the Weight to its designed Station, to the great Admiration and Applause of the Vulgar.
At Constantinople I saw several Sorts of wild Beasts, such as Lynxes, Cat-a-Mountains, Panthers, Leopards, and Lyons; but they were so gentle and tame, that I saw one of the Keepers pull a Sheep out of a Lyon's Mouth, so that he only moistened his Jaws with the Blood, without devouring it. I saw also a young Elephant, so wanton, that he would dance, and play at Ball. Sure you cannot chuse but laugh, when I tell you of an Elephant's dancing and playing at Ball; but if I should say no more, why may you not believe me as well as Seneca, who tells us of one that could dance upon the Rope? Or as Pliny, who speaks of another that understood Greek? But that you may not think me an egregious Forger, give me leave to explain myself: When this Elephant was bid to dance, he did so caper or quaver with his whole Body, and interchangeably move his Feet, that he seemed to represent a kind of a Jig; and as for playing at Ball, he very prettily took up the Ball in his Trunk, and sent it packing therewith, as we do with the Palm of the Hand.
Among those wild Beasts, there had been a Camelopardalis, but she died a little before I came to Constantinople; however, I caused her Bones, which had been buried in the Earth, to be digged up, that I might inspect the Make of this Creature. It is an Animal a great deal taller in the Forepart than in the Hinder; and, for that Reason, it is unfit to carry a Man, or any other Burden. It hath an Head and a Neck like a Camel, but a spotted Skin like a Leopard, and therefore it is called by a Name derived from both, (i. e.) Camelopardalis.
