The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3

by Edgar Allan Poe

  CHAPTER 2

  IN no affairs of mere prejudice, pro or con, do we deduce inferenceswith entire certainty, even from the most simple data. It might besupposed that a catastrophe such as I have just related would haveeffectually cooled my incipient passion for the sea. On the contrary, Inever experienced a more ardent longing for the wild adventures incidentto the life of a navigator than within a week after our miraculousdeliverance. This short period proved amply long enough to erase frommy memory the shadows, and bring out in vivid light all the pleasurablyexciting points of color, all the picturesqueness, of the late perilousaccident. My conversations with Augustus grew daily more frequent andmore intensely full of interest. He had a manner of relating his storiesof the ocean (more than one half of which I now suspect to havebeen sheer fabrications) well adapted to have weight with one ofmy enthusiastic temperament and somewhat gloomy although glowingimagination. It is strange, too, that he most strongly enlisted myfeelings in behalf of the life of a seaman, when he depicted his moreterrible moments of suffering and despair. For the bright side of thepainting I had a limited sympathy. My visions were of shipwreck andfamine; of death or captivity among barbarian hordes; of a lifetimedragged out in sorrow and tears, upon some gray and desolate rock, inan ocean unapproachable and unknown. Such visions or desires--for theyamounted to desires--are common, I have since been assured, to the wholenumerous race of the melancholy among men--at the time of which I speakI regarded them only as prophetic glimpses of a destiny which I feltmyself in a measure bound to fulfil. Augustus thoroughly entered into mystate of mind. It is probable, indeed, that our intimate communion hadresulted in a partial interchange of character.

  About eighteen months after the period of the Ariel’s disaster, thefirm of Lloyd and Vredenburgh (a house connected in some manner with theMessieurs Enderby, I believe, of Liverpool) were engaged in repairingand fitting out the brig Grampus for a whaling voyage. She was an oldhulk, and scarcely seaworthy when all was done to her that could bedone. I hardly know why she was chosen in preference to other goodvessels belonging to the same owners--but so it was. Mr. Barnard wasappointed to command her, and Augustus was going with him. While thebrig was getting ready, he frequently urged upon me the excellency ofthe opportunity now offered for indulging my desire of travel. He foundme by no means an unwilling listener--yet the matter could not be soeasily arranged. My father made no direct opposition; but my mother wentinto hysterics at the bare mention of the design; and, more than all,my grandfather, from whom I expected much, vowed to cut me off witha shilling if I should ever broach the subject to him again. Thesedifficulties, however, so far from abating my desire, only added fuel tothe flame. I determined to go at all hazards; and, having made known myintentions to Augustus, we set about arranging a plan by which itmight be accomplished. In the meantime I forbore speaking to any of myrelations in regard to the voyage, and, as I busied myself ostensiblywith my usual studies, it was supposed that I had abandoned the design.I have since frequently examined my conduct on this occasion withsentiments of displeasure as well as of surprise. The intense hypocrisyI made use of for the furtherance of my project--an hypocrisy pervadingevery word and action of my life for so long a period of time--couldonly have been rendered tolerable to myself by the wild and burningexpectation with which I looked forward to the fulfilment of mylong-cherished visions of travel.

  In pursuance of my scheme of deception, I was necessarily obliged toleave much to the management of Augustus, who was employed for thegreater part of every day on board the Grampus, attending to somearrangements for his father in the cabin and cabin hold. At night,however, we were sure to have a conference and talk over our hopes.After nearly a month passed in this manner, without our hitting uponany plan we thought likely to succeed, he told me at last that he haddetermined upon everything necessary. I had a relation living in NewBedford, a Mr. Ross, at whose house I was in the habit of spendingoccasionally two or three weeks at a time. The brig was to sail aboutthe middle of June (June, 1827), and it was agreed that, a day or twobefore her putting to sea, my father was to receive a note, as usual,from Mr. Ross, asking me to come over and spend a fortnight with Robertand Emmet (his sons). Augustus charged himself with the inditing ofthis note and getting it delivered. Having set out as supposed, for NewBedford, I was then to report myself to my companion, who would contrivea hiding-place for me in the Grampus. This hiding-place, he assured me,would be rendered sufficiently comfortable for a residence of manydays, during which I was not to make my appearance. When the brig hadproceeded so far on her course as to make any turning back a matter outof question, I should then, he said, be formally installed in allthe comforts of the cabin; and as to his father, he would only laughheartily at the joke. Vessels enough would be met with by which a lettermight be sent home explaining the adventure to my parents.

