PAST DAYS IN INDIA. PAST DAYS IN INDIA, OR SPORTING REMINISCENCES OF THE VALLEY OF THE SOANE AND THE BASIN OF SINGROWLEE. BY A LATE CUSTOMS' OFFICER, N. W. PROVINCES, INDIA. LONDON : CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 1874. [All rif/htu reserved. LONDON : FRINIKD BY VIRTUE AMU CO., CITY ROAn. Stadf Anna* 51&67C& CONTENTS. I. SPORT IN THE DISTRICT OF MIRZAPORE . . . i II. GAME ON THE KYMORE PLATEAU 7 III. WILD PIGS THEIR NUMBERS . . . . -13 IV. TRADE CROSSING THE VALLEY OF THE SOANE . . 19 V. A SlNGROWLEE STORY 25 VI. DESCRIPTION OF A HANKWA CONTINUED . . -31 VII. THE CAMP VISITED BY A LEOPARD . . . .37 VIII. JONES AND SMITH EACH GET A LESSON ... 44 IX. JONES SHOOTS A LARGE SNAKE 51 X. MEMENTOES OF TIGERS 57 XI. THE SAMBHUR HANKWA ...... 64 XII. AN ELEPHANT OUTWITTED BY A JACKAL ... 70 XIII. AN ADVENTURE WITH HORNETS . . . 77 XIV. CROSSING THE SOANE 84 XV. SPECIMENS IN THE SANDS OF THE SOANE ... 91 XVI. THE YOUNG LION MEETS AN ELEPHANT ... 97 XVII. UTILISING THE CARCASE OF THE WILD CAT . . 103 XVIII. A DOG CARRIED OFF BY A LEOPARD IN BROAD DAY . 109 XIX. STRONG REMEDIES IN TIME 116 XX. DEFENCE OF THE CAMP 122 XXI. BROWN'S PAGE OF NATURAL HISTORY . . . .128 XXII. THE WATER-HOLE AT MUGGURDAH .... 134 XXIII. THE ONE-EYED TIGER SHOT . . . . . .141 XXIV. VISIT TO THE JHEEL AT GHURWAR .... 147 XXV. SITTING UP FOR A TIGER 153 XXVI. DISCOVERY OF THE COAL MINE . ... . 160 XXVII. ROBIN HOOD ARMAMENT 166 XXVIII. CASUALTIES BY WILD BEASTS 172 XXIX. THE TIGER'S DECLARATION OF WAR . . . .178 vi CONTENTS. CHAPTKR PACK XXX. THE HERDBOY'S FOLLY . . . . . .185 XXXI. THE LEAN KHANSAMAH'S STORY 192 XXXII. THE PLANTER VISITED BY TIGERS . . . .198 XXXIII. A FLOCK OF PARROTS 205 XXX IV. THE UNDER-KEEPER'S STATEMENT . . . .212 XXXV. THE OLD WOMAN'S SAD LOT 219 XXXVI. A MtJST ELEPHANT 226 XXXVII. NARROW ESCAPE OF ONE OF THE PARTY . . ' . 232 XXXVIII. JONES HAS A WEAKNESS FOR BRAHMINEE DUCKS . 239 XXXIX. PRETENDED HUMILITY OF THE USELESS BUSHES . . 245 XL. THE PARLIAMENT OF ALL CREATED THINGS . '. 252 XLI. THE MASTIFF'S SPEECH 259 XLII. FOLLOWING UP THE TRAIL . . . . '. . 265 XLIII. THE MONKEYS EACH TAKE A HEADER . . . . 271 XLIV. A PARODY .'.... 277 XLV. AFTER THE SAMBHUR AT PUTWUT . . /. . 283 XLVI. THE LAZY RIVER . 289 XLVII. THE STOREKEEPER'S ACCOUNT AT FAULT . . . 295 XLVII1. THE LARGEST TIGERS SHOT FOR SOME YEARS . . 301 XLIX. TIGERS AT THE GHAGUR 307 L. RINGING THE ANTELOPES 313 LI. DIFFERENCE IN VENISON . " 320 LII. How TO PREPARE VENISON 326 LIII. ANTELOPES MIGRATE 331 REMINISCENCES OF PAST DAYS IN INDIA. CHAPTER I. SPORT IN THE DISTRICT OF MIRZAPORE. A LTHOUGH there are doubtless many districts in India ~\. where a tour of a month or two may be very agreeably spent, yet, from all that I have seen or heard of, I would unhesi- tatingly give the palm, for sport in general, to Central India, and par excellence to the district of Mirzapore. Previous to the great Indian Mutiny my lot in life was to be stationed at a central point on the Kymore range of hills in the Mirzapore district, whence duty called me to make journeys of various lengths in different directions. Bachelor as I was, and somewhat fond of the gun, I contrived to combine pleasure with duty in. my various tours. Isolated from all society, confined strictly by my official duties within certain limits of country, it frequently happened that months passed without my having inter- course with any fellow-Christian. Living wholly among the native population then, being sometimes the sole European within a radius of sixty miles, and much more than that in some directions, I necessarily came into contact with a large amount of Indian rural life and scenery. Poor human nature (as Mr. Pecksniff hath said) is too apt to flatter paper-stainers in general, that what they may have to say 2 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. must needs be interesting to the public at large ; and, as I cannot plead exemption from human frailties any more than other poor mortals, I now propose taking an imaginary party on a rather discursive sporting tour from Chunar right away to Singrowlee, and the borders of Rewah, merely premising that the several sporting incidents are the experience of either myself, my brother, or related by some of our acquaintances. In those days it was not only usual, but absolutely necessary, for intending travellers in the district to obtain an introduction to, and a perwannah (vernacular for general order) from, the district magistrate located at Mirzapore. This perwannah would be addressed to all native superintendents and deputies of rural police- stations in the line of route intended to be taken by the exalted travellers therein referred to, ordering the said police officials to render every assistance to the travellers in the way of seeing that the villagers gave no unnecessary annoyance in supplying, or rather in not supplying, such russud (or forage) as might be required, or that they could supply, both to man and beast. This perwannah also implied that the said travellers were under sublime protection, and that their safety and well-being would be required at the hands of the local police. In those days and in most dis- tricts strangers travelling in the interior without such a document were liable to much annoyance, extortion, and petty insults from the villagers, and frequently from the subordinate police them- selves. Presuming that such an order has been obtained, and a party of six gentlemen (no ladies) made up for a holiday tour of one or two months, the requisite tents for themselves, and a sepoy's paul for the servants, with horses for each of the gentlemen and an elephant or two if procurable, together with the requisite number of camels for the transport of all the baggage being provided, time and place for starting from agreed upon, we think of making a start. I must here, however, ask a question. Did any of my readers REQUISITES FOR A SPORTING TOUR. 3 ever go to a picnic where everything went off satisfactorily where the knives and forks, or the ham or fowls, mustard or salt, or something considered essential, was not forgotten ? If so, all that I can say is, that you may consider yourself very fortunate. A holiday tour in the interior of any wild district of India is only a locomotive picnic on a large scale, in so far as almost everything comestible and potable (except water and milk) has to be provided beforehand and carried with the party, and any- thing forgotten on starting must perforce be dispensed with, after the first day's march. The police penvannah enables the traveller to get fodder and grain for the horses, &c., and coarse rice, pulse, firewood, common earthen cooking pots for the servants, and such like small articles, together with a few fowls, a lamb or a kid wherever procurable. In travelling in the interior of any district of India, it is not prudent for Europeans to trust to the chapter of accidents to supply themselves with whatever they may require independent of their guns. Hence it becomes necessary to lay in a good stock of condiments preserved meats, a few tins of biscuits, liquors of sorts that may be required, together with everything requisite for sporting purposes on an abundant scale, these sorts of articles not being procurable in the heart of most districts. As it would be far from either fair or wise to throw upon one person all the trouble of looking after everything before and after starting, when the party is made up a mutual arrangement is entered into whereby one looks after the horses, camels, &c., seeing that everything connected with them is provided, and the animals are well looked after on the journey by syces (or native grooms), camel-men, &c. Another undertakes the baggage depart- ment, looking also to the setting up and taking down the tents, and so on ; another looks after the liquors, cheroots, &c., taking daily account of what is expended ; another undertakes the office of paymaster-general, having custody of the general cash-box, and 4 PAST DArS IN INDIA. keeping a strict daily account of expenditure therefrom ; to * another is confided the duties of caterer, and so on. By thus dividing the responsibility and trouble, things go on much more agreeably than when left to one person, or to the very questionable forethought and care of the native servants, as is generally done. These Indian servants are many of them very clever managers (too much so at times), as Europeans, whether stationary or travelling, find out in the long run to their cost : for when parties travelling have been unwise enough to leave nearly everything to the wisdom and care of their excellent khansamah (head native house servant or butler), they find too late that several indispensable articles have been entirely forgotten, or of others an insufficient stock laid in ; while of liquors, although an ample stock might have been laid in, suddenly, long before the journey is over, the report is, " The beer or brandy is all expended, sir." Under the careful superintendence, then, of Messrs. Jones, Brown, Robinson, and Co., all arrangements are at length supposed to be satisfactorily completed, not by any means omitting a large supply of pice (Indian copper currency) ; hazy doubts, nevertheless, flying about the minds of the heads of departments as to something important having been omitted or mislaid, a start is at last made. The first day's journey on such expeditions ought always to be a short one (six to ten miles), otherwise, by overtasking men and animals at the first going off, worse progress is made subsequently; besides, the first day's march being a short one, should anything have been forgotten, the distance is not much to send a man back for whatever may be required. Baker's bread in quantities being cumbersome, is most usually dispensed with, a good supply of atta (flour with the pollard in it) and fine flour answering the purpose of making chuppatties, or hand-bread, cakes, and puddings. Having now brought my reader to the first encampment, before proceeding further I would make a little digression. I have often DESIRABILITY OF NOTING DOWN EVENTS. 5 thought what a vast fund of interesting as well as useful informa- tion, once stored up in the memories of intelligent Mofussilites (all residents in the interior of India are so called), but daily vanishing thence, is lost to the public in general, through the disinclination of actors in the various scenes to sit down now and then for an hour, and record the most striking events of the past week. Many, in excuse, will say, " Oh, I can't write well enough for the public to read." Your neighbours, Tom, Jack, or Harry So-and-So, at the next indigo factory or station, form each one of the public as much as I do, hundreds of miles it may be from you, and yet when you go to visit them you are glib enough with your tongue, and when you get the steam up, who but you keeps the table in one continuous roar ? No, you don't hit the bull's-eye when you say you can't write ; the truth is, you are too lazy or too indifferent to take the little trouble required. About tigers, many a useful story of their different humours, &c., which would act as warnings, or guides, as it may be, to neophites, might be set down in simple language, adhering, of course, closely to fact. Your story, after going through half-a-dozen hands or more, will have embellishments enough to make you doubt the paternity of your own bantling, should you meet with it subse- quently in print, forwarded by other hands than your own. I have alluded markedly to tigers only, but there are many incidents of Indian rural life which would doubtless prove highly interesting and useful were they recorded and published. In nine cases out of ten, the man who can tell a story well will be able to write it well, if he only tries. Of course, there are exceptions. There are men to whom it would make no difference whether they had the finest Gillott or the stump of a mainmast, they could not write down the simplest incident in an intelligible manner, not for the life of them. The beginning of December is about the best time for making 6 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. an excursion into the interior of most districts, as by that time the country generally will be pretty well dried up after the annual rains, and the various roads will have been put in order. Leaving Chunar, a fortress on the bank of the Ganges, now an invalid depot, and ascending to the table-land of the Kymore range of hills, the scenery is not very attractive until we approach the Ghats, or passes, descending to the lovely Valley of the Soane. The chief point of interest is the Fort of Bidjeyghur, seen in the distance to the left. Those versed in Indian history will recollect this fort having been reduced by Major Popham, at the time of Cheyt Singh's somewhat justifiable rebellion in the days of Warren Hastings. CHAPTER II. GAME ON THE KYMORE PLATEAU. THE sport to be obtained close to the high road to Singrow- lee, before approaching the Ghats, is not much. Game of different kinds may be had, if a party will camp for two or three days at every ten miles' march, and make short spurts out in search of it. On the table lands of the Kymore, chiefly between the Karamnassa River and Shahgunge, vast droves of antelopes used to be met with, small herds being common. Two distinct species are met with, feeding promiscuously. The full-grown fawn-coloured bucks are larger than the black ones, but the latter yield the better venison. Many persons, however, assert that the black is nothing but an old fawn-coloured buck, but it is hard to believe that certain animals grow smaller as they grow older. As plenty of wild pigs may be driven out of the sugar-cane fields, and a tiger or two from some patch of jungle, I shall sup- pose my party to have been satisfied with a few days' sport on the tableland of the Kymore, and then to have proceeded towards the celebrated Valley. Leaving Chupka, a small village directly on the Singrowlee road, about one mile behind, we come to the top of the Kowie Ghat, which is a monument to the engineering skill of one of the present worthy judges of the Suddur Adawlut, or High Court, at Agra, who was then magistrate of the district of Mirzapore. From this point the delightful Valley of the Soane opens to view, and presents as pretty a coup d'oeil as one may wish to see. A little to the left, fronting us, stands out prominently the Peak 8 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. of Mongeysur, the extreme western point of a bold spur of the Kymore, and about six miles distant; between Mongeysur and the Ghat, the hill recedes to the eastward, forming a fine amphi- theatre clothed with thick jungle; in the distance fronting us, we see the beautiful Soane, like a silver ribbon, meandering to the east till hidden by Mongeysur, and to the west till lost in the bosom of the hills. In the extreme distance fronting us, the scenery is further set off by undulating hills, and the banks of the river thickly clothed with picturesque jungle; we also catch a glimpse of the Rehund, a tributary of the Soane, almost on the horizon, towards the west. At our right, distant about nine miles, is the Fort of Agoree, in ruins now, but formerly a place of no little note in these parts. Agoree used to be the residence of the ancestors of the Rajah of Burhur, but had then been deserted for many years in favour of the present raj-barree, or native palace. A trip to the ruins used to be a favourite excursion for picnic parties. At one time some pretty mosaic was to be seen in the old fort, but successive visits of Vandals, who have dug out and carried off mementoes of their visit, have destroyed the completeness of the design. It is a great Jslpt on the Anglo-Saxon character that few of them can go anywhere without leaving unsightly traces of their visit, either in disfigurement of various kinds, or inscribing their insignificant names for future visitors to see, and, it is to be hoped, condemn as ultra-snobbish. In its palmy days, this fort and its defenders are said to have successfully repulsed sundry assaults made on it, with the view of chastising freebooters issuing thence. The foreground of our picture is filled up with the village of Murkoondee to our left, with the Ghagur winding past it, about three hundred and fifty feet below us, Ovvie fronting us, with Sulkhun still further on, and their adjacent lands, and two respectable hillocks immediately under Mongeysur, called Mor Bhya, or My Brothers, where the noble sambhur deer love to HOW BRUIN BEHAVES. 9 congregate ; our right is chiefly filled up with more or less thick jungle. In descending the fine Ghat, as also on the tableland above and below it, we may possibly enough see, even in the middle of the road, one or more funnel-shaped holes scratched out by some bear, whose instinct or acute sense of smelling out the where- abouts of his tit-bit the white ant's nest is astonishing. The writer has seen numbers of holes made by bears, some of which had been dug out in the driest weather, right in the middle of a hard road or bye-path. These animals, in that part of the country, are very independent gentlemen in a general way, caring little whether it be the Queen's highway or any one else's, so long as their wants are supplied. Bruin will seldom do a man any harm at night, unless by accident he comes upon him at the turn of a bush, or disturbs or molests him in any way ; he is, on the whole, well disposed and liberal, inclined to live and let live. Should he, however, meet a human being in the daytime, it is a very different thing, for if he sees any one at even twenty or thirty yards' distance, unless it is too much out of the direct course he may at the time be taking, he will generally charge, and then it all depends upon the party's fleetness of foot for escape, if a native, or upon his presence of mind, and the goodness of his gun, if a European, as to who shall come off second best. Earl St. Maur, a few years ago, got dread- fully mauled through not being quick enough in getting out of the way of a bear that he had wounded. If a party, travelling in the interior of any wild district of India, and who is conversant with the dialect, has any desire to hear incidents of jungle life, a promise of buksheesh to the first village shikari (sportsman), or aheer (herdsman), will draw out an abun- dance of anecdotes illustrative of life in the jungles. In the course of his journeys on duty the writer once heard the following story, related as an actual occurrence, and confirmed by a party resident on the borders of Rewah. jo PAST DAYS IN INDIA. Three or four aheers (herdsmen) were one day tending their buffaloes in the jungle near Murkoondee, when one of them sud- denly came upon a bear at the foot of a tree, half buried in the hole he was digging to get at a white ants' nest. Signalling to his companions they soon joined him, and all stood for some time, silently watching the bear, who was too intent upon trying for a meal to notice them, when suddenly the idea of punishing Bruin entered the mind of one of them, who quickly communicated his plan to the others. It was then arranged that the two boldest and most powerful of them should silently approach and jump upon the back of the bear, while his head was buried deep in the hole, and by main force keep it there until the others had tied a small buffalo-bell round his neck. Having succeeded in securely fastening on the bell, they let the bear go, nimbly enough getting out of his way, and then the antics he played, and the awful row he made in trying to get rid of the sonorous bell, sent the aheers into fits of laughter. The poor animal is said to have been seen or heard of for four days in different parts of the country, and it is supposed to have traversed between one hundred and two hundred miles, being at last found dead of fright and starvation on the borders of Rewah, fifty miles from where he had the ornament put on. We have most of us heard of the parliament of rats, meeting in solemn conclave, to contrive some scheme for circumventing their common enemy, the cat, and of the proposal to bell the cat. But when one more thoughtful than the rest put the question, Who was to bell the cat ? they one and all prudently declined the perilous feat, and dissolved the meeting, leaving their descendants to the present day, it is supposed, mourning over the degeneracy of their