 Reference Base  His Discours of Voyages into the Easte & West Indies. De... |
|
Linschoten, J.H. van, 1598. His Discours of Voyages into the Easte & West Indies. Devided into Foure Bookes. London, by Iohn Wolfe, pp. 1-462
|
|
|
|
| |
| Location: |
World |
| Subject: |
Text as original |
| Species: |
All Rhino Species |
 |
|
[Full text in original language]
The 47. Chapter - Of the Abadas or Rhinoceros
The Abada or Rhinoceros is not in India, but onely in Bengala, and Patane. They are lesse and lower than the Elephant. It hath a short horne upon the nose, in the hinder part somewhat big, & toward the end sharper, of a browne blew, and whitish colour, it hath a snout like a hogge, and the skin uppon the upper part of his body is all wrinckled, as if it were armed with shields or Targets. It is a great enemie of the Elephant. Some thinke it is the right Unicorne, because that as yet there hath no other bin found, but only by hearesay, and by the pictures of them. The Portingales and those of Bengala affirme, that by the River Ganges in the Kingdome of Bengala, are many of these Rhinoceros, which when they will drinke, the other beasts stand and waite upon them, till the Rhinoceros hath drunke, & thrust their horne into the water, so he cannot drink but his horne must be under the water, because it standeth so close unto his nose, and muzzle: and then after him all the other beastes doe drinke. Their hornes in India are much esteemed and used against all venime, poyson, and many other diseases: likewise his teeth, clawes, flesh, skin and blood, and his very dung and water and all whatsoever is about him, is much esteemed in India, and used for the curing of masny diseases and sicknesses, which is very good and most true, as I my selfe by experience have found, but it is to be understood, that all Rhinocerotes are not a like good, for there are some whose hornes are sold for one, two or three hundred Pardalves the piece, and there are others of the same colour and greatnes that are sold but for three or foure Pardalves, which the Indians know and can discerne. The cause is that some Rhinocerotes, which are found in certaine places in the countrie of Bengala have this vertue, by reason of the hearbes which that place only yeeldeth and bringeth foorth, which in other places is not so, and this estimation is not onely held of the horne, but of all other things in his whole body, as I saide before. There are also by Malacca, Sion, and Bengala some goates that are wild, whose hornes are esteemed for the best hornes against poyson, and all venime that may bee found: they are called Cabras de Mato, that is wilde Goates. These hornes are of great account in India, and much esteemed, and they oftentimes by expoerience found to bee very good, whereof I myself am a good witness having proved the same. In the yeare 1584 as king Philip was at Lisbone, there was a Rhinoceros and an Elephant brought out of India, for a present, and he caused them both to be led with him into Madrid, where the Spanish court is holden.
|
|
|
File available
details
Original text on this topic: