Volume 2
An history of the earth, and animated nature / [Oliver Goldsmith].
- Oliver Goldsmith
- Date:
- 1804
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: An history of the earth, and animated nature / [Oliver Goldsmith]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
441/532 page 353
![stream to reach the grafs on the river sides. Its food is en- tirely upon vegetables; and, therefore, it is never found far in the open sea, but chiefly in the large rivers of South Ame- rica ; and often above two thousand miles from the ocean. It is also found in the seas near Kamschatka, and feeds upon the weeds that grow near the shore. There are likewise level greens at the bottom of some of the Indian bays, and there the manatees are harmlefsly seen grazing among turtles and other crustaceous fishes, neither giving nor fearing any dis- turbance. These animals, when unmolested, keep together in large companies, and surround their young ones*. They bring forth most commonly in autumn ; and it is supposed they go with young eighteen months, for the time of genera- tion is in spring. The manati has no voice nor cry, for the only noise it makes, is by fetching its breath. Its internal parts sorrie- what resemble those ot a horse ; its intestines bein<j longer, in proportion, than those of any other creature, the horse only excepted. The fat of the manati, which lies-under the skin, when ex- posed to the sun, has a fine smell and taste, and far exceeds the fat of any sea animal; it lias this peculiar property, that the heat of the sun will not spoil it, nor make it grow rancid; its taste is like the oil of sweet almonds ; and it will serve very well, in all cases, instead of butter: any quantity may be taken inwardly with safety, for it has no other effect than keeping the body open. The fat of the tail is of a harder consistence; and, when boiled, is more delicate than the toimei. 1 lie lean is like beel, but more red ; and may be kept a long while, in the hottest days, without tainting. It takes up a long time in boiling ; and, when done, eat°s like beef. The fat of the young one is like pork; the. lean is like veal ; and, upon the whole, it is very probable that this animal’s flesh somewhat resembles that of turtle ; since they are fed in the same element, and upon the very same food. The turtle is a delicacy well known ammag us: our luxuries are not as yet sufficiently heightened to introduce the manati; which, if it could he brought over, might singly suffice for a whole corporation. ] * Acta Petropolitana.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22041229_0002_0441.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