race, in not being able to produce a champion capable of carrying out the above notable scheme. We may have often heard of the proposal to bell the cat, but the writer never before or YOUNG BRUIN'S MISTAKE AND SURPRISE, n since heard of belling the bear being actually carried into practice. The writer also heard the following story on another occasion. The incident is said to have occurred at the top of the Ekpowa Ghat, (or " one foot-pass," so named from its extreme narrow- ness), in some of the jungles near the precipice, not far from the village of Romph, which is about one and a half miles from Chupka. A solitary aheer one night led his buffaloes into a bit of jungle, with which he was not well acquainted, and being apprehensive of a chance visit from tigers or bears, he collected his herd under a large tree, when they had done feeding. While his animals were chewing the cud of meditation, the aheer thought proper to con- sult his personal safety by climbing up the tree, and the night being cold, wrapping around him his thick black blanket, he seated himself on one of the stoutest branches. Not long after making himself comfortable, a bachelor scion of the bear family, happening to pass that way, had his attention drawn to the black object up in the tree. Thinking it to be one of the fair sex of his species, and being on amorous thoughts intent, he very soon climbed up, and, seating himself conveniently along- side of the supposed fair one, began, bear fashion, to try and in- gratiate himself into her favour. Meanwhile the aheer, finding himself in somewhat of a fix, and perceiving the mistake of the young bear, thought it would be best to humour the animal until he gathered his wits about him, and contrived some scheme for extricating himself from his un- pleasant predicament. So, when young Master Bruin said " Boo " to him (which he understood to mean, " Good evening, miss "), he very politely answered, " Boo-hoo," meaning, " Good evening, sir." This kind of confab, together with sundry nudges on the part of Bruin, went on for some time until the aheer had released his arras from the folds of the blanket, when steadying himself with 12 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. his left arm, he gave the bear a sudden push with his right hand, sending him clean off the branch. Not knowing exactly what to think of such a repulse from the supposed fair one, being rather verdant withal, the bear, after shak- ing himself a bit, and rubbing his nose, came to the sage conclu- sion that his company was not wanted, and so made tracks for another part of the jungle. As the writer does not vouch for the truth of any merely hearsay stories, they must be taken cum grano salis. CHAPTER III. WILD PIGS THEIR NUMBERS. WHILE on the road, if the party have started sufficiently early, they may possibly see one or more droves, or sounders, of wild pigs, scampering off to their different lairs. Pig- shooting in the valley, from the nature of the country, is not always safe. This sport may be had to any amount on the table- land within five miles of the ghats, and where scrubby jungle or sugar-cane fields abound. H?\g-sticking, however, in the open, uncultivated country of the table-land, is always dangerous, owing to the soil being friable, and full of holes made by rats, foxes, etc., giving an ugly purl to hard-riding man and beast, very probably dislocating a shoulder, or it may be breaking a neck, or ruining a good horse. It always was astonishing to the writer how the cultivators man- aged to reap any crop at all from fields on the table-lands of the Kymore, and within two or three miles from the ghats and jungles. The swarms of wild pigs in those days were something wonderful. Frequently, on moonlight nights, when out on official duty, the writer has, according to season, seen rice, gram, wheat, or other fields, thickly studded with wild pigs gorging themselves. While out for a walk, morning or afternoon, his dogs have often turned a pig out of a small bush that he should never have thought capable of concealing the gentleman. Were it not that the tigers and leopards thin the swarms of pigs considerably, the fields might as well lie fallow ; as it is, the marvel is how the cultivators manage to live, after paying their rent and other charges. We will suppose the party to have descended the Kowie Ghat, H PAST DAYS IN INDIA. or pass, and arrived at Sulkhun. Here a halt of ten or twelve days is made, to enable the party to enjoy their fill of the abun- dant sport that used to be had in the neighbourhood, this being a favourite rendezvous for tiger and sambhur shooting, and sport in general. Here Messrs. Jones, Brown, and Co. have a glorious oppor- tunity of being initiated into all the science and mystery of venery, or rather wood-craft. Venery is applied to all connected with deer alone; wood-craft teaches everything connected with forest sport biped and quadruped. An experienced Indian shikari will tell by the droppings of a deer whether it is feeding peaceably in the neighbourhood, or has been alarmed and fled. He will readily distinguish the footprints of a leopard from those of a wolf, or a large dog ; and by careful inspection will be able to tell whether a tiger has recently passed, and whether he is roaming for prey, or has had a good meal. The writer, knowing the country and its ways, having been unanimously elected president of the mess as well as caterer, has the charge and management of things in general, and conse- quently his voice is all-powerful. The president, therefore, has prudently sent on a tent and a considerable part of the baggage the night previous from Adulgunge, with certain sub rosa in- structions. The consequence of the president's forethought was that, when the party arrived at Sulkhun they found a tent ready pitched, several ghurras (water-pots) of Soane water, and breakfast waiting to be put on the table. The order for breakfast was not need- lessly delayed, and having refreshed themselves with one or more tumblers full of the delicious Soane water, and then with a bath, the party sat down to a hearty meal, their appetites sharpened by the bracing morning air. Jones, dry soul, with a taste for Bass, incontinently shouts out for a bottle of beer, but the president, with his deep bass voice, sternly says, " No," and quietly explains that at certain places he intends CHANCE OF SOME TIGER SHOOTING. 15 interdicting alcohol in every shape until the day's work is over. He has found by experience that more fatigue can be undergone, and better results obtained, on coffee and tea than on claret or beer, not to mention brandy. All acquiesce except Jones, who, after breakfast, bribes the khansamah (butler), and thus surreptitiously obtaining a bottle of beer, succeeds in nearly finishing it before being discovered. Thereupon a council of war being immediately held, the delinquent pleading guilty, is amerced in a light fine of three dozens of beer of like brand. After breakfast, while enjoying their pipes or cheroots, the president enlightens the rest as to some of his hitherto mysterious movements, and separate conversations with sundry scantily-clad natives. Having sent off an express the day previous from Adul- gunge, with certain instructions for a native shikari, whose dwelling was either at Murkoondee or Sulkhun, said shikari, whom we will call Sewgolam, presented himself that morning. The result of that interview was, that there was every chance of some excellent tiger-shooting the next day, as Sewgolam reported that there was a family party of tigers at the Jherria, and two at the Ghagur both mountain streams, tributaries of the Soane. In order to benefit fully by the capital khubber (information, or news) received, it was proposed and agreed upon, that not a shot was to be fired in that neighbourhood for some days, lest the tigers should be scared away. It was further agreed to, that under a good guide, provided by Sewgolam, the day's shooting should be had in the jungle towards Putwut. Sewgolam was then directed to purchase the requisite " victim," and make the necessary pre- parations for a grand " hankwa " (or drive of wild animals) on the following morning, and report progress in the evening. In accordance with the above arrangements, some with rifles, others with double barrels, one loaded with No. 6 or 7, the other with ball, attended by three servants and the guide, the party starts on foot in search of what they can get, the caterer hinting that, as 16 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. the larder was empty, those who did not succeed in bagging any- thing should have no dinner. They had not proceeded far when a spotted deer dashed past, but was speedily arrested by a quick, well-aimed shot from Brown, while a magnificent peacock, roused by the report, flew up with a whirr, and was making off, until a charge of shot by Robinson dropped him. Almost at the same time, a hog- deer, darting past, was fired at by Jones without success, who attributed the fault to the deer ; the president, however, growled out that it was the beer. Jones, soon after that, had another fine chance at a ravine deer, but missed again, and on reloading his double barrel made the discovery that he had forgotten his caps, and as it was too far to send a man back to the camp, or for him to return without the guide, he was no little nuisance to the rest, troubling first one and then another for a few caps. Brown having bagged another spotted deer, Wilcox a hog-deer, Smith a pig, Robinson a couple of young peacocks, and the presi- dent several brace of black and grey partridges, and one of hares, with a few green and wood pigeons, being all rather tired with their scrambling walk, the party returned to camp about four o'clock well loaded. Jones not having contributed anything to the larder, besides having been troublesome, the president was unanimously called upon to read him a lecture on the impropriety of his conduct, which was thereupon done, and the delinquent being penitent and promising amendment, he was pardoned. After a good wash, and a glass of beer, with a little biscuit and cheese, the party proceeds to examine the day's work. The presi- dent at once condemns the old peacock, but orders his splendid tail-feathers to be carefully preserved. The deer being skinned, the saddles and haunches were ordered to be hung up, well out of the reach of prowling leopards and tigers, the rest being given to the servants. One saddle was ordered to be roasted, and a PREPARATIONS FOR A TIGER HUNT. 17 haunch made into savoury steaks, while the best parts of the hares and feathered game were to be made into a hunters' stew, no mean dish to set before a king even. One hare was, however, withdrawn, to be made into a splendid curry by Ramjaun, artiste. While engaged in giving these and other orders, Sewgolam, shikari, is announced. He reported that, after leaving the gentle- men in the morning, he went immediately with two trusty men to a certain place on the banks of the Jherria, and, after a careful inspection of the neighbourhood, he found perfectly fresh traces of three tigers, the old ones and a young one, nearly full-grown. Moreover, he said that, to make as sure as possible, he had cautiously tracked them, as far as he durst go, to the bed of a dry nullah (channel or watercourse), thickly overgrown with jungle, and which evidently had been their den for a considerable time past. He further reported that, directly on his return, he sent off the two men to the adjacent villages, warning all hands that their ser- vices would be required for a grand hankwa early the next morning. ( He also said that he had procured a " victim," a young buffalo, which, as soon as he should leave "the presence," he would proceed to securely tie up, and get the machauns (or platforms) ready. Having finished his report, and all that he had done being approved of, Brown, who was a veritable negrophile, sympathizing right off with the oppressed coloured people, noticing Sewgolam pressing and rubbing his abdomen, asked what was the matter with him. On learning that he (Sewgolam) was subject to an infirmity, a bad stomach-ache, Brown, philanthropist as he was, began condol- ing with him, giving him a great deal of wholesome advice, more medico ; and to prove that his sympathy was not in words only, roared out for the brandy, a certain quantity of which was to be taken internally at once, and he was to take away a certain quantity to be used as an embrocation. C i 8 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. On the brandy being brought and poured out, the president, who understood Sewgolam's ruse, but was quietly enjoying the fun, suggested to Brown that the dose prescribed internally was not a quarter strong enough, and that no embrocation was necessary. Whereupon the bottle and glass being handed over, Brown, seeing a good second mate's nip poured out, protested that such a dose as that would kill a poor man unaccustomed to strong liquors, or at least would send him into a sleep from which he would not awake until the middle of next week, and so they would lose all their fine tiger-shooting. The president simply answered, " Wait and see," and, handing the glass to Sewgolam, Brown was not a little astonished to see the marvellous facility with which the brandy disappeared, without causing any wry face, but, on the contrary, with every mark of satisfaction. Thereupon Brown gained a wrinkle in Indian expe- rience. Sewgolam then, having received his rookhsut (or permission to retire), departed to tie up the " victim," and make the requisite and final arrangements. CHAPTER IV. TRADE CROSSING THE VALLEY OF THE SOANE. AS dinner would not be ready for some time, and an hour's daylight still remaining, the party amused themselves with a stroll in the environs of the camp, the president taking the opportunity of enlightening the others respecting the commerce traversing the Singrowlee road. Sulkhun and the adjacent villages carry on a great trade at the commencement of the cold weather, in buggye, a species of grass very plentiful over the hilly parts of the district. It is valuable from being so plentiful, as it is made into string and rope, which is used for most ordinary purposes. It is a cheap substitute for sunn (or hemp), the latter being little cultivated in those parts, and when absolutely required, it has to be brought from a great distance, and is consequently too expensive for common use. The villagers towards Kone, and other directions, cut and bring this buggye by bullock-loads for sale to Sulkhun, &c., where it is again sold to parties who come from Allahabad, Mirzapore, Benares, &c., for it. These middlemen themselves also take it, sometimes only to Ahrorah, a large mart near Chunar, whence it ultimately reaches the above places, where it is made into string, and is used and highly prized for lacing charpoys, or native bed- steads, tying the rafters and framework of native huts, &c. ; it is also made into rope, and is used for drawing water, and for the heel and head-ropes of horses, &c. There is also a considerable trade carried on in the dried flower of the mowah-tree, a very elegant and useful tree. This flower is 20 PAST DATS IN INDIA. about the size of a full-grown white-heart cherry, although some may be met with as large as a walnut ; it is fragrant and full of saccharine matter, for which reason bears, wild pigs, porcupines, &c., are very fond of it. The mowah flower is gathered, dried, and eaten by the poorer natives, but by far the greater part is sold to those pests of every village, the kulwars, or keepers of hedge pot- houses, who, by rude distillation, extract from it a spirit, not of much body, but apparently very intoxicating. When new, it has a fine aroma, but is very insipid, and when stale it appears to acquire strength and a very vile smell. The beauty of the mowah-tree calls forth the admiration of every one, and their great numbers in the valley, but especially near rocky ground, where there is a sufficiency of soil (in which favourite spots they seem, to delight, growing luxuriantly), impart a charm to the landscape which would be materially diminished without them. The mowah is one of the most valuable trees in the Kymore range, the wood being of excellent quality, suitable for a variety of purposes, but the tree is seldom cut down on account of the value of the blossom and seeds. The flower would yield a good per-centage of sugar, but whether a sufficient quantity could be procured to make it a profitable commercial speculation is very doubtful, owing to the universal demand there is for it by the native distillers. A sharp, pleasant vinegar, but of little body, may also be obtained from the blossoms. From the valley of the Soane and neighbourhood, and even from Singrowlee and Sirgoojah, great numbers of bullocks are annually loaded with the dry blossom, and sent to Ahrorah and other large marts for the kulwars. The seed or nut of the mowah is also of great commercial value, as it yields forty-seven per cent, of a very excellent oil. A French gentleman succeeded in making good soap and candles from the mowah oil, the candles resembling those made from stearine. Residents at the large stations, such as Allahabad, Benares, &c., VITALITY OF THE PRASS AND WILD PLUM, zi doubtless flatter themselves that they get the purest ghee, or clarified butter, used in all Indian cookery, and yet the bunniahs (traders) are very apt to adulterate their ghee with mowah oil, nor is the sophistication easy of detection. The way it is done is this : the mowah oil is allowed to settle in large vessels, and in course of time it throws up a white granular substance, scarcely distinguishable from good ghee. This, which may be called the essence of the oil, is then carefully collected and well mixed with the ghee. This substance of the mowah oil being perfectly innocuous, no harm results from the sophistication, except to the pocket of the consumer. The high road to Kone, Singrowlee, Sirgoojah, &c., running directly across the; valley, the whole of the commercial traffic either way necessarily passes Sulkhun ; hence at times, generally morning and evening, droves of bullocks laden with salt, sugar, spices, cloths, &c., may be seen plodding their weary way. " In the merrie month of May," the jungle on either hand between Kowie Ghat and Putwut puts on its holiday dress, and has a very gay appearance, the prass (J3utea frondosa} and other flowers being then in full bloom, some of them perfuming the air to a considerable distance with their delightful fragrance. The prass is a very useful plant, its broad leaves making capital extempore drinking-cups, while its dried flowers yield an orange dye, very pleasing to unsophisticated village maidens. The fibres of the roots also are made into very serviceable and strong string, which, while moist, is very pliable, and will bear a great strain, but, if allowed to dry, soon breaks. The prass, nevertheless, is a great eyesore to zemindars (land- lords) from its abundance, tenacity of life, and the great difficulty there is in eradicating it. Burning the stump, or cutting it into small pieces, seems to have little effect, unless perseveringly repeated. The jhar, or wild plum, is also extremely abundant on the Kymore generally, and in the season the fruit may be gathered 22 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. free to any extent, thousands of cartloads if required. This wild plum, when gathered fully ripe, and stewed with plenty of sugar, is very pleasant eating. Numbers of wild animals, biped and quadruped, are glad when the plum ripens. This is another plant that is exceedingly troublesome to dis- lodge, owing to the singular vitality of its roots, as a little bit, an inch or two long, if left in the ground, will very soon begin to sprout. This plum has been known to throw out suckers more than twenty feet from the parent stem, so that, effectually to eradicate it, it is absolutely necessary to trace the ramifications of its roots, and carefully burn the rootlets. The labour of unearth- ing the tap-root is not a trifle, a huge cavity or well being required to be dug out, if the bush is of any considerable size. The valley of the Soane in those days, but especially the neigh- bourhood of Sulkhun, was a favourite rendezvous for tiger-shoot- ing and sport in general, and the report of a " kill " from the shikari was looked for with not a little eagerness, and seldom without fail if parties went at the proper season. Certain places on the banks of the Ghagur and Jherria seldom failed of yielding fine sport. No less than six tigers, in fact a whole family, have been, the result of one hankwa at the Jherria, only two of which, however, were bagged at that time. The writer will vouch for a tigress and two nearly full-grown cubs being bagged at one time at the same place, the male tiger and one cub escaping. The Mor Bhya, or " My Brothers' Hill," under Mongeysur, used to be a famous place for sambhur deer, which were either stalked or driven by the usual hankwa. The head and shins of this deer (after being properly shaven), stewed under the superintendence of a connoisseur, are a dish for a king. Its recuperative properties are not generally known, and sometimes when known are not duly appreciated. The usual game to be met with in the vicinity of Sulkhun con- sisted of tigers, leopards, bears, sambhur, spotted deer, wild pigs, porcupines, peafowl, curlew, j ungle-cocks, black and grey partridges, ARRIVAL AT SULKHUN. 