118 
SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS. 
horn, of which it had carried off above an inch ; 
and I his occasioned a concussion that had stunned 
him for a minute, till the bleeding' had recovered 
him.’* 
The rhinoceros, though next in size, yet in 
docility and ingenuity greatly inferior to the ele- 
phant, has never yet been tamed so as to assist the 
labours of mankind, or to appear m the ranks of 
war. Tiie Romans introduced him on the amphi- 
theatre, and opposed him to the elephant ; it is 
even asserted that he appeared no unequal match. 
The bear was a contemptible antagonist to the 
rhinoceros. 
The flesh of this animal, though by no means 
a delicate dish, is with the Shangalla and a great 
part of the inhabitants of Lower Abyssinia, a 
principal article of food. The soles of his feet, 
consisting of a gristly substance, soft like the 
soles of a camel, are the most delicate part. The 
rest of the flesh is said to taste like pork ; but is 
much coarser, and smells of musk. The negro 
hunters of Abyssinia eat it without salt. The 
hairs about the tail are so thick and strong, that 
with ten of them a whip may be made, which will 
draw blood at every stroke. The skin cut into 
thongs forms excellent whips. 
Sumatran rhinoceros. 
In the Philosophical Transactions for the year 
1793 , we also meet with a good figure of a two- 
horned rhinoceros, with an accurate description 
by Mr. Bell, surgeon, who had resided some time 
m Sumatra. The specimen, however, which he 
describes was but young, and probably far short 
of its full size. 
The shape of the animal was much like that of 
the hog. The general colour was a brownish ash ; 
