THE COMMON HOG. 455 



The moment that one of them utters a signal of 

 distress, all within hearing will run to its assist- 

 ance. Numerous instances have been recorded 

 in proof of this assertion; but none can be more 

 illustrative than the following. The Sieur Briie, 

 having, in vain, used all possible means to soften 

 the ferocious disposition of a Tiger, that he had 

 bred at Fort St. Louis, on the western coast of 

 Africa, was curious to know how a Hog would 

 be able to defend himself against so large and 

 powerful a beast. He therefore caused one of 

 these animals to be seperated from a drove, and 

 the rest to be conveyed to some distance. As 

 soon as the Tiger was loosed, the Hog retired to 

 an angle in the wall of the fort ; where, for a 

 very considerable time, he kept the Tiger at bay. 

 At last, he was so closely pressed, that, all at once, 

 he set up a furious scream. This brought the 

 whole drove of Swine to his assistance ; and they, 

 all at once, fell on the Tiger with so much fury, 

 that, in order to save himself, he was com- 

 pelled to spring, out of their reach, into the 

 ditch of the fort*. 



It is generally believed that Swine will live to 

 the age of twenty, and even sometimes of thirty 

 years; but very few instances are allowed to occur 



* JLabat Voyage Occidentale, tome, ii. p. 37. 



of 