23 wood and green pigeons, quails, ortolans, and doves. Further on, in the woods between Sulkhun and Putwut, nylghau (or blue ox), the largest Indian deer, being more like a horse than a deer, and about the size of a Suffolk pony, hog- deer, and occasionally the pretty little ravine-deer, may be had. The shades of evening drawing on rapidly, it was time to return to camp, as it is not safe for any one living or being camped close to any heavy jungle to be out after dusk, that being the time when all wild beasts issue from their respective lairs in search after prey. On arrival at Sulkhun in the morning, the president had quietly sent off a man to the mullah (ferryman and fisherman combined) at Putwut with orders to try and get some fish, and on the return of the party from their stroll, they found a man waiting with a fine mahseer, or Indian salmon, for which a liberal price was given, and a hint to bring fish every day to the camp. The khansamah having been summoned, the fish was made over to him, with directions to boil it immediately, as an agreeable addition fo the fare for dinner. Then, while refreshing themselves with beer and pipes or cheroots, the president took the oppor- tunity of giving certain advice and directions to be strictly observed next day, if they wished the hankwa to be successful. In the first place, on going out shooting in the jungles, it is best to wear a sombre dress, brown or olive green, so as to be assimi- lated as much as possible in colour to surrounding objects ; also white collars and gay neckties should be discarded, as well as the regulation belltopper (chimney-pot hat), the ugliest and most uncomfortable head-dress ever invented, and utterly out of place in the jungles. A brown or an olive-green felt wide-awake will be found by far the most handy and comfortable. The reason for wearing sombre apparel while out shooting in the jungles is this glaring white or gay colours in large masses moving about, not being common in the jungles, instantly attract the attention of wild animals, and make them wary of approach, 24 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. or by rousing their suspicion, cause them to start off at a tangent beyond shot. Another thing to be observed is, that when two or more persons go together into the jungles, stalking after deer or other game, they must proceed very cautiously and as silently as possible, making signs in place of speaking, as any talking above a whisper will infallibly alarm animals which may, unknown to you, be behind the next bush, and so scare them away. If these precautions are absolutely necessary for successful shooting on foot, they become doubly so when seated on a machaun, or platform, at a hankwa. When once seated in a tree on a machaun, the most perfect silence and immobility must be maintained. However much annoyed persons may be by flies, mosquitoes, or wood-ants, a finger or muscle must not be moved suddenly to drive them away ; they must just allow the pests to peg away at them. CHAPTER V. A SINGROWLEE STORY. TQ give an instance of the necessity for silence, &c., when up in a machaun, the president related the following laughable story of a tiger-hunt : A certain rajah, or native prince, down Singrowlee-way, had once received some attentions from native friends in Benares, when on pilgrimage to the holy shrines there, and in return for their civilities invited them on a certain occasion to visit him for a change of air. Gladly accepting the invitation, they took with them a few of their friends, and, as a matter of course, a posse of attendants. On their way down, having seen plenty of evidences of tigers, and heard many stories about them, they were not long with the rajah before they politely intimated their wish to shoot a tiger or two, to take back the skins and skulls as trophies of their prowess and mementoes of their visit. The rajah, not being deficient in politeness, acceding to their request, agreed to give them at least the opportunity of doing so, and accordingly arrangements were made for a hankwa. The rajah, understanding their character pretty well, advised his new friends much in the same way as the above party has been advised, but these conceited and pot-valiant citizens, being determined on showing their valour, little heeded the advice given them. Moreover, on reaching the trees, and seeing the machauns so near the ground, as they thought, their courage beginning to ooze out, like Bob Acres', made them insist on the charpoys (native bedsteads) being placed higher up in the branches. 26 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. As the hankwa had then begun, there was no time to make the charpoys properly fast, so they had to be content with what altera- tions could rapidly be made. Then, in their anxiety to get off the ground quickly, instead of one or two getting up into each tree, three or four got up into one machaun, taking with them one or two attendants, and a whole armoury of rifles, double-barrels, matchlocks, spears, swords, shields, &c. When settled at last, instead of being still and keeping silence, they would laugh and chatter like a parcel of monkeys, ignorant of their clanger. The consequence was that, when the tiger, annoyed by the great hullaballoo in his rear, advanced close to one of these monkey-loaded machauns, his attention was immediately attracted by the unusual row up in the tree directly in front of him. Having been disturbed in his siesta, Master Tiger, as may be supposed, was not in a very amiable mood just then ; and so, making a gallant spring, he alighted on the edge of the machaun, with his two fore-legs only, holding on like grim death, grinning a "ghastly smile," with his face all bloody from his recent feast. As the fastenings of the machaun were never originally intended to bear the great strain put upon them by a live and kicking tiger hanging on at one side, and as these fastenings moreover were further insecure through the hasty alterations made, they of course gave way, and, the machaun toppling over, down went tiger, machaun, men, guns, swords, spears, &c., in glorious confusion, most of the guns making a perfect feu de joie on reaching the ground, to express their sense of the fun of the thing. The tiger, not knowing what to make of it all, exhibited great discretion in getting out of the mttee as soon as possible, leaving the other animals half dead with fright, while the men and boys of the hankwa, as they came up and learned what had happened, split the welkin with their roars of laughter. The citizens, it is said, returned to Benares much chagrined, and would never more listen to any tiger stories. . THE FRIGHT OF THE BRAGGART. 27 The royal Bengal tiger, loose and free in his native jungles, is a very different animal from the woe-begone creature exhibited in menageries in Europe. There is that in his black-striped face and glaring eyes which requires all the courage of a bold man steadily to face. South America and South Africa are said to have their tigers, which properly ought to be called jaguars or panthers, and hunters in those countries are thought not a little of for destroying even one of them, but a real Bengal tiger would eat such cats any day. Instances have been known of parties up in a machaun waiting for a shot at a tiger, but on seeing him approach, with his head, neck, and paws all smeared with blood from a recent gorge, have been so terrified as to lose their wits. The following story, illus- trative of the terror caused by the sight of a tiger, and his fearful roar on being wounded, was related to the president by a credible person as having actually occurred in one of the jungles of the basin of Singrowlee. A respectable native in those parts was once visited by a braggart native friend, who continually boasted of his courage, and of the wonderful exploits he had performed. On his being asked if he had ever seen a tiger in a jungle, or had heard one roar, he said he had not, but that was the only thing he most ardently desired, and he longed for such an opportunity of showing what a man of real courage arid skill was made of. He was soon afterwards introduced to an experienced shikari, who promised to show the brave man how he shot tigers, and that most probably he would hear the animal roar, requesting him to be ready when he should call for him. A day or two after the interview, having found traces of a tiger meanwhile in a suitable locality, the shikari called for the boaster, and took him with a " victim " into the jungle. Having tied up the animal, and securely fastened his machaun in a tree conveniently near, the shikari mounted with the man, whom he placed behind him, having doubts of his presence of mind, not- 28 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. withstanding all his vapouring, cautioning him to be silent and motionless. In about a couple of hours the shikari was aware of the approach of the tiger, and again warned his companion. Presently the tiger came into view, stealthily approaching within springing distance of his victim, but before he could effect his object, the shikari cleverly planted a ball in his back, breaking his spine, paralysing his loins, and causing him to roar horribly. As his companion did not fire, the shikari turned half round upbraiding him, and snaching the matchlock out of his hands, quickly gave the tiger his quietus. The effect on the braggart of the roar the tiger gave on receiving the first shot was such, that the shikari had scarcely time to fire the second before he felt the man behind him fall forward and seize him in a strong grip, at the same time something sharp penetrated his back. With some difficulty he released his arms, and spoke roughly to the man, but receiving no answer, he felt with his hands and found that the man, through extreme fright, had fallen forwards in a strong convulsive fit, and had made his teeth meet in the shikari's back. In this position he was obliged to remain until the shikari's and the boaster's friends, alarmed at their long absence, coming in search of them, forcibly released him from his strange imprisonment. The man, it is said, never recovered from the terrible fright. When up in a machaun, too great care cannot be taken of your battery, placing each gun convenient to your hand, but in such a way that it cannot slip through the interstices of the charpoy, and fall to the ground. A sad accident (vouched for by the president) once happened to an old sportsman through some little want of care. He and a friend had gone to the Mor Bhya hillocks, close under Mongeysur, to shoot sambhur, but before the beaters could drive the animals up near enough for a shot, the deer were alarmed by the double report of a gun in front, and broke away on one side. WHAT A HANKWA IS. 29 It appears that the gentleman had placed a double-barrel at his side, and safely as he thought, while he held a pea-rifle in his hands. How it occurred the gentleman could not tell, but the double-barrel somehow slipped through the charpoy, and falling perpendicularly, both barrels went off as the stock struck the root of the tree, one ball going through his right foot, while the other grazed his cap. The gentleman suffered for many months, and when he did get well, he had a limp in his gait ever afterwards. " Khana tuyar hy, huzoor," or " Dinner is ready, your high- ness," was just then announced with joined hands and a bow to the president, which welcome news was received with great satis- faction by every one. Proceeding to the dinner-tent, they were not long in discussing the fine mahseer, which was declared to be first-rate. The hunter's stew was pronounced excellent by all, but the president demurred, saying, that, " to be perfect, it wanted a few doves, quail, or ortolans." A good hunter's appetite having caused full justice to be done to the rest of the capital dinner, especially the hare-curry, the party adjourned to the open, round a glorious fire formed of logs and wood. While -enjoying the fragrant weed, after some general conversation, the president said that, having to get up very early next morning, every one must turn into bed betimes ; but, as several of the party did not know what a hankwa was, or how it was conducted, he thought it best to give them at once a detailed account, and advised their paying attention to him. The first thing to be done is to send off an experienced shi- kari to discover the traces and lair of a tiger. This having been done, and a young buffalo-bull provided as a " victim," the shi- kari takes it before sundown to the spot arranged for the hankwa or drive, and in the track of a tiger, and fastens it securely to a stake driven firmly into the ground, or to the roots of a tree. The shikari has with him two or three villagers, who have brought their tangarees, or wood-axes, and charpoys, according to the number of sportsmen, which they proceed at once to fasten 3 o PAST DAYS IN INDIA. securely in trees, conveniently situated. Poles are then cut and fastened twelve to eighteen inches above the front edge of each charpoy, and to these poles small leafy branches are tied, hanging downwards, which serve as a screen to the sportsmen on the machaun. These poles are also used to rest the barrels of the guns on, that they may be close at hand. It is, however, generally best to fasten the charpoys in the morning, as then the leafy screen, being fresh, presents a more natural appearance, the shikari doing it directly he finds the " victim " killed. These preparations being completed, the shikari's party make their way out of the neighbourhood as quickly as possible, knowing that the jungle is no longer over safe, because about that time wild animals of all kinds issue from their various coverts in search of their prey or food. The shikari having then made his report at the camp, pro- ceeds quickly to his own village, and sends other men to different villages, to give notice of a hankwa the next morning, and to summon all the men and boys not absolutely required for any special duties. As a properly conducted hankwa seldom lasts longer than two or three hours at most, generally in the early morning, and as the villagers engaged in it receive a whole day's pay for their trouble, they are always glad of the summons. CHAPTER VI. DESCRIPTION OF A HANKWA CONTINUED. AT daybreak on the following morning, the shikari, taking one or more crafty men with him, proceeds very cautiously to the jungle to see whether the "victim" has been killed or not. If on his return he 'reports " a kill," the gentlemen, who by that time have got everything ready, proceed quickly to the spot, but with as little noise as possible, all talking on the way being in a decidedly subdued tone of voice. Some eight or ten of the bravest and most intelligent villagers accompany them, and station themselves in trees, a few yards apart, to the right and left of the trees in which the machauns are. As the duties of these men are more onerous and dangerous than those of beaters, they will have double pay each for their trouble. While describing the fixing of the charpoys, I should have said that they are placed about ten feet from the ground, this height being generally considered the safest, as the machaun then would be just out of the reach of a tiger, were he to stand up on his hind legs and try to get in. Finding himself foiled, should he still be bent upon mischief, and make a spring, most likely he would go clean over, harming no one, even if the sportsmen were foolish enough to allow him so much time to accomplish all this. Whereas, were the machauns placed some feet higher up, unless at once very high, the tiger's spring would land him nicely in the machaun, beside or on the gentlemen, however unwelcome he might be as an unexpected as well as uninvited visitor. No doubt, in such a case, on making his spring he would be saluted with a volley ; still, unless hit in an immediately vital spot, he 32 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. might have strength enough left to inflict some ugly wounds with his teeth and claws. Accidents happen somehow when least expected, and it is best to take every possible precaution when scheming the overthrow of such a powerful active brute as a tiger, especially as it is well known to sportsmen that wounds from any of the feline race are extremely troublesome to heal. The villagers who have placed themselves in the trees to the right and left, and at about the same height as the machauns, act the part of, and are called, rokhs or stoppers, their duty being resolutely to stop the tiger coming towards their trees with the view of breaking away, and to make him turn back and go in the road leading right in front of the machauns of the sportsmen. The way this is done is as follows : When a rokh sees a tiger coming his way, he cries out " hish," or some such sound, not too loud, or else taps the tree once with the handle of his axe, just loud enough to attract the attention of the tiger, and make him apprehensive of some danger in that direction. If this sound is not enough, he taps again louder, and if the tiger still persists in advancing, he throws a stone or a bit of stick at him, which usually turns and makes him go in the direction required. The position of a rokh, and his duties, are, as already said, more dangerous than that of a beater, although at times some one or more of these latter have been known to be mauled by a tiger, suspecting danger ahead, breaking back and charging the line of beaters. Sometimes the tiger will not go to be killed, he will break past the rokhs, and that is annoying enough. On one occasion, at the Jherria, one unmannerly brute, not liking the many hints given him to retrace his steps, spied out the rokh, who had placed himself too low in the tree, and acted somehow in- cautiously, attracting the attention of the tiger too markedly to himself, and the consequence was that the tiger clawed him out of the tree, killing and carrying him off before the gentlemen could descend and attempt his rescue. The gentlemen having started for the machauns, the shikari DESCRIPTION OF A HANKWA CONTINUED. 