The generous Dutchman and his spirited

Horse.

VOLTEMAD CORNELIUS, a Dutchman, and an inhabitant of the Cape of Good Hope, whose intrepid philanthropy impelled him to risque, and (as it unfortunately proved) to lose his own life in consequence of heroic efforts to save the lives of others. This generous purpose in a great degree he effected, in the year 1773, when a Dutch ship was driven on shore in a storm, near Table Bay, not far from the South River Fort.

Returning from a ride, the state of the vessel, and the cries of the crew strongly interested him in their behalf: though unable to swim, he provided himself with a rope, and being mounted on a

powerful horse, remarkably muscular in its form, plunged with the noble animal into the sea, which rolled in waves sufficiently tremendons to daunt a man of common fortitude. This worthy man with his spirited horse, approached the ship's side, near enough to enable the sailors to lay hold of the end of a cord which he threw out to them by this method and their grasping the horse's tail, he was happy enough, after returning several times, to convey fourteen persons safely on shore.

But in the warmth of his benevolence he appears not to have sufficiently attended to the prodigious and exhaust. ing efforts of his horse, who, in combating with the boisterous billows and his accumulated burthens, was almost spent with fatigue, and debilitated by

K

the quantities of sea water, which in its present agitated state, could not be prevented from rushing in great quantities down his throat. In swimming with a heavy load, the appearance of a horse is singular; his forehead and nostrils are the only parts to be seen; in this perilous situation the least check on his mouth is generally considered as fatal; and it was supposed that some of the half-drowned sailors, in the ardour of self-preservation,'pulled the bridle inadvertently, for the noble creature (far superior to the majority of bipeds who harrass and torment his species) suddenly disappeared with his master; he sunk, and rose no more.

This affecting circumstance induced the Dutch East India Company to erect a monument to Voltemad's memory; they likewise ordered that such

descendants or relations as he left, should be provided for. Before this intelligence reached the Cape, his nephew, a corporal in the service, had solicited to succeed him in a little eployment he held in the menagerie, but being refused, retired in chagrin to a distant settlement, where he died. before the news of the directors' recommendations could reach him.

Intelligent Horses.

SOON after the year 1745, a troop of cavalry, commanded by Sir Robert Clayton, was disbanded in the city of York; but as Sir Robert could not bear the idea of selling the dumb companions of his perils in Germany, to become butchers' hacks and the like, he

absolutely purchased a piece of ground upon Knavesmire Heath, upon which it was bis desire these old horses should remain for life. It was upon this spot that they were seen by the gentleman who communicated this article. A thunder storm coming on at the same time, he was also a witness of the surprising power of instinct in these noble animals. They were grazing promiscuously when the first flashes of lightning made their appearance, and the distant thunder began to roll but as if they supposed these appearances to be the signal of an approaching battle, they were very soon collected, and without the least assistance of any intelligent being, formed into a line almost as complete as if they had been managed by their respective riders.