136 The Natural Historg 



Tails are cut off, thej look very fair and white, seemingly 

 like the best of Vail, and some People eat thereof, and saj 

 it is most delicious Meat, when they are not Musky. Their 

 Teeth are as white as Ivory, whereof I have seen Chargers 

 for Guns of several sizes, Snnff-Boxes, and many other Toys 

 jnade. The ujDper Jaw of this ]\Ionster is movable, and not 

 the under, and it is doubtful whether they have any Passage 

 for their Excrements, except the Mouth. After the Tail is 

 cut off from the Body of this Creature, it will freely move for 

 four or five Days, as if it had been alive, and still joined with 

 the other parts. I saw two of them killed during my stay 

 in that Country, in the Bellies whereof (after they were 

 opened) were found several sorts of Snakes, knots of Light- 

 wood, and particularly one of them with a large solid Stone, 

 that weighed about four Pound weight. 



These Monsters roar and make a most hideous Xoise 

 against bad Weather, and before they come out of their Dens 

 in the Spring. I was very much frighted by one of them 

 in a Creek near Bath-Tow7i, where these Animals are very 

 plenty, which happened after this Manner: As I was walk- 

 ing near the Creek side one Evening, not long after my 

 arrival in those parts, on a sudden this Monster began to roar 

 after such a dreadful manner, that the very Earth seemed to 

 tremble where I stood. I am not able to express the con- 

 sternation I was in ; for I am satisfied it gave me the greatest 

 dread and surprize I was ever in, never having heard so terri- 

 fying a Noise before ; it continued thus roaring for eight or 

 ten times, like a Bittern, but if possible, a hundred times 

 louder, which at first I imagined to be some diabolical Spirit 

 breaking through the Bowels of the Earth, for in the fright 

 I was in, T could think or imagine nothing else. I made all 



the 