33 takes all the rest of the men and boys (fifty to a hundred or more), and places them a few yards apart, forming a semicircle in rear of the place where the tiger is supposed to be lying down, preparing for a sleep after his heavy repast. Two or three tomtoms (small native drums) are also stationed, one in the centre of the line of beaters, the others at even distances to the right and left. The shikari then having ascertained that all is ready, placing himself in the centre of the half-moon, signals to the men right and left as far as he can see, and these again pass the signal on till it reaches the gentlemen, warning them that the hankwa is begin- ning. The signal is always made with the hand, never with the voice. When the return signal from both sides reaches the shikari, he orders the beaters to commence shouting and beat- ing the bushes with sticks, or throwing earth or stones into thick clumps, whilst the drummers kick up the greatest shindy that they can possibly get out of their drums. Altogether it is a pretty row, and you may be sure that the hullaballoo raised quickly wakens every animal couching within a long distance on either side of the line of beaters, causing them to start up, and wonder what on earth is going to happen ; they never, perhaps, heard such a row in their life. As I think it best to describe here what has happened at a hankwa, let us now take a flying leap, a la Leotard, into one of the machauns, and lend a hand in what is going to happen. Here we are, then, on the tiptoe of expectation, perhaps stung by one or more of a cloud of mosquitoes, or bitten by a villainous red or black tree-ant, or it may be tickled to the height of irrita- tion by one or more wilful, persevering flies, but dare not move hand or foot to drive them away, momentarily expecting the burst or the stealthy tread, as the humour may be, of the tiger or tigers, and scanning with lightning glance the circumscribed space in front and the bushes beyond, not knowing exactly from what point the game may show itself. See ! What is that ! Oh, a wild boar only, who " lards the lean earth," scared enough ; but who has 34 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. given the unpractised nerves of some a rude shock. There again ! No, that is a bear. He too thinks that the sooner he is out of such a neighbourhood the better, and shuffles off double quick. Perhaps a pot-bellied hyena may sneak past, and be nearly mis- taken for a tiger. These and everything else must be allowed to pass without a challenge, as, if an unlucky shot were fired at such small game, the tiger or tigers would be alarmed, and break past the rokhs, or double back on the line of beaters, scattering, and, likely enough, grievously wounding, if not killing, one or more of them. On one occasion, an inexperienced person was holding his gun on full cock, with his finger on the trigger, and through sheer nervous excitement, on seeing a slight motion in some bushes in front, he pulled the trigger ; the consequence was, not only losing his chance of a fine tiger (for the animal was making directly to- wards his machaun), but the tiger, breaking back on the line of beaters, knocked over two or three, scattering the rest, and making them consult their safety in speedy flight. Unfortunately, one of the beaters, as he turned to escape, received a tap on the back of his head from the fore-paw of the animal, which completely smashed in the skull, killing the poor man instantly. Those who were knocked down escaped with their lives, but had received ugly wounds from the claws of the tiger. A hankwa attended with loss of human life is a serious matter to sportsmen, as it at once becomes a police business, and parties think themselves for- tunate if they get clear with a douceur of one hundred rupees ( 10 ) to the family of the deceased, not to mention certain other expenses, besides the delay caused, and perhaps necessitating the break-up of the pleasure-trip* Then comes the grand sight one, two tigers show themselves ! and bang ! bang ! go the artillery from one or more trees, making one, or perhaps both, of these hitherto monarchs of the jungle bite the dust in sudden death. Hur hold your row, will you? Here's another rushing past ! Bang ! bang ! Ha ! his back is DESCRIPTION OF A HANKWA CONTINUED. 35 broken ! and then follows a roar which must be heard, for it can- not be imagined or described, and the like of which was on one occasion heard by the narrator one mile off. Owing to the con- tortions and roars, which rather disturb a fresh hand's nerves, it is somewhat difficult to give a maimed tiger his quietus, but this one gets it at last. Old tigers are much more game and dangerous than young ones only two or three years old ; the bones of the former, having solidified, become capable of resisting a leaden ounce ball. Many tigers require several balls before they give in, and while some tigers were being skinned, leaden balls that have struck the thigh-bone, or, in some cases, the skull, have been found completely flattened, as if hammered out. For tiger- shooting, it is advisable to use composition-balls, made of one part tin and two of lead. On the first shot being fired, the beaters redouble their shouts, making the welkin ring again. When the wounded tiger has received its quietus, the men of the hankwa draw up, and the sportsmen descend from their not over easy perches. The exa- mination of the spoil comes next, and the allotting of due honour to the successful shots, the remarks of the gentlemen being inter- spersed with those of the villagers, complimentary to the sports- men, but by no means so to the dead game, or their living female relations. During this interval, by the orders of the shikari, some of the beaters have cut down branches and young green bamboos, peeling off and twisting the outer skin of the latter into a sort of rope, with which, tying up and swinging the recently fierce but now quiet enough monsters, they bear them off trium- phantly to the sound of the tomtoms to the sportsmen's camp. The beaters are then mustered and paid off by the paymaster personally, boys getting two, three, or four pice (f d. to i %d.} each, men five pice (if2i When dinner was nearly over, Jones, who had been extricated from the quicksand minus his boots, suddenly remembered that he had not seen the duck which had caused so much trouble, either at yesterday's dinner, or at breakfast, or that evening. On inquiry being made, it appeared that none of the servants either could or would tell anything about it ; one of them said that he had seen it brought to camp, but what became of it afterwards he could not tell. It was then shrewdly surmised that the servants had a mind to try how Brahminee duck tasted, thinking that it would not be missed. When dinner was over, and all were seated comfortably round a glorious fire, they were suddenly startled by the roar of a tiger, close to the camp, but in a direction opposite to where the horses were picketed. The president, knowing the danger, jumped up quickly, and roared out, in a stentorian voice, orders for the grooms to take care that the horses did not break loose, request- ing all the party, almost in the same breath, to get their guns instantly, in case the tiger meant mischief. When all were armed and around him, he requested silence, that they might ascertain whereabouts the tiger was, calling also to him one or two of the camp followers for their advice. Soon after, the tread of some large animal over dry leaves between some bushes being plainly heard advancing, the president sent a ball in the direction, judging it best to scare the brute away before any mischief happened. CHAPTER XX. DEFENCE OF THE CAMP. THE report of the rifle, and the ball striking close, if not hitting it, caused the tiger to gallop off at a great rate in another direction, taking him out of earshot very quickly. The president then said that the tiger's going off was good so far, but they must move camp the next day, as the brute, having evidently smelt the horses, would not be satisfied until he got one of them. Meanwhile, it was necessary to take extra precautions that night, as the tiger was certain to return, and try for one of the horses. He therefore proposed that they should keep watch the night through, in turns of one hour each, the servants and camp followers also to be divided into similar watches, that each one might know whom to call when necessary. This being agreed to, the presi- dent then summoned all the servants and camp followers, and told them off into watches, informing them that it was necessary to keep a good watch all that night ; and that one of the gentle- men, in turn, would also keep watch. He also gave orders for the camp to be moved, early next morning, to Oobra, opposite Punnaree, the servants to pack up immediately all that was to be packed, and breakfast to be prepared at Oobra. As a great quantity of wood had been col- lected, good fires were ordered to be lighted round the camp, and those on watch, in turn, were to attend to and keep up the fires, special care to be taken of the horses. These orders, and preparations for departure next morning, engrossing all their attention, the relation of their several expe- riences was deferred to a more suitable occasion. When each one THE BUGLARIOUS TIGER KILLED. 123 had packed up his individual belongings, or those in his depart- ment, the watch was set, and all the rest retired, silence in the camp being strictly enjoined. The watches were regularly relieved, and all went on well, until about half an hour before daybreak, when Smith, whose watch it was, and who was making the round of the camp, plainly heard some animal approaching the horses, which were beginning to be restless. Smith, deeming it best to frighten the animal away, whatever it might be, judging by the sound, at once fired in the direction of the footsteps. The ball evidently struck the brute, for the tiger, as it turned out to be, giving a tremendous angry roar, came rushing towards the camp. Meanwhile, the silence of the camp being thus rudely broken by the report, and almost simultaneous roar, every one was roused, and the rest of the party jumping out of bed, seized their guns, and rushed out in their night-dresses to do battle. As the tiger was coming, one of them fired, and hit the brute in or near the eye, which confused and caused it to stumble over the ropes of the necessary tent. When down, one or two more shots made it tumble about more, and in doing so, the brute either broke the rope, or pulled out the pegs, causing the tent to fall and cover it. This was capital, as it enabled all the party to run up close, and fire a general volley, which happily settled the matter. By the time the battle was over, day began to break, and, although half inclined to stay longer at Chopun, as the things were packed, they went to dress and get ready for starting, after ordering the tiger to be immediately skinned, and its head cut off and cleaned subsequently. An hour or so after the whole camp equipage had left, the party, some on [horses and others on the elephant, started for their new station. On their way they managed to shoot a spotted deer, and Brown had a long shot at a bear clambering up some rocks (after a hive apparently), but without hitting it. Taking it leisurely, stopping every now and then to admire the scenery, 124 PAST DA YS IN INDIA . the servants had time to pitch the tents, and get breakfast ready by the time they arrived. A traveller's appetite made them do justice to an excellent breakfast, Robinson wondering how the servants managed to get eggs, and to cook such a superior omelette in such a place. After breakfast, a consultation being held, it was determined on taking a stroll up the sandy bed of the Rehund, on the bank of which the camp was pitched, until they came to a suitable place, when, after refreshing themselves with a bath, they would return through the jungle, in time for an early dinner, getting a shot at anything on the road. Orders for an early dinner having been given, the party left the camp, with men carrying towels, &c., and finding a convenient place, they enjoyed a good bath, regretting only the shallowness of the water. During their walk, several specimens of agates, &c., that had attracted their attention, were picked up and pocketed. After lighting their cheroots, they left the bed of the river and entered the jungle on their return. On their way, frequently hearing the crow of the jungle-cock, but without seeing it, one of the party at last determined, if possible, to get one. Accordingly, on hearing the next crow, he fired a ball in the direction, and by chance cut the bird's neck half through, as if done with a knife. The dying tumbles of the bird on the dry leaves guided one of the attendants, who with difficulty secured it. Further on, they had a shot at a neelgye, which gave them a fatiguing chase over rocky ground, but, being too badly wounded, they came in sight as it fell dead down a little ravine. The chase had caused them to make a considerable detour, and the jungle being strange to every one, they were for a time lost. But, taking the bearings of the sun and the river, they soon struck out a straight course for the tents. The long walk had made them all tired and thirsty, but a good wash and a glass of beer soon refreshed them ; and as dinner was A PAGE OF NATURAL HISTORY WILD BOAR. 125 not ready, it was proposed to pass the time in relating their expe- rience of the previous afternoon. The president being called on first, said, that, after waiting patiently a very long time, without seeing bird or beast, he saw the branches of a thick bush moving, and a tolerably large boar creep out, or rather step out confidently, yet warily. Turning its head, it examined first one direction, then another, with its sharp bright eyes. Seeing no signs of danger, it came leisurely on, until it stopped directly under the branch on which he was seated, and stood perfectly still for some time, as if considering in which direction it should proceed, for either food or water. ' He could not help admiring the natural grace and ease with which the animal stepped and bore itself, every sense on the alert, ready to fight or flee ; and, contrasting its appearance with that of a domesticated porker, was obliged to award the palm to its forest congener. After watching it a considerable time, in order to see how it would act in unusual circumstances, he spat down right on its back. The action of the wild pig was admirable, and really instruc- tive ; but its bewilderment was excessively amusing. Directly it felt the warm spittle on its back, the start of surprise it gave, on being so near danger and unconscious of it, was worth witnessing. In a moment it was many feet from under the tree, where, turning round, it stood facing the tree, its eyes twinkling with anger, and the bristles on its back upright, while every nerve and muscle was tightly strung, and champing its tusks, ready for any comer. The animal knew it was not raining, but, as if doubtful in its mind, it looked up to the sky to convince itself. It then looked up into the branches of the tree, but not seeing anything move, it did not know what to make of the whole affair. Feeling convinced that some great danger was lurking near, and yet utterly unable to make out from what quarter to expect it, the animal began sniffing the air all round, gradually raising its snout, until getting the scent of man from the branches, had you 126 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. all been there, you would have plainly perceived the light of con- viction entering its mind, so to speak. At that moment he made a slight hish ! and the next instant the free rover was out of sight, dashing through the bushes as if they presented no obstacle. Although taking so long to describe, the whole scene did not take more than two or three minutes in acting, and the serio-comic play was well worth seeing. Nothing else noteworthy happened, and the sun setting, he was thinking of getting down, when he heard a shot fired, and a moment after, seeing some animal running on the other side of some bushes, he fired, and found he had shot a fine peacock, which he brought home. Robinson being called upon, said that, soon after mounting his tree, some small grey monkeys coming along afforded him considerable amusement, in watching their various actions and antics. A young baby monkey, engaged in drawing its suste- nance, being apparently too hungry, bit or somehow hurt its mother's breast, whereupon mamma monkey, snatching it away to arms' length, gave it a hearty cuff. Then, sitting on a broken bough and placing it in her lap, she began searching it for peculiar parasites, and in this domestic occupation she in turn hurt the young one, which wriggled out of her paws, and was making off, when mamma, stretching out her long arms, caught and gave it another good cuff. Under this correction, baby monkey having been brought to a sense of the intended error of its ways, the well- springs of the motherly nature gushing out, the young one was seized, cuddled, and put to the breast, just as any human mother would do. He then watched a troop of young monkeys in their various gambols, which were extremely amusing. One of the young monkeys had a decided genius for fun, and, if it could have been caught and trained, would soon make the fortune of any showman. An older young monkey, a sort of hobbledehoy, neither man nor boy monkey, evidently aping the behaviour of its elders, thinking YOUNG GENIUS PUNISHED. 127 itself too big and grand to be any longer on familiar terms with young scapegrace monkeys, was walking along as sedately as it could, when young genius went behind slyly, and gently lifting the tip of the other one's tail, gave it a good bite, and then bolted. The way hobbledehoy jumped round and started in pursuit was really laughable. Having caught young genius, and adminis- tered a good basting, he looked at him as much as to say, " Nou>> you young warmint, let me catch you at such tricks again, if you dare !" and then walked off with an air of offended dignity satisfied, young genius making snooks, or its equivalent, at him as he was going. Altogether the scene was so comical that he could no longer help bursting out laughing, and then the dismay of the whole troop, and the grimaces and jabbering they made while scuttling off, afforded fresh merriment. About sunset he saw a hare coming along, and thinking it would make a good curry, or soup, he shot it, got down from the tree, and made for camp, very much delighted with the instruction and amusement he had derived from his study of even a single page of natural history. CHAPTER XXI. BROWN'S PAGE OF NATURAL HISTORY. BROWN being then called upon, said he too was for some time up his tree without seeing anything. At last a noble peacock came into view, escorting his harem of five pea- hens. In the course of paying his amorous court, he would, every now and then, elevate his magnificent train, strutting about, evidently vain of his attractions, and the sight was really a beau- tiful one. Whenever he raised his glorious tail, the hen to which he was paying his addresses, would cease pecking, lift up her head, and appear enchanted with his beauty, until overcome at last by his many attractions, she would yield herself unresistingly to his supremacy. Altogether the sight was worth going a considerable distance to see, and having seen the glorious beauty of the peacock in its wild free state, he would not give a rotten carrot for all the domesticated ones, with their torn, dirty, and draggled tails. Nothing else occurred, until he heard a shot fired about sundown, and a wild boar came rushing past, but thinking that a pork chop would taste nice, he had rather roughly asked it to stay. On comparing notes, it appeared that the president had shot the fine peacock which he had so much admired, while he had shot the wild boar that had amused the president so much. Smith was then called upon, but said that no lesson had been set him. From the time of mounting his tree until close upon sunset, he had seen neither bird nor beast ; the page had been entirely blank to him. Just as he was thinking of getting clown, some one fired a shot, and the report startled up a spotted JONES'S PAGE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 129 deer, which had apparently been lying down behind a clump ot bushes right opposite his tree, and close to it, but which at that moment was flying over a bit of open ground, not fast enough, however, to prevent its being brought down by a shot from his gun. He then got down from his tree, and returned to camp. Dinner being then announced, the further relation of the lessons of the rest was deferred to a latervhour. Hare soup, roast pork, venison cutlets, haunch of venison stewed whole, and other fare, was done ample justice to ; and when assembled round the usual fire, Jones was called on to repeat his lesson. Jones then said that a short time after ascending his tree, a pair of hoopoes flew down on some open ground in front of him, and certainly the lesson they gave him in the patience and per- severance exhibited in the pursuit of their object, was full of sound instruction. On coming to an earth-worm's hill, the bird would knock it away, and then tap on (he ground with its beak. It would then incline its head to one side, as if either peering down the hole, or listening whether any one was at home. If assured of there being a tenant, it would erect its pretty top-knot, and give utterance to its pleasant note, hoop-oo, whence its name, ' reminding him strongly of home-scenes in any street in London, where a man would knock at the door and sing out, " Ba-ker ! " After knocking at the door and announcing himself, if master wriggler would not answer the summons, up would go his top- knot in anger, and down would go his beak vigorously, enlarging the orifice. The worm, disturbed by the sudden influx of light into its habitation, would perhaps show a bit of his tail, when down would go the bird's bill again ; but the hole not being enlarged enough, he would miss his aim. The bird would then jerk his tail, up with his top-knot, and down would go his beak with vigorous blows, until the worm was unearthed. Seizing it with an exultant shout of hoop-oo, the bird would then fly off with it to some secluded nook to enjoy the dainty morsel in secret. After these birds had flown away with their worms, his attention 1 3 o PAST DAYS IN INDIA. was attracted to a loud tapping noise, continuously repeated. Recognizing the sound, he examined the trees around, and soon discovered a woodpecker industriously engaged in hammering away at the trunk of a tree, knocking off chips every now and then, until he succeeded in getting the grub. It was really instructive to notice his industry. Running up the bole with sur- prising celerity, or along the under side of a thick bough, he would nevertheless peep into every crevice that was likely to harbour any insect. Whenever he was certain that there was something worth his trouble, he would begin tapping at the door, i.e., above the bark, under which his prey was concealed, and utter his peculiar note. If the insect, alarmed at the noise, came out, it was snapped up in a moment. If it was a grub, and would not come out, the bird would be enraged, and would tap away with its powerful beak until it had chipped away enough of the bark to enable it to get at the grub, which it would then seize viciously and swallow. Nothing else occurred up to sunset, when, hearing several reports, he thought it best to get down, and make for camp. The last one of the party, Wilcox, being called upon, said that after climbing his tree, which he thought he never should get up, and settling himself comfortably, he saw something shining in some grass, and then lost sight of it. After awhile it came out from behind a bush, and then he saw that it was a snake, about five feet long, beautifully marked, with bright little eyes, like two diamonds, set in its head. As the reptile was gliding slowly along, making for some bushes on the other side of a patch of open ground, he had a good opportunity of noticing it well. The searching intelligence which gleamed from its eyes, the wonderful ease and quickness with which it moved about its forked tongue, and the general gracefulness of its motions, was a singu- larly apt emblem of a deceitful person, who, although blessed with wit, beauty, and accomplishments, or what not, concealed a double tongue, or showed it in such a manner that, to casual ROSINSON LOQUITUR. 