him, how he could swallow him down, by reason of the narrowness of his Throat and Jaws. But my Wonderment was soon abated, when I beheld another Snake seize upon a mighty Toad; and, after he had him in his Mouth, he began at the hinder Part, and had devoured a great deal of it; and yet the Toad was still alive, and did what he could with his Fore-Feet to deliver himself from his Enemy. 'Twas in this very Posture, when I saw it first; which made me admire, and to be almost of the Opinion, that I saw a Monster, an Animal with two Feet, and a Tail as long as a Serpent; but when I drew nearer, and perceived what it was, I hit the Snake with my Staff, to make him let go his Prey, which at last he endeavoured to do, that he might creep the nimbler away; but, whether he would or no, the Toad stuck in his Throat; yet, at last, when with much-a-do, he had shaken him out, he could not shut his Mouth, but continued gaping, in an ugly Posture, till we killed him. Such a Staff, if we may believe Pliny, hath a kind of magical Virtue to help Child-bearing Woman in the Time of their Labour.
But, for my Part, I was not content with the Native Animals of that Country, but fill'd my House with Outlandish ones too; and my Family busied themselves, by my Order, to our mutual Contents, in feeding them, that we might the better bear the Absence from our own Country: For seeing we were debarred of human Society, what better Conversation could we have to drive Grief out of our Minds, than among wild Beasts? Otherwise, Stones, Walls and Solitudes had been but lamentable Amusements for us.
Amongst these, Apes led the Van, which making us good Sport, occasioned great Laugh-
