In The Day-Time
They Lurk In Holes To Avoid The Great Heat, Going Out Only In The Night In
Search of prey, and they devour lions, wolves, or any other beasts they can
find, after which they go in
Search of water, leaving such a track in the
sands, owing to their weight, as if a piece of timber had been dragged
along. Taking advantage of this circumstance, the hunters fasten great iron
spikes under the sand in their usual tracks, by means of which they are
often wounded and killed. The crows or vultures proclaim the serpents fate
by their cries, on which the hunters come up and flea the animal, taking
out his gall, which is employed as a sovereign remedy for several diseases,
given to the quantity of a pennyweight in wine; particularly against the
bite of a mad dog, for women in labour, for carbuncles, and other
distempers. They likewise get a good price for the flesh, which is
considered as very delicate.
This province breeds many stout horses, which are carried by the merchants
into India. They commonly take out a bone from the tails of their horses,
to prevent them from being able to lash them from side to side, as they
esteem it more seemly for the tails to hang down. The natives, who are
idolaters, use long stirrups in riding, like the French; whereas the
Tartars and other nations use short stirrups, because they rise up when
they discharge their arrows.
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