RHINOCEROS. 135 



moves machines and carries burthens to which th-w 

 strength of six horses is scarcely adequate ; and that 

 to this amazing force he joins courage, prudence, 

 magnanimity and gratitude for kind treatment, we 

 ^cannot hesitate to give him the first place in the scale 

 of animal beings; nor can we wonder that the ancients 

 considered the elephant as a prodigy, a miracle of 

 nature; and that men have in all ages set a high value 

 on this greatest of quadrupeds, 



Flattering myself therefore that this epistle, al- 

 though long, will not appear tedious, I shall at last 

 conclude with assuring you, 



I am most respectfully, dear Sir, 



Your's, &c. 



LETTER XXIV. 



" Canst them bind the unicorn with his band in the farrow? 

 Or will he harrow the valleys ailer thee?" 



BOOK OF JOB. 

 DEAR SIR, 



HAVING in my last entertained you with an ac- 

 count of the elephant, I shall now be happy to add to 

 your amusement as well as information, by giving 

 you some knowledge of a quadruped which is indeed 

 inferior to it in size, but in strength is surpassed by 

 no other animal. 



THE RHINOCEROS 



Is a native of the same countries, and inhabits the 

 same forests and deserts as the elephant. The length 

 of this animal from the muzzle to the insertion of the 

 tail, is generally about twelve feet, and the circum- 

 ference of its body nearly equal to the length. The 

 form of the head resembles that of a hog, except that 

 the ears are larger and stand erect. It nose is armed 

 with a formidable weapon peculiar to this animal, 

 being an exceeding hard and solid horn, which some- 

 times grows almost four feet in length, and renders it 

 a complete match for the fiercest adversary. Lik* 



