ASS . 
tKe camel, being unftuous to the. touch; and the 
flaxen colour, during that feafon, becomes more 
exqujfitely bright. The head of the male koulan, 
or wild Afs, is two feet long ; from the beginning 
of the neck to the infertion of the tail, is four feet 
eleven inches; the tail is abo\,u two feet and a half; 
and the ears are near a foot long. It's height 
before is upwards of fo|jr feet; and, behind, near 
four feet fix inches. Such is the colour and con- 
formation of this animal in a wild ftate, in which 
it is often found in many iflands of the Archipe- 
lago; particularly that of Ceugo ; but more fre- 
quently in the dry and mountainous parts of Great 
Tartary.- There are alfo many wild Afies in the 
defarts of Lybia and Numidia, which run with fuch 
amazing celerity, that even the courfers of that 
country can but leldom overtake them. When- 
ever they elpy their purfuers, they fet up a horrid 
braying; and, flopping fl;iort till the nearer ap- 
proach of their enemies, they fiy off with the utmoft 
fpeed; and, on fuch oceafions, generally fall into 
.traps which have been previoudy prepared for them. 
The natives hunt them both for their flefli and their 
Ikins : the former they efteem very delicious food ; 
and of the latter they compofe that m.anufafture 
which is known by the name of fliagreen. That 
part of the hide which is chiefly ufed for this pur- 
pofe, grows near the rump of the animal; but it is 
artificially granulated. In Perfia, this manufafture 
is regarded as of confiderable importance ; and the 
natives of that country eflieem the bile of the wild 
Als a fpecific againft dimnefs of fight. 
Olearius ^elates, that a Perfian monarcl; once in- 
vited him to an entertainment of a very peculiar 
nature, which was exhibited in a fmall ftrufture 
near the palace, conftru6led in the form of an am- 
phitheatre: after a collation of fruits and fweet- 
meats, upwards of thirty wild Afles were driven 
into the area, among whom the monarch difcharged 
feveral arrows, in which he was imitated by the reft 
of his attendants. The Afies, perceiving them- 
felves wounded, and unable to eibape, inftantly be- 
gan to attack each other, biting with great fero- 
city, and braying in the moft hideous manner : the 
arrows, however, continuing to be poured in from 
above, the Afles were all foon difpatched ; and, be- 
ing ordered to be carried off^, were conveyed to the 
king's kitchen at Ifpahan. 
The Perfians fo highly efteem. the flefli of this 
animal, that it's delicacy is even become proverbial 
among them. When frefli killed, it is hot and un- 
iavoury; but, being kept fome time after it is boiled, 
it becomes excellent food. The flefli of the tame 
Afs, however, is more dry, tough, and difagreeable, 
than even that of the horfe; and, according to Ga- 
len, it is very unwholefome. 
We fliould not, however, haftily decide on the 
diff'erent taftes of different people, refpefting the 
preference they give to certain kinds of food. 
The climate produces very confiderable changes 
in the tendernefs and flavour of feveral viands : beef, 
for inttance, which is fo excellent in England, is 
extremely tough and dry when killed under tlie 
line; pork, on the contrary, which with us is, fo 
unpalatable during the fummer months, is in the 
warmer latitudes, the fineft eating imaginable, and 
infinitely fuperior to any European hog's flefli. 
Before the difcovery of America, the Afs feems 
to have been entirely unknown on that continent, 
though the climate is peculiarly favourable to that 
race of animals ; and v/here they have been permit- 
ted to run wild, they multiply fo quick,, that in 
ASS 
fome places they are become a nuifance. In the" 
kingdom of Quito, the owners of the ground v/here! 
they breed liifler any perfon to take av/ay as many 
as he can, on paying a fmall confideration, in pro- 
portion CO the number of days employed in fecur- 
ingr them. On thefe oceafions the followine- me- 
thod is adopted. 
A number of whites on horfeback, attended by 
Indians on foot, proceed to the fpots where tlie 
Afles are known to frequent; and, forming a cir- 
cle, drive them intolbme valley: when, throwing 
the noofe as they ride at full fpeed, they endeavour 
to halter them. The animals, finding themfelves 
inclofed, make very furious efix)rts to procure their 
enlargement; and if only a fingle one forces his way 
through, the reft follow v/ith irrefiftible impetu- 
ofity. When an Als is nooled, the hunters thrcv 
it down, and fecure it with fetters, leaving it in this 
ftate while they purfue others : and, the fport being 
ended, in oi-der to bring away what they have cauglit 
with the greater facility, they generally couple them 
with tame animals of the fiime Ipecies. This, how- 
ever, is no very eafy taflc; as tliey are lb remarka- 
bly fierce that they often wound the pei fons who 
undertake to manage them. They are nearly as 
fwiftas horfes, and neither declivities nor precipices 
can retard their progrefs. They defend themfelves 
fo aftivcly with their heels and mouths, that they 
wound their purfuers, even while they continue 
their flight. But, notwithftanding their wildnefs, 
after carrying the firft load, their celerity ceafes; their 
dangerous ferocity is no more ; and they foon con- 
traft that dull afpe£l which is ib peculiar to the 
afinine fpecies. Thefe animals always feed toge- 
ther; and, if a horfe happens to intrude himfelf into 
their Ibciety, they ufually bite and kick him till 
they leave him dead on the field. 
Thus it obvioufiy appears that the Afs is natu- 
rally fwift, fi.erce, aad formidable ; but, when tamed, 
it prefents a very diff^erent pi6ture. The ino- 
ment it's original liberty is loft, it feems to relin- 
quifli eveiy claim to freedom, and aflumes a m.eek- 
nefs and fubmifiion even humbler than it's fervile 
fituation. It is now the moil patient and gentle of 
all domefticated animals; and fuffers with con- 
ftancy, and perhaps with courage, all the ill-treat^ 
ment which cruelty and caprice undefervedly in- 
fii£l. It is extremely temperate, as well with refpett 
to the quantity as the quality of it's provifions; 
being fatisfied with the moft neglected weeds, and 
making it's humble repaft on the refufe of the horfe 
and other animals. If it gives the preference to 
any vegetable, it feems to be the plantane, for 
which it is often obferved to neglect other herbs. 
But, notwithftanding this apparent indiflerence as. 
to food, it is peculiarly delicate in it's water, drink- 
ing only at the cleareft brooks. It is, in fadt, a 
pattern of abftemioufnefs, both in drinking and 
eating; nor does it ever dip it's nofe in the ftream, 
as is the praftice of the horfe. Being feldom fad- 
died, it frequently rolls itfelf on thegrafs; and lies 
down for this purpofe whenever opportunity per- 
mits, without regarding it's burden. It is, ex- 
tremely averfe to water, never rolls in the mud like 
the horfe, and conftantly turns out of it's .way to 
avoid the dirty parts of a road. 
In it's juvenile ftate, the Afs is fprightly, and 
even beautiful; but it foon lofes thefe qualifications, 
either by age or injurious treatment, and becomes 
flow, ftupid, and obftinate. It feems to evince no 
ardour ; except only that the male is fo extremely 
libidinous, thai; he has been known to drop down 
dead 
