Page:Account of a most surprizing savage girl.pdf/18

 sufficient for that purpose, having given an example only four years ago. Of this she shewed me the way, standing upright, with both arms held straight up, as if holding something above the water, having the end of her handkerchief between her teeth, like a fish breathing at the same time softly, but without stopping, with each corner of her mouth alternately, as a smoaker breathes with one side of his mouth, while he holds his pipe in the other. In this way, by le Blanc's account, she and her companion passed the Marne in their way to Songi, where she was taken, as above-mentioned.

In the year 1765, she was in a poor state of health, having lost all her extraordinary bodily faculties, and having nothing of the savage, but a certain wildness in her look, and a great appetite.

foregoing Narrative was drawn up under the immediate inspection of M. de la Condemine, a French gentleman, whose curiosity and accuracy, in matters of this sort is universally known, and who had a particular acquaintance with Madamoiselle le Blanc. It bears the plainest marks of truth and authenticity;