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History |
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All Rhino Species |
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Of the newe India, as it is knowen & found in these our dayes. In the yeare of oure Lorde. M.D.LIII. After the descripcion of Sebastian Munster in his Booke of the vniuersall Cosmographie. Libr. v. De terris Asiae Maioris. And translated into Englishe by Richard Eden.
Of the beaste called Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros is comonly found in the same countrey, where Elephantes are engendred, and is borne an enemy to the Elephant (as saith Plinie) no lesse seking his destruction then doth the dragon: wherfore the Romaynes considering the natures of these beastes, were wont to put them together vpon the theater or stage, for a spectable, therby to declare the natures of enemies. This Rhinoceros hath two hornes, whereof the one
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is of notable bignes, growing oute of his nosethrilles, and is of flatte forme, and as harde as Iron. The other groweth aboue in his necke, and is but a little one, but wonderful strong: when this beast attempteth to inuade the Elephant, he fyleth & whetteth his horne on a stone and stryke that the belly of the Elephant, which place he knoweth to be most open to his stripes, and easyest to receaue hurt, because of the softenes thereof, which he cutteth with his horne as with a sweord. Some auctours write that Rhinoceros is vnequall in bignes to the Elephante: but Julius Solinus saith, that he is as long as the Elephante, but hath [...]horter legges: when Rhinoceros therfore & the Elephant ioyne together in fighte, they vse theyr naturall weapons: the Rhinoceros his horne, and the Elephante his tuskes, wherewith he so violentlye beateth and teareth the
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skinne of Rhinoceros being as harde as horne or shell, & scarcelye able to be pearsed with a dart, that he neuertheles enforseth him to fall downe. Rhinoceros agayne on the other partie so woundeth the belye of the Elephante with the horne of hys nosethrilles, yf he doe not preuente hys strokes, yt he fainteth with bleding. In the yere of Christ .1513. the first day of Maye, was broughte oute of India to Emanuel the king of Portugale RhinoceroS alyue, of the coloure of boxe, somwhat variable and as it wer chekered, couered with shelles lyke scales, or rather lyke shieldes. This beast was in bignes equall to an Elephant, but had shorter legges, and was armed on euery parte. He had a stronge & sharpe horne in his nosethrilles, the whiche (as I haue sayde) he fyleth, when he prepareth him to fight. All this great hatered betwene these two beastes, is for ye
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best pastures which one striueth to take fro~ the other as some wryters saye. In the yeare of Christe .1515. King Emanuel, set forth a spectacle in the citie of Lisbona, in which was a combat betwene the Elephant and Rhinoceros. A sight doubtlesse worthy great admiracion. But in this fight, the Elephant had the ouerthrowe.
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A treatyse of the newe India
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