ANIMALS. 515 



motive we have for wishing this animal among the number of 

 our dependents : its swiftness is said to surpass that of all others ; 

 so that the speed of a zebra is become a proverb among the 

 Spaniards and Portuguese. It stands better upon its legs also 

 than a horse ; and is consequently stronger in proportion. 

 Thus, if by proper care we improve the breed, as we have in 

 other instances, we should probably in time to come have a race 

 as large as the horse, as iieet, as strong, and much more 

 beautiful. 



The zebra, as was said, is chiefly a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. It is also found in the kingdom of Angola ; and, 

 as we are assured by Lopez, in several provinces also of Bar- 

 bary. In those boundless forests it has nothing to restrain its 

 liberty ; it is too shy to be caught in traps, and therefore seldom 

 tjiken alive. It would seem, therefore, that none of them have 

 ever been brought into Europe, that were caught sufficiently 

 young, so as to be untinctured by their original state of wildness. 

 The Portuguese, indeed, pretend that they have been able to 

 tame them, and that they have sent four from Africa to Lisbon, 

 which were so far brought under, as to draw the king's coach;' 

 they add, that the person who sent them over, had the office of no- 

 tary conferred upon him for his reward, which was to remain to 

 him and his posterity for ever -. but I do not find this confirmed by 

 any person who says he saw them. Of those which were sent 

 to Brazil, not one could be tamed ; they would permit one man 

 only to approach them ; they were tied up very short ; and one 

 of them, which had by some means got loose, actually killed his 

 groom, having bitten him to death.' Notwithstanding this, I 

 believe, were the zebra taken up very young, and properly treat- 

 ed, it might be rendered as tame as another animal ; and Merolla, 

 who saw many of them, asserts, that when tamed, which he 

 speaks of as being common enough, they are not less estimable 

 for their swiftness than their beauty. 



This animal, which is neither to be found in Europe, Asia, 

 nor America, is nevertheless very easily fed. That which came 

 over into England some years ago, would eat almost any thing, 

 6uch as bread, meat, and tobacco ; that which is now among us, 

 subsists entirely upon hay. As it so nearly resembles the horse 



1 Dapper. 2 Pyrard. torn. ii. p. 37& 