  The middle of June at length arrived, and every thing had been matured.The note was written and delivered, and on a Monday morning I left thehouse for the New Bedford packet, as supposed. I went, however, straightto Augustus, who was waiting for me at the corner of a street. It hadbeen our original plan that I should keep out of the way until dark, andthen slip on board the brig; but, as there was now a thick fog in ourfavor, it was agreed to lose no time in secreting me. Augustus led theway to the wharf, and I followed at a little distance, enveloped in athick seaman’s cloak, which he had brought with him, so that my personmight not be easily recognized. Just as we turned the second corner,after passing Mr. Edmund’s well, who should appear, standing right infront of me, and looking me full in the face, but old Mr. Peterson, mygrandfather. “Why, bless my soul, Gordon,” said he, after a long pause,“why, why,--whose dirty cloak is that you have on?” “Sir!” I replied,assuming, as well as I could, in the exigency of the moment, an airof offended surprise, and talking in the gruffest of all imaginabletones--“sir! you are a sum’mat mistaken--my name, in the first place,bee’nt nothing at all like Goddin, and I’d want you for to know better,you blackguard, than to call my new obercoat a darty one.” For my lifeI could hardly refrain from screaming with laughter at the odd manner inwhich the old gentleman received this handsome rebuke. He started backtwo or three steps, turned first pale and then excessively red, threw uphis spectacles, then, putting them down, ran full tilt at me, withhis umbrella uplifted. He stopped short, however, in his career, as ifstruck with a sudden recollection; and presently, turning round, hobbledoff down the street, shaking all the while with rage, and mutteringbetween his teeth: “Won’t do--new glasses--thought it was Gordon--d--dgood-for-nothing salt water Long Tom.”

  After this narrow escape we proceeded with greater caution, and arrivedat our point of destination in safety. There were only one or two ofthe hands on board, and these were busy forward, doing something to theforecastle combings. Captain Barnard, we knew very well, was engagedat Lloyd and Vredenburgh’s, and would remain there until late in theevening, so we had little to apprehend on his account. Augustus wentfirst up the vessel’s side, and in a short while I followed him, withoutbeing noticed by the men at work. We proceeded at once into the cabin,and found no person there. It was fitted up in the most comfortablestyle--a thing somewhat unusual in a whaling-vessel. There were fourvery excellent staterooms, with wide and convenient berths. There wasalso a large stove, I took notice, and a remarkably thick and valuablecarpet covering the floor of both the cabin and staterooms. The ceilingwas full seven feet high, and, in short, every thing appeared of a moreroomy and agreeable nature than I had anticipated. Augustus, however,would allow me but little time for observation, insisting upon thenecessity of my concealing myself as soon as possible. He led the wayinto his own stateroom, which was on the starboard side of the brig, andnext to the bulkheads. Upon entering, he closed the door and bolted it.I thought I had never seen a nicer little room than the one in which Inow found myself. It was about ten feet long, and had only one berth,which, as I said before, was wide and convenient. In that portion ofthe closet nearest the bulkheads there was
a space of four feet square,containing a table, a chair, and a set of hanging shelves full of books,chiefly books of voyages and travels. There were many other littlecomforts in the room, among which I ought not to forget a kind ofsafe or refrigerator, in which Augustus pointed out to me a host ofdelicacies, both in the eating and drinking department.

  He now pressed with his knuckles upon a certain spot of the carpet inone corner of the space just mentioned, letting me know that a portionof the flooring, about sixteen inches square, had been neatly cut outand again adjusted. As he pressed, this portion rose up at one endsufficiently to allow the passage of his finger beneath. In this mannerhe raised the mouth of the trap (to which the carpet was still fastenedby tacks), and I found that it led into the after hold. He next lit asmall taper by means of a phosphorous match, and, placing the light in adark lantern, descended with it through the opening, bidding me follow.I did so, and he then pulled the cover upon the hole, by means of a naildriven into the under side--the carpet, of course, resuming its originalposition on the floor of the stateroom, and all traces of the aperturebeing concealed.

