From this rare and beautiful animal’s being an emblem of purity, its skin (Jild el Horreh) is held in great estimation by the Bashaws, and men of rank, who prefer it to every other substance, to prostrate themselves upon at prayers. The Bashaws generally have an attendant with them, who carries this skin, which is cured or prepared with allum and tizra,[81] and assumes a white colour when it comes from the tanners.
The Aoudad.—This animal is to be found only in the very steep and inaccessible cliffs, and in the woods and forests of the mountains of Atlas, south of Marocco and in Lower Suse, except when it descends to the rivers to drink. It throws itself from lofty precipices into the plains below, alighting generally on its horns or shoulders.
None of them have ever been caught in a state to allow of their being kept alive, being so very wild that it is not possible to approach them without great danger. In size and colour the Aoudad is similar to a calf; it has a beautiful long mane or beard, growing from the lower part of the neck; its teeth are very strong, and indicative of its longevity; the horns are about twelve inches in length, curved, of a dark colour, and are used for various purposes.
The only two skins of this animal which ever came to Europe, I had the honour of sending to the Right Honourable President of the Royal Society;[82] the horns and teeth were with one of them, which I had much difficulty in procuring from a Shelluh merchant, who having inadvertently observed to some of his friends the interest I took in procuring it, the jealousy of the Moors was raised, and they conceiving it to be some rich treasure, the officers of the Custom-house obliged me to pay an enormous duty for it. No other skin of this hitherto undescribed animal has been brought to Europe since; nor do I apprehend we shall know more respecting the animal itself, whilst the present imperfect knowledge of Africa continues. Emissaries, whether commercial or philosophical, to that country, should furnish themselves with a general and practical knowledge of the Arabic language, without which little progress can be expected in its discovery.
The Wild Boar.—This animal, the hunting of which affords so much sport, is by the Arabs called El Kunjar, or El Helloof; they abound in the Shelluh province of Haha, and in Suse, where they are called Amuren; they are so plentiful about Agadeer, that it is not unusual to catch two or three before mid-day; one day we saw seven. They will sometimes run by a group of men without appearing at all alarmed; an instance of which happened once, as I remember, near Agadeer, where at a pic-nic party under some high trees, some Europeans who were present were not a little alarmed at seeing two wild hogs pass close by them; but they never attack a person unless wounded by him. In hunting this animal, whose strength is proverbial, the dogs should be good, and strong enough to keep him at bay; for if he be fired at and wounded by a man on foot, he will immediately make up to him, if he discovers from whence the wound was inflicted; but in the mean time he is either attacked by the dogs, diverted from his object by a stratagem, or brought down by some other shot. A boar will sometimes rip open the dogs as well as the horses with their tusks; but this rarely happens when the hunt is well appointed: a strong dog of the greyhound breed is the best and most effectual in securing this ferocious animal. The (slogies) greyhounds of Suse, of the third breed, always attack the boar on the nape of the neck, and never quit their hold.
The Nïmmer.—The word Nimmer may be translated Leopard; it is spotted rather than striped, and in size resembles the royal tiger of Asia. The strength and agility of this animal is wonderful; I have seen one receive nine balls, before he fell. When the Nimmer is known to be in any particular district, deep holes are made in the ground, and covered lightly over, on which if he happen to tread, the ground sinks, and he falls in. The sides of the hole being formed like an inverted cone, the animal cannot get out, though he will make many efforts to regain his liberty; in the mean time the hunters come up and shoot him. At other places where he is supposed likely to pass, they build up a wall, and cover it over, making a hole or two sufficiently large to admit a musket-barrel, and here the patient Shelluh will wait whole days for his enemy, living all the time on (Hassowa) barley-meal mixed with water. After building a few of these walls enclosed like rooms, several Shelluhs will go in quest of the Nimmer, each taking his station either in these buildings, or in some lofty tree, and waiting a favourable opportunity to get a shot at him. The Arabs say that this ferocious animal, after he has seized his prey, if he be not impelled by hunger, will leave it for a few days, and afterwards return to the spot and devour the carcase, even if it be putrid.
The Lion is too well known to need a particular description in this place: he is hunted by the Africans in the same manner as the Nimmer; but they do not consider the chase to be so dangerous: the lion is not so active, nor does he climb as the Nimmer does. The Arabs say that if a person unarmed meet the Nimmer, he is sure of being destroyed; but that if, on the sight of a lion, he let his garments drop off, and stand before him undaunted, seeming to defy him, the lion will turn round and quietly walk off. Few people would be inclined to try the experiment for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of this assertion. In the forests near the city of Mequinas the lions are very fierce, and have frequently been known so to infest the roads, as to render it impracticable for the caravans to pass. They are seen also at the foot of the Atlas, where the country is well wooded. The flesh, when eaten, is said, by the Arabs, to inspire courage.
The Bear.—Various conjectures have been formed respecting this animal’s being a native of Africa: from the concurrent testimony of the inhabitants, I am of opinion that it does not exist in West Barbary; it may, however, have been seen (as I have heard it has) in the upper regions of Atlas, which are covered with snow during the whole year. The name given by the Arabs to this animal is Dubb.[83]
The Sibsib.—This animal appears to be of an intermediate species between the rat and the squirrel; it is somewhat similar to the ichneumon in form, but not half its size; it inhabits the Atlas, and lives in holes among the stones and caverns of the mountains; it has brown hair, and a beautiful tail (resembling that of the squirrel) about the length of its body. The Shelluhs and Arabs eat this animal, and consider it a delicacy: and it is the only one the Mohammedans torment before death; this is done by taking hold of its fore and hind legs, and rubbing its back on a stone or flat surface for a few minutes, which causes the animal to scream out; they then cut its throat according to the Mohammedan custom. Seeing some Shelluhs in South Atlas performing this operation, and asking their motives for it, they informed me that the rubbing made the flesh eat tender; that in taste it resembled a rabbit, but that without the friction it was not palatable. Being a subterraneous animal, it is prohibited food; but the eating of any forbidden thing becomes lawful to the Mohammedan, by ascribing to it some medicinal property; it is then denominated (Dûah) medicine, and not food: by this evasion, wine is drank by many who are not rigorous Mooselmin.
I never saw the Sibsib north of the province of Suse, but it abounds in the mountains of that district. Its motions are so excessively quick, that it is extremely difficult to shoot it.