^ E B 
ZEE 
In the female Zebra, the colours are different; 
and in none do the flripes feem exaftly to corref- 
pond in form, but in all they are equally diftincft; 
the hair is equally fmooth and fine; the white is 
bright and unmixed, and the black or brown 
thick and luftrous. 
So remarkable is the beauty of this animal, 
and fo excellently do all it's parts feem adapted 
for utility and fervice, that it might be fuppofed 
calculated both to fatisfy the pride and pleafure 
of man. Hitherto, however, it appears to have 
difdained fervitude; and neither force, iiratagem, 
nor clemency, have been able to wean it from it's 
native independence and ferocity. But this dif- 
pofition might in time be furmounted ; for it is 
highly probable that 'the horfe and the afs, when 
firll taken under the proteftion of man, were 
equally fierce, obftinate, and ungovernable. 
Buffbn informs us, that the Zebra from which 
he borrowed his defcription could never be entire- 
ly maftered, notwithftanding all the repeated and 
afliduous efforts that were made to reclaim it. A 
man, indeed, was fom.etimes able to mount it, 
with the affiftance of tvv'o more to hold the reins : 
but fuch was it's extreme fiercenefs, that no per- 
fon could ever confider himfelf as fife on it's 
back ; and even the approach of any of the hu- 
man fpecies always let it on exhibiting a deter- 
mined refolution of refiftance or annoyance. 
An animal of the fame kind, in the Queen's 
Menagerie near Buckingham Gate, is equally un- 
traftable and vicious. Yet, as the Zebra bears 
fuch a ftriking refemblance to the horfe, it is pro- 
bably endued with fome fimilitude of manners ; 
and though a fcries of years might be requifite to 
render it perfe6lly domeftic and ufeful, there 
fcems no reafon to doubt but it might be added 
to the number of the fervants of man. 
Where thefe animals are moft frequent, the 
human inhabitants themfelves appear to be but a 
few degrees elevated above quadrupeds. The 
natives of Angola and Caffraria have no other 
idea of advantage to be derived from horfes, but 
as they are proper for food. Neither the fine 
ftature of the Arabian courfer, nor the delicate 
colourings of the Zebra, furnifh any allurements 
to a race of people who only confider the quantity 
ofit's fleih, and not it's conformation. The de- 
licacy of the Zebra's fnape, or the painted ele- 
gance of it's form, are no more regarded by fuch, 
than by the lion that attacks it as his prey. Flence 
we may reafonably conclude, that the Zebra has 
hitherto continued wild, becaufe it is the native 
of a country where no fuccefiive and proper 
efforts have been ufed to reclaim it. All pur- 
fuits that have hitherto been inftituted againft it, 
refpedl it's life rather than it's liberty : the animal 
has thus been taught to confider man as it's foe, 
not it's proteflor ; and it is not furprizing that it 
refufes to yield obedience where it has fo feldom 
experienced mercy. 
All animals have a kind of inftinftive know- 
ledge of their enemies, and take every precaution 
to avoid them. The deer avoids the lion, and 
the moufe the paws of the cat. Inftinft warns 
thefe and other animals of their danger; and this 
caufe may have prevented the Zebra, with many 
more, from refigning their liberty, Vv'here they had 
every thing to dread, and nothing to hope. 
However, as a civilized people have been now 
a confiderable time in the poffeffion of the Cape 
Vol. II. 
of Good Hope, where the Zebra is chiefly founds 
there feems fome probability that it may yet be 
tamed and rendered ferviceable. Nor is it's ex- 
traordinary beauty the only motive we have for 
wifiiing this animal among the num.ber of our 
dependents: it's fwiftncfs is faid to furpafs that of 
all others; fo that the fpeed of the Zeb^-a is be- 
come proverbial among fome nations. It alfo 
ftands better on it's legs than a horfe; and h 
confequently ftronger in proportion. 
The Zebra, befides inhabiting Caffraria and An- 
gola, is laid by Lopez to be a native of fome pro- 
vinces of Barbary. In thofe vaft f^refts where it 
rcfides, it has nothing to abridge it's freedom; it is 
too cautious to be caught in traps, and therefore is 
feldom taken alive. It would appear, indeed, 
that none of thefe animals have been ever brought 
into Europe, that were caught fufficiently young 
to be untinftured with their original and native 
wildnefs : yet, if wc may credit Dapper, the Por~ 
tuguefe have fucceeded in taming a fev/, which 
were fo far brought under fubjeftion as to draw 
the king's coach at Lifbon. However, of thofe 
which were fent to Brazil, not one could be tam- 
ed ; they would permit but one man to approach 
them ; they were tied up very fhort, and lecured 
with all imaginable care; nevertiv^lefs, one of 
them got loofe, and bit his groom to death. 
Though the Zebra is a native of Africa alone, 
being unknown to the other quarters of the globe, 
it is fed with eafe, and appears capable of exifr- 
ingin any climate notintenlely cold. One v/hich 
was exhibited in England a few years ago, would 
eat bread, meat, and tobacco ; or, as if regardlefs 
of fuch delicacies, would even feed on hay. 
As this animal fo nearly refembles the horfe 
and the afs in it's ftrudlure, it probably brings 
forth annually as they do ; but of this we have 
no certain teftimony. It's voice is neither like 
that of the horfe nor the afs, but refembles in 
forne meafure the confufed barking of a maftiff 
dog. 
Attempts have been made to produce a breed 
between the Zebra and the afs, .but v/ithout the 
leafl effeft. The Zebra either difdained, or dif- 
covered no emotion for a fhe-afs that v/as pre- 
fented to him. This coldnefs could not be afcrib- 
ed to any other caufe than an unfuitablenefs in the 
natures of the two animals, or to that untamed 
fpirit v/hich would not permit him to propagate 
in confinement. 
Thefe animals are often fent as prefents to the 
Oriental princes : and we are told that one of the 
governors of Batavia prefented a Zebra, which 
had been fent him from Africa, to the Emperor of 
Japan, for which he received, as an equivalent, 
about the value of fixty thoufand crowns. Teller 
alfo relates, that the Great Mogul gave two thou- 
fand ducats for one of them : and it is common 
enough for the African ambaffadors to the Otto- 
man court to bring fome of thefe beautiful crea- 
tures with them, as introdudlory prefents to the 
Grand Seia;nior. 
Buffon feems to think the fertile mule of Tar- 
tary, called Czigithai, is an animal of the fame 
fpecies with the Zebra ; for there feems to be no 
difference between them but in colour ; and it is 
well known, that the differences in the colour of tht 
hair or feathers are extremely flight, and frequently 
depend on the nature of the ciim.ate. The czigi- 
thai is found in the fouthern parts of Siberia, ir 
5 F Thibe 
