 Reference Base  Cochin-China: containing many admirable rarities and sing... |
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Borri, C., 1633. Cochin-China: containing many admirable rarities and singularities of that country. London, Robert Ashley, [not paginated]
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Text as original |
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All Rhino Species |
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[Full text in original language] The tame elephant fighteth onely with two sorts of beasts, which are the Wilde elephant and the Abade or Rinoceros; for this latter he is commonloy two hard, but by the former he is ordinarily overcome.
The Abade is a beast which has some resemblance of the Oxe, and somewhat of the Horse; and is of the bignesse of a little Elephant. He is covered all over with scales, which is to him as an armour; he hath but one horne in the midst of his forehead, which groweth straight, being formed like a Pyramide. His feete and hoofes like those of an Oxe.
Whilst I was at Nouoemon, a towne in the Province of Pulucambes, the Governor went out once to hunt an Abade, which was in a wood not farre from our dwelling. He was accompanied with more then a hundred, some on foot, others on horsebacke, with eight or ten Elephants. The Abade commeth out of the Wood, and at the sight of so many enemies, not onely sheweth no sign of feare, but furiously goeth against them all; thereupon the company dividing themselves into two wings, the Abade runneth through the midst of them, and came to the rereward where the Governor was mounted on an Elephant, which sought to take hold on the Abade with his trunke, but could not, by reason that the other made so many leapes and friskoles, seeking to pierce the Elephant with his horne. The Governor knowing well that this beast could not bee wounded, but where he had no scales, which was onely in his flanke, watched when in his leaping his belly was towards him; and taking his advantage, threw a dart at him, with which he pierced him through, which caused great acclamations and shoutings of ioy throughout all his troope. Who were there presently in the field made a great bonfire of wood, wherein whiles the Scales of the beast were burning, they daunced and leaped about it; and when, as by degrees, the flesh came to be rosted, they cut out every one his Carbonado, and merrily eate it. Then they opened the Abade to take ouyt his Heart, his Liver and his Braine, whereof they made a delicate dish, which they presented to the Governor, who had retired himselfe somewhat aside to a higher place, where hee solaced himselfe with their iollity. I being present at the piece of service, obtained of the Governor, the Nayles or Hoofes for my share, which are esteemed to have the like vertue and property, that the Hoofe of the Elk hath. The Horne also is thought to be as soveraigne against poyson, as the Unicornes Horne is held to be.
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