Page:Account of a most surprising savage girl.pdf/6

6 and though of no greater thickness than her finger, she would place her thumbs on a branch of the tree in which she happened to be, and by their means spring to the other, just like a squirrel. From this we may judge of the strength of those thumbs of hers, which were able in this manner to sustain the whole weight of her body in springing. She was committed to the care of the shepherd, who dwelt near the castle, and recommended by M. d’Epinoy to his utmost care, who promised to reward him handsomely for his pains. We may well conceive, that it would require a considerable deal of time and some hard usage, to wean her from her former habits, and to temper her fierce and savage disposition; and there is reason to believe she was very closely confined in this house, for she found means to make holes in the walls, and in the tiles of the roof, upon which she would run with as much unconcern as upon the ground, never suffering herself to be retaken without a great deal of trouble, and passing so artfully through small holes, that they could scarcely believe their eyes, after they had seen her do it. It was thus that she escaped once, among several other times, out of this house, in a most severe