FRONTISPIECE. 
 
 See Pasre 10. 
 
THE 
 
 TRANSMIGRATIONS OF INDDR, 
 
 AN INDIAN BRACHMAN, 
 
 Through the Bodies of an 
 
 ANTELOPE, 
 
 WHALE, 
 
 WILD GOOSE, 
 
 BEE, 
 
 DORMOUSE, 
 
 RABBIT, 
 
 ELEPHANT, 
 
 MASTIFF, 
 
 AND HIS RETURN TO THE HUMAN FORM. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED FOR HOULSTON AND CO 
 65, Paternoster-Row. 
 
THE 
 
 TRANSMIGRATIONS OF INDUR, 
 
 At the time when Fairies and Genii 
 possessed the powers which they have now 
 lost, there lived in the country of the 
 Brachmans, a man named Indur, who was 
 distinguished, not only for that gentleness 
 of disposition and humanity towards all 
 living creatures, which are so much culti- 
 vated among those people, but for an 
 insatiable curiosity respecting the nature 
 and way of life of all animals. In pursuit 
 of knowledge of this kind, he would fre- 
 quently spend the night among lonely 
 rocks, or in the midst of thick forests; 
 and there, under shelter of a hanging clitt 
 or mounted upon a high tree, he would 
 watch the motions and actions of all the 
 animals that seek their prey in the night; 
 and remaining in the same spot till the 
 
■vMfjMawiMiHiuHT'iA^TmBringHiBKvnuM 
 
 8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 break of day, he would observe this tribe 
 of creatures retiring to their dens, and all 
 others coming forth to enjoy the beams of 
 the rising sun. On these occasions, if he 
 saw any opportunity of exercising his be- 
 nevolence towards animals in distress, he 
 never failed to make use of it; and many 
 times rescued the small bird from the 
 pitiless hawk, and the lamb or kid from 
 the gripe of the wolf and lynx. 
 
 One day, as he was sitting on a tree in 
 the forest, a little frolicsome monkey, in 
 taking a great leap from one bough to 
 another, chanced to miss its hold, and 
 fell from a great height to the ground. 
 As it lay there unable to move, Indur 
 espied a large venomous serpent advanc- 
 ing to make the poor defenceless creature 
 his prey. He immediately descended from 
 his post, and taking the little monkey in 
 his arms, ran with it to the tree, and 
 gently placed it upon a bough. In the 
 mean time, the enraged serpent pursuing 
 him, overtook him before he could mount 
 the tree, and bit him in the leg. Pre- 
 sently, the limb began to swell, and the 
 effects of the venom became visible over 
 
INTRODUCTION. 9 
 
 ludui's whole frame. He grew faint, sick, 
 and pale; and sinking on the ground, was 
 sensible that his last moments were fast 
 approaching. As thus he lay, he was 
 surprised to hear a human voice from the 
 tree; and looking up, he beheld, on the 
 bough where he had placed the monkey, 
 a beautiful woman, who thus addressed 
 him — 
 
 ** Indur, I am truly grieved that thy 
 kindness to me should have been the cause 
 of thy destruction. Know% that in the 
 form of the poor monkey, it was the potent 
 fairy Perezinda, to whom thou gavest suc- 
 cour. Obliged to pass a certain number 
 of days every year under the shape of an 
 animal, I had chosen this form; and, 
 though not mortal, I should have suffered 
 extreme agonies from the bite of the ser- 
 pent, hadst thou not so humanely assisted 
 me. It is not in my power to prevent the 
 fatal eftect of the poison; but I am able 
 to grant thee any wish thou shalt form 
 respecting the future state of existence to 
 which thou art now hastening. Speak 
 then, before it be too late, and let me 
 shew my gratitude." 
 
 B 
 
10 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ** Great Perezinda!" replied Indur, 
 *' since you deign so bounteously to return 
 my service, this is the request that I 
 make : — In all my transmigrations may I 
 retain a rational soul, with the memory 
 of the adventures I have gone through; 
 and when death sets me free from one 
 body, may I instantly animate another in 
 the prime of its powers and faculties, 
 without passing through the helpless state 
 of infancy/' 
 
 •* It is granted," answered the fairy. 
 And immediately breaking a small branch 
 from the tree, and breathing on it, she 
 threw it down to Indur, and bid him hold 
 it fast in his hand. He did so, and pre- 
 sently expired. 
 
