animal a very rude fall upon the ground, which was but the beginning of her sufferings. One of them sat across her neck holding down her head by the horns; the other twisted the halter about her fore-feet; while the third, who had a knife in his hand, to my very great surprise, gave her a very deep wound in the upper part of the buttock. From the time I had seen them throw the beast upon the ground, I thought they were going to kill her, and to sell a part of the meat to us. But my people told me that they were not going to kill her; this awakened my curiosity; I let my people go forward, and stayed myself, till I saw, with the utmost astonishment, two pieces, thicker and longer than our ordinary beef-steaks, cut from the higher part of the buttock of the beast. It was done very skilfully, but I cannot tell how."

"Oh how shocking! and so, I suppose, the poor cow bled to death!"

account.

"No, she did not; though it was a most inhuman practice. I will read the remainder of Mr. Bruce's 'The skin,' he says, ' which had covered the flesh which had been taken away, was left entire, and flapped over the wound, and was fastened to the corresponding part by two or more small skewers or pins. Whether they put any thing under the skin, between that and the wounded flesh, I know not; but at the riv

er side, where they were, they prepared a cataplasm, or plaster of clay, with which they covered the wound. They then forced the animal to rise, and drove it on before them, to furnish them with a fuller meal when they should meet their companions in the evening." " "But does any other traveller besides Bruce mention this circumstance ?"

"The question, Harry, is a very proper one; we may well desire testimony upon testimony, to prove what appears so unnatural and extraordinary. In this case we have what we desire. Mr. Salt, in his voyage to Abyssinia, mentions some soldiers, who had got possession of several head of cattle; he says, they had fasted many hours, and had still a considerable distance to travel. One of them proposed cutting a steak from the thigh of the cow; this was assented to. They then laid hold of the animal by the horns, threw her down, and proceeded, without any farther ceremony, to the operation. This consisted in cutting out two pieces which might weigh about a pound. As soon as they had taken these away, they sewed up the wounds, plastered them over with cow-dung, and drove the animal forwards, whilst they divided the steaks among the party."

What does Mr. Salt say of some soldiers in Abyssinia ?

"How cruel! And what became of the poor cow at last ?"

"They drove her before them, and though she walked somewhat lame, she nevertheless managed to reach the camp; and immediately after their arrival she was killed and consumed for their supper."

"If there were not good proof of it, one could scarcely believe that any one could act in this way."

"I allow, that one could not. Bruce's narrative was, for some time, generally discredited. There were few persons who did not regard it as his own invention, to see how far he could impose on the credulity of his Countrymen. Now it is as generally believed. Sir W. Jones, writing from India, says, 'There is an Abyssinian here, who knew Mr. Bruce at Gondar; I have examined him, and he confirms Bruce's acCount."*

"But, surely, there is no account of any one mentioned in Scripture acting in this way?"

"I fear there is, Harry. Turn to 1 Sam. xiv. 32; read that and the two or three following verses; "And the people flew upon the spoil.""

Was Bruce's narrative generally believed? What does Sir W. Jones say? Repeat some verses from Samuel?

* Works, vol. ii. p. 33.

"That is, after they had defeated the Philistines, and were very hungry and faint. Well, go on."

"And took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people did eat them with the blood."

"That, you know, was forbidden expressly in the covenant which God made with Noah. And this seems, to say the least, very much like the Abyssinian plan. But finish the account.”

"Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed; roll a great stone unto me this day.'"

"He meant, on which they might properly slaughter the cattle."

"And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with them, and slew them there.' This does look like it, father; but not quite like it, for it is said that the people'slew' the cattle."

"I am not sure that they really did so. I rather

What was forbidden in God's covenant with Noah? Repeat other verses.

think that they maimed them, after the manner of the Abyssinians; especially as the remark of Bruce is a just one, that'a very few years after this, the Abyssinians came from Palestine, and carried with them this and many other Jewish customs, which have continued among them to this day."

NAPKINS.

One day, when Harry had seen his father washing himself, and wiping his face very particularly, as he was accustomed to do, with a napkin, he said, “Father, there is an odd account in an old book on your study table, of an emperor of Morocco, who never used napkins to wipe himself with."

"What then did he use, Harry ?"

"A boy's head."

"What, Harry? A boy's head! That would be a strange kind of napkin."

"Shall I fetch the book ?"

CC Do, and let us hear it."

What does Bruce say of the Abyssinians? What did the Emperor of Morocco use for a napkın?