BUFFALO. 
307 
irons, are fond of hunting them. They mount a 
tree, or hide in a thicket, and shoot the buffalo as 
he passes. 
In Abyssinia, the buffalo grows twice as large 
as our ox. On account, as well of his enormous 
size, 'as of the thickness and blackness of his skin, 
he has there obtained a name signifying taurele- 
pfeas. 
In India, the tame buffalo is more peaceable 
and tractable than in any other country. In Egypt 
too, this animal is sufficiently manageable. 
It is said to be a singular sight to see, morning 
and evening, large herds of them cross the Tigris 
mnd Euphrates. They proceed, all wedged against 
each other, the herdsmen riding on one of them, 
sometimes standing upright, and sometimes couch- 
ing down ; and if any of the exterior ones are out 
of order, stepping lightly from back to back, to 
drive them along. 
A very singular circumstance relative to these 
animals, is recorded by those who completed the 
voyage to the Pacific Ocean, begun by Captain 
Cook. When at Pulp Condore they procured 
eight buffaloes, which were to be conducted to the 
ships, by ropes put through their nostrils and round 
their horns ; but when these were brought within 
sight of the ship’s people, they became so furious 
that some of them tore out the cartilage of their 
nostrils, and set themselves at liberty ; and others 
broke down even the shrubs to which it was fre- 
quently found necessary to fasten them. All at- 
tempts to get them on board would have" proved 
fruitless, bad it not been for some children whom 
the animals would suffer to approach them, and 
by whose puerile management their rage was 
quickly appeased ; and when the animals were 
brought to the beach, it was by their assistance in 
twisting the ropes about their legs, that the men 