11 
 
 THE ANTELOPE. 
 
 Indur instantly found himself in a 
 green valley by the side of a clear stream, 
 grazing amid a large herd of Antelopes, 
 
 He admired his elegant shape, sleek 
 spotted skin, and polished spiral horns; 
 and drank with delight of the cool rivulet, 
 cropped the juicy herb, and sported with 
 his companions. Soon an alarm was given 
 of the approach of an enemy ; and they all 
 set off with the swiftness of the wind to the 
 neighbouring immense plains; where they 
 were presently out of the reach of injury. 
 
WjH 
 
 12 THE ANTELOPE. 
 
 Indur was highly delighted with the 
 ease and rapidity of his motions; and 
 snuffing the keen air of the desert, bound- 
 ed away, scarcely deigning to touch the 
 ground with his feet. This way of life 
 went on very pleasantly for some time, till 
 at leno^th the herd was one mornino; alarm- 
 ed with noises of trumpets, drums, and 
 loud shouts on every side. They started, 
 and ran first to the right, then to the left, 
 but were continually driven back by the 
 surrounding crowd, which now appeared 
 to be a whole army of hunters, with the 
 king of the country and all his nobles, 
 assembled at a solemn chase, after the 
 manner of the eastern people. And now 
 the circle began to close, and numbers 
 of affrighted animals of various kinds 
 thronged together in the centre, keeping 
 as far as possible from the dangers that 
 approached them from all quarters. The 
 huntsmen were now come near enough to 
 reach their game with their arrows; and 
 the prince and his lords shot at them as 
 they passed and repassed, killing and 
 wounding great numbers. 
 
 Indur and his surviving companions, 
 
THE ANTELOPE. 13 
 
 seeing no other means of escape, resolved 
 to make a bold push towards that part 
 of the ring which was the most weakly 
 guarded; and though many perished in 
 the attempt, yet a few, leaping over the 
 heads of the people, got clear away: and 
 Indur was among the number. 
 
 But while he was scouring over the 
 plain, rejoicing in his good fortune and 
 conduct, an enemy swifter than himself 
 overtook him. This was a falcon, who, 
 let loose by one of the huntsmen, dashed 
 like lightning after the fugitives; and 
 alighting upon the head of Indur, began 
 to tear his eyes with his beak, and flap 
 his wings over his face. Indur, terrified 
 and blinded, knew not which way he went ; 
 and, instead of proceeding straight for- 
 wards, turned round, and came again to- 
 wards the hunters. One of these, riding 
 full speed with a javelin in his hand, came 
 up to him, and ran the weapon into his 
 side. He fell down, and with repeated 
 wounds was soon dispatched. 
 
14 
 
 THE WILD GOOSE. 
 
 When the struggle of death was over, 
 Indur was equally surprised and pleased 
 on finding himself soaring high in the 
 air, as one of a flight of Wild Geese, in 
 their annual migration to breed in the 
 arctic regions. 
 
 With vast delight he sprung forward on 
 easy wing through the immense fields of 
 air, and surveyed beneath him extensive 
 tracts of earth perpetually varying with 
 plains, mountains, rivers, lakes, and woods. 
 At the approach of night, the flock light- 
 
THE WILD GOOSE. 15 
 
 ed on the ground, and fed on the green 
 corn or grass; and at daybreak they were 
 again on the wing, arranged in a regular 
 wedge-like body, with an experienced 
 leader at their'^head. Thus for many 
 days they continued their journey, pass- 
 ing over countries inhabited by various 
 nations, till at length they arrived in the 
 remotest part of Lapland, and settled in 
 a wide marshy lake, filled with numer- 
 ous reedy islands, and surrounded on all 
 sides with dark forests of pine and birch. 
 Here, in perfect security from man and 
 hurtful animals, they followed the great 
 business of breeding and providing for 
 their young, living plentifully upon the 
 insects and aquatic reptiles that abounded 
 in this sheltered spot. 
 
