment, insured for him the most indulgent treatment; 

 nothing was required of him without a reward ; and the little 

 degree of motion which was allowed him, was an additional 

 reason for requiring from him no other actions than to open 

 his mouth, turn his head to the right or to the left, hold up 

 his leg, &c. 



"This animal was brought from the Indies to England, from 

 whence he was transported to Paris in 181 5. He was thicker 

 and still more unwieldy in his proportions than the elephant, 

 although less in general size. His height at the highest part 

 of his back was five feet six inches, and his length nearly 

 eight feet; his head measured two feet including the ears. 

 The whole body was covered with a thick tubercular and 

 almost naked skin, which formed a number of deep folds, 

 almost too irregular to be described. It was of a deep violet- 

 gray colour, which seemed almost black when oiled or greased; 

 and this kind of lubrication was performed twice or thrice 

 a week to prevent the skin drying and crackling. Beneath 

 the folds the integument was of a flesh colour, and much 

 softer than at the other parts. At certain parts, as the outer 

 side of the limbs, the knees, and on the head, the tubercles 

 of the skin had acquired such a length, as to resemble horny 

 threads, closely arranged in a parallel manner one against the 

 other, and it is these papillae which some authors have termed 

 excrescences. The few hairs that are observable, are chiefly 

 situated on the tail and ears, and are stiff, thick, and smooth : 



