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OSTRICH RIDING
A gentleman tells how, during the time he was living at Podor, a French factory on the banks of the river Niger, there were two ostriches, though young, of gigantic size, which afforded him a very remarkable sight. “They were,” he says, “so tame that two little blacks mounted both together on the back of the largest. No sooner did he feel their weight, than he began to run as fast as possible, and carried them several times round the village, as it was impossible to stop him otherwise than by putting something in the path. This sight pleased me so much, that I was anxious to have it repeated, and to try their strength, directed a full-grown negro to mount the smaller and the two boys the larger. This burden did not seem at all too much for their strength. At first they went at a fairly sharp trot, but when they became heated a little, they expanded their wings as though to catch the wind, and moved with such fleetness that they scarcely seemed to touch the ground. Most people have, at one time or another, seen a partridge run; and therefore know that there is no man whatever able to keep up with it; and it is easy to imagine, that if this bird had a longer step, its speed would be much greater. The ostrich moves much like the partridge, with this advantage; and I am satisfied that those I am speaking of, would have distanced the fleetest racehorses that were ever bred in England. It is true they would not hold out as long as a horse; but they would undoubtedly go over a given space in less time. I have often seen this performance, and it gives one an idea of the wonderful strength of an ostrich, and shows of what use it might be, did we but know how to break and manage it as we do a horse.”
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RETRIBUTION
A fawn that was drinking in a park, was suddenly pounced upon by one of the swans, that pulled the animal into the water, and held it under till it was drowned. This cruel deed was noticed by the other deer in the park, and did not go long unrevenged; for shortly after this the very swan, which had never till this time been molested by the deer, was singled out when on land one day, and furiously attacked by the herd, which closed around the cruel swan, and soon killed it.
