THE NYL-GHAU. 



435 



CHAPTER LXV. 



THE NYL-GHAU.' 



THIS animal, the name of which is pro- 

 nounced nylgaw, is a native of India, and has 

 but lately been imported into Europe ; it 

 seems to be of a middle nature, between the 

 cow and the deer, and carries the appearance 

 of both in its form. In its size, it is as much 

 smaller than the one, as it is larger than the 

 other; its body, horns, and tail, are not unlike 

 those of a bull ; and the head, neck, and legs, 

 are very like those of a deer. The colour, in 



feneral, is ash or gray, from a mixture of 

 lack hairs and white ; all along the ridge or 

 edge of the neck, the hair is blacker, larger, 

 and more erect, making a short, thin, and up- 

 right mane. Its horns are seven inches long; 

 they are six inches round at the root ; grow- 

 ing smaller by degrees, they terminate in a 

 blunt point. The bluntness of these, together 

 with the form of its head and neck, might 

 incline us to suppose it was of the deer kind ; 

 but, as it never sheds its horns, it has a 

 greater affinity to the cow. 



From the disposition of that brought over 

 to this country, which has been very accu- 

 rately and minutely described by Dr. Hun- 

 ter, their manners are harmless and gentle. 

 Although in its native wildness it is said to 

 be fierce and vicious, this seemed pleased 

 with every kind of familiarity, and always 

 licked the hand that stroked or gave it bread, 

 and never once attempted to use its horns 

 offensively ; it seemed to have much depen- 

 dence on its organs of smell, and snuffed 

 keenly, and with noise, whenever any person 

 came within sight; it did so likewise when 

 any food or drink was brought to it; and was 

 so easily offended with smells, or so cautious, 



* This quadruped is a species of antelope : the horns 

 are inclining to a triangular form ; and the feet are barred 

 with black and white. 



no. 37 Sc 38 



that it would not taste the bread which was 

 offered, when the hand happened to srnell 

 strong of turpentine. Its manner of fighting 

 is very particular. It was observed at Lord 

 Clive's, where two males were put into a 

 little enclosure, that, while they were at a 

 considerable distance from each other, they 

 prepared for the attack, by falling upon their 

 fore knees, then they shuffled towards each 

 other, with a quick pace, keeping still upon 

 their fore knees ; and when they were come 

 within some yards, they made a spring, and 

 darted against each other. The intrepidity 

 and force with which they dart against any 

 object, appeared by the strength with whicli 

 one of them attempted to overturn a poor 

 labourer, who unthinkingly stood on the out- 

 side of the pales of its enclosure. The nyl- 

 ghau, with the quickness of lightning, darted 

 against the wood-work with such violence, 

 that he broke it to pieces, and broke off one 

 of his horns close to the root, which occa- 

 sioned the animal's death. At all the places 

 in India, where we have settlements, they are 

 considered as rarities, and brought from the 

 distant interior parts of the country. The 

 Emperor, sometimes, kills them in such num- 

 bers, as to distribute quarters of them to all 

 his omrahs ; which shows that they are inter- 

 nally wild and in plenty, and esteemed good 

 and delicious food. The nyl-ghaus which 

 have been brought to England, have been 

 most, if not all of them, received from Surat 

 or Bombay ; and they seem to be less uncom- 

 mon in that part of India, than in Bengal ; 

 which gives room for a conjecture, that they 

 may be indigenous perhaps in the province 

 of Guzarat, one of the most western and most 

 considerable of the Hindosten empire, lying 

 to the northward of Surat, and stretching 

 away to the Indian ocean. 

 3T 