131 observers, it was scarcely visible. He could now understand better the beauty and appositeness of many passages in Scripture, relative both to the serpent and to deceit. After the snake had disappeared in the bushes, a blue jay came flying up into a tree close by, where it made noise enough to pre- vent any other animals being heard coming. Nothing better offer- ing, he watched the actions of the jay, and admired the bird's great industry and wonderful quick sight. Perched on a naked branch, it would chatter away, seemingly charmed with its own horrid noise, when suddenly it would fly off forty or fifty yards, pick up a grub or a grasshopper, fly back to its perch, tap the insect on the bough to kill it apparently, and then swallow it. Remaining stationary for half a minute, it would go through the same performance, varying it slightly by changing its perch. During the time he watched it, the industrious bird must have caught about forty insects of various kinds. Taken altogether, he would not have missed his lesson for a considerable pecuniary compensation. As no other animals came by his tree, when he heard several shots fired, he got down, and came into camp. When each one had related his experience, Robinson got up and said, speaking for himself, he thought it was a queer whim of the president's, but as the rest agreed to it, he chimed in. Never- theless, in his secret soul, he expected to be considerably bored, perhaps bitten by confounded ants. But, to his great surprise, he had passed a most agreeable afternoon, which he would not have missed doing for anything, and he would be ready any day to repeat the experiment, taking the chance of something instructive turning up. The others, coinciding in his sentiments, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the mover of the suggestion. The night being cold, Brown suggested a bowl of punch, but was reminded that there was no punch-bowl. Putting it to the vote, and finding the majority in favour of punch, he roared out to the khansamah to bring the materials and the soup-tureen, which would do as well as the best punch-bowl at any time. The 132 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. night being young still, the punch duly brewed, pronounced capital, and glasses filled, the president was called upon for a story, connected in some way with or bearing upon forest life. The president, being thus called upon, considered for a few minutes, and then related sundry incidents in his own experience. The proceedings for the next day were then deliberated upon, and it was decided to push on to Gurwhar without delay, unless there was any chance of tiger-shooting at Bilwada. The presi- dent then giving the necessary orders for the camp to be moved early next morning to Bilwada, they all retired. The country between Punnaree and Bilwada, a distance of about twenty-six miles, being singularly deficient in water, it was necessary to engage extra men to carry several loads of water from the Rehund for drinking or other purposes. The men having been engaged the previous day, and the water dispatched under the caterer's personal superintendence, the party allowed the whole camp to precede them a couple of hours, which they took advantage of to have one more good bath in running water, and then started for the new camping-ground. Having been deceived by the drivers, who had provided very inferior camels, they overtook the camp equipage at Muggurdah, and were obliged to arrange for the camp to halt there for the night. The name Muggurdah is given to the spot, why or wherefore even the youngest inhabitant (Hibernice) could not tell, as not even the poorest native ever dreamt of building a hut for living there permanently. Three or four acres, denuded of trees, on the bank of a nullah or ravine, forms the general camping-ground of all travellers on the high road to Singrowlee. Here, as at other general camping-grounds, may be seen a singular proof that, although the caste prejudices of the natives are extremely puerile and daily infringed, yet they cannot be beaten or reasoned out of them. Many natives, in travelling, dig holes for cooking purposes, which succeeding travellers carefully shun, lest there should be any contamination in them. THE CAMPING GROUND AT MUGGURDAH. 133 Other travellers, Hindoos and Moslems, prefer using stones, on which to place their cooking-pots, putting fire underneath, and these stones succeeding travellers do not hesitate to use, although, being blackened by fire, there is evident proof of their having been repeatedly used, and by what caste travellers who could tell ? These holes, stones, ends of charred wood, remnants of fodder, animal leavings, &c., are the usual signs of Indian encampments. In the nullah, adjoining the camping-ground at Muggurdah, is a hole in the rocky bed, deep enough to accumulate, and, in most years, retain sufficient water to last from one rainy season to the commencement of the next. Taking this hole as the centre, not a drop of water can be found elsewhere within a radius of eight or more miles. Consequently, this water-hole, being the sole resort of all travellers and of all the birds, beasts, and reptiles of the surrounding jungles, is not inviting at the best of times. CHAPTER XXII. THE WATER-HOLE AT MUGGURBAH. ON arrival, they found the whole of the camp equipage had halted, and on inquiring the reason the camel men said that their camels would not be able to make such a long march as to Bilwada. Knowing altercation to be useless, the president ordered the tents to be pitched, and breakfast to be got ready as soon as possible. Meanwhile they went to inspect the water-hole, which had excited the curiosity of the rest. Some of the party on seeing it, remarking the muddy state of the water, said that it was enough to poison any human being to use it. The president, in reply, stated that it was then in comparatively excellent condition, and further informed them that, on a certain occasion, he himself had arrived and camped there, in a very hot year, about four days before the setting in of the annual rains. He had a little dog with him, that had doubled the actual distance of the march through running about in all directions, backwards and forwards, and had fatigued itself greatly. On arrival, the dog scented out some damp place, and following up the scent, it made for the water-hole. Being at the extreme end of the hot weather, and in that rocky, dry, and parched land, there was little better than thick mud to be seen that year, and the surface of this mud, moreover, was covered with a thick layer of flies. The dog paddled about in the mud until it came to the foot- prints of some buffalo, into which water, such as it was, had percolated. After lapping once or twice, the dog actually turned THE BYRAGEE SOLICITING ALMS. 135 away, disgusted with the filthy stuff. Although its tongue was hanging out of its mouth, and it was really suffering from thirst, in such very hot weather, the puddle could not tempt it again to go near it. While at the water-hole, a servant came to inform them, that breakfast was waiting to be served, and ordering it to be served at once, they returned to the tents. Sitting down to a late breakfast, after a long ride through heavy jungle, and over the hills, with an appetite sharp set, the claims of nature allowed little room for conversation until the cravings of hunger had been satisfied. After breakfast they strolled about the neighbourhood, taking their guns with them as a precaution, in the event of meeting with anything. Several beautiful peacocks the only residents appa. rently, whose long familiarity with harmless travellers had em- boldened them to walk about in perfect security, excited the admiration of all the party at the cleanliness and beauty of the birds in their wild state. The confidence they displayed disarmed the whole party, the birds allowing them to pass near enough to have knocked them down with a stick, had any of the party been so minded. The neighbourhood not being suitable for any extended stroll, they soon returned, and then amused themselves with watching the different groups of travellers arriving from either direction, and noting their manners and customs in camping, and making their several arrangements for the night. Amongst one party of travellers there was a Byrdgee, a sect of Hindoo religious mendicants, who, after resting himself a little, went round the camping ground, from one group of travellers to another, begging for whatever they chose to bestow. In this occu- pation he appeared to be very successful, one or other of them giving a handful of rice, others a little pulse each, others a pinch or two of salt, or some curry stuff, until he had got the materials of a very comfortable meal, as far as quantity and variety were concerned. 136 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. One set of natives apparently informed the Byrdgee that Euro- peans were on the ground, and advised him to try his luck with them. Turning round, he examined the party, and either not liking their looks, or having previous experience, he seemed doubtful at first, but, with the chance of getting something, after awhile he came up to them with a bold bearing. On being asked why such a strong, able-bodied man went about the country living upon others, he frankly said he did not like work, and moreover had never been taught any trade ; so, what could he do ? He must eat, and had therefore taken up a religious profession, as the surest means of getting his food. Robinson thereupon was very indignant, and said that " the man was a shameful impostor ; that he ought to be made to give back all his collections, and then be flogged and driven away." The president said that he could not see the man's conduct in that light. No doubt, under the garb of religion, he had deceived, and so obtained contributions. But, as the donors had been actuated by charitable, pious motives, they would never receive back what they had once given. Moreover, the donors being of different castes, and the several gifts having been mixed in the beggar's wallet, how were the several handfuls to be separated? As to flogging him, he did not see how that could be done justly; the man had not imposed on them; on the contrary, he had made a frank confession. Jones then settled the matter abruptly, by telling the Byrdgee that they could not encourage him in his idleness, and ordered him to be off to his own place. Dinner being just then announced, they sat down to it with good appetites, Brown remarking during the course of it on the wonderful aptitude that the natives seemed to possess of inventing and relating stories. To which the president replied that " the habit of story-telling appeared to be common to all ages and countries. In India, especially, where there were no Literary or Scientific Societies for THE BEAR- FIGHT AT THE WATER-HOLE. 137 the rich, or Mechanics' Institutes for the poor classes, it was the custom, at the close of the day, for neighbours to get together and pass the time in talking of various subjects, and when con- versation flagged, one, and then another, would be called upon for a story. Moreover, there were professional men who went about the country, visiting great people's houses, and such pro- fessional story-tellers, especially after making a name, were always welcome, and were liberally rewarded on dismissal." Retiring early after dinner, it was a long time before they could hope to go to sleep (two, however, had contrived to do so), owing to the native travellers keeping awake till a late hour, talking and laughing. At last everything was quiet, and they were just drop- ping off to sleep, when a great noise at the water-hole rousing them, they listened and recognised the noise of two bears fighting. It being a clear moonlight, those awake determined on trying to get a shot at the bears ; so, slipping on some of their clothes quickly, and getting a double-barrel each, they crept, under the cover of some bushes, to the top of the bank, above the water-hole, and close to the bears. As it was necessary to act quickly, it was determined that, having eight barrels between them, two should fire both barrels quickly at one or both of the bears as they got a chance, and the others to reserve their fire for any subsequent emergency. According to this arrangement, two of the party fired while the bears were engaged grappling with each other, and making a pretty row, one of them falling dead, but the other, although badly wounded, was able to rush up the bank, and charge the party. Those who had fired retreated to load their guns, leaving the two others to fight it out. The bear, on ascending the bank, charged one of his supposed assailants, but the other firing caused the animal to turn round and rush towards him, when the first one fired, and made the bear turn again. This went on until the last shot was fired, and they were beginning to retreat, when the others, who had in the mean- 138 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. time reloaded, took up the game, giving the bear one or two more shots, which settled it. Altogether it was a very exciting affair, and the hurry-skurry among the native travellers was not the least part of the fun. After the bears had been >brought to the tents, skinned, and the fat secured, they once more turned in, and slept without further adventure. The two who had gone to sleep early managed to sleep through the whole of the row, and were not a little chaffed about it on the following day, and subsequently, as being two of the seven sleepers, and so on. The next morning, as the day began to break, the encampment was a scene of bustling activity. The native travellers loading their bullocks or themselves, and going their several ways some towards Singrowlee, and others in the opposite direction ; while the servants of our party were busy packing up, and loading the camels and coolies with tents, furniture, &c. As there was a probability of some game at Bilwada, our party, after seeing the camp started, mounted and passed on ahead. On arrival at Bilwada, they sent for the shikari, who informed them that there was a travelling tiger that visited them now and then, doing much mischief in thieving the village herd ; that the animal was not thereabouts then, but might be expected any day, and that, when favouring them with a visit, he took up his quarters in a place wholly unsuited for a hankwa. The shikari added that deer might be had for the stalking, and perhaps a pig or two ; but, owing to a festival in some neighbouring village, he could not promise to procure more than half-a-dozen men and boys. As the larder was almost bare, they determined on at once beating-up some game, so, leaving the horses and elephant with the servants, they followed the shikari, who collected a few men as they went along. The neighbourhood of Bilwada being very rocky, they found the labour of stalking rather fatiguing, but the question of a Barmecide feast, or not, for dinner, settling' the matter, they manfully trudged up and down the hills, and were THE PRESIDENTS STORY. 