  The taper gave out so feeble a ray that it was with the greatestdifficulty I could grope my way through the confused mass of lumberamong which I now found myself. By degrees, however, my eyes becameaccustomed to the gloom, and I proceeded with less trouble, holdingon to the skirts of my friend’s coat. He brought me, at length,after creeping and winding through innumerable narrow passages, to aniron-bound box, such as is used sometimes for packing fine earthenware.It was nearly four feet high, and full six long, but very narrow. Twolarge empty oil-casks lay on the top of it, and above these, again, avast quantity of straw matting, piled up as high as the floor ofthe cabin. In every other direction around was wedged as closely aspossible, even up to the ceiling, a complete chaos of almost everyspecies of ship-furniture, together with a heterogeneous medley ofcrates, hampers, barrels, and bales, so that it seemed a matter no lessthan miraculous that we had discovered any passage at all to the box. Iafterward found that Augustus had purposely arranged the stowage in thishold with a view to affording me a thorough concealment, having had onlyone assistant in the labour, a man not going out in the brig.

  My companion now showed me that one of the ends of the box could beremoved at pleasure. He slipped it aside and displayed the interior, atwhich I was excessively amused. A mattress from one of the cabin berthscovered the whole of its bottom, and it contained almost every articleof mere comfort which could be crowded into so small a space, allowingme, at the same time, sufficient room for my accommodation, either in asitting position or lying at full length. Among other things, there weresome books, pen, ink, and paper, three blankets, a large jug full ofwater, a keg of sea-biscuit, three or four immense Bologna sausages, anenormous ham, a cold leg of roast mutton, and half a dozen bottles ofcordials and liqueurs. I proceeded immediately to take possession of mylittle apartment, and this with feelings of higher satisfaction, I amsure, than any monarch ever experienced upon entering a new palace.Augustus now pointed out to me the method of fastening the open endof the box, and then, holding the taper close to the deck, showed me apiece of dark whipcord lying along it. This, he said, extended from myhiding-place throughout all the necessary windings among the lumber, to anail which was driven into the deck of the hold, immediately beneath thetrap-door leading into his stateroom. By means of this cord I should beenabled readily to trace my way out without his guidance, provided anyunlooked-for accident should render such a step necessary. He now tookhis departure, leaving with me the lantern, together with a copioussupply of tapers and phosphorous, and promising to pay me a visit asoften as he could contrive to do so without observation. This was on theseventeenth of June.

  I remained three days and nights (as nearly as I could guess) in myhiding-place without getting out of it at all, except twice for thepurpose of stretching my limbs by standing erect between two crates justopposite the opening. During the whole period I saw nothing of Augustus;but this occasioned me little uneasiness, as I knew the brig wasexpected to put to sea every hour, and in the bustle he would not easilyfind opportunities of coming down to me. At length I heard the trapopen and shut, and presently he called in a low voice, asking if all waswell, and if there was any thing I wanted. “Nothing,” I replied; “I amas comfortable as can be; when will the brig sail?” “She will be underweigh in less than half an hour,” he answered. “I came to let you know,and for fear you should be uneasy at my absence. I shall not have achance of coming down again for some time--perhaps for three or fourdays more. All is going on right aboveboard. After I go up and close thetrap, do you creep along by the whipcord to where the nail is driven in.You will find my watch there--it may be useful to you, as you have nodaylight to keep time by. I suppose you can’t tell how long you havebeen buried--only three days--this is the twentieth. I would bring thewatch to your box, but am afraid of being missed.” With this he went up.

  In about an hour after he had gone I distinctly felt the brig in motion,and congratulated myself upon having at length fairly commenced avoyage. Satisfied with this idea, I determined to make my mind as easyas possible, and await the course of events until I should bepermitted to exchange the box for the more roomy, although hardly morecomfortable, accommodations of the cabin. My first care was to get thewatch. Leaving the taper burning, I groped along in the dark, followingthe cord through windings innumerable, in some of which I discoveredthat, after toiling a long distance, I was brought back within a foot ortwo of a former position. At length I reached the nail, and securing theobject of my journey, returned with it in safety. I now looked overthe books which had been so thoughtfully provided, and selected theexpedition of Lewis and Clarke to the mouth of the Columbia. With thisI amused myself for some time, when, growing sleepy, I extinguished thelight with great care, and soon fell into a sound slumber.

