History of All Animals. 105

A certain beast is counted among the whales which, according to Gessner, the Germans call the *Rusor*. He asserts that this name is derived from the rush and roar the creature makes as it is carried through the sea waves; because of this, some have chosen to designate it in Latin as the *Rosmarus*. However, Gessner believes the name was bestowed because of the word *Ris*, which in the German language signifies a "Giant," perhaps due to the creature's immense size and strength, in which it surpasses other fish and whales. This beast is equipped with two ivory tusks, which it uses like hooks to hang itself from the rocks. In the furthest reaches of Muscovy, or Scythian Hungary, not far from the source of the Tanais, it is known as the *Morse*. Ambroise Paré, however, calls it the "Sea Elephant" and describes it as an amphibious animal, adding that it hangs itself by its teeth from the cliffs to sleep.

Upon spotting this, sailors head for the shore and bind the creature with thick ropes. Curiously, the animal is not awakened by these bonds; they must attempt to rouse it with a great din and by throwing stones. The beast then tries to leap back into the sea with its usual force, but being bound by knots, it becomes so subdued that it can be led according to the sailors' whims. For this reason, they slaughter it, extract its fat, and cut its hide into thongs; these are highly prized because they are incredibly strong and never decay.

There follows another marine beast which, in our judgment, is the same as the one described above. It equals an elephant in size, and many maintain it is the genuine *Rosmarus*. Olaus Magnus illustrated its form in his Map, though he provided no explanation. Consequently, Gessner takes issue with the presence of feet on this "fish," even though a painting of the animal displayed in the Court of Strasbourg shows them. Gessner understood that while the head was modeled after an actual skull, the rest of the body was drawn based on conjecture. Furthermore, the teeth in this particular figure point downward, whereas the depiction in Olaus Magnus's Map shows the beast's tusks raised upward. The author who published the Muscovite Chronography called this beast the *Morse* and similarly depicted two tusks protruding and descending from the upper jaw.

They add, moreover, that this beast climbs the coastal mountains to graze on grass and, when it wishes to sleep, hangs itself from a cliff. Fishermen, observing the animal in its slumber, bind it with ropes. From this, we must conclude that this animal is one and the same as the previous one, even if various illustrations—as seen in the accompanying images—portray them differently.

There is yet another large aquatic animal, horrific and extremely fierce, measuring nine or ten feet in length and broad in proportion to its size. It is covered in a hide like that of a crocodile and is known by the name *Orobon*. The Arab inhabitants of Mount Mazouanus, which stretches along the Red Sea, sustain themselves on this fish.