 Indur with great pleasure exercised his 
 various powers, of swimming, diving, and 
 flying; sailing round the islands, pene- 
 trating into every creek and bay, and 
 visiting the deepest recesses of the woods. 
 He surveyed with astonishment the sun, 
 instead of rising and setting, making a 
 complete circle in the heavens, and cheer- 
 ing the earth with a perpetual day. Here 
 
16 THE WILD GOOSE. 
 
 he met with innumerable tribes of kindred 
 birds varying in size, plumage, and voice, 
 but all passing their time in a similar 
 manner, and furnished with the same 
 powers for providing food and a safe re- 
 treat for themselves and their young. The 
 whole lake was covered with parties fish- 
 ing or sporting, and resounded with their 
 loud cries; while the islands were filled 
 with their nests, and new broods of young 
 were continually coming forth and launch- 
 ing upon the surface of the waters. 
 
 One day, Indur's curiosity having led 
 him at a distance from his companions to 
 the woody border of the lake, he was 
 near paying dear for his heedlessness; for 
 a fox, that lay in wait among the bushes, 
 sprang upon him, and it was with the 
 utmost difficulty that by a strong exertion 
 he broke from his hold, not without the 
 loss of some feathers. 
 
 Summer now drawing to an end, the 
 vast congregation of waterfowl began to 
 break up; and large bodies of them daily 
 took their way southwards, to pass the 
 winter in climates where the w^aters are 
 never so frozen as to become uninhabitable 
 
THE WILD GOOSE. 17 
 
 by the feathered race. The wild geese, 
 to whom Indur belonp^ed, proceeded with 
 their young ones by long daily journeys 
 across Sweden, the Baltic Sea, Poland, 
 and Turkey, to Lesser Asia, and finished 
 their journey at the celebrated plains on 
 the banks of the Cayster, a noted resort 
 for their species ever since the age of 
 Homer, who in some very beautiful verses 
 has described the manners and actions of 
 the various tribes of acquatic birds in that 
 favourite spot. 
 
 '' Not less their number than the embodied 
 
 cranes 
 Ov milk-white swans on Asia's watery plains, 
 That o'er the windings of Cayster springs 
 Stretch their long necks, and clap their rustling 
 
 wings. 
 Now tower aloft, and course in airy rounds; 
 Now light with noise ; with noise the field re- 
 sounds/' 
 
 Here they soon recruited from the fa- 
 tigue of their march, and enjoyed them- 
 * selves in the delicious climate till winter. 
 This season, though here extremely mild, 
 yet making the means of sustenance some- 
 what scarce, they were obliged to make 
 c 
 
nvimi 
 
 18 
 
 THE WILD GOOSE. 
 
 foraging excursions to the cultivated lands 
 in the neighbourhood. Havina; committed 
 great depredations upon a fine field of 
 young wheat, the owner spread a net on 
 the ground, in which Indur, with several 
 of his companions, had the misfortune to 
 be caught. No mercy was shewn them, 
 but, as they were taken out one by one, 
 their necks were all broken. 
 
19 
 
 THE DORMOUSE. 
 
 Indur was not immediately sensible 
 of the next change he underwent, which 
 was into a Dormouse, fast asleep in a 
 hole at the foot of a bush. 
 
 As it was in a country where the winter 
 was pretty severe, he did not awake for 
 some weeks; when a thaw having taken 
 place, and the sun beginning to warm 
 the earth, he unrolled himself one day, 
 stretched, opened his eyes, and not being 
 able to make out where he was, he roused 
 a female companion whom he found by 
 
20 THE DORMOUSE. 
 
 his side. When she was sufficiently awak- 
 ened, and they both began to feel hungry, 
 she led the way to a magazine of nuts and 
 acorns, where they made a comfortable 
 meal, and soon fell asleep again. This 
 nap having lasted a few days, they awak- 
 ed a second time, and having eaten, they 
 ventured to crawl to the mouth of their 
 hole, where, pulling away some withered 
 grass and leaves, they peeped out into the 
 open air. After taking a turn or two in 
 the sun, they grew chill, and went down 
 again, stopping up the entrance after 
 them. The cold weather returning, they 
 took another long nap, till at length, 
 spring being fairly set in, they roused in 
 earnest, and began to make daily excur- 
 sions abroad. Their winter stock of pro- 
 visions being now exhausted, they were 
 for some time reduced to great straits, 
 and obliged to dig for roots and pignuts. 
 Their fare was mended as the season ad- 
 vanced, and they made a nest near the 
 bottom of a tree, where they brought up 
 a young family. They never ranged far 
 from home, nor ascended the higher 
 branches of the tree, and passed great part 
 
THE DORMOUSE. 
 
