jrn CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY. 



antidote against poison, or as efficacious in detecting its presence, as well as useful in curing disease. 

 It was used by the Indian kings at table, from the notion that " it sweats at the approach of any kind 

 of poison whatever." " It is generally believed," says Thunberg, " that goblets made of the horns in 

 a turner's lathe, will discover any poisonous draught that is put into them, by making the liquor 

 ferment till it runs quite out of the goblet. Such goblets are frequently set in gold and silver, and 

 are regarded as suitable presents to kings, persons of distinction, and particular friends ; or else they 

 are sold at a high price, sometimes at the rate of fifty-six dollars a goblet. When I tried these horns, 

 both wrought and uuwrought both old and young horns with several sorts of poison, weak as well 

 as strong, I observed not the least motion or effervescence ; and when a solution of corrosive sublimate, 

 or other similar substance, was poured into one of these horns, there arose only a few bubbles, pro- 

 duced by the air that had been inclosed in the pores of the horn, and which was now disengaged from 

 it." Water, drunk from such horns, was regarded as medicinal. In this case the water was to be 

 .stirred in the cup-like hollow at the base of the horn, with the point of an iron nail, till it became 

 discoloured, in which state the patient was directed to drink it. 



The strong deep folds into which the coarse skin is gathered in the cheeks neck, shoulders, 



RHINOlIiROS HUNT. 



hannches, and thighs, are distinguishing marks of the Indian rhinoceros. The general colour of the 

 skin is dusky black, with a slight tint of purple. Mr. Hodgson states that the female goes from 

 seventeen to eighteen months with young, and produces one at a birth. He adds also, " It is believed 

 that the animal lives for a hundred years ; one taken of full size was kept at Katmandoo for thirty- 

 five years without exhibiting any symptoms of decline. The young continues to suck for nearly two 

 years : it has, for a month after birth, a pink suffusion over the dark colour proper to the mature hide." 

 The female is desperate in the protection of her offspring. 



Bishop Heber saw several of these animals at Lucknow, and remarked, " These are quiet, gentle 

 animals, except that one of them has a feud with horses. .... I should conceive that they might be 

 available to cany burdens as well as the elephant, except that as their pace is still slower than his, their 

 use could only be applicable to very great weights, and very gentle travelling." In another passage he 

 stays, " In passing through the city I saw two very fine hunting tigers, iu silver chains, and a rhinoceros 

 (the present of Lord Amherst to the Guicwar), which is so tarne as to be ridden by a mahout, quite as 

 |uitii'ntly as an elephant." 



A large rhinoceros, at the head of seven others, boldly attacked the elephants of a party of 

 European gentlemen, and repeatedly brought them to the ground by the force of tljeir blows. Mr. 



