CURIOUS CREATURES. 243 



" Within these few years also, another at Hippo 

 Diarrhytus, on the coast of Africa, in a similar manner 

 used to receive his food from the hands of various 

 persons, present himself for their caresses, sport about 

 among the swimmers, and carry them on his back. 

 On being rubbed with unguents by Flavianus, the then 

 pro-consul of Africa, he was lulled to sleep, as it ap- 

 peared, by the sensation of an odour so new to him, 

 and floated about just as though he had been dead. 

 For some months after this, he carefully avoided all 

 intercourse with man, just as if he had received some 

 affront or other; but, at the end of that time, he 

 returned, and afforded just the same wonderful scenes 

 as before. At last, the vexations that were caused 

 them by having to entertain so many influential men 

 who came to see this sight, compelled the people of 

 Hippo to put the animal to death. . . . 



" Hegesidemus has also informed us, that, in the city 

 of lasus (the island and city of Caria), there was another 

 boy also, Hermias by name, who in a similar manner 

 used to traverse the sea on a dolphin's back, but that, 

 on one occasion, a tempest suddenly arising, he lost 

 his life, and was brought back dead : upon which, the 

 dolphin, who thus admitted that he had been the cause 

 of his death, would not return to the sea, but lay down 

 upon dry land and there expired." 



Du Bartas gives us a new trait in the Dolphin's 

 character : 



" Even as the Dolphins do themselves expose, 

 For their live fellows, and beneath the waves 

 Cover their dead ones under sandy graves." 



