Delineations of the Ox Tribe: The Natural History of Bulls, Bisons, and Buffaloes.: Exhibiting all the Known Species and the More Remarkable Varieties of the Genus Bos.Vasey, George
Science
Delineations of the Ox Tribe: The Natural History of Bulls, Bisons, and Buffaloes.: Exhibiting all the Known Species and the More Remarkable Varieties of the Genus Bos.
Vasey, George
American bison; Buffaloes; Cattle; Oxen
Bruce the traveller, in speaking of these horns, says, "The animal
furnishing these monstrous horns is a cow or bull which would be
considered of a middling size in England. This extraordinary size of its
horns proceeds from a disease that the cattle have in these countries,
of which they die, and is probably derived from their pasture and
climate. When the animal shows symptoms of this disorder, he is set
apart in the very best and quietest grazing place, and never driven or
molested from that moment. His value lies then in his horns, for his
body becomes emaciated and lank, in proportion as the horns grow large;
at the last period of his life, the weight of his head is so great that
he is unable to lift it up, or at least for any space of time. The
joints of his neck become callous at last, so that it is not any longer
in his power to lift his head. In this situation he dies, with scarcely
flesh to cover his bones, and it is then his horns are of the greatest
value. I have seen horns that would contain as much as a common sized
water-pail, such as they make use of in the houses in England."[B]
So far Mr. Bruce. Mr. Salt, who visited Abyssinia some years afterwards,
gives a somewhat different account. He says: "Here [_i. e._ at Gibba],
for the first time, I was gratified by the sight of the Galla Oxen, or
Sanga, celebrated throughout Abyssinia for the remarkable size of its
horns. Three of these animals were grazing among the other cattle in
perfect health, which circumstance, together with the testimony of the
natives, 'that the size of the horns is in no instance occasioned by
disease,' completely refutes the fanciful theory given by Mr. Bruce
respecting this creature. It appears by the papers annexed to the last
edition of Mr. Bruce's work, that he never met with the Sanga; but that
he made many attempts to procure specimens of the horns, through Yanni,
a Greek, residing at Adowa. This old man very correctly speaks of them,
in his letters, as being only brought by the Cafilas from Antalo; and I
have now ascertained that they are sent to this country as valuable
presents, by the chiefs of the Galla, whose tribes are spread to the
southward of Enderta. So far, then, as to the description of the horns,
and the purposes to which they are applied by the Abyssinians, Mr.
Bruce's statements may be considered as correct; but with respect to
'the disease which occasions their size, probably derived from their
pasture and climate,' 'the care taken of them to encourage this
disease,' 'the emaciation of the animal,' and 'the extending of the
disorder to the spine of the neck, which at last becomes callous, so
that it is not any longer in the power of the animal to lift its head,'
they all prove to be mere ingenious conjectures, thrown out by the
author solely for the exercise of his own ingenuity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account