Where now shall I go, poor, forsaken, and blind? As my powder and shot were now very nearly done, I set myself to study some art to trap and snare the goats to see whether I could not catch some of them alive. To this purpose, I made snares to hamper them; and I believe they were more than once taken in them; but my tackle was not good, for I had no wire, and always found them broken and my bait devoured. At length, I resolved to try a pitfall: so I dug several large pits in the earth, in places where I had observed the goats used to feed, and over these pits I placed hurdles, of my own making too, with a great weight upon them; and several times I put ears of barley and dry rice, without setting the trap; and I could easily perceive that the goats had gone in and eaten up the corn, for I could see the marks of their feet. At length, I set three traps in one night, and going the next morning, I found them all standing, and yet the bait eaten and gone; this was very discouraging. However, I altered my traps; and, after a few trials, going one morning to see my traps, I found in one of them a large old he-goat, and in one of the others, three kids, a male and two females. As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him ; he was so fierce, I durst not go into the pit to him; that is to say, to go about to bring him away alive, which was what I wanted. I could have killed him, but that was not my business, nor would it answer my end; so I even let him out, and he ran away as if he had been frighted out of his wits; but I had forgot then, what I learned afterwards, that hunger will tame a lion. If I had let him stay there three or four days without food, and then had carried him some water to drink, and then a little corn, he would have been as tame as one of the kids; for goats are very sagacious, tractable creatures, when they are well used. However, for the present, I let him go, knowing no better at that time. Then I went to the three kids, and, taking them one by one, I tied them with strings together, and with some difficulty brought them all home. It was a good while before they would feed. But some sweet corn, which I threw to them, tempted them, and they began to be tame. D. DEFOE. LITTLE Cowboy, what have you heard, You watch your cattle the summer day, How would you like to roll in your carriage, Seize the Shoemaker-then you may! Sandals in the hall, This way, that way, So we make a shoe ; Nine-and-ninety treasure-crocks Hid in mountains, woods, and rocks, From times of old Each of them fill'd Full to the brim I caught him at work one day, myself, A wrinkled, wizen'd, and bearded Elf, |