Page:Ancient India as described by Megasthenês and Arrian.djvu/183

 164 (Fragm. XII. B follows here.) (11.) There is found in India a graminivorou s animal which is douhle the size of a horse, and which has a very hushy tail purely black in colour. The hair of this tail is finer than hu- man hair, and its possession is a point on which Indian women set great store, for therewith they make a charming coiffure, by binding and braid- ing it with the locks of their own natural hair« The length of a hair is two cubits, and from a single root there sprout out, in the form of a fringe, somewhere about thirty hairs. The ani- mal itself is the most timid that is known, for should it perceive that any one is looking at it, it starts off at its utmost speed, and runs right forward, — but its eagerness to escape is greater than the rapidity of its pace. It is hunted with horses and hounds good to run. When it sees that it is on the point of being caught, it hides its tail in some near thicket, while it stands at bay facing its pursuers, whom it watches narrowly. It even plucks up courage in a way, and thinks that since its tail is hid from yiew the hunters will not care to capture it, for it knows that its tail is the great object of attraction. But it finds this to be, of course, a vain delusion, for some one hits it with a poisoned dart, who then flays off the entire skin (for this is of value) and throws away the carcase, as the Indians make no use of any part of its flesh. (12.) But further: whales are to be found Digitized by Google