EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 261 
pits into which he falls. His hide is applied to many ufeful 
purpofes. The African elephant is fmaller than the Afiatic, 
and probably of a different fpecies. The meat is an article of 
food in great efteem with them. The fat forms a valuable 
unguent, and the teeth, as is w^ell known, fupply the merchants 
with immenfe profits. 
The buffaloe is not found tame in Soudan. The wild one is 
hunted by the Arabs, and ferves them for food. The hippopo- 
tamus is killed for his ficin, (which being remarkably tough, 
makes excellent fhields, and whips not wholly unlike our horfe- 
w^hips) J and for his teeth, which are much fuperior to ivory. 
The horn of the rhinoceros, to which animal the Arabs have 
applied a term fomewhat lefs appropriate than the Greek, but 
ftill chara^leriflic, ^Abu-kurn^ father of the one horn,) makes a 
valuable article of trade, and is carried to Egypt, where it is 
fold at an high price, being ufed for fabre-hilts, and various 
other purpofes. The more credulous attribute to it fome effi- 
cacy as an antidote againft poifon. 
The antelope and the oftrich are extremely common through- 
out the empire. The civet-cat is not feen wild in the quarter 
which I vifited, but is frequent enough farther to the South. 
Many are preferved in cages in the houfes of the rich. The 
women apply the odour extracted from them to add to their 
perfonal allurements ; and what is not thus difpofed of become^ 
article of trade. 
The 
