THE GOAT. 



ft horse may be easily removed from the scene of danger by 

 hexnessing him as usual, instead of trying to lead him out at 

 once. The animal has learned to connect obedience and truth- 

 fulness with the harness, and while he bears the bit in his 

 mouth and the saddle or traces on his back he will go wher- 

 ever he may be led." 



In the good old times when "physic" and '•'nastiness" 

 were synonymous terms, the blood of an old he-goat dried and 

 reduced to powder was considered an infallible cure for pleurisy 

 and inflammatory disorders. At the same period, too, the shape 

 of a goat was the most favourite one assumed by the father 

 of evil when aiding and abetting a little choice witchery. It 

 was a common occurrence for witnesses on witchcraft trials 

 to swear that they had " with their own eyes " seen the 

 wretched little old woman then in the dock, scudding throngh 

 the air on the back of a goat, and, astounding as it seems to 

 us, qnite as common a thing for the dunder-headed judge to 

 believe it. By the bye, I wonder if the goat's known contempt 

 of fire had anything to do with its reputed familiarity with 

 the bottomless pit. The animal, too, is said to be weather- 

 wise, and may be seen hurrjring home to seek shelter on the 

 approach of a sudden storm. 



That the goat is neither insensible to kindness, nor devoid 

 of considerable intelligence, the following authentic story will 

 go far to prove. •-' 



A person who had taken an active share in the rebellion of 

 1716, after the battle of Preston, escaped to the West High- 

 lands, to the residence of a female relative, who aflfbrded him 

 an asylum. It was judged unsafe for him to remain in the 

 house, so he was conducted to a cave in the neighbourhood and 

 a faithful servant was appointed to carry him his food. The 

 approach to the cavern consisted of a small aperture through 

 which the gentleman crept ; bit as he advanced towards the 

 further end, he found his passage disputed. In self-defence he 

 drew his dirk, but, fearftd lest he should be taking the Kfe of a 

 fugitive, such as he himself was, he held his hand, and soon 

 discovered that it was only a goat with her kid lying in the 

 cave. Such investigation as he could make in the gloom of 

 the cave convinced him that the poor creature was in great 

 pain arising from a fractured hmb. He bound the leg with 

 his garter, and oflferod the goat some of his bread; but this 

 she refused to eat, and stretched out her tongue to indicate 

 that she was parched with thirst. He then gave her water, 



