86 
RHINOCEROS. 
about the same weight of ship biscuit, and a vast 
quantity of greens. Five pails of water, twice or 
thrice a day, served him to dilute his food. A ves- 
sel that contained about three pails was given him 
at a time, which was filled up as the animal drank 
it ; and it was observed that he never ended his 
draught till the water was exhausted. Sweet wines 
were so much to his taste, that he would drink three 
or four bottles in the course of a few hours. When 
any person came with fruit or other favourite food in 
his hand, he appeared anxious to have it given him, 
and then exerted his voice, which was not unlike 
the bleating of a calf. 
This rhinoceros died of an inflammation, occa- 
sioned by accidentally slipping the joint of one of 
his fore legs ; and it is a singular fact, that the in- 
cisions made through his hard skin, on the first at- 
tempts to recover the animal, were invariably found 
to be healed in the course of twenty-four hours. He 
died in a caravan at Corsham, near Portsmouth, and 
the stench was so intolerable that the mayor was 
obliged to order the body to be immediately buried. 
This was accordingly done on South Sea common : 
but about a fortnight afterwards it was dug up 
again, to preserve the skin and some of the most 
valuable of the bones. It appears that the stench 
was so insufferable, that it was with the utmost dif- 
ficulty the persons employed could proceed in their 
operations. 