  Upon awakening I felt strangely confused in mind, and some time elapsedbefore I could bring to recollection all the various circumstances ofmy situation. By degrees, however, I remembered all. Striking a light, Ilooked at the watch; but it was run down, and there were, consequently,no means of determining how long I slept. My limbs were greatly cramped,and I was forced to relieve them by standing between the crates.Presently feeling an almost ravenous appetite, I bethought myself of thecold mutton, some of which I had eaten just before going to sleep, andfound excellent. What was my astonishment in discovering it to be in astate of absolute putrefaction! This circumstance occasioned me greatdisquietude; for, connecting it with the disorder of mind I experiencedupon awakening, I began to suppose that I must have slept for aninordinately long period of time. The close atmosphere of the hold mighthave had something to do with this, and might, in the end, be productiveof the most serious results. My head ached excessively; I fancied that Idrew every breath with difficulty; and, in short, I was oppressed witha multitude of gloomy feelings. Still I could not venture to make anydisturbance by opening the trap or otherwise, and, having wound up thewatch, contented myself as well as possible.

  Throughout the whole of the next tedious twenty-four hours no personcame to my relief, and I could not help accusing Augustus of thegrossest inattention. What alarmed me chiefly was, that the water inmy jug was reduced to about half a pint, and I was suffering much fromthirst, having eaten freely of the Bologna sausages after the loss of mymutton. I became very uneasy, and could no longer take any interest inmy books. I was overpowered, too, with a desire to sleep, yet trembledat the thought of indulging it, lest there might exist some perniciousinfluence, like that of burning charcoal, in the confined air of thehold. In the meantime the roll of the brig told me that we were far inthe main ocean, and a dull humming sound, which reached my ears as iffrom an immense distance, convinced me no ordinary gale was blowing. Icould not imagine a reason for the absence of Augustus. We were surelyfar enough advanced on our voyage to allow of my going up. Some accidentmight have happened to him--but I could think of none which wouldaccount for his suffering me t
o remain so long a prisoner, except,indeed, his having suddenly died or fallen overboard, and upon this ideaI could not dwell with any degree of patience. It was possible that wehad been baffled by head winds, and were still in the near vicinity ofNantucket. This notion, however, I was forced to abandon; for such beingthe case, the brig must have frequently gone about; and I was entirelysatisfied, from her continual inclination to the larboard, that she hadbeen sailing all along with a steady breeze on her starboard quarter.Besides, granting that we were still in the neighborhood of theisland, why should not Augustus have visited me and informed me ofthe circumstance? Pondering in this manner upon the difficulties ofmy solitary and cheerless condition, I resolved to wait yet anothertwenty-four hours, when, if no relief were obtained, I would make my wayto the trap, and endeavour either to hold a parley with my friend,or get at least a little fresh air through the opening, and a furthersupply of water from the stateroom. While occupied with this thought,however, I fell in spite of every exertion to the contrary, into a stateof profound sleep, or rather stupor. My dreams were of the most terrificdescription. Every species of calamity and horror befell me. Among othermiseries I was smothered to death between huge pillows, by demons ofthe most ghastly and ferocious aspect. Immense serpents held me in theirembrace, and looked earnestly in my face with their fearfully shiningeyes. Then deserts, limitless, and of the most forlorn and awe-inspiringcharacter, spread themselves out before me. Immensely tall trunks oftrees, gray and leafless, rose up in endless succession as far as theeye could reach. Their roots were concealed in wide-spreading morasses,whose dreary water lay intensely black, still, and altogether terrible,beneath. And the strange trees seemed endowed with a human vitality, andwaving to and fro their skeleton arms, were crying to the silent watersfor mercy, in the shrill and piercing accents of the most acute agonyand despair. The scene changed; and I stood, naked and alone, amidst theburning sand-plains of Sahara. At my feet lay crouched a fierce lionof the tropics. Suddenly his wild eyes opened and fell upon me. Witha conclusive bound he sprang to his feet, and laid bare his horribleteeth. In another instant there burst from his red throat a roar likethe thunder of the firmament, and I fell impetuously to the earth.Stifling in a paroxysm of terror, I at last found myself partiallyawake. My dream, then, was not all a dream. Now, at least, I was inpossession of my senses. The paws of some huge and real monster werepressing heavily upon my bosom--his hot breath was in my ear--and hiswhite and ghastly fangs were gleaming upon me through the gloom.

