An Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in Tibet - Prajna Quest

:;186 BOO TAN.TJie Yak ol Turtary "^jcalled Soora Goy in Hinclostan, and vvliich Iterm the bushy-tailed bull of Tibet, is about the height of an Englishbull, which he resembles in the general figureof the body, head, andlegs. I could discover between them no essential difference, exceptthat the Yak is covered all over with a thick coat of long hair.The head is rather short, crowned with two smooth round horns,which, tapering from the root upwards, terminate in sharp pointsthey are arched inwards, bending towards each other, but near theextremities are a little turned back. The ears are small : Hie foreheadappears prominent, being adorned with much curling hair: the eyesare full and large : the nose small and convex : the nostrils small : theneck short, describing a curvature nearly equal both above and belowthe withers are high and arched. The rump is low ; over the shouldersrises a thick muscle, which seems to be the same kind of protuberancepeculiar to the cattle of Hindostan, covered with a profusion of softhair, which, in general, islonger and more copious than that along theridge of the back to the setting on of the tail. The tail is composed ofa prodigious quantity of long, flowing, glossy hair ; and is so abundantlywell furnished, that not a joint of it is perceptible ; but it hasmuch the appearance of a large cluster of hair artificially set on :theshoulders, rump, and upper part of the body, are clothed with a sort ofthick soft wool;but the inferior parts with straight pendent hair, thatdescends below the knee ; and I have seen it so long in some cattle,which were in high health and condition, as to trailupon the ground.From the chest, between the legs, issues a large pointed tuft of straight" Plate X.