 21 
 
 of their time in sleep, even during the 
 midst of summer. When autumn came, 
 they were busily employed in collecting 
 the nuts, acorns, and other dry fruits that 
 fell from the trees, and laying them up 
 in their storehouses under ground. One 
 day, as Indur was closely engaged in this 
 occupation, at some distance from his 
 dwelling, he was seized by a wild cat, 
 who, after tormenting him for a time, gave 
 him a gripe, and put him out of his pain. 
 
 ll^»!,h,i... 
 
BKtl 
 
 22 
 
 THE ELEPHANT. 
 
 From one of the smallest and most 
 defenceless of animals, Indur found him- 
 self instantly changed into a majestic 
 Elephanty in a lofty forest in the Isle of 
 Ceylon. 
 
 Elated with this wonderful advance- 
 ment in the scale of creation, he stalked 
 along with conscious dignity, and survey- 
 ed with pleasing wonder his own form 
 and that of his companions, together with 
 the rich scenery of the ever-verdant woods, 
 which perfumed the air with their spicy 
 
THE ELEPHANT. 23 
 
 odour, and lifted their tall heads to the 
 clouds. 
 
 Here, fearing no injury, and not desi- 
 rous to do any, the gigantic herd roamed 
 at large, feeding on the green branches 
 which they tore down with their trunks, 
 bathing in deep rivers during the heat of 
 the day, and reposing in the depths of the 
 forests, reclined against the massy trunks 
 of trees by night. 
 
 It was long before Indur met with any 
 adventure that could lead him to doubt 
 his security. But, one day, having pene- 
 trated into a close entangled thicket, he 
 espied, lurking under the thick covert, 
 a grim tiger, whose eyes flashed rage and 
 fury. Though the tiger was one of the 
 largest of his species, yet his bulk was 
 trifling compared to that of an elephant, 
 a single foot of which seemed suflicient 
 to crush him ; yet the fierceness and cru- 
 elty of his looks, his angry growl, and 
 grinning teeth, struck some terror into 
 Indur. There was little time, however, 
 for reflection; for when Indur had ad- 
 vanced a single step, the tiger, setting up 
 a roar, sprung up to meet him, attempt- 
 
24 THE ELEPHANT. 
 
 ing to seize his lifted trunk. ludur was 
 dexterous enough to receive him upon 
 one of his tusks, and exerting all his 
 strength, threw the tiger to a great dis- 
 tance. He was somewhat stunned by the 
 fall, but recovering, renewed the assault 
 with redoubled fury. Indur again, and 
 a third time, thiew him off; after which, 
 the tiger, turning about, bounded away 
 into the midst of the thicket. Indur 
 drew back, and rejoined his companions, 
 with some abatement in the confidence he 
 had placed in his size and strength, which 
 had not prevented him from undergoing 
 so dangerous an attack. 
 
 Soon after, he joined the rest of the 
 herd in an expedition beyond the bounds 
 of the forest, to make depredations on 
 some fields of maize. They committed 
 great havoc, devouring some, but tearing 
 up and trampling down a great deal more ; 
 when the inhabitants, taking the alarm, 
 assembled in great numbers, and with 
 fierce shouts and flaming brands drove 
 them back to the woods. Not contented 
 with thus repulsing them, they were re- 
 solved to make them pay for the mischief 
 
THE ELEPHANT. 25 
 
 they had done, by taking some of them 
 prisoners. 
 
