Insect life was rare, and except grey doves, the 'dove
of the valleys,' which often flew before us for miles down the
ravines, no birds were to be seen. On the other hand, there were
numerous herds of kyang, which in the early mornings came to drink of
the water by which the camps were pitched. By looking through a
crevice of my tent I saw them distinctly, without alarming them. In
one herd I counted forty.
They kept together in families, sire, dam, and foal. The animal
certainly is under fourteen hands, and resembles a mule rather than a
horse or ass. The noise, which I had several opportunities of
hearing, is more like a neigh than a bray, but lacks completeness.
The creature is light brown, almost fawn colour, fading into white
under his body, and he has a dark stripe on his back, but not a
cross. His ears are long, and his tail is like that of a mule. He
trots and gallops, and when alarmed gallops fast, but as he is not
worth hunting, he has not a great dread of humanity, and families of
kyang frequently grazed within two hundred and fifty yards of us. He
is about as untamable as the zebra, and with his family
affectionateness leads apparently a very happy life.
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