THE BUFFALO, &c. 195 



wife, that thefe animals are more gentle and lefs 

 brutal in their native country ; and that, the 

 warmer the country, their difpofition is the more 

 docile. In Egypt *, they are more tradable 

 than in Italy, and in India f than in Egypt; 

 The Italian buffaloes have alfo more hair than 

 thole of Egypt, and the Egyptian than thofe 

 of India J. Their fur is by no means clofe ; 



N 2 becaufe 



* The buffaloes are numerous in Egypt. Their fiefh is 

 good ; and they are not io ferocious as thofe of Europe. 

 Their milk is of great ufe, and produces excellent butter ; 

 Defcript. I' Egypte, par Mailkt, p. 27. 



f In the kingdom of Aunan and Tonquin, the buffaloes 

 are very tall, and have high fhoulders. They are alfo robuft, 

 and fuch excellent labourers, that one alone is fufricient to 

 draw a plough, though the coulter enters very deep into the 

 ground. Their flelh is not difagreeablc ; but that of the ox is 

 better, and more commonly ufed ; Hiji. de Tonquin, par le P. 

 de Rhodes, p. 5 1 . 



% At Malabar, the buffalo is larger than the ox. He is 

 fhaped nearly in the fame manner. His head is longer and 

 hatter. His eyes are larger, and almolt entirely white. His 

 horns are flat, and often two feet long. His legs are thick 

 and fnort. He is ugly, and almolt. without hair. He walks 

 flowly, and carries heavy burdens. Like the cows, they go 

 in flocks ; and their milk produces butter and cheefe. Their 

 flelh is good, though lefs delicate than that of the ox. They 

 are excellent fwimmers, and traverfe the moft rapid 'rivers. 

 We have feen them tamed. But the wild buffaloes are ex- 

 tremely dangerous ; for they tear men to pieces, or crufn 

 them with a lingle ftroke of their heads. They are lefs to be 

 feared in the woods than in any other fituation ; for their 

 horns often entangle among the branches, which gives thofe 

 time to fly who are purfued. The fkin of thefe animals is u- 

 fed for a number of purpofes ; and even pitchers are made of 

 it to keep water and other liquors. Thofe on the Malabar 

 coaft are almoft all wild ; and ftrangers are not prohibited 

 from hunting and eating them ; Voyage de Dellon, p. 1 iq. 



