188 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OP ANIMALS. CHAP. VI. 



a waggon, overturning it, and trampling down, in its 

 rage and fury, men, oxen, and everything belonging 

 to the party.* It is scarcely possible to overtake one 

 of these animals when he flies, or even to pursue him 

 with any chance of success. He treads down shrubs 

 and bushes which oppose him, with the utmost facility, 

 which would entirely stop the progress of a man on 

 horseback. He is, therefore, seldom pursued in the open 

 plains. His mode of attack is by bending his head to 

 the ground, and, with half-shut eyes, rushing forward 

 with his horn close to the ground. t 



(203.) Were we to extend our enumeration of direct 

 injuries which can be inflicted upon us by quadrupeds, 

 in self-defence, we should have to particularise nearly 

 the whole order. Self-preservation is said to be the 

 first law of nature, even with the rational man ; it can- 

 not, therefore, be denied to the brute : and if we wan- 

 tonly, or from necessity, seek to injure them, the injury 

 they inflict upon us is not only natural, but perfectly 

 justifiable. It may be remarked, however, that the 

 males of all quadrupeds, during the season of courtship, 

 are so excessively jealous of their females, that they 

 enter into furious battles among themselves, and indis- 

 criminately attack both man and beast, although, at 

 other times, their general disposition is gentle and 

 harmless. This is exemplified even among the do- 

 mesticated races by the bull and the stag. Goats 

 will do the same; and old rams not unfrequently attack 

 those who are passing: these, certainly, are unprovoked 

 injuries j but, for the rest, we may almost say that 

 they are merited. 



(204.) When we thus see how large a proportion of 

 mankind are exposed to the chances of a cruel death 

 from the animals which surround them, we cannot but 

 rejoice, and bless that Providence which has placed us 

 far away from such evils, and has cast our lot in a land 

 uninhabited by ferocious beasts. Yet, before we dis- 

 miss this subject, it will be proper we should advert to 



* Lichtenstein's Travels, p. 351. f IbuL p. 356. 



