CURIOUS CREATURES. 9 



But there seems every probability that the story of 

 the Gryphon was invented by the goldfinders, in order 

 to deter people from coming near them, and interfering 

 with their livelihood. There were, however, smaller 

 Arimaspians, which probably the Gryphons did not heed, 

 for Pliny tells us about the little thieves of mice. " In 

 gold mines, too, their stomachs are opened for this pur- 

 pose, and some of the metal is always to be found there, 

 which they have pilfered, so great a delight do they take in 

 stealing !" Livy, also, twice mentions mice gnawing gold. 



There were Anthropophagi cannibals as there are 

 now, but, of course, they then lacked the luxury of cold 

 missionary and there were, besides, many wonderful 

 beings. " Beyond the other Scythian Anthropophagi, 

 there is a country called Abarimon, situate in a certain 

 great valley of Mount Imaus (the Himalayas), the in- 

 habitants of which are a savage race, whose feet are 

 turned backwards, relatively to their legs ; they possess 

 wonderful velocity, and wander about indiscriminately 



