THE RHINOCEROS. 83 



voyage amounted to near 1000 sterling. He consumed every 

 day, at three meals, seven pounds of rice, mixed with three 

 pounds of sugar, besides a large quantity of hay, and green plants: 

 he likewise drank a great deal of water. In his disposition he 

 was perfectly gentle, and would suffer any part of his body to be 

 touched, without evincing the least displeasure; but when hungry, 

 or struck by any person, he became fierce and mischievous, and 

 an immediate supply of food was the only means of pacifying 

 him. 



A rhinoceros, brought from Akham, and exhibited at Paris in 

 1748, is said to have been extremely tame, and even caressing. 

 He was fed chiefly on hay and corn, but the attendants frequently 

 gave him thorny branches of trees, and sharp or prickly plants, 

 with which he appeared much delighted, though they sometimes 

 drew blood from his mouth and tongue. 



The only two animals of this species that have been brought 

 into England for a considerable number of years, were both pur 

 chased for the menagerie, Exeter 'Change. The first, of which 

 the skin is still preserved, came from the East Indies ; arrived in 

 England in the year 1790, when he was about five years old 

 and was, soon afterwards, purchased by Mr. Pidcock, for seven 

 hundred pounds. 



His docility was equal to that of a tolerably tractable pig : he 

 would obey his master's orders, walk about the room to exhibit 

 himself, and even allow his visitants to pat him on the back or 

 side. His voice bore some resemblance to the bleating of a calf, 

 and was most commonly excited when he perceived any person 

 with fruit, or other favourite food, in their hands. 



His food wns invariably seized in his projecting upper lip, and 

 by it conveyed to his mouth. He usually ate twenty-eight pounds 

 of clover, the same weight of ship-biscuit, and a prod : gious 

 quantity of greens, every day. He was likewise allowed five pails 

 of water, twice or three times a day; this was put into a vessel 

 containing about three pails, which was filled up as he drank it, 

 and he never ended his draught till the water was exhausted. 

 He was also extremely fond of sweet wines, of which he would 

 sometimes drink three or four bottles in the course of a few 

 hours. 



In the month of October, 1 792, as this animal was one day 

 rising up suddenly, he dislocated the joint of one of his fore- 

 legs, and this accident brought on an inflammation, which occa- 

 sioned his death about nine months afterwards. He died in a 

 caravan near Portsmouth, and the stench arising from his body 

 was so intolerable, that the Mayor ordered it to be immediately 

 buried. However, about a fortnight afterwards, it was privately 

 dug up during the night, for the purpose of preserving its skin, 



