THE BABARUSSA. 409 



snout. The use of these long slender upper tusks appears in- 

 explicable, their situation and shape rendering them useless as 

 weapons ; for, rising vertically, they curve round, with a slight 

 outward inclination, so as to form half or three parts of a circle, 

 their tips being often in contact with the forehead. Valentyn, 

 in his description of the East Indies, published at Amsterdam 

 in 1724, says, that these animals often rest the head by hooking 

 the upper tusks on some bough 5 but it is surely absurd to sup- 

 pose that they were intended for such a purpose : and if they 

 were, why is the female without them ? The assertion, which 

 originated, perhaps, from conjecture entirely, has been repeated 

 and improved upon ; for, in some books we are told, that the 

 animal hangs itself up to the bough of a tree by the horns 

 whenever it takes a nap ! Paley, who, like Ray, Sturm, and 

 many others, is often too bold in judging of the wisdom of God 

 as displayed in the works of the creation, mentions as a very 

 striking example of benevolent provision, the possession of 

 curved tusks by the babarussa, and calling upon us to mark 

 their important use, repeats Valentyn's unsupported statement. 

 It is clear, that if the animal wanted to support itself, it might 

 as easily place its head over as under a branch ; and the diffi- 

 culty, if not the impossibility, of unhooking itself, certainly 

 negatives the story of its suspended position during sleep. The 

 fable is, therefore, quite unfit to illustrate natural theology, a 

 beautiful subject, but ever a dangerous one in the hands of 

 those who have neither observed what they adduce, nor possess 

 sufficient evidence to confirm it. 



Herds of the babarussa live in the forests, feeding on herbs, 

 the roots of trees, but chiefly on maize. Their ordinary voice 

 resembles that of the hog ; but when enraged, for they are of 

 savage temper, they utter a strong, deep, hoarse growl. They 

 are fond of the water, in which they swim and dive with ease. 

 When pursued to the shore, they rush into the sea, and, it is 

 said, will cross the straits which intervene between the less dis- 

 tant islands. 



The natives sometimes domesticate the babarussa, but it is 



