658 QUADRUPEDS. 



Dampier, arc much less than the other. Those of the higher 

 parts of the Oronoque weigh only from five hundred to seven 

 hundred and fifty pounds. They inhabit the rivers of Africa, 

 from Senegal to the Cape; and those of South America also. 

 They sometimes live in the sea, near the mouth of some great 

 *iver ; into which they come once or twice in twenty four hours, for 

 the sake of browzing on the marine plants which grow within their 

 reach. They delight in brackish, or sweet water, rather than in salt, 

 and in shallow water near low land, aud in places secure from surges 

 and rapid tides. It is said that at times they frolic and leap to great 

 heights out of the water. They are taken with a harpoon stuck in 

 the end of a staff, which the Indians use with great dexterity. The 

 Spaniards call them fish-cows. 



The extraordinary history of a tame manate, preserved by a prince 

 of Hispaniola, in a lake adjoining his residence, at the time of the 

 arrival of the Spaniards, deserves to be mentioned. It was, on ac- 

 count of its general nature, called in the language of the country, 

 matum. It would appear as soon as it was called by any of its 

 familiars ; for it hated the Spaniards, on account of an injury it had 

 received from one of those adventurers. The fable of Arion was 

 here realised. It would offer itself to the Indian favourites, and 

 carry over the lake ten at a time, singing and playing upon its back. 

 Matum at last, however, escaped to its native waters by means of a 

 violent flood. 



These animals are easily tamed, grow very fond of music, and are 

 the dolphin tribe of the ancients. 



The sea-ape is five feet long, with a head like a dog's ; erect and 

 sharp ears ; large eyes ; a sort of beard on both lips ; body round, 

 thickest near the head, tapering to the tail, which is bifurcated ; the 

 upper lobe the longest ; body covered with thick hair, grey on the 

 back and red on the belly. Mr. Steller, who first noticed it, could 

 discover neither feet nor paws. It is full of frolic, plays a thousand 

 monkey tricks ; sometimes swimming on the side, sometimes on the 

 other side of a ship, looking at it seemingly with great amazement. 

 It will come so near the ship that it may be touched with a pole ; but 

 if any body stir, it immediately retires. It often rises one third of 

 its body above the water, and stands erect for a considerable time : 

 then suddenly darts under the ship, and appears in the same attitude 

 on the other side ; and repeats this for thirty times together. It 

 frequently brings up a sea plant, not unlike the buulcg -"H, which 

 it tosses about and catches in its mouth, playing a thousand humour- 



