214 THE RAT. 
had gnawed through thirty-two doors; and many 
of the oaken window frames were irreparably in- 
jured by them. While I was in Guiana, a Dutch 
lady, named Vandenheuvil, had given me a young 
tiger-cat, which one of her negroes had taken that 
day in a coffee field. It was the marjay, which, 
by the by, Buffon considers untameable. I raised 
it with great care; and it grew so fond of me, that 
it would follow my steps like a dog. Nothing 
could surpass the dexterity with which this little 
feline favourite destroyed the rats on our reaching 
home. Towards the close of day it would as- 
cend the staircase; and no sooner did a rat make 
its appearance from the casements, than it would 
spring at it with the velocity of an arrow, and 
never fail to seize it. In 1828, having got, by long 
experience, a tolerably good insight into the habits 
of this tormenting quadruped, and having found 
that it spoiled or pilfered every thing within its 
reach, I finally resolved that it should look out for 
another place of residence. Wherefore I carefully 
searched for all its various entrance holes. These 
I effectually closed with stone and mortar. I then 
filled up all useless sewers, and paid great attention 
to the paving and renewing of those which were 
absolutely required ; fixing, at the same time, in 
either end of them, a cast-iron grate, movable at 
pleasure. The bottoms of all the outer doors were 
done with hoop iron; and the pavement which goes 
round the house was relaid with particular care. 
By these precautions, I barred all access to these 
greedy intruders; and, as no rubbish or lumber 