139 rewarded with a couple of spotted deer, as many young porkers, and some hill grouse, like ptarmigan. By the time they returned, footsore, the camp had arrived, tents were pitched, and breakfast was nearly ready. After a good wash, they sat down to breakfast tired, but with frightful appetites, which precluded conversation for some time. When breakfast was over, the shikari was called, rewarded, and told to keep a good look-out for the tiger, and if it were at or near Bilwada on their return, to make the necessary arrangements for a hankwa, if possible. As they were too tired to go for any further walk that day, they remained in the tent, talking and smoking. An hour or so having passed thus, one of the party called upon the president for a story, putting the suggestion to the vote of the rest, who unanimously declared for it. The president thus called upon being willing to oblige, reflected awhile, and then said that he would relate some- thing of his own experience : Having occasion to visit, on some necessary duty, a certain Government post, not far from the top of Kowie Gha"t, the head native officer reported that a well-known, one-eyed tiger, called by the natives kdna" bdgh, or blind tiger (having lost its left eye in a fight with some other tiger, probably), had for some days past regularly taken up its station, about three P.M., on a large boulder of rock, some twelve to sixteen yards from and above the high road, and that, the report spreading, traders and travellers getting alarmed, were obliged to make a considerable detour through the jungle. As he had only a single-barrel shot-gun with him, intend- ing to shoot some partridges on his return, he did not know what to do, knowing the folly of attacking a tiger on foot, and espe- cially without a second barrel to meet him with on his rush, if only wounded. Recollecting that, as a Government official, it was his duty, understood if not expressly ordered, to facilitate the traffic of the district, he determined to run some risk. Drawing the charge of i 4 o PAST DAYS IN INDIA. shot, and ramming home a ball, he rode down to where he could see the tiger, when, dismounting, he ordered the syce (groom) to take the pony a long way back out of danger. While he was looking round for a suitable tree on which to spring up, should the tiger charge, he saw a native coming along, passing about forty feet from the tiger, without being aware of its proximity. CHAPTER XXIII. THE ONE-EYED TIGER SHOT. WHEN the man came close up he stopped him, and banteringly complimented him on his bravery in passing so close to the tiger. The man stood, evidently debating in his mind whether he (the president) was mad, or only joking, until at last he said " What tiger ? I have seen no tiger." Catching him by the arm he turned him round, and pointed with his gun to where the tiger was seated comfortably, just then watching them. Directly the man's eyes lighted on the tiger, the alarm depicted in his countenance and actions was excessively comical. Turning sharp on his heels, and uttering the universal native exclamation of surprise, bapree ! (alas ! my father) he trotted off at a great rate. Sending two men up a suitable tree, about forty yards distant from the tiger, with orders to lend a hand in climbing, should the tiger be hit and charge, he rested the gun against the stem of a sapling close by, and, taking a careful aim, fired. The ball hit the tiger somewhere in the loins, on the left side, on which it was blind, making that peculiar thud which a bullet does on striking a mass of flesh, but, fortunately, the animal, instead of charging, sprang up with a slight roar, and bounded over the rocks in the rear, into some heavy jungle. The two men that were with him disputed the fact of the ball hitting the tiger, one saying that it struck the rock, and the other that it glanced against a young tree, and he was sure he saw a splinter fly off. So, to settle the matter, after reloading the gun 1 42 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. and allowing the tiger time to get well out of the way, he took the two men with him and examined the spot. Now, had the bullet struck the rock it would either have been flattened and fell at the foot of it, or would have glanced off, leav- ing a plain mark of the lead ; but no bullet, or trace of it, could be found, disposing of doubt the first. Then, carefully examining every plant near the spot, no trace of the bullet having struck either of them could be found, and so the second doubt was dispelled. The most conclusive evidence, however, of the bullet having told was in the fact that the said one-eyed tiger was never more seen, and the natural inference is that the animal had succumbed to a fit of indigestion, induced by an ounce of lead. It was fortu- nate for him that the tiger was blind on the side where it was struck, otherwise he would have stood very little chance of saving himself. He then resolved that he would never do such a foolish thing again as attack a tiger on foot. The khansamah (butler) coming then to the tent for orders for dinner, the president informed the party that he intended giving them a new dish for dinner, and took the man aside to give him the necessary secret instructions. When the president's mysterious confab was over, on his return he ordered a light tiffin to be served. Those who fancied it took a biscuit and some cheese, all, however, refreshing themselves with a glass of beer. After lighting their cheroots or pipes, in listening to the president's further relation of sundry other incidents in his experience, the time passed rapidly until nearly sunset. After having a good wash, they all walked about the precincts of the camp, until dinner was announced, when they sat down to it with their usual good appetites. The soup was pronounced excellent, but one of the wild porkers barbecued, and stuffed with ingredients about which the president had given secret instructions, was by all declared to be admirable, and had like to have given them a surfeit. Also the curries and sweet dishes, prepared under the directions of the president, met with general praise, leaving nothing to be desired. THE SIMPLE WASHERMAN. 143 After dinner, while seated round the fire, as usual, smoking their cheroots, the president being seen to smile, was asked what had tickled his fancy. He answered that a certain humorous native story just then came to his remembrance, and which, if they chose to listen to it, he would relate. A ready assent being given by all, the president related the following story of a simple-minded washerman : A great many years ago, in a certain town, there was a simple- minded washerman, who used to take his customers' clothes in two bundles, slung across the back of his ass, to a tank some dis- tance out of the town, and there wash them. The road to the tank leading him past a large native school, kept by a moolvie, or Moslem doctor of laws, the washerman often heard him scolding his boys for their stupidity, and, when particularly angry, he would tell them that they were asses still, although he had tried so much to make men of them. The washerman in his simplicity understood the moolvie's words literally, and was glad to hear that asses could be made into men. Remembering that he had a little foal of one of his asses at home, he thought how much better it would be to get its form and nature altered. He thought, further, how nice it would be, as he had no children, if the foal were changed into a boy, who would run by his side, be obedient to him in all things, learn the busi- ness, and be the comfort and prop of his old age. Full of these thoughts in his head, he went one day to the school, and, bowing himself to the feet of the learned moolvie, requested the favour of his admitting the foal into his school, and that the moolvie would change it into a nice boy. The moolvie, seeing through the character of the man at once, determined to take advantage of his simplicity, so, telling the washerman that the work of transforming a young ass into a nice boy was very laborious, and must be paid for accordingly, he desired the man to return home, bring the young ass, and a fee of one hundred rupees (^10), and leave the rest to him. i 4 4 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. Running home quickly, the simple washerman raked up an old pot from a corner of his hut, in which he had been in the habit of depositing his savings for many years, and counting out from it one hundred rupees, he tied them in his cummerbund, or cloth wrapped round his waist. He then went to the outhouse, and unloosing the foal took it and the money to the school. The moolvie duly received the money, and gravely told the man to fasten the foal in a place he pointed to, directing him then to come exactly on a certain day and hour, when he would find the foal changed, and ready for delivery. The impatience of the simple washerman made him go to the moolvie several times before the appointed day, to inquire how the foal was getting on. On such occasions the moolvie used to reply, " that the foal was learning to speak fast, that it was much more civilised, or, that then it was studying the art of good man- ners, and that its ears having become much shorter was a certain proof that the change was going on well, and that by the appointed time the transformation would be completed." - At last, the happy day arrived for which the simple man had been looking forward to with so much anxiety, but, unfortunately, a great press of work prevented the washerman from going on that day to bring home his fondly-expected, nice boy. The next day, however, after having delivered correctly all the clothes to his various employers, the simple washerman presented himself before the moolvie, claiming his boy. The moolvie thereupon answered, " How unfortunate it is that you were not punctual on your part to the appointed hour. Had you only come yesterday, it would have been all right ; but, after I had transformed your foal, who grew rapidly into a full-grown man, and well educated, he refused submission to my authority, and would be no longer under my control. He left me yesterday, and I received information this morning that he has been ap. pointed Cazee, or Judge, of Cawnpore." The simple man was at first inclined to be angry, but, on second THE SIMPLE WASHERMAN IN COURT. 145 thoughts, he concluded that he had got the best of the bargain still, since his foal had been transformed into a full-grown man, instead of a boy, and was already on the highway to fortune, and would be able to do something for himself and his wife. Thanking the moolvie for his trouble, and making a respectful obeisance, he returned to his house, and imparted the good news to his wife, who was equally simple with himself. Consulting together on the subject, they resolved to shut up their house, and go in search of their stray chattel, and either reclaim him, or make him allow them a maintenance. With this determination they commenced their journey to Cawnpore, and, on arrival, were directed to the court in which the cazee, or judge, presided. Leaving his wife outside, the simple washerman, on entering the court, saw the cazee sitting on an elevated chaboottra, or raised platform, and in front of him was a great crowd of pleaders, plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, and officers of the court. The simple man had taken the precaution to bring the bridle of the foal in one hand, and a quantity of hay in the other, and as he could not approach the cazee on account of the great crowd, he at length got tired of standing and waiting so long. Holding up, therefore, the bridle in one hand and the hay in the other, he called out loudly in open court, " Khoor ! khoor ! khoor ! " a sound he used when calling his donkeys together, hoping thereby to attract the attention of the cazee, and induce him to come to him. Greatly, however, to his surprise and mor- tification, instead of the cazee, several of the officers of the court, by the cazee's order, came and turned him out without ceremony, putting him into the hajut, or lock-up, for creating a disturbance in court When the business of the day was over, and the court closed, the cazee, pitying the supposed madman, sent for him to learn the reason of his strange behaviour ; and, on his being brought before him, the cazee asked who he was, and what he wanted. L H6 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. The simple washerman answered, " Wah, wah," (an exclamation of wonder) " sir ! You do not appear to know me, or to recog- nise this bridle that you have had in your mouth so many times. You seem to forget that you are the foal of one of my asses that I got transformed into a full-grown man, by paying the large sum of one hundred rupees, the savings of many years, to a learned moolvie who undertakes to change asses into men, and to teach them all sorts of learning, polite language, and good manners ! You are strangely forgetful of what you once were ; and I suppose you want now to refuse submission to my authority, as you did to the moolvie's when you ran away from him ! " All who heard this extraordinary speech were convulsed with merriment ; but the cazee saw at once that the man had been shamefully imposed upon by the moolvie, and after much difficulty convinced the poor man of his folly. The washerman under- standing the matter somewhat, but not perfectly, began beating his breast and head, bewailing his misfortune in losing one hundred rupees, the savings of so many years, and that he was a ruined man, and so on. The generous cazee, compassionating his condition, made him a present of one hundred rupees, besides sufficient for his expenses back, advising him to remove from the town where he had hitherto carried on his business, that he might be away from the roguish moolvie, and set up in business elsewhere. Thanking the cazee for his great generosity, and placing his head at his feet in token of profound obeisance, the simple man left the place with his wife, wiser and richer than when he entered it. When the president had finished his story, after all having a good laugh over it, the whole party being tired, through the exercise of the forenoon, they retired to rest early, the president having given orders for the camp to move next morning to Ghurwar. CHAPTER XXIV. VISIT TO THE JHEEL AT GHURWAR. THE next morning being very cold and frosty, and bed very comfortable, the whole party were loth to turn out until the khansamah reported a blazing fire and hot coffee ready, when jumping up they washed and dressed quickly, and were soon round the fire, enjoying the bracing air of early dawn. Allowing the camp equipage a good hour's start, and being a very cold morning for those parts, it was determined on by all to enjoy a good walk. Setting off at a brisk pace, the horses and elephant following, they walked as far as Beyreeddee, having been descending all the way from Bilwada to that place, which is the first village as you come into the basin of Singrowlee. Mounting their animals at that village, they proceeded thence on nearly a dead level to Ghurwar. On arrival, finding that the tents were not all pitched, and breakfast would not be ready for an hour or two, the president, to their agreeable surprise, proposed having an hour or two's snipe and teal shooting. Delaying only long enough to get out and load their fowling-pieces, and themselves with shot-belts, &c., they set out for the rajah's jheel, or swamp. When they got to it, the president said it would be best to divide the party, one half going to the right, and the other to the left. Acting up to this suggestion, and separating themselves some distance from each other, they succeeded in bagging some ten brace of snipe, several brace of grey snippets, and teal of three or four varieties. Satisfied with the result for the time being, the calls of hunger i 4 8 PAST DAFS IN INDIA. being more imperative than the desire for slaughter, they made for the tents, Smith on the way vowing vengeange against a rascally eagle for feloniously conveying away the only wild duck that had been shot. He had shot it, he said, and was proceeding to get it, but when he was about a yard off, and was stooping to pick it up, a thief of an eagle swooping down like a flash of lightning, carried it off from under his very nose, brushing him with his wing while doing so. He allowed that the robbery was neatly effected, but had his gun been loaded, which unfortunately it was not, having just then fired off both barrels, he much doubted whether he would have been a consenting party to such a barefaced act of petty larceny being committed with impunity. However, he thought he should be able to recognise the freebooter again, and, if he ever got a chance, he would remember his impudence. A good wash and a change of clothes gave time for an ample breakfast to be laid out, to which they all sat down, nothing loth. After breakfast, inquiries were made respecting any tigers that might be in the vicinity, and learning that one had carried off and partly eaten a pony the previous night, and might be sure to come again that night for a second meal, it was agreed upon to sit up for him that night. Those of the party who had not gone after the Putwut tiger claimed their right to sit up and take their chance for this one, and arrangements were made accordingly. The villagers also reporting that there was game to be had in the jungle close by, the temptation was too great to be resisted ; so, taking their guns and some men acquainted with the jungle, they went for a stroll. Crossing an open bit of ground, Robinson saw a wild pig come out of one bush and make a rush for another, but, taking a quick aim, he stopped it half-way. This report startled some spotted deer which were making off fast, when a double report laid two of them low in the dust. After a fatiguing walk, seeing no other game excepting pea-fowl, two of which were shot, they returned to camp. THE CATERER TURNS A DEAF EAR. 149 On their way back, they went to see the carcase of the pony, and what trees were suitable for sitting up in for the tiger. The only suitable trees being rather too far from the carcase to allow of the tiger being seen properly, owing to the moon's rising late, they had the carcase dragged sufficiently near the two selected trees. When they came near the carcase, some pariah dogs were seen busy at it, but a couple of balls knocking over two of them, the rest made themselves scarce pretty sharp ; and to prevent further demolition, one of the villagers was promised the all-potent buck- sheesh if he guarded the carcase till their return. Arriving at the tents, the president, who was also caterer, busied himself with sundry mysterious directions about dinner, which was ordered early to allow those who were to keep vigil to start by sundown. Whenever the caterer busied himself, holding mysterious conferences with the khansamah, it was observed that some new appetising dish was sure to be seen at dinner ; so, on his return, one remarked that there would be something out of the way for dinner, and asked what it was to be, but without success the caterer was deaf. During the afternoon, one of them proposed their all visiting the old rajah, but the president thought that the visit would not be agreeable to either party. He said that on one occasion he came down into those parts, and on the turn of that road, point- ing to it, he came suddenly upon the old rajah, who was standing in. his own grounds, giving directions to some of his workpeople. He was by no means dignified in his personal appearance, nor did his dress any way betoken him to belong to the order of princes, as he had positively nothing on him in the shape of clothes excepting a very dirty lungotee or cloth wrapped round his loins, reaching down to his knees only. When he saw him, the rajah was deeply engaged in sucking at a common nariyul, or cocoanut hubble-bubble or hookah, scarcely worth eight annas, or one shilling, removing his mouth now and 1 5 o PAST DAYS IN INDIA. then to give his orders. On seeing him, the whole posse of work- people and attendants simultaneously surrounded the rajah, as if they were ashamed of their malik, or superior, being seen in such a state of nudity by an European, and were determined to hide him. Not having taken any tiffin that day, when dinner was announced they were prepared to make a vigorous onslaught on anything and everything, and ample justice was done to the tender pork chops, trail toast, young pea-fowl roasted, with a peculiar stuffing, saddle of venison, and venison cutlets with tomato sauce, and other good things. One of the party, admiring the sauce greatly, inadvertently asked for the bottle, to help himself to some more of it, but received a withering look from the caterer, who said to him, " Do you really suppose that sauce was concocted from any shilling cookery book, or may be bought ready made?" The ruffled plumes of the caterer took some time and trouble to smooth down, nor was he pacified, until the offender had made a peace- offering of an elegant little meerschaum, and something to fill it with. Dinner being over, the president advised those who intended going, to smoke their cheroots at the camp, and not on the road, or up in the trees, in case of alarming the tiger, and preventing his approach. Towards sundown all three loaded their rifles very carefully, and borrowing a black blanket each, for warmth and concealment, they set out with two villagers, carrying spare guns while on the road, who would mount other trees near. One of the trees did not please the president (who accompanied them), the branches being too low, but as they were eager for the adven- ture, he trusted to their prudence and skill as marksmen. Before leaving, and again on the spot, he warned whoever mounted that particular tree, to be very careful not to attract the attention of the tiger, and not to fire at all unless he was sure of his aim, reminding them all that the night being dark was so NARROW ESCAPE FROM A TIGER. 