202 VAST DISTANCES 



LETTER XXV. 



FROM EMILY TO CAROLINE. 



DEAREST CAROLINE, 



Your story of Zara's adopting the kittens, so 

 well authenticated and so extraordinary, prepares my 

 mind for any instances of adoption that may be re- 

 lated by persons of credit. The power of finding their 

 way back from vast distances, to a place to which they 

 have been accustomed, which is possessed by various 

 kinds of creatures, is a wonderful faculty, and in 

 many cases seems unaccountable ; nor do I think that 

 the penetration of man can discover by what sense 

 they are guided. Cats seem to excel in this unknown 

 quality, though it is bestowed in different degrees on 

 many other creatures. 



Mr. Craven has a cat * that he calls the traveller. 

 It belonged to his brother, who lived at Old Bromp- 

 ton, near London. A friend of this gentleman's, who 

 was then going as master of a vessel to the West 

 Indies, took a liking to this cat. She was given to 

 him as a token of remembrance, and was carried from 

 Old Brompton, through London, put on board the 



* The owner of this cat was Mr. R. Whitley, who lived at 

 Old Brompton, near London. 



