xo6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



there to fay, that the animal producing thefe large horns 

 was a carnivorous bull of a prodigious fize, ini;abiting the 

 interior parts of Africa. That no illuftration of this kind' 

 may be wanting, a copperplate of this curious bull is, I 

 think, in fome of the firft volumes of the Philofophical 

 Tranfa*5lions» The origin of the tale is believed to be in 

 Bernier or Thevenot. It may, however, with great cer- 

 tainty, be relied upon, that no fuch animal exifts in Africa, 

 nor probably in the whole creation. The animal furnifh- 

 ing thofe monftrous horns is a cow or bull, which would 

 be reckoned of a middling fize in England ; its head and 

 neck are larger and thicker in proportion, but not very 

 remarkably fo. I have been told this animal was firfl 

 brought by the Galla from near the Line, where it rains 

 continually, and the fun is little feen. This extraoidinary 

 fize of its horns proceeds from a difeafe that the cartle 

 have in thofe countries, of which they die, and is probably 

 derived from their paflure and climate. 



Whenever the animal fhews fymptoms of this diforder, 

 he is fet apart in the very bell and quieteft grazing- place, 

 and never driven nor molefted from that moment. His va- 

 lue lies then in his horns, for his body becomes emaciated 

 and lank in proportion as the horns grow large. At the 

 laft period of his life the weight of his head is fo great that 

 he is unable to lift it up, or at leaft for any fpace of time. 

 The joints of his neck become callous at laft, fo that it is 

 not any longer in his power to lift his head. In this fitua- 

 tion he dies, with fcarcely flefli covering his bones, and it is 

 then the horns are of the greateft fize and value. 1 have 

 feen horns that would contain as much as a common-fized 

 iron-hooped water-pale, fuch as they make ufe of in the 



houfes 



