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548 
SAIGA, in Zoology, a species of antelope, the characters 
of which are, that the horns are pale and almost transparent, 
distant at the bases, and bent in form of a lyre, having each 
three curvatures; the nose very cartilaginous, much arched, 
thick, and seeming to be truncated at the end. This is the 
Scythian antelope of several writers, the Tartarian goat, the 
beardless ibex, the colus or the suhac of other writers. It 
inhabits Poland, Moldavia, the Carpathian mountains, Cau¬ 
casus, about the Caspian and Euxine seas, near lake Aral, 
in the Altaic chain, and generally from the Danube to the 
Irtisch, not farther north than about the 55th degree of lati¬ 
tude. The animals of this species dwell mostly in open 
deserts, abounding with salt springs, and feed much on 
saline, acrid, and aromatic vegetables. In autumn, they 
collect in large herds, and migrate regularly into the southern 
deserts; in spring they return northwards, and separate into 
smaller divisions. They are very shy and timid, very swift, 
hut soon fatigued; their voice resembles the bleating of 
sheep; their sense of smelling is quick, so that the hunters 
are obliged to approach them against the wind ; and when 
feeding or resting, the herd is guarded by sentinels; in sum¬ 
mer their sight is weak. When taken young they are easily 
tamed, and are very docile; but the old ones are so obsti¬ 
nate, that when taken, they refuse nourishment. The saiga 
is about the size of a fallow deer, being about four feet long, 
having six fore-teeth in each jaw. The fur in summer is 
very short, of a grey colour, mixed with yellow, and darker 
on the legs below the knees ; the space about the cheeks is 
whitish; the forehead and crown of the head hoary, and 
covered with long hairs; the under side of the neck and 
body white, the knees having bushes or tufts of hair. The 
tail four inches long, naked below, covered above with up¬ 
right hairs, and tufted at the end: in winter the fur becomes 
long, rough and hoary; the head is large, the horns eleven 
inches long, and in a great part of their length surrounded 
with rings, but the extremities smooth. The female has no 
horns, and her fur is softer than that of the male: the rutting 
season is in November, when the males will fight boldly in 
defence of their mates; and before the middle of May, the 
females produce mostly one at a birth. These animals are 
hunted with guns, dogs, and even eagles, for the sake of 
their horns and skins: the flesh is scarcely eatable, till it be¬ 
comes cold after being dressed, owing to a rank or balsamic 
taste, acquired from the nature of their food. Sometimes 
this animal is found with three horns, and rarely with only 
one. The horns are very various, but may be always dis¬ 
tinguished by their pale colour and semi-transparency; most 
other antelopes having black opaque horns. 
SAIGHTON, or Saughton-on-the-Hill, a township 
of England, in Cheshire; 5 miles south-east of Chester. 
SAIGNER, in Fortification, a French term, signifying to 
empty or drain. 
Hence saigner In fosse, is to empty or drain the water out 
of the moat, by conveyances under ground ; that it may be 
passed over the more easily; by laying hurdles of rushes on 
the mud remaining. 
SAIGNON, a small town in the south of France, depart¬ 
ment of the Vaucluse, with a population of 1000; 32 miles 
east of Avignon. 
SAI-ID, a village of Yemen, in Arabia; 8 miles east of 
Beil-el-Fakih. 
SAIL, s. [pegl, Sax.; seyhel, seyl, Dutch.] The ex¬ 
panded sheet which catches the wind, and carries on the 
vessel on the water.—He came too late; the ship was under 
sail. Shakspeare. —[In poetry.] Wings. 
He, cutting way 
With his broad sails, about him soared round; 
, At last, low stooping with unwieldy sway, 
Snatch’d up both horse and man. Spenser. 
A ship; a vessel. 
A sail arriv’d 
From Pompey’s son, who through the realms of Spain 
Calls out for vengeance on his father’s death. Addison, 
S A I 
Sail is a collective word, denoting a number of ships. 
So by a roaring tempest on the flood, 
A whole armado of collected sail 
Is scatter’d. f Shakspeare• 
A feigned tear destroys us, against whom 
Tydides nor Achilles could prevail, 
Nor ten years conflict, nor a thousand sail. Denham. 
To strike SAIL. To lower the sail.—Fearing lest they 
should fall into the quicksands, they stroke sail, and so were 
driven. Acts. —A proverbial phrase for abating of pomp or 
superiority. 
Margaret 
Must strike her sail, and learn a while to serve 
Where kings command. Shakspeare. 
Although the form of sails is extremely different, they are 
either quadrilateral or triangular. In all quadrangular sails, 
the upper edge is called the head; the sides or skirts are 
called leeches; and the bottom or lower edge is termed the 
foot. If the head is parallel to the foot, the two lower 
corners are denominated clues, and the upper corners earings. 
Such are the courses, or lower sails, except the mizen-course, 
the topsails, which are next in order above the courses, and 
the topgallant-sails, which are expanded above the topsails, 
and the royals above them. These are all spread at the head 
to their respective yards. The studding-sails are extended by 
yards and booms. Quadrangular sails have their heads not 
parallel to the foot, as the mizen-course, driver, and boom- 
main-sails. The inner corner at the head is in these called 
the nock, the outer, the peek; the inner corner at the foot is 
termed the tack, and the outer the clue. The head is 
spread by a gaff, and the fore-leech is bent to the mast 
by hoops, or lacings. 
Triangular sails are the stay-sails, and the jib ; they are 
extended upon the stays between the masts with hanks. The 
upper corner is called the head, the foremost corner the 
tack, and the after corner the clue. When spread to a yard, 
they are called latteen-sails, and if to a mast, shoulder-of- 
mutton-sails; in all which cases the foremost leech or edge is 
attached to its respective stay, yard, or mast, throughout its 
whole length. 
All sails derive their name from the mast, yard, boom, or 
stay, upon which they are extended or bent. See the article 
Ship. 
To SAIL, v. n. To be moved by the wind with sails.-— 
I shall not mention any thing of the sailing waggons. Mor¬ 
timer. —To pass by sea.—When sailing was now dangerous, 
Paul admonished them. Acts. —To swim. 
To which the stores of Croesus, in the scale, 
Would look like little dolphins, when they sail 
In the vast shadow of the British whale. Dry den. 
To pass smoothly along. 
Speak again, bright angel ! for thou art 
As glorious to this sight, being o’er my head, 
As is a winged'messenger from heaven, 
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing douds. 
And sails upon the bosom of the air. Shakspeare. 
To SAIL, v. a. To pass by means of sails.—A thou¬ 
sand ships were mann’d to sail the sea. Dn/den. —To fly 
through. 
Sublime she sails 
Th’ aerial space, and mounts the winged gales. Pope. 
SAIL ROCK, a rock in the Pacific ocean, near the coast 
of Chili; 4 miles north of St. Ambrose. 
. SAIL-BROAD, adj. Broad as a sail. 
At last his sail-broad vans 
He spreads for flight. Milton. 
SAI'LABLE, adj. Navigable; passable by shipping. 
Cotgrave and Sherwood. 
SAI'LER, s. A ship : as, she is a good sailer, a fine 
sailer. 
SAILING. See Navigation. 
SAILING 
