THESOURCEOFTHENILE. 303 



Here is an example of a bead (a young one too) pofTeffing 

 abftraaied fentiments to a very high degree. By its flight on 

 the firft appearance of the hunters, it is plain it apprehended 

 danger to itfelf, it alfo refleded upon that of its mother, 

 which was the caufe of its return to her afliftance. This 

 affecftion or duty, or let us call it any thing we pleafe, ex- 

 cept inftinc% was ftronger than the fear of danger; and it 

 muft have conquered that fear by refleftion before it re- 

 turned, when it refolved to make its beft and laft efforts, 

 for it never attempted to fly afterwards. I freely forgive 

 that part of my readers, who know me and themfelves fo 

 little, as to think I believe it worth my while to play the 

 mountebank, for the great honour of diverting them ; an 

 honour far from being of the firft rate in my efleem. If 

 they fhould fhew, in this place, a degree of doubt, that, 

 for once, I am making ufe of the privilege of travellers, and 

 dealing a little in the marvellous, it would be much more 

 to the credit of their difcernment, than their prodigious 

 fcruples about the reality or pofTibility of eating raw fiefh; 

 a tiling that has been recorded by the united teftimony of 

 all that ever vilited AbyfTmia for thefe two hundred years, 

 has nothing unreafonable in itfelf, though contrary to our 

 pradlice in other cafes ; and can only be called in queftion 

 now, through v/eaknefs, ignorance, or an intemperate de- 

 fire to find fault, by thofe that believed that a man could 

 get into a quart, bottle. 



What I relate of the young elephant contains difficulties 

 of another kind ; though I am very well perfuaded fome 

 will fwallow it eafily, who cannot digeft the raw flefh. hi 

 both inftances I adhere ftridly to the truth; and I begleava 

 to dTure thofe fcrupulous readers, that if they knew their 



author,. 



