had  gnawed  through  thirty-two  doors;  and  many
of  the  oaken  window  frames  were  irreparably  in-
jured by  them.  While  I  was  in  Guiana,  a  Dutch
lady,  named  Vandenheuvil,  had  given  me  a  young
tiger-cat,  which  one  of  her  negroes  had  taken  that
day  in  a  coffee  field.  It  was  the  marjay,  which,
by  the  by,  Buffon  considers  untameable.  I  raised
it  with  great  care  ;  and  it  grew  so  fond  of  me,  that
it  would  follow  my  steps  like  a  dog.  Nothing
could  surpass  the  dexterity  with  which  this  little
feline  favourite  destroyed  the  rats  on  our  reaching
home.  Towards  the  close  of  day  it  would  ascend
the  staircase;  and  no  sooner  did  a  rat  make  its
appearance  from  the  casements,  than  it  would  spring
at  it  with  the  velocity  of  an  arrow,  and  never  fail  to
seize  it.  In  1828,  having  got,  by  long  experience,
a  tolerably  good  insight  into  the  habits  of  this
tormenting  quadruped,  and  having  found  that  it
spoiled  or  pilfered  every  thing  within  its  reach,  I
finally  resolved  that  it  should  look  out  for  another
place  of  residence.  Wherefore  I  carefully  searched
for  all  its  various  entrance  holes.  These  I  effectually
closed  with  stone  and  mortar.  I  then  filled  up  all
useless  sewers,  and  paid  great  attention  to  the
paving  and  renewing  of  those  which  were  absolutely
required ;  fixing,  at  the  same  time,  in  either  end  of
them,  a  cast-iron  grate,  movable  at  pleasure.  The
bottoms  of  all  the  outer  doors  were  done  with  hoop
iron ;  and  the  pavement  which  goes  round  the  house
was  relaid  with  particular  care.  By  these  pre-
cautions, I  barred  all  access  to  these  greedy  in-
truders ;  and,  as  no  rubbish  or  lumber  is  i\ow


THE    RAT.  215

allowed  to  remain  in  the  different  nooks  and  crannies
commonly  found  near  ancient  dwellings,  there  is
no  place  of  shelter  left  to  conceal  any  stray  indi-
vidual whose  bowels  may  chance  to  yearn  for  one
more  repast  on  cheese  or  bacon.  In  the  mean
time,  the  cat  and  the  owl  meet  with  no  obstructions,
while  prowling  for  those  which  may  still  linger  in
the  environs.  The  mice,  too,  seem  to  have  taken
the  alarm.  In  a  word,  not  a  single  mouse  or  rat  is
to  be  found  in  any  part  of  the  house,  from  the
cellars  to  the  attic  stories.
