THE RHINOCEROS. 81 



sider that he can root up trees with his trunk ; that in war he 

 carries on his back a tower containing five or six combatants ; 

 that he moves machines and carries burdens to which the strength 

 of six horses is scarcely adequate ; and that to this amazing 

 force he joins courage, prudence, magnanimity, and gratitude 

 for kind treatment, we cannot hesitate to give him the first place 

 in the scale of animal beings; nor can we wonder that the an- 

 cients considered the elephant as a prodigy, a miracle of nature; 

 and that men have in all ages set a high value on this greatest 

 of quadrupeds. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



" Canst thou bind the unicorn \*ith his band in the furrow ? Or will he 

 harrow the valleys after thee ?" BOOK OF JOB. 



HAVING, in the last chapter, given a description of the ele- 

 phant, we now proceed to give some account of a quadruped, 

 which is indeed inferior to it in size, but in strength is surpassed 

 by no other animal. 



THE RHINOCEROS 



Is a native of the same countries, and inhabits the same forests 

 and deserts, as the elephant. The length of this animal, from the 

 muzzle to the insertion of the tail, is generally about twelve feet, 

 and the circumference of its body nearly equal to the length. 

 The form of the head resembles that of a hog, except that the 

 ears are larger, and stand erect. Its nose is armed with a formi- 

 dable weapon peculiar to this animal, being an exceeding hard 

 and solid horn, which sometimes grows almost four feet in length, 

 and renders it a complete match for the fierc.est adversary. Like 

 the elephant, it is formidable to ferocious animals, but perfectly 

 inoffensive to those that offer it no injury, and give no provo- 

 cation. 



The body and limbs of this animal, are covered with a skin 

 so hard and impenetrable, that it will turn the edge of the sharp- 

 est scimitar, and (except on the belly) will resist the force of a 

 musket-ball. This skin, which is of a blackish colour, forms it- 

 self into divers folds, by which the motions of the animal are 

 facilitated. 



The body, thighs, legs, and feet, are every where covered with 

 tuberosities, or knots, which some writers have denominated 