 For this purpose they inclosed a large 
 space among the trees with strong posts 
 and stakes, bringing it to a narrower and 
 narrower compass, and ending at last in 
 a passage only capable of admitting one 
 elephant at a time. This was divided 
 into several apartments, by strong cross- 
 bars, which would lift up and down. They 
 then sent out some tame female elephants 
 bred to the business, who approaching the 
 herd of wild ones, inveigled the males to 
 follow them toward the inclosures. 
 
 Indur was among the first who was de- 
 coyed by their artifices; and with some 
 others following heedlessly, he got into 
 the narrowest part of the indosure, oppo- 
 site to the passage. Here they stood a 
 while, doubting whether they should go 
 further. But the females leading the way, 
 and uttering their cry of invitation, they 
 ventured at length to follow. When a 
 sufficient number was in the passage, the 
 bars were let down by men placed for 
 that purpose, and the elephants were fair- 
 ly caught in a trap. As soon as they were 
 
26 THE ELEPHANT. 
 
 sensible of their situation, they fell into 
 a fit of rage, and with all their efforts 
 endeavoured to break through. But the 
 hunters, throwino- nooses over them, bound 
 them fast with strong ropes and chains to 
 the posts on each side, and thus kept 
 them without food or sleep for three days; 
 when, being exhausted with hunger and 
 fatigue, they gave signs of sufficient tame- 
 ness. They were now let out\one by one, 
 and bound each of them to two large tame 
 elephants with riders on their backs, and 
 thus without resistance were led away 
 close prisoners. They were then put into 
 separate stables, and by proper discipline 
 were presently rendered quite tame and 
 gentle. 
 
 Not long after,^ Indur, with five more, 
 was sent over from Ceylon to the continent 
 of India, and sold to one of the princes 
 of the country. 
 
 He was now trained to all the services 
 elephants are there employed in; which 
 were to carry people on his back in a 
 kind of sedan or litter; to draw cannon, 
 ships, and other great weights; to kneel 
 and rise at command, make obeisance to 
 
THE ELEPHANT. 27 
 
 his lord, and perform all the motions and 
 attitudes he was ordered. Thus he lived 
 a long time, well fed and caressed, clothed 
 in costly trappings on days of ceremony, 
 and contributing to the pomp of eastern 
 
 royalty. 
 
 At length a war broke out, and Indur 
 came to be employed in a different scene. 
 After proper training, he was marched, 
 with a number of his fellows, into the 
 field, bearing on his back a small wooden 
 tower, in which were placed some soldiers 
 with a small field-piece. They soon came 
 in sight of the enemy, and both sides were 
 drawn up for battle. Indur and the rest 
 were urged forwards by their leaders, 
 wondering at the same time at the scene 
 in which they were engaged, so contrary 
 to their nature and manners. Presently 
 all was involved in smoke and fire. The 
 elephants advancing, soon put to flight 
 those who were drawn up before them; 
 but their career was stopped by a battery 
 of cannon, which played furiously against 
 them. Their vast bodies offered a fair 
 mark to the balls, which presently struck 
 down some, and wounded others. Indur 
 
p»ira»9»M»auftna»u»^Nffl«jRKniRS^^ 
 
 28 THE ELEPHANT. 
 
 received a shot on one of his tusks, which 
 broke it, and put him to such pain and 
 affright, that, turninp^ about, he ran with 
 all speed over the plain ; and falling in 
 with a body of their own infantry, he 
 burst through, trampling down whole 
 ranks, and tilling them with terror and 
 confusion. His leader having now lost 
 all command over him, and finding him 
 hurtful only to his own party, applied the 
 sharp instrument he carried to the nape of 
 his neck, and driving it in with all his 
 force, pierced his spinal marrow, so that 
 he fell lifeless to the ground. 
 
29 
 
 THE WHALE. 
 
 In the next stage of his existence, 
 Indur, to his great surprise, found even 
 the vast bulk of the elephant prodigiously 
 exceeded ; for he was now a Whale of 
 the largest species, roUing in the midst 
 of the arctic seas. 
 
