Goldsmith, O., 1774. A history of the earth, and animated nature. London, J.Nourse, vol. 4, pp. 1-482
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World |
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General |
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All Rhino Species |
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NEXT to the elephant, the Rhinoceros is the
most powerful of animals. It is usually found twelve feet long, from the
tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail; from six to seven feet
high; and the circumference of its body is nearly equal to its length. It is,
there?fore, equal to the elephant in bulk; and if it appears much smaller to
the eye, the reason is, that its legs are much shorter. Words can convey
but a very confused idea of this ani?mal's shape; and yet there are few
so remark?ably formed: its head is furnished with an horn, growing from the
snout, sometimes three feet and an half long; and but for this, that part
would have the appearance of the head of an hog; the upper lip, however, is
much longer in proportion, ends in a point, is very pliable, serves to
collect its food, and deliver it into the mouth: the ears are large, erect, and
pointed; the eyes are small and piercing; the skin is naked, rough, knotty,
and, lying upon the body in folds, after a very peculiar fashion: there are
two folds very remarkable; one above
the
shoulders, and another over the rump: the skin, which is of a dirty brown
colour, is so thick as to turn the edge of a scymitar, and to resist a
musquet-ball: the belly hangs low; the legs are short, strong and thick,
and the hoofs divided into three parts, each pointing forward.
Such is the general outline of an animal that appears chiefly
formidable from the horn grow?ing from its snout; and formed rather for war,
than with a propensity to engage. This horn, is sometimes found from three
to three feet and an half long, growing from the solid bone, and so
disposed, as to be managed to the greatest advantage. It is composed of
the most solid substance; and pointed so as to in?flict the most
fatal wounds. The elephant, the boar, or the buffalo, are obliged to strike
trans?versely with their weapons; but the rhinoceros employs all his force
with every blow; so that the tiger will more willingly attack any other
animal of the forest, than one whose strength is so justly employed.
Indeed, there is no force which this terrible animal has to apprehend:
defended, on every side, by a thick horny hide, which the claws of the lion
or the tiger are unable to pierce, and armed before with a weapon that even the
elephant does not chuse
to oppose. The
missioners assure us, that the elephant is often found dead in the
forests, pierced with the horn of a rhinoceros; and though it looks like
wisdom to doubt whatever they tell us, yet I cannot help giving credit to
what they relate on this occasion, particularly when confirmed by Pliny. The
combat between these two, the most formidable animals of the forest,
must be very dreadful. Emanuel, king of Portugal, willing to try their
strength, actually opposed them to each other; and the elephant was
defeated.
But though the rhinoceros is thus formi?dable by nature, yet
imagination has not failed to exert itself, in adding to its terrors. The
scent is said to be most exquisite; and it is affirmed, that it
consorts with the tiger. It is reported also, that when it has overturned a
man, or any other animal, it continues to lick the flesh quite from the bone
with its tongue, which is said to be extremely rough. All this, however, is
fabulous: the scent, if we may judge from the expansion of the olfactory
nerves, is not greater than that of an hog, which we know to be indifferent; it
keeps company with the tiger, only because they both frequent watery places
in the burning climates where they are bred; and as to its rough
tongue, that is so far from the truth, that no animal
of near its size has so soft a one.
"I have often felt it myself," says Ladvocat, in his description of this animal; "it is smooth, soft, and small, like that of a dog; and to the feel it appears as if one passed the hand over velvet. I have often seen it lick a young man's face who kept it; and both seemed pleased with the action."
The rhinoceros which was shewn at London in 1739, and described
by Doctor Parsons, had been sent from Bengal. Though it was very young, not
being above two years old, yet the charge of his carriage and food from India,
cost near a thousand pounds. It was fed with rice, sugar, and hay: it was
daily supplied with seven pounds of rice, mixed with three of sugar,
di?vided into three, portions; it was given great quantities of hay and
grass, which it chiefly preferred; its drink was water, which it took in
great quantities. It was of a gentle dis?position, and permitted itself
to be touched and handled by all visitors, never attempting mischief,
except when abused, or when hungry; in such a case, there was no method
of ap?peasing its fury, but by giving it something to eat. When angry, it
would jump up against the walls of its room, with great violence; and,
many efforts to escape, but seldom attempted to
attack its keeper, and was always submissive to his threats. It had a
peculiar cry, somewhat a mixture between the grunting of a hog, and the
bellowing of a calf.
The age of these animals is not well known; it is said by
some, that they bring forth at three years old, and if we may reason from
analogy, it is probable they seldom live till above twenty. That which was
shewn in London, was said by its keeper, to be eighteen years old, and even
at that age, he pretended to consider it as a young one; however, it died
shortly after, and that probably in the course of nature.
The Rhinoceros is a native of the desarts of Asia and Africa,
and is usually found in those extensive forests, that are frequented by
the elephant and the lion. As it subsists entirely up?on vegetable food,
it is peaceful and harmless among its fellows of the brute creation; but,
though it never provokes to combat, it equally disdains to fly. It is every
way fitted for war, but rests content in the consciousness of its
security. It is particularly fond of the prickly branches of trees, and is
seen to feed upon such thorny shrubs as would be dangerous to other
animals, either to gather, or to swallow. The prickly points of these,
however, may only
serve to give a poignant relish to
this animal's palate, and may answer the same grateful ends in
seasoning its banquet, that spices do in heightening ours.
In some parts of the kingdom of Asia, where the natives are more
desirous of appearing war?like than shewing themselves brave, these
ani?mals are tamed, and led into the field to strike terror into the enemy;
but they are always an unmanageable and restive animal, and probably more
dangerous to the employers, than those whom they are brought to oppose.
The method of taking them, is chiefly watching them, till they are
found either in some moist or marshy place, where, like hogs, they are
fond of sleeping and wallowing. They then destroy the old one with
fire-arms, for no weapons, that are thrown by the force of man, are capable of
entering this animal's hide. If, when the old one is destroyed, there happens
to be a cub, they seize and tame it: these animals are sometimes taken in
pit-falls, cover?ed with green branches, laid in those paths which the
Rhinoceros makes in going from the forest to the river side.
There are some varieties in this animal, as in most others;
some of them are found in Africa with a double horn, one growing above
the other; this weapon, if considered in itself, is
one of the strongest, and most dangerous, that nature furnishes to any
part of the animal creation. The horn is entirely solid, formed of the
hardest bony substance, growing from the upper maxilary bone, by so
strong an apo?physe, as seemingly to make but one part with it. Many are
the medicinal virtues that are ascribed to this horn, when taken in powder,
but these qualities have been attributed to it, without any real foundation,
and make only a small part of the many fables which this ex?traordinary
animal has given rise to.
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A history of the earth, and animated nature
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