  Had a thousand lives hung upon the movement of a limb or the utteranceof a syllable, I could have neither stirred nor spoken. The beast,whatever it was, retained his position without attempting any immediateviolence, while I lay in an utterly helpless, and, I fancied, a dyingcondition beneath him. I felt that my powers of body and mind were fastleaving me--in a word, that I was perishing, and perishing of sheerfright. My brain swam--I grew deadly sick--my vision failed--even theglaring eyeballs above me grew dim. Making a last strong effort, I atlength breathed a faint ejaculation to God, and resigned myself todie. The sound of my voice seemed to arouse all the latent fury of theanimal. He precipitated himself at full length upon my body; but whatwas my astonishment, when, with a long and low whine, he commencedlicking my face and hands with the greatest eagerness, and with themost extravagant demonstration of affection and joy! I was bewildered,utterly lost in amazement--but I could not forget the peculiar whineof my Newfoundland dog Tiger, and the odd manner of his caresses I wellknew. It was he. I experienced a sudden rush of blood to my temples--agiddy and overpowering sense of deliverance and reanimation. I rosehurriedly from the mattress upon which I had been lying, and, throwingmyself upon the neck of my faithful follower and friend, relieved thelong oppression of my bosom in a flood of the most passionate tears.

  As upon a former occasion my conceptions were in a state of the greatestindistinctness and confusion after leaving the mattress. For a long timeI found it nearly impossible to connect any ideas; but, by very slowdegrees, my thinking faculties returned, and I again called to memorythe several incidents of my condition. For the presence of Tiger I triedin vain to account; and after busying myself with a thousand differentconjectures respecting him, was forced to content myself with rejoicingthat he was with me to share my dreary solitude, and render me comfortby his caresses. Most people love their dogs--but for Tiger I had anaffection far more ardent than common; and never, certainly, didany creature more truly deserve it. For seven years he had been myinseparable companion, and in a multitude of instances had givenevidence of all the noble qualities for which we value the animal. Ihad rescued him, when a puppy, from the clutches of a malignant littlevillain in Nantucket who was leading him, with a rope around his neck,to the water; and the grown dog repaid the obligation, about three yearsafterward, by saving me from the bludgeon of a street robber.

  Getting now hold of the watch, I found, upon applying it to my ear, thatit had again run down; but at this I was not at all surprised, beingconvinced, from the peculiar state of my feelings, that I had slept,as before, for a very long period of time, how long, it was of courseimpossible to say. I was burning up with fever, and my thirst was almostintolerable. I felt about the box for my little remaining supply ofwater, for I had no light, the taper having burnt to the socket of thelantern, and the phosphorus-box not coming readily to hand. Upon findingthe jug, however, I discovered it to be empty--Tiger, no doubt, havingbeen tempted to drink it, as well as to devour the remnant of mutton,the bone of which lay, well picked, by the opening of the box. Thespoiled meat I could well spare, but my heart sank as I thought of thewater. I was feeble in the extreme--so much so that I shook all over,as with an ague, at the slightest movement or exertion. To add to mytroubles, the brig was pitching and rolling with great violence, andthe oil-casks which lay upon my box were in momentary danger of fallingdown, so as to block up the only way of ingress or egress. I felt, also,terrible sufferings from sea-sickness. These considerations determinedme to make my way, at all hazards, to the trap, and obtain immediaterelief, before I should be incapacitated from doing so altogether.Having come to this resolve, I again felt about for the phosphorus-boxand tapers. The former I found after some little trouble; but, notdiscovering the tapers as soon as I had expected (for I remembered verynearly the spot in which I had placed them), I gave up the search forthe present, and bidding Tiger lie quiet, began at once my journeytoward the trap.

  In this attempt my great feebleness became more than ever apparent.It was with the utmost difficulty I could crawl along at all, andvery frequently my limbs sank suddenly from beneath me; when, fallingprostrate on my face, I would remain for some minutes in a statebordering on insensibility. Still I struggled forward by slow degrees,dreading every moment that I should swoon amid the narrow and intricatewindings of the lumber, in which event I had nothing but death to expectas the result. At length, upon making a push forward with all the energyI could command, I struck my forehead violently against the sharp cornerof an iron-bound crate. The accident only stunned me for a few moments;but I found, to my inexpressible grief, that the quick and violentroll of the vessel had thrown the crate entirely across my path, so aseffectually to block up the passage. With my utmost exertions I couldnot move it a single inch from its position, it being closely wedgedin among the surrounding boxes and ship-furniture. It became necessary,therefore, enfeebled as I was, either to leave the guidance of thewhipcord and seek out a new passage, or to climb over the obstacle, andresume the path on the other side. The former alternative presented toomany difficulties and dangers to be thought of without a shudder. In mypresent weak state of both mind and body, I should infallibly losemy way if I attempted it, and perish miserably amid the dismal anddisgusting labyrinths of the hold. I proceeded, therefore, withouthesitation, to summon up all my remaining strength and fortitude, andendeavour, as I best might, to clamber over the crate.