 As he darted along, the lash of his 
 tail made whirlpools in the mighty deep. 
 When he opened his immense jaws, he 
 drew in a flood of brine, which, on rising 
 to the surface, he spouted out again in a 
 rushing fountain, that rose high in the air 
 
30 THE WHALE. 
 
 with the noise of a mighty cataract. All 
 the other inhabitants of the ocean seemed 
 as nothing to him. He swallowed, almost 
 without knowing it, whole shoals of the 
 smaller kinds; and the larger swiftly 
 turned aside at his approach. '' Now,'' 
 he cried to himself, *' whatever other evils 
 may await me, I am certainly secure from 
 the molestations of other animals; for 
 what is the creature that can dare to cope 
 with me, or measure his strength with 
 
 mme : 
 
 Having said this, he saw swimming near 
 him a fish not a quarter of his length, 
 armed with a dreadful row of teeth. This 
 was a grampus, which, directly fiying upon 
 Indur, fastened on him, and made his 
 great teeth meet in his flesh. Indur roar- 
 ed with pain, and lashed the sea, till it 
 was all in a foam ; but could neither reach 
 nor shake off his cruel foe. He rolled 
 over and over, rose and sunk, and exerted 
 all his boasted strength; but to no pur- 
 pose. At length the grampus quitted his 
 hold, and left him not a little mortified 
 with the adventure. 
 
 This was however forgotten, and Indur 
 
THE WHALE. 31 
 
 received pleasure from his new situation, 
 as he roamed through the boundless fields 
 of ocean, now diving to its very bottom, 
 now shooting swiftly to its surface, and 
 sporting with his companions in unwieldy 
 gambols. Having chosen a mate, he took 
 his course with her southwards, and in 
 due time brought up two young ones, of 
 whom he was extremely fond. The sum- 
 mer season being arrived, he more fre- 
 quently than usual rose to the surface, and 
 basking in the sunbeams, floated unmoved 
 with a large part of his huge body above 
 the waves. 
 
 As he was thus one day enjoying a pro- 
 found sleep, he was awakened by a sharp 
 instrument penetrating deep into his back. 
 Instantly he sprung away with the swift- 
 ness of lightning, and feeling the weapon 
 still sticking, he dived into the recesses 
 of the deep, and stayed there till want of 
 air obliged him to ascend to the surface. 
 Here another harpoon was plunged into 
 him, the smart of which again made himi 
 flv from his unseen foes; but, after a 
 shorter course, he was again compelled to 
 rise, much weakened by the loss of blood, 
 
32 
 
 THE WHALE. 
 
 which, gushing in a torrent, tinged the 
 waters as he passed. Another wound was 
 inflicted, which soon brought him almost 
 lifeless to the surface ; and the line fast- 
 ened to the first harpoon being now pulled 
 in, this enormous creature was brought, 
 an unresisting prey, to the side of a ship, 
 where he was soon quite dispatched, and 
 then cut to pieces. 
 
33 
 
 THE BEE. 
 
 The soul of this huge carcase had next 
 a much narrower lodging, for Indur was 
 changed into a Bee, which, with a great 
 multitude of its young companions, was 
 on flight in search of a new settlement, 
 their parents having driven them out of 
 the hive, which was unable to contain 
 
 them all. 
 
 After a rambling excursion, the queen, 
 by whom all their motions were directed, 
 settled on the branch of a lofty tree. 
 They all immediately clustered round her, 
 
■«fi 
 
 34 THE BEE. 
 
 and soon formed a large black bunch, 
 depending from the bough. A man pre- 
 sently plantmg a ladder, ascended with a 
 bee-hive, and swept them in. After they 
 were quietly settled in their new habita- 
 tion, they were placed on a stand in the 
 garden along with some other colonies, 
 and left to begin their labours. Every 
 fine morning, as soon as the sun was up, 
 the greatest part of them sallied forth, 
 and roamed over the garden and the 
 neighbouring fields in search of fresh and 
 fragrant flowers. They first collected a 
 quantity of gluey matter, with which they 
 lined all the inside of their house. Then 
 they brought wax, and began to make 
 their cells, building them with the utmost 
 regularity, though it was their first at- 
 tempt, and they had no teacher. As fast 
 as they were built, some were filled with 
 liquid honey gathered from the nectaries 
 of flowers; and as they filled the cells, 
 they sealed them up with a thin covering 
 of wax. In other cells, the queen bee 
 deposited her eggs, which were to supply 
 a new progeny for the ensuing year. No- 
 thing could be a more pleasing sight, than 
 
THE BEE. 35 
 
 to behold on a sunshiny day the insects 
 continually going forth to their labour, 
 while others were as constantly arriving 
 at the mouth of the hole, either with yel- 
 low balls of wax under their thighs, or 
 full of the honey which they had drawn 
 in with their trunks for the purpose of 
 spouting it out into the cells of the honey- 
 comb. 
 
