In Sudan on April 17, 1848, Baron von Müller encountered an African unicorn presented to him by a dealer in Melpes. This creature, known as the a’nasa, resembled the size of a small donkey, boasting a thick body with thin bones, coarse hair, and a tail reminiscent of a boar’s. Of notable mention was its long horn protruding from its forehead, which it would allow to hang when undisturbed but would promptly raise when sensing an enemy. Though the exact length of the horn remained unknown, it was deemed a formidable weapon.
The a’nasa was commonly found in the vicinity of Melpes, particularly towards the south-southwest. Müller recounted seeing it frequently in the wild, where locals would hunt and harvest its skin to fashion shields. Notably, the dealer distinguished the a’nasa from the fetit or rhinoceros. According to accounts from a slave-trader in Kordofan, the flesh of the a’nasa was reputedly well-flavored.
Origin | African, Sudan
Source
Athenaeum | UK newspaper, January 1849
