Page:Account of a most surprizing savage girl.pdf/3

 her reach, she discharged such a terrible blow on his head as laid him dead at her feet. Elated with her victory, she jumped several times over the dead carcase of the dog. Then she tried to open a door, which not being able to effect, she ran back into the country, towards a river, and mounting a tree, fell fast asleep.

A French nobleman happened to be then at his country house of Songi, where, having heard various accounts of the little savage that had appeared on his grounds, he gave orders to catch her; and particularly to the shepherd, who had discovered her first in a vineyard.

One of the country people, by a very simple thought, but which was attributed to his great knowledge of the manners and customs of savages, conjectured that she was thirsty, and advised to place a pitcher full of water at the foot of the tree in which she was sitting, she, after looking sharply around, to see whether any body observed her, came down, and went to drink at the pitcher, plunging her chin into the water; but something having startled her, she regained the top of the tree before they had time to apprehend her. This first stratagem having failed, the same person again