TAME CROCODILES. 147 



and quartered ; and while this was going on, the reptiles contin- 

 ued crawling until they had made a complete ring around us. 

 The fakir liept walking about within the circle, and if any one 

 attempted to encroach, he rapped it unmercifully on the snout 

 with his stick, and drove it backward. Not one of them at- 

 tempted to touch him, although they showed rows of teeth that 

 seemed able to snap him in two at a bite. The quarters of the 

 sheep were then thrown to them, and the scene that followed was 

 so indescribable that I shall not attempt it ; but I think that if 

 you will turn to Milton, and read his account of the transforma- 

 tion of Satan and his crew in Pandemonium, you may form some 

 faint idea ' how dreadful was the din.' In what manner these 

 monsters were first tamed I cannot say. The natives, of course, 

 ascribe it to the piety of the saint, who is called Miegger Pier, 

 or Saint Crocodile." 



The alligators of this country, though seldom tamed even for 

 public exhibition, might readily be, as they do not differ in any 

 important respect from the crocodiles. 



CHAPTER XV. 



EDTTCATION OF CATS AND GOATS. 



CATS do not appear to be favorite subjects of the trainer's 

 art, and it is rare that they are met with among performing 

 animals. Perhaps their sly, treacherous nature inspires a pre- 

 judice, or perhaps their capacity for learning is underrated. 

 Certainly with proper and patient training they may be taught 

 nearly all of the simpler tricks performed by dogs, and some 

 which dogs cannot, from lack of equal agility. That cats pos- 

 sess considerable intelligence is shown by the many well authen- 

 ticated stories related of them. A specimen is that told by Mr. 

 Crouch, of a cat who loaraed to unlock a door of her own accord. 

 *' There was," writes this gentleman, '^ within my knowledge, in 

 the house of my parentage, a small cupboard in which were 

 kept milk; butter, and other requisites for the tea table, and the 

 door was confined by a lock, which from age and frequent use 

 could easily be made to open. To save trouble the key was 

 always kept in the lock, in which it revolved on a very slight 

 impulse. It was often a subject of remark, that the door of this 

 cupboard was found wide open, and the milk or butter greatly 



