Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/123

 your Fancy; no Garden belonging to it, to give a Man the Pleasure of a Walk; there is neither Tree, Shrub nor green Herb, to delight your Eye; you have only many wild Beasts as your troublesome Inmates and Companions. Snakes you have in abundance, store of Weesels, Lizards and Scorpions; so that sometimes when you would fetch your Hat in the Morning, from the Place you left it in the Night before, you find it surrounded with a Snake, as with a terrible Hat-Band; And yet these Animals afforded me some kind of Diversion in my Solitude, (for you must give me leave to tell you all my Entertainments). I once saw a Weesel fiercely combating with a Snake, and though the whole Family look'd upon her, yet she was not terrified therewith; but though her Adversary struggled, and made what Defence he could, yet she victoriously haled him into her Hole. Another Time I saw a Weesel carrying her young Weesling from one part of the House to another; and, as she was so doing, she leap'd down upon the middle of the Table, where I and some of my Guests were sitting after Dinner, having the young one in her Mouth, which she very fairly left among us on the Table, and skip'd no farther than the Door, as if she had waited what Event would betide her Younging. When we had satisfied ourselves with the Sight of that (yet sharpless) Animal, we laid it down upon the Ground, and then the Dam ran hastily, and snatching it up, carried it to her desired Place. Another time I saw either a Snake, or a Dragon, or a Serpent, trod to pieces by the Horse's Feet, in the Stable; her Belly was very big, and, after I had caused it to be opened, I found three huge Mice therein. 'Twas a wonder to me, how such a slow and creeping Animal could catch so swift and so running a one; and, after he had catch'd