151 much in favour of the tiger, and against them. The president added that the rest would sit up all night, if need be, ready to render any assistance, and arranged a signal that, if successful, they were to fire off the three rifles almost as one report, and repeat with the spare guns. Promising attention to all the instructions, they left the camp, and arriving at the place, dismissed the villager left on guard, who returned with the president. Mounting the selected trees, the villagers climbing others, they made themselves as comfortable as they could, two in one tree, and one in the lower one, arranging their blankets so as to completely cover them and their rifles and guns from the dew, and yet have them ready for instant use. Waiting impatiently for hours, peering into the thick darkness until their eyes ached, about eleven o'clock they suddenly heard a footstep, and the sound of the carcase being dragged away. One of the two in the tree, being nearest the carcase, saw a gleam of white moving, and believing that he covered it well, he fired, and, as subsequently appeared, hit the tiger in the small of the belly, the ball passing through. The white face of the one in the lower tree, or some motion made by him, revealed his whereabouts in the flash of the rifle, and the tiger, making a frightful roar, sprang at him. Fortunately, the distance was too great ; as it was, however, one of the claws of the tiger caught in his trousers and boot, tearing them down as if cut with a razor, but without even grazing his skin. The companion of the one who had wounded the tiger, seeing a whitish gleam flying towards the lower tree, took a snap shot, and luckily broke the spine of the brute, which rolled on the ground roaring awfully. The one in the lower tree, recovering his coolness and presence of mind, after the touch-and-go attack of the tiger, fired his rifle in the direction of the sound, not being able to make out the animal at all, owing to the darkness and its having got behind a bush, and the ball fortunately entered his chest, killing it at once. 1 5* PAST DATS IN INDIA. All of them then reloaded quickly, listening intently meanwhile for some indication of the tiger's whereabouts, and straining their eyes almost to cracking the strings ; but, after more than a quarter of an hour's waiting, they concluded that the animal was defunct. Each of them was provided with a bunch of tow dipped in oil, tied to one end of a long stick, and the one in the lower tree nearest the tiger, fearlessly striking a lucifer, soon threw a light on the subject. Seeing the tiger motionless, they all descended, and the villagers, collecting dry wood, soon had a roaring fire lighted close to the tiger. Firing off their guns twice as agreed upon, the others soon joined them, accompanied by several men, some bearing torches. Meanwhile, the men with them had cut down a stout sapling, and made cords of the peel of a young bamboo, with which they tied the legs of the dead tiger to the pole, and when the rest arrived, the pole was hoisted on to the shoulders of two men, and so carried to the camp. Giving the usual orders for the tiger to be skinned at once, they went to the dining tent, where a smoking tureen of punch was ready, having been thoughtfully provided by the caterer. After detailing the incidents of the adventure, and talking over it, the general opinion was, that tiger shooting on a dark night was rather too risky to be undertaken again by any of them. The president, on his part, said that he had on several occasions sat up for tigers at night, and had a narrow escape one night. It happened at the village of Khairwah, about a mile further on. An old worn-out pony, that its heartless native owner had turned out, refusing to feed it any longer, was one morning found in a mango orchard, killed and partly eaten, evidently by a tiger. CHAPTER XXV. SITTING UP FOR A TIGER. THE mango grove, where the carcase was found, was planted a few yards from the base of a natural elevation, which you will see as you pass to-morrow, on the top of which was erected a small Hindoo temple, having on one side a low hedge not quite three feet high. The pony had either been killed there, or the carcase had been dragged into the open space between the grove and the base of the mound, and directly in front of the hedge, so that a better position could not be selected than the cover afforded by the hedge. Just before it got quite dark, on a similar very dark moonless night, he took up his position behind the hedge, with one attendant carrying a spare gun. Two or three hours passed, as you have experienced, until suddenly something whitish indistinctly appeared, apparently walking round the carcase, considering where to begin his supper. Wishing to get a better sight, he raised his head, either too suddenly or too high, or perhaps both, utterly oblivious of the proverbial good sight, in the dark, of all the feline tribe, when, the tiger raising its head, he could see its green eyeballs glaring at him. Then, in a minute or two, there was the sound of a rush up the mound, and the next time he saw the eyeballs they were about twenty feet distant. There is no use in disguising the fact, his heart was in his mouth (of course figuratively speaking). The two eyes were glaring at him intently, seemingly as large as dinner plates ; he 154- * PAST DAYS IN INDIA. felt his face illuminated and flushed, but had the presence of mind to remain motionless under the ordeal. Presently the eyes disappeared, and the next sound he heard was the tiger dragging away the carcase. Aiming as well as he could in the direction of the sound, he fired, and heard the ball strike the carcase, as it afterwards appeared. The tiger, alarmed, gave out a short bark, woof! and bounded off at a great rate. When the sound of the brute's footsteps had died away in the distance, he lighted a small lantern, went and examined the car- case, and found that the ball had struck one of the fore legs, close to the marks of teeth, so that the tiger also had a narrow escape. Some of you may perhaps ask, " Why did you not shoot when the tiger was so close?" For the simple reason that the night was so dark he could not see the end of his gun, and had he fired and missed, or only wounded the tiger, he, and not the pony, would have been made a supper of. The next morning, it appeared that the tiger had returned, dragged the carcase into the grove, and had a good supper, still leaving plenty for another meal. As the carcase had been dragged immediately under one of the mango trees, and another tree, about twenty-five feet off to the windward of the carcase, being well adapted to the purpose, he determined on again sitting up, thinking that he could not fail to make out the brute at such close quarters. When night set in he went, and getting up the tree, arranged everything comfortably, covered up with a black blanket, and the same attendant with a second gun. Hours again passed wearily, but although watching the carcase, or rather looking in the direc- tion where the carcase was known to have been, he saw nothing, nor had heard any animal approach, and yet suddenly there certainly was some powerful animal enjoying himself, tearing the flesh and cracking the bones of the pony. No, he could not see anything, strain his eyes much as he might, and did. Although so close, not thirty feet off, the gloom of the thick grove added to A TTEMPT A T LARCENY PUNISHED. 1 5 5 the pitchy darkness of the night, rendered it impossible for him- self or attendant to make out anything. After a few minutes the noise of eating ceased, and then it was heard again distinctly, fully fifty yards off, the tiger having lifted the remains, and silently walked off that distance with them. Having lost the chance of a shot, he had no mind to be perched up in the tree until the tiger had finished his supper, so, firing his gun in the direction of the sound, he had the satisfaction of hearing the brute make tracks far enough off. Lighting the lantern, he and his man descended, examined the place where the carcase had been, and then where it was, and determining not to have that sort of fun any more, made for home before the tiger returned. The president's story and the punch being both finished, and the small hours set in, the party retired, orders having been given for the camp to be moved after an early breakfast next day. Owing to their long sederunt the night previous, it was long past sunrise before they got up. The morning toilet performed, they sat down and enjoyed a comfortable meal, orders having been given for some of the camp equipage to be packed at once, and started for Hinowtee. After breakfast, when the rest of the camp had left, sending on the animals to Khairwah, they walked to the jheel and had another hour's shooting, until the birds got wild and flew off to some other water. Smith, who had been robbed of the duck the previous day, had the satisfaction of killing the eagle, which boldly attempted a second larceny, but without success, for, being discovered and watched, the second barrel was reserved, and the contents poured on its devoted head while in the act of swooping down for a fine teal. Walking from the jheel to Khairwah, they all mounted and pro- ceeded to Hinowtee, where they found the tents pitched and ready for them. After an hour's rest, they got up and strolled about the neighbourhood, one and another asking many questions i S 6 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. by the way. The president, in reply, informed them that the village of Hinowtee was built on the bank of a nullah, as they saw, which was the border between what was then the honour- able East India Company's territories and those of the Rajah of Rewah. This border is very convenient for evil-disposed persons, and the natives do say that even to the present time people occasion- ally disappear unaccountably. Many years ago it was a common practice, so report went, that when a man had reason to suspect his wife, he used to take her, on pretence of a journey, into Re- wah, and return without her. Every one used to go armed in those times, and a thrust or a cut with a sword, in a thick jungle, was soon given, no one being any the wiser. As for troublesome inquiries, people very soon learned, in those days and places, to mind their own business. Walking along, they came to some huts here and there, which the president informed them constituted part of another large, straggling village, on the border, called Kotah, and that they were not far from the coal mine. Expressing a desire to see it, the president led the way, and, on reaching it, introduced the rest to the superintendent of the mine. After a hurried inspection of the mine, they persuaded the superintendent, who was rather an eccentric character, to accom- pany them to dinner, and to sleep at the camp, as it would be dangerous to traverse that jungle late at night. While on their way back, the superintendent, stopping suddenly in the middle of the road, said that was the exact spot where he once met with a tiger, in broad daylight, and not at night. On being asked to relate how it occurred, he said that when he took charge of the concern, there was no house for him to live in close to the works. The mine being newly-discovered, was bought by the then pre- sent owners, who, whether doubtful of the success of the specula- tion, or owing to the mismanagement of the party originally THE MINE OCCUPIED BY WILD BEASTS. 157 in charge, did not enter into the affair with spirit. Moreover, rregularity in payment of moneys due created a difficulty in getting people to work, and in inducing them to continue for any length of time. There was one other drawback, the mine was situated in the heart of a dense jungle, full of wild beasts. The cleared spaces visible were then primeval forest, and the whole road they had come along was made by his direction. The danger from wild beasts for a long time prevented the workpeople from living close to the mine, and Kotah, a small hamlet then, became the head-quarters of the miners and himself, until he had built the house they saw close to the mine. Living at such a distance, one and a-half miles from the works, and having to go through a thick jungle, was of itself another drawback to the prosperity of the concern, as, owing to the danger from wild beasts, the workpeople used to leave the mine in a body, a little more than an hour before sundown, and return to work an hour after sunrise. The danger was not fanciful, because, one evening one of the men loitered behind doing something, thinking to catch up the rest soon, but he was never seen again, and his not returning the whole night created a panic, so that for two days not a soul would go to the works. The mine, being deserted during the night, was frequently visited and taken possession of by wild beasts. Entering the mine one morning, the hands were alarmed at the roar of a tiger, and rushed back helter-skelter, the tiger after them, fortunately without harming any one, being as much scared by them as they were by him. On another occasion a bear had taken up its quar- ters in the mine, and, giving a good deal of trouble in doing battle for his new home, was obliged to be killed, the people not being so much afraid of a bear as of a tiger. He generally went with the men in the morning, but being one day detained in his tent, drawing a plan of the present and pro- 158 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. posed works, he did not leave camp until about eleven A.M. Not dreaming that there would be any danger at that time of the day, he was going along alone at a brisk pace, when, at that spot, he was brought to a stand by a tiger leaping over some bushes into the road a few paces ahead of him. Here was a pretty fix ! Half-way between the tent and the mine, in the heart of a thick jungle, not a soul within call, with only a foot rule in his hand, and a hungry tiger in a narrow road a few paces in front of him ! He was not chicken-hearted ; besides, he knew well the danger of turning his back on the tiger, as the animal would then have been on him at one bound. There was nothing else left for him to do but face the tiger, and stare him out of countenance. Keeping his eyes well on those of the brute, he shouted out, and the tiger, answering the challenge, roared out. Then, after a time, the brute would pretend to walk off, but sud- denly turn round as if going to spring. Finding that he kept his ground, the tiger began literally kick- ing up a dust in the road, hoping apparently, in the cloud, to get an opportunity of springing on him. That trick not answering, the brute sat upright on his haunches watching him, until, getting tired, he lazily laid himself down on his belly, but in such a manner that he could spring up instantly. How long this game would have lasted he could not tell, but not much longer, as the strain on his nerves was getting too painful. He had to stand nearly motionless, scarcely winking his eyes, for about an hour; for, if he moved hand or foot, the brute seemed on the point of springing on him. All of a sudden, he saw the tiger cock his ears forwards and listen ; then, in half a moment, he was on his legs, apparently undecided to spring on him or not. Although he did not hear, and could not turn his head to see if any one were coming up behind, yet, from the tiger's actions, he was sure some one was coming, so, shouting out loud for help, fortunately he was heard, and the persons answering his shout came running up quickly. REACTION AFTER IMMINENT DANGER. 159 The tiger apparently could see them coming, and, thinking the opportunity gone, with one bound he was over some bushes, and soon out of sight. For himself, he felt upset for more than a week, the reaction after the release from imminent danger made him so nervous that he could not walk to the works or back with- out assistance. CHAPTER XXVI. DISCOVERY OF THE COAL MINE. JUST as the superintendent had finished the relation of his en- counter with the tiger, they reached the tents, and dinner being announced shortly after, all sat down to it with keen appetites, enjoying the society of their guest, and making a jovial night of it. During dinner, in answer to a question as to the discovery of the coal mine, the superintendent said that there were various reports current, but the most probable one was the following : Some brinjarries (carriers) had encamped thereabouts, and, as is the custom with many natives, some of them picked up each three black stones, as they took them to be, for their cooking-pots to rest upon ; but, after putting fire between the stones and under the pots, they were greatly surprised and alarmed at finding their fire- places burning. Superstitious in the extreme, they began to worship the burning stones, as the visible manifestation of the presence of the Goddess of Fire (Agni), The report soon spreading reached Mirzapore, and various gentlemen came prospecting, on the report of one of whom the present owners speculated in the purchase. He was then in Government employ, in the survey department, and shortly after the discovery of the coal came down on duty into these parts. Dinner being over, when all had assembled round a good fire, the superintendent informed them that, in the performance of his duty while in the survey, and since then for his own pleasure, he had traversed these jungles in all directions, going into the most out-of-the-way places, entering curious caverns, and meeting with MEETING A BEAR IN A NARROW ROAD. 161 many adventures with wild beasts. In the course of his wander- ings he had found a valuable deposit of corundum, and had dis- covered a rich lode of copper in Revvah, and, happening to have in his pocket a specimen, he showed them a piece of virgin copper. On being asked about his adventures with wild beasts, he said that once while in the survey he had to ascend a high hill in the neighbourhood, and which he pointed out, to take an angle, and commenced the ascent, his people following, some carrying the theodolite or other instruments, while two carried his guns, one of whom he ordered to keep close behind him. Having left his pony at the bottom of the hill, he carried only a small riding-cane in his hand, as he did not expect to meet with any wild animals, and ordered one man with his rifle to keep close to him merely as a matter of precaution, useless as it turned out. Going along he had to pass a narrow ledge about twelve feet wide, with a sheer precipice on one side of forty or fifty feet, and a wall of rock on the other side. Just as he had crossed the ledge, and had come close to the turn of the road, a rather large bear came round the corner ; half turning round to take his rifle, he saw his rascally servant bolting with it, and the other cowards, seeing that one run, also skedaddled. He had retreated to about the middle of the ledge, when the bear was on him, and, having nothing in his hand but his small riding-cane, he struck the brute a smart blow with it across the tip of his nose, making him drop on all fours, shake his head, and sneeze hard. He could not back further than a pace or two, owing to some obstruction, when the bear stood up again, and came at him with open mouth and glaring eyes. Having a good chance, he hit out fair from the shoulder, and sent Master Bruin staggering, but not without receiving an ugly claw from his right shoulder down to his elbow. However, the beast came at him again in a moment, more savage than before, and he thought that there was very little chance for him then. The bear that time grappled with him, and 1 6z PAST DAYS IN INDIA. in the struggle they both fell to the ground, when the idea came into his mind to get the brute to the edge of the precipice, and if he could not get free, then with his own death -to ensure that of the bear. He managed to get the brute to the edge, and then the beast, feeling himself in an unsafe position, fortunately let go his hold, and down he went with a, to him, very satisfactory thump. His clothes were in ribbons, and he had received several nasty scratches, but luckily his face escaped. When the fight was over the servants came sneaking up, and candidly confessed that they were afraid, and therefore ran away. What could he say to them? He took the first opportunity of getting better men. After further conversation their guest said that he had several times been in imminent peril from wild beasts, tigers especially, and that on one occasion he was literally surrounded by tigers. He was traversing the jungle one day, in search of suitable trees to cut down, for the erection of a house for himself near the mine, which had been sanctioned by his employers. A man carrying his rifle was with him, to mark the trees that might be selected. As they were proceeding they came to an open space, about a hundred yards in diameter, nearly in the centre of which stood a solitary tree. The open space was surrounded with low bushes, having an opening between them here and there; and while he was standing under the tree, making some pencil noi.es, his man said to him in a low voice, " Sir, there is a tiger," pointing in the direction they were to have gone. Seizing his rifle quickly, he thought of firing at it; but reflecting on the probable consequences of missing or only wounding the tiger, having no second barrel, he determined on retreating. At that moment his man said that there was another tiger behind them, and turning his 'head half round, sure enough there was a tigress walking into the open space, from the very opening by which he thought of retreating. SURROUNDED BY TIGERS. 