428 THEANTILOPES, 



lieve Rumphius, Seba, and fome other authors, 

 the true oriental bezoar proceeds from apes, 



and 



fag, which is a weight of three drachms ; Voyage de Chardin, 



torn. 2. p. 1 6. The oriental bezoar comes from a northern 



province of the kingdom of Golconda, and is found in the 



ftomach of the fhe-goats. The peafants, by feeling the 



belly of the goat, know how many bezoars fhe has, and fell 

 her in proportion to their number. This number they dif- 

 covei, by rubbing the fides of the ftomach with their hands 

 in fuch a manner as to bring all the contents towards the 



middle of it, and then they feel the ftones diftin&ly. The 



bezoar, like the diamond, is valued according to its fize ; 

 for, if five or fix bezoars weigh an ounce, they bring from fif- 

 teen to eighteen francs. But, if one bezoar weighs an ounce, 

 it fells at one hundred francs. I fold one of four ounces 



and a half at two thonfand livres. The merchants who 



traffic in bezoars, brought me fix of thefe goats, which I ex- 

 amined. It muft be acknowledged that thefe animals aie 



beautiful, very tall, and have hair as fine as filk. 1 was 



told that one of thefe goats had but one bezoar in its fto- 

 mach, and that others had two, three, or four, which I foon 

 perceived to be true-, by rubbing their bellies in the manner a- 

 bove defcribed. Thefe fix goats had feventeen bezoars and 

 a half, one of which was about the fize of half a hazel nut. 

 The infide refembled the foft dung of a goat. Thefe ftones 

 grow among the dung in the animal's belly. Some of the 

 natives told me, that the bezoars were attached to the liver, 

 and others, that they were fixed in the heart. From thefe 



vague affertions, I could not learn the truth. With regard 



to the bezoar produced by the ape, it is fo ftrong that two 

 grains of it are reckoned equal to fix of that produced by the 

 goat ; but it is very rare, and is found principally in the 

 illand of Macafiar. This kind of bezoar is round ; but the 

 other is of different figures. Thefe bezoars which are fuppo- 

 fed to come from the apes, are much rarer than the other 

 kind. They are alfo much dearer, and in greater requeft ; 

 and, when one is found of the fize of a nut, it fometimes 

 fells at more than a hundred crowns ; Voyage de Tavernlsr t 

 torn. 4. p. 78. 



