22
the banks of a river in Bengal, were happil⟨y⟩ preserved from a similar misfortune by the a most unexampled presence of mind of a youn⟨g⟩ lady, who chanced to be of the party: upon th⟨e⟩ first appearance of the tiger preparing for i⟨ts⟩ fatal spring, this young lady unfurled a lar⟨ge⟩ umbrella in the animal's face, which, bein⟨g⟩ confounded by so extraordinary and sudden a⟨n⟩ appearance, distantly retired, and thus gave the⟨m⟩ an opportunity of escaping from its terrible attack.
The Elephant.
The foremost, and in every respect, the noble⟨st⟩ quadruped in nature, is the Elephant; not le⟨ss⟩ remarkable for its size, than its docility and understanding. In India, where they were at o⟨ne⟩ time employed in launching ships, a particul⟨ar⟩ elephant was directed to force a very large vess⟨el⟩ into the water; the work proved superior to ⟨its⟩ strength, but not to its endeavours; whic⟨h⟩ however, the keeper affected to despise. "Ta⟨ke⟩ away," says he, "that lazy beast, and bri⟨ng⟩ another better fitted for service." The po⟨or⟩ animal instantly upon this redoubled its effort fractured its scull, and died upon the spot.
In Delhi, an elephant, passing along t⟨he⟩ streets, put his trunk into a tailor's shop, whe⟨re⟩ several people were at work. One of the persons of the shop, desirous of some amuseme⟨nt,⟩ pricked the animal's trunk with his needle,