 Reference Base  Mongolicae Legationis commentarius, or the first Jesuit m... |
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Hosten, H.; Monserrate, A., 1914. Mongolicae Legationis commentarius, or the first Jesuit mission to Akbar by Fr Anthony Monserrate. Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 3 (9): 513-704
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| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India |
| Subject: |
History |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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Antonio Monserrate (1536-1600), Portuguese priest on mission to the court of Akbar in 1580-1582.
[584] Unum, et alteram restat de elephantibus, et id sane admiratione dignum, vix n credi posset, quam graves inimicitias, mutuo suscipiant, elephantes Nam si duo, aut plures, odio dissideant, et sese vicissim conspiciant, facto impetu, magna ui invehuntur, et sese [585] collidunt at uero, ductores equitantes, ne conspiciunt quidem, nedum laedant. XX Difficile etiam dictu est, rhinocerotes, etsi prae illis pusillae sint, quantum timeant, et exhorrescant porro, quam insolenter rhinoceros, elephantem contemnat. Nam elephas, conspecta rhmocerote sese totum, tremebundus fiectit, atque demittit, proboscidem in os condit, loco cedit, donec transeat rhinoceros restitans, uix fustibus, compelli potest, ut gressum moveat. lam vero certamen, cum rhinocerote, velis remisque declinat. Nam rhinoceros, sub bestiam, se infert, et naris acuto cornu, ventrem eius petit, et perforat, cum nihil, ab elephante laedatur. Porro elephas, inflexa in os proboscide, dormit munum, & formicarum formidine, at murem praecipue reformidat.
Finally it is extraordinary and well nigh incredible what fierce enmity elephants are apt to entertain towards each other. For if two or more have conceived a mutual dislike, they attack each other on sight with great ferocity, dashing headlong together. They never look up towards, much less hurt, the keepers who ride upon them. It is hard to say what a dread elephants have of the rhinoceros, although it is a much smaller beast. Moreover the rhinoceros has an insolent contempt for the elephant. When an elephant sees a rhinoceros, he trembles, cringes, bends down, hides his trunk in his mouth, and humbly retreats until the rhinoceros has passed by. For the rhinoceros attacks from beneath, and buries the sharp horn on his nose in his opponent's belly. Meanwhile the elephant can do him no harm. The elephant sleeps with his trunk in his mouth. He is afraid of ants and still more of mice. He is as fond of water as a buffalo or a pig or any other such animal.
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