Page:India in the Fifteenth Century, being a Collection of Narratives of Voyages to India.djvu/195

Rh colour of the leopard, with a neck six cubits in length, and having a head like that of a roebuck. To these they added an account of a bird standing six cubits in height from the ground, with slender legs, feet resembling those of a goose, the neck and head small, and the beak like that of a hen. It flies but little, but in running surpasses the swiftness of the horse.

Many other things which they told me I have omitted, in order that I might not weary the reader; for they stated that there were some desert places which were inhabited by serpents, some of which were fifty cubits long, without feet and with a scorpion's tail, and which would swallow a whole calf at once. As almost all of them agreed in these statements, and they appeared to be worthy men, who could have no object in deceiving me, I have thought it good that the information they gave me should be handed down for the common advantage of posterity.