there to fay, that the animal producing thefe large horns
was a carnivorous hu ll o f a prodigious fize, inhabiting the
interior parts o f A fr ic a .; That no illuftration o f this kind
may be wanting, a copperplate o f this curious bull is, I
think, in fbme o f the firtt volumes o f the Philofophicat:
Tranfa&ions. The origin o f the tale is believed to be in-
Bernier or Thevenot. ' It may, however, , with great certainty,
be relied upon, that no fuch animal.exifts in Africa,,
nor probably in the whole creation. The animal, furmih-
m g thofe monftrous horns is a cow or bull, , which would !
be reckoned o f a middling fize in England;, its head and!
neck are larger and thicker in proportion, but not . very,
remarkably fo. I have been told this animal was firft:
brought by the Galla from near the Line, where it rains
continually,.: and the fun is little feen. This extraordinary
fire o f its horns proceeds from a difeafe that the cattle
have in thofe countries,,of which they die,,and is probably
derived from their pallure and climate..
W h e n e v e r the animal ihews fymptoms o f this diforder,
he is let apart in the very beft and cjtiieteil grazing-place,,
and never driven normolefted from that moment. His va-
h ie lies then in his horns, for his body becomes emaciated
and lank in proportion as the horns, grow large. At the
jaft period o f his life the weight o f his head is fo great that
he is unable to lift it up, or a f leaft for any fpace o f time.
The joints o f his neck become callous at lail, ib that it is
not any longer in his power-to lift his head.- In this fitua-
tion he dies, with fcarcely fleih covering his bones, and it is
then the horns are o f the greateft fize and value. I have
feen horns that would contain as much as a common-fired
iron-hooped.water-pale, fiich as they make ufe o f in the
houfes.
houfes in England ; but the Ga'lla, who have a ready mar-
ke t'fo r thefe o f all fizes, generally k ill the beaft when his
horns w ill contain fomething lefs than fix gallons. Two o f
thefe horns, filled with wine or fpirits, are carried very com-
modioufly upon a woman’s back, flung over her ihoulders.
I-had two o f the largeft fize ftole from me that night Soci-
nios^Confu, and Chremation plundered my houfe, nor could
I evef recover them. I have feen them at Gondar fold for
four ounces o f gold, equal to ten pounds fterling, the pair.
O n the 17th o f February came mefiengers from Fafil, with
the old language o f propofals o f fubmiflion and peace, and
a repetition o f his demand, that Welleta Selafie ihould be
given him for a wife, and fent to him, at leaft as far as Din-
.gleber, where he would advance to meet h er; excufing him-
fe lf from coming to Gondar, becaufe the Ras had already
broken his promife to him; for the condition o f peace made
with the Ras, when he was befieging the mountain, was,
That i f Michael ihould bring the k in g to the Tacazzé, and
furrender him there, and then return and content himfelf
with the government o f T igré, without proceeding to Gondar,
that Fafil ihould receive the k in g and conduét him to
the capital, and be created Ras and governor in place o f
Michael. Fafil had punétually performed his part, and o f
this Michael had taken advantage, and had violated every
article which he had ftipulated on the other fide ; and this
was at leaft the alledged reafon w hy Fafil had refufedto come
to Gondar. The fame evening arrived alfo mefiTengers from
■Guiho and Powuifen, declaring to Ras Michael, that, i f he
did not leave Gondar and return to T igré, they would come
and burn the town. They profeflfed great duty to the king,
O a . -bue