animal, who seemed to be three times larger than an ox, as I computed by
the view of her head and one of her paws, while her mistress was feeding
and stroking her. The fierceness of this creature's countenance
altogether discomposed me, though I stood at the further end of the
table, above fifty feet off, and although my mistress held her fast, for
fear she might give a spring and seize me in her talons.

But it happened there was no danger; for the cat took not the least
notice of me, when my master placed me within three yards of her. And as
I have been always told, and found true by experience in my travels,
that flying or discovering[46] fear before a fierce animal is a certain
way to make it pursue or attack you, so I resolved in this dangerous
juncture to show no manner of concern. I walked with intrepidity five or
six times before the very head of the cat, and came within half a yard
of her; whereupon she drew herself back, as if she were more afraid of
me. I had less apprehension concerning the dogs, whereof three or four
came into the room, as it is usual in farmers' houses; one of which was
a mastiff equal in bulk to four elephants, and a greyhound somewhat
taller than the mastiff, but not so large.

When dinner was almost done, the nurse came in with a child of a year
old in her arms, who immediately spied me, and began a squall that you
might have heard from London Bridge to Chelsea,[47] after the usual
oratory of infants, to get me for a plaything. The mother out of pure
indulgence took me up, and put me towards the child, who presently
seized me by the middle and got my head in its mouth, where I roared so
loud that the urchin was frighted, and let me drop, and I should
infallibly have broke my neck if the mother had not held her apron
under me. The nurse, to quiet her babe, made use of a rattle, which was
a kind of hollow vessel filled with great stones, and fastened by a