 Indur felt much delight in this useful 
 and active way of life, and was always 
 one of the first abroad at the dawn, and 
 latest home in the evening. On rainy 
 and foggy days they stayed at home, 
 and employed themselves in finishing their 
 cells, and all the necessary work within 
 doors; and Indur, though endued with 
 human reason, could not but admire the 
 readiness with which he and the rest 
 formed the most regular plans of work, 
 all corresponding in design and execution, 
 guided by instinct alone. 
 
 The end of autumn now approaching, 
 the bees had filled their combs with honey ; 
 and nothing more being to be got abroad, 
 they stayed within doors, passing most of 
 their time in sleep. They ate a little of 
 
36 THE BEE. 
 
 their store, but with great frugaUty ; and 
 all their meals were made in public, none 
 daring to make free with the common 
 stock by himself. 
 
 The owner of the hives now came, and 
 took them one by one into his hand, that 
 he might judge by the weight whether 
 or no they were full of honey. That in 
 which Indur was, proved to be one of 
 the heaviest; and it was therefore re- 
 solved to take the contents. For this 
 purpose, one cold night, when the bees 
 were all fast asleep, the hive was placed 
 over a hole in the ground, in which were 
 put brimstone matches set on fire. The 
 fumes rose into the hive, and soon suf- 
 focated great part of the bees, and stupi- 
 fied the rest, so that they all fell from the 
 combs. Indur was among the dead. 
 
37 
 
 THE RABBIT. 
 
 He soon revived in the form of a young 
 Rabbit, in a spacious warren. 
 
 This was like a populous town ; being 
 everywhere hollowed by burrows running 
 deep under ground, and each inhabited 
 by one or more families. In the evening 
 the warren was covered with a vast num- 
 ber of rabbits, old and young, some feed- 
 ing, others frisking about, and pursuing 
 one another in wanton sport. At the 
 least alarm, they all hurried into the holes 
 nearest them, and were in an instant safe 
 
38 THE RABBIT. 
 
 from enemies, who either could not follow 
 them at all, or if they did, were foiled 
 in the chase by the numerous ways and 
 turnings in the earth, communicating with 
 each other, so as to afford easy means of 
 escape. 
 
 Indur delighted much in this secure 
 and social life; and taking a mate, was 
 soon the father of a numerous offspring. 
 Several of the little ones, however, not 
 being sufficiently careful, fell a prey either 
 to hawks and crows, continually hovering 
 over the warren, or to cats, foxes, and 
 other wild quadrupeds, vv'ho used every 
 art to catch them at a distance from their 
 holes. Indur himself ran several hazards. 
 He was once very near being caught by 
 a little dog trained for the purpose, who 
 kept playing round for a considerable 
 time, not seeming to attend to the rab- 
 bits, till having got near, he all at once 
 darted into the midst of them. Another 
 time, he received some shot from a sports- 
 man who lay on the watch behind a hedge 
 adjoining the warren. 
 
 The number of rabbits here was so 
 great, that a hard winter coming on, 
 
THE RABBIT. 39 
 
 which killed most of the vegetables, or 
 buried them deep under the snow, they 
 were reduced to great straits, and many 
 were famished to death. Some turnips 
 and hay, however, which were laid for 
 them, preserved the greater part. 
 
 The approach of spring renewed their 
 sport and pleasure; and Indur was made 
 the father of another family. One night, 
 however, was fatal to them all. As they 
 were sleeping, they were alarmed by the 
 attack of a ferret; and running with great 
 speed to the mouth of their burrow to 
 escape it, they were all caught in nets 
 placed over their holes. Indur with the 
 rest was dispatched by a blow on the 
 back of the neck, and his body was sent 
 to the nearest market-town. 
 