  Upon standing erect, with this end in view, I found the undertaking evena more serious task than my fears ha
d led me to imagine. On each side ofthe narrow passage arose a complete wall of various heavy lumber, whichthe least blunder on my part might be the means of bringing down upon myhead; or, if this accident did not occur, the path might be effectuallyblocked up against my return by the descending mass, as it was in frontby the obstacle there. The crate itself was a long and unwieldy box,upon which no foothold could be obtained. In vain I attempted, by everymeans in my power, to reach the top, with the hope of being thus enabledto draw myself up. Had I succeeded in reaching it, it is certain thatmy strength would have proved utterly inadequate to the task of gettingover, and it was better in every respect that I failed. At length, ina desperate effort to force the crate from its ground, I felt a strongvibration in the side next me. I thrust my hand eagerly to the edgeof the planks, and found that a very large one was loose. With mypocket-knife, which, luckily, I had with me, I succeeded, after greatlabour, in prying it entirely off; and getting it through the aperture,discovered, to my exceeding joy, that there were no boards on theopposite side--in other words, that the top was wanting, it being thebottom through which I had forced my way. I now met with no importantdifficulty in proceeding along the line until I finally reached thenail. With a beating heart I stood erect, and with a gentle touchpressed against the cover of the trap. It did not rise as soon as Ihad expected, and I pressed it with somewhat more determination,still dreading lest some other person than Augustus might be in hisstate-room. The door, however, to my astonishment, remained steady, andI became somewhat uneasy, for I knew that it had formerly requiredbut little or no effort to remove it. I pushed it strongly--it wasnevertheless firm: with all my strength--it still did not give way: withrage, with fury, with despair--it set at defiance my utmost efforts; andit was evident, from the unyielding nature of the resistance, that thehole had either been discovered and effectually nailed up, or that someimmense weight had been placed upon it, which it was useless to think ofremoving.

  My sensations were those of extreme horror and dismay. In vain Iattempted to reason on the probable cause of my being thus entombed. Icould summon up no connected chain of reflection, and, sinking on thefloor, gave way, unresistingly, to the most gloomy imaginings, inwhich the dreadful deaths of thirst, famine, suffocation, and prematureinterment crowded upon me as the prominent disasters to be encountered.At length there returned to me some portion of presence of mind. Iarose, and felt with my fingers for the seams or cracks of the aperture.Having found them, I examined them closely to ascertain if they emittedany light from the state-room; but none was visible. I then forced theblade of my pen-knife through them, until I met with some hard obstacle.Scraping against it, I discovered it to be a solid mass of iron, which,from its peculiar wavy feel as I passed the blade along it, I concludedto be a chain-cable. The only course now left me was to retrace myway to the box, and there either yield to my sad fate, or try so totranquilize my mind as to admit of my arranging some plan of escape.I immediately set about the attempt, and succeeded, after innumerabledifficulties, in getting back. As I sank, utterly exhausted, upon themattress, Tiger threw himself at full length by my side, and seemed asif desirous, by his caresses, of consoling me in my troubles, and urgingme to bear them with fortitude.

  The singularity of his behavior at length forcibly arrested myattention. After licking my face and hands for some minutes, he wouldsuddenly cease doing so, and utter a low whine. Upon reaching out myhand toward him, I then invariably found him lying on his back, with hispaws uplifted. This conduct, so frequently repeated, appeared strange,and I could in no manner account for it. As the dog seemed distressed,I concluded that he had received some injury; and, taking his paws in myhands, I examined them one by one, but found no sign of any hurt. Ithen supposed him hungry, and gave him a large piece of ham, which hedevoured with avidity--afterward, however, resuming his extraordinarymanoeuvres. I now imagined that he was suffering, like myself, thetorments of thirst, and was about adopting this conclusion as the trueone, when the idea occurred to me that I had as yet only examined hispaws, and that there might possibly be a wound upon some portion of hisbody or head. The latter I felt carefully over, but found nothing. Onpassing my hand, however, along his back, I perceived a slight erectionof the hair extending completely across it. Probing this with my finger,I discovered a string, and tracing it up, found that it encircled thewhole body. Upon a closer scrutiny, I came across a small slip of whathad the feeling of letter paper, through which the string had beenfastened in such a manner as to bring it immediately beneath the leftshoulder of the animal.