 
 
40 
 
 THE MASTIFF. 
 
 His next change was into a young 
 Mastiffs brought up in a farm-yard. 
 
 Havmg nearly acquired his full size, he 
 was sent as a present to a gentleman in 
 the neighbourhood, who wanted a faithful 
 guard for his house and grounds. Indur 
 presently attached himself to his master 
 and all his family, and shewed every mark 
 of a noble and generous nature. Though 
 fierce as a lion whenever he thought the 
 persons or properties of his friends invad- 
 ed, he was as gentle as a lamb at other 
 
THE MASTIFF. 41 
 
 times, and would patiently suffer any kind 
 of freedoms from those he loved. He 
 permitted the children of the house to lug 
 him about, ride on his back, and use him 
 as roughly as their little hands were capa- 
 ble of; never, even when hurt, shewing 
 any displeasure further than by a low 
 growl. He was extremely indulgent to 
 all the other animals of his species in the 
 yard; and when abroad would treat the 
 impertinent Darking of little dogs with 
 silent contempt. Once indeed, being 
 provoked beyond bearing, not only by the 
 noise, but by the snaps of a malicious 
 whelp, he suddenly seized him in his open 
 mouth ; but when the bystanders thought 
 that the poor cur was going instantly to 
 be devoured, they were equally diverted 
 and pleased at seeing Indur go to the side 
 of a muddy ditch, and drop his antagonist 
 unhurt into the middle of it. 
 
 He had, however, more serious conflicts 
 frequently to sustain. He was accustom- 
 ed to attend the servant on market-days 
 to the neighbouring town, when it was 
 his oflice to guard the provision cart, 
 while the man was making his purchases 
 
42 THE MASTIFF. 
 
 in the shops. On these occasions, the 
 boldest dogs in the street would sometimes 
 make an onset in a body; and while 
 some of them were engaging Indur, others 
 would be mounting the cart, and pulling 
 down the meat-baskets. Indur had much 
 ado to defend himself and the baggage 
 too; however, he never failed to make 
 some of the assailants pay dearly for their 
 impudence ; and by his loud barking, he 
 summoned his human fellow-servant to 
 his assistance, in time to prevent their 
 depredations. 
 
 At length his courage was exerted on 
 the most important service to which it 
 could be applied. His master returning 
 home late one evening, was attacked near 
 his own house by three armed ruffians. 
 Indur heard his voice calling for help, 
 and instantly flew to his relief. He seized 
 one of the villains by the throat, brought 
 him to the ground, and presently disabled 
 him. The master, in the mean time, was 
 keeping off the other two with a large 
 stick; but had received several wounds 
 with a cutlass ; and one of the men had 
 presented a pistol, and was just on the 
 
THE MASTIFF. 43 
 
 point of firing. At this moment Indur, 
 leaving his vanquished foe on the ground, 
 rushed forward, and seizing the man's 
 arm, made him drop the pistol. The 
 master took it up; on which the other 
 robber fled. He now advanced to him 
 with whom Indur was engaged, and fired 
 the pistol at him. The ball broke the 
 man s arm, and thence entered the body 
 of Indur, and mortally wounded him. He 
 fell, but had the satisfaction of seeing his 
 master remain lord of the field ; and the 
 servants now coming up, made prisoners 
 of the two wounded robbers. The mas- 
 ter threw himself by the side of Indur, 
 and expressed the warmest concern at the 
 accident which had made him the cause 
 of the death of the faithful animal that 
 had preserved his life. Indur died lickmg 
 his hand. 
 
K'lMBainnDnnHawaHanraHVfiiis^wiiM^ 
 
 44 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 So generous a nature was now no longer 
 to be annexed to a brutal form. Indur, 
 awaking as it were from a trance, found 
 himself again in the happy region he had 
 formerly inhabited, and recommenced the 
 innocent life of a Brachman. He cherish- 
 ed the memory of his transmigrations, 
 and handed them down to posterity, in a 
 relation from which the preceding ac- 
 count has been extracted for the amuse- 
 ment of the young reader. 
 
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