163 While he was wondering what they should do, and thinking of getting up into the tree, another tiger leaped over the bushes on one side, and almost at the same time one more made its appear- ance on the opposite side, the last two being the nearly full-grown cubs of the first two. Here was a nice family party of four tigers, walking about, or sitting down and watching us, one or other of the younger ones now and then coming up to within fifteen or twenty yards of us ! Telling his man not to be afraid of the young tigers, but to keep an eye on the old one in one direction, he turned full round to watch the other one. He had examined the tree, but the branches were not within easy reach ; and while he was thinking about assisting his man to climb, and then take his chance of being helped up by him, a noise attracted the attention of all the tigers. Listening with them, they in a minute or two heard the lowing of a bullock, about two hundred yards off the open space, which had evidently got lost, and was calling to its companions. On the second low being distinctly heard, the tigress made a light bound over the bushes in the direction of the sound, the tiger also going off so as to head the bullock, the younger ones remaining for a time, in an uncomfortably excited state. Presently they heard a sound which needs only to be heard once to know that it was a tiger striking his blow and breaking the neck of the animal. With that sound the young ones leaped over the bushes in beautiful style, following the tigress. Taking oft" their shoes, they started in the opposite direction, making a long detour back home as quickly as they could, glad enough at their escape. One of the party asking if there were any wild dogs (dhole) in that part of India, their guest said that he was not aware of there being any in Singrowlee at that time ; but that two or three years previously he had seen a tiger being chased right through the coal mine settlement by a pack of wild dogs. 1 64 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. These animals, he said, were small, and do not give tongue like other dogs, but they are very bold and determined. When once a pack of them put up any animal, no matter whether deer or tiger, that animal's doom is sealed ; they never leave it. They will dog their prey for days, if need be, and run it down exhausted, and if it turns to fight, they go in fearlessly, and by their numbers win. All animals dread the wild dog ; others they may elude by speed, artifice, or battle, but their instinct tells them that there is no escaping the wild dog, as it hunts in packs by scent, as well as by sight, and is as brave as it is persevering. Wonder being expressed how natives even, much less Europeans, could live in such a wild place, continually exposed to danger from wild beasts, not to speak of the climate, their guest in reply asked, if they remembered an old school copy, " Familiarity breeds contempt," adding that it was so with danger. When a man frequently encounters danger in various forms, he becomes gradually used to it, and learns to look it boldly in the face. It is his belief that all men are schooled for the different parts that they have to play in life. If it is to be the lot of any one to encounter great danger, he is not thrown into it abruptly, but, meeting first with lesser dangers, his nerves are gradually strung so as to be able to stand the strain of greater perils. Speaking for himself, he was a bit of a fatalist, so far as this, that if he was to be killed and eaten by a tiger, he would be killed and eaten by a tiger, and no more need be said. Talking of bravery, he said, you all noticed' a fine, handsome native boy, about ten or twelve years of age, to whom he directed their attention while inspecting the mine ; that boy, in his opinion, was the king of the jungles in those parts. Such a fearless lad he had never seen or heard of, being no more afraid of a tiger than of either of you, not so much perhaps. He has repeatedly saved the lives of his work-fellows, once in a remarkable manner. One day a number of them had gone into the jungle, some to THE PLUCKY YOUNG DHANGAR. 165 cut down suitable trees for erecting or repairing their huts, and others to collect firewood, and this boy for amusement went with them and some other boys. The men were somewhat scattered over the top of a hill, and the boys playing together, when suddenly one of the men called out that a tiger was coming up the hill, and he began running away down the hill on the opposite side. Hearing the man call out, and seeing him run, struck a panic into the rest, and they began to run, joined by the other boys. This lad alone stood his ground. Then, catching up a stick, and calling on the men not to run away, he boldly placed himself between the advancing tiger and the men. As the tiger advanced, and came within three or four yards of him, the lad shouted and ordered it to stop, lifting up his stick, threatening to strike it. The tiger, intimidated or not at the bold bearing of the boy, actually did stand still, and then the brave child began abusing it. ordering it to go away a long distance in another direction, and not to dare to harm or frighten any of his friends again. As the tiger did not obey instantly, the boy advanced a step or two towards it, with his stick uplifted in a menacing attitude, and shouted to it to go, or he would beat it. The brute, awed or not by the magnificent daring of the child, turned round and went off sulkily; but this not pleasing the boy, he ordered it to be off quickly, and made as if he would run after it, and beat it, and then the tiger broke into a gallop, and was soon out of sight. One of the men, who had managed to climb up a tree while the others were running away, witnessed the whole scene, and related it to him. That boy lives in native clover, doing what he likes with every one, and he would be a very daring man who lifted his hand to hurt him. CHAPTER XXVII. ROBIN HOOD ARMAMENT. THE evening had passed so agreeably that none of them noticed the flight of time, until one of them looking at his watch, to the great surprise of all, said it was past one o'clock ! Insisting on their guest remaining to breakfast with them, they all retired and were soon asleep. The next morning, rising somewhat late, they were ashamed to find that their guest had been up, gone to the mine, given necessary instructions, and had returned before they were awake, to keep his promise of breakfasting with them, apologizingly saying that his employer's interests must be attended to. During breakfast their guest proposed taking them into the jungle, beyond the mine, where they might get some deer and bear shooting, which proposal was readily agreed to. Breakfast being finished, the heads of departments having given their several orders, and all preparations being made, they mounted and proceeded to the coal settlement. Here they found several fine-looking men, dhangars, on whom the superintendent could depend, waiting, some carrying sharp little tangarees (wood- axes), and two carrying strong bows and arrows. Seeing some of the party smiling at the Robin Hood armament, the superintendent asked one of them to string one of the bows, handing him one for the purpose. To his great disgust he found that he could not manage it, while the owner, receiving it back, strung it without the least effort apparently. The superintendent then said in vindication of such weapons, THE DHANGARS HAVING ALL THE FUN. 167 that the owner of such an axe and bow would travel through any jungle without hesitation, being able to send his arrow through any beast, except an elephant or rhinoceros. Leaving their horses at the mine, they then proceeded on foot and soon came to thick jungle, where the axes were found very useful, and into wild-looking places at the base of precipitous rocks. One of the natives clearing some branches out of the way, was met by a bear, which he had seemingly disturbed, but before the beast could rise on his hind legs to claw him, a well-aimed blow, delivered with good-will, sent the head of the axe crashing through its skull, braining it on the spot. The affair was over so instantaneously that most of the party knew nothing of it until they heard a noise, and, on going up, saw the last throes of the bear. Robinson, however, had seen the whole affair, and was quite eloquent over the coolness of the man, and the neatness with which he had felled the animal. As the bear, by hunter's law, belonged to the man, he and another were told to take it to his home, and return to them quickly. As they were going on further, one of the natives ahead, seeing a spotted deer escaping, sent an arrow clean through its heart, and out in front. The gentlemen, feeling nettled, scolded the man ; but in defence he said that there was no time to let them know, that he had scarcely time to fit an arrow and shoot, and that he thought it a pity that the animal should escape. On being told to take the deer to his hut, the man said that he had not killed it for himself, but for the gentlemen ; but they being piqued, refused it, saying that they could kill for themselves what they wanted. However, on second thoughts, they con- sented to give him a present for it, should they not be able to shoot any deer for themselves. Just then the other men returned who had gone with the bear, and two were sent off with the deer to the mine, with orders to return quickly. Some likely caves attracting their attention, one of the natives was ordered to try if any animal were in them. 1 68 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. Examining two or three without success, the next one, he said, contained some animal, a bear he thought, and pelted some stones into it. One of the stones apparently hit the animal, for while the man was stooping to pick up another stone, the bear came out, knocked the man over, rushed down the rocks, and charged the party before they were ready for it. Two or three shots were hastily fired at close quarters without effect, the bear getting up to and seizing Jones. At that instant one of the dhdngars sent an arrow cleverly through a vital part of the bear, making it let go and fall dead. After expressing their thankfulness at the very timely deliverance of the one seized (Jones) but not harmed, they all felt vexed, say- ing that the niggers were having all the fun, and were inclined to return in a huff to the tents, but were persuaded to remain. Meanwhile, the men who had taken the deer to the mine returned, and others were sent off with the second bear, with orders to return quickly, and bring some additional men. Further on they were successful in bagging a couple of deer, three pea- fowl, and some green and wood pigeons. Then, feeling hungry and thirsty, they returned to the coal settlement, and, persuading the superintendent to become their guest for another night, mounted their horses and soon reached the camp. After a good wash, and refreshing themselves with a light tiffin and a glass or two of beer, when they were seated under the shade of a large tree, smoking cheroots, some remarks being made by one of the company, the president explained that a serai, or native public inn, was a large space enclosed by four walls, with only one strong gate in the centre of one of the sides. Small lean-to rooms are built inside the enclosed space, along the sides of the quadrangle, travellers occupying one or more according to their requirements, their animals being picketed and their goods piled up within the enclosure, in front of their several rooms. The bhuttiar, or his wife the bhuttiarin, supplies rice, oil, THE TWO MENDICANTS. 169 salt, pulses, &c., to travellers, and fodder to the animals, all pay- ments being made on delivery. When travellers are settled in their rooms, the bhuttiar (person in charge) goes round and levies a small rent for the accommoda- tion afforded to man and beast. In troublous times, the gate is securely fastened before night sets in, and no one obtains admis- sion or is allowed to depart until day has well broken. These serais are used by merchants travelling with a large assortment of goods, hawkers on a large scale, and pedlars, who are common in all eastern countries, besides casual wayfarers. It is the practice for pedlars to go about outlying villages, and dispose of their wares by barter with the villagers for the produce of their holdings or the gleanings of the forest, in the shape of gums, lac, medicinal roots, herbs and seeds, horns shed by deer, &c. Not feeling inclined for further exercise that day, they requested the president to relate a story, who began the following one of " The Two Mendicants :" " On a certain annual festival a great king, magnificently attired, took his seat on the splendid throne used only on great state occasions. As was the custom, all the great officers of the king- dom, the nobility and gentry, wealthy merchants and others, arrayed in costly garments, presented themselves at the durbar, or levee, to offer their felicitations and gifts. "Amidst the throng, two fakirs presented themselves, and blessing the king, prayed that he might live for ever. This done, they stood on one side with joined hands, waiting until it should please his highness to make them some charitable donation. " With the view of flattering the king, one of the fakirs, who was a sycophant, said to his fellow, loud enough for the king to hear, ' Kings have all sublunary power, and they give to whom they please ; what then can the Ruler of Destiny do ?' The other fakir, an honest man, rebuked him, saying, ' When the Ruler of Destiny gives, what can the greatest king do ? ' " Determining in his own mind to prove the truth of these 1 70 PAST DAFS IN INDIA. two aphorisms, the king took a green sour lime, and having extracted the pulp and seeds, inserted a valuable jewel in their place. He then gave to the flattering fakir some fine rice, best ghee (clarified butter used in cooking), good pulse, excellent vege- tables, and other articles, adding the green lime last. "To the honest fakir the king gave coarse rice, and other things corresponding thereto, adding a fine ripe whole lime. Enjoining on them to be sure to bring to him every seed that they might get from their respective limes, the king dismissed them from the presence, threatening to punish severely whoever should disobey him. " The two fakirs having received their several presents, with profound obeisances left the palace, and went to an imaumbari, or Moslem religious house, where, as religious mendicants, they were entitled to, and received, free quarters. Selecting their sepa- rate cooking-places, they left their respective presents on the spot, and went to bathe. " The flattering fakir, being hungry, hastily performed his ablu- tions, and returning to his place, unpacked his different gifts, to prepare his dinner. Then, seeing the honest fakir's ripe lime, showing at the top of the other man's bundle, moved with envy, he strongly coveted it. Arguing the matter with himself, he said, ' See the injustice of the king ! He has given me everything good but this nasty green lime, which quite spoils all the rest of his gifts. Had he given me the ripe lime, one thing would have fitted in well with the rest, and the whole would have been perfect. The king must surely have given me the green lime by mistake, and I am therefore justified in making the exchange, while I have the opportunity of doing so.' Thus deciding, without examining his green lime, he hastily took the other man's ripe lime, and put his green one in its place. " The honest fakir, having performed his ablutions properly, went to his place to prepare his dinner. On opening his bundle, he at once saw the exchange that had been effected ; but being a THE KINGS AWARD AND REBUKE. 171 wise, humble, and peaceable man, he did not quarrel with the other, consoling himself thus : ' If this man, who has received so many good gifts, and only one inferior one, is discontented, and has chosen to take away my good gift, let him keep it. If I can be thankful for all the other inferior articles the king gave me, surely it will be no great hardship to bear with this one green lime.' He then cooked and ate his dinner contentedly. " After they had both taken their morning meal, the flattering fakir gathered the seeds of the ripe lime and put them into his pocket, while the honest fakir carefully secured what he had taken from his green lime. They then both laid themselves down and went to sleep. " When the heat of the day was over, they woke up, and pro- ceeded to the palace, to give in an account of their seeds. The king, seeing the two fakirs, called them up to him, and asking the flatterer how many seeds he had obtained, the man answered ' Ten.' Turning to the honest fakir, he asked him the same question, who said that his lime had yielded only one. " The king, greatly surprised, then said to the honest man, ' It is quite true what you said to your companion in the morning, ' When the Ruler of Destiny gives, what can the greatest king do ?' I gave your companion the green lime, in which I had concealed a jewel worth the ransom of a great prince, but the Ruler of Destiny did not intend him to have it, seeing it is in your posses- sion. Although given to him, he did not get it, the Ruler of Destiny having meant it for you : keep it and go.' " Turning to the flattering fakir, the king said, ' King as I am, I gave you a royal gift, but the Ruler of Destiny did not intend it for you, since, through covetousness, you must have exchanged it for a ripe lime. Learn from this that it is not in the power of frail man to overrule the least of the decrees of the wise Ruler of Destiny.' " In commenting on the story, Brown remarked that most native stories have an excellent moral appended to them. CHAPTER XXVIII. CASUALTIES BY WILD BEASTS. WHILE dressing for dinner, their guest arrived, and, in course of conversation, informed them that some of his men reported an hour ago that a tiger was in the neighbourhood, and that, expecting they would like the opportunity of shooting it, he had ordered a young buffalo to be tied up, and had arranged for a hankwa the next morning. This news, of course, put every one in good humour, and dinner being announced, no delay was made in sitting down to it. Sharp set as they were, there was a limit even to a hunter's appetite, and the good things having been discussed, and a bumper tureen of punch being ordered to be prepared, thp" adjourned to the fire. On one of the company asking whether many natives were killed by wild beasts, their guest remarked, that the casualties from such causes, all over India, must be something frightful. From his many years' experience in the various positions he has occupied, to his certain knowledge many natives have disappeared unaccountably. They have left their service on leave, some to go to their homes, others to distant places on particular business, but they never reached their destinations. Their poverty was against any probability of their being murdered for gain, and the only conclusion that could be arrived at was, that, in passing through tracts of jungle, they had been killed by tigers or wolves, or, in crossing some stream, had been seized by an alligator. The president here remarked that he remembered a case in point. It occurred at a place some distance to the west of A YOUNG GIRL EATEN BY WOLVES. 173 Tiiowlee, on the table-land of the Kymore, in the district of Mirzapore. A fine young girl, about twelve years of age, resident in a cer- tain village, had been betrothed to a young man of a neighbouring village. All the parties being in a humble station in life, there was more freedom of intercourse, and less ceremony, than between those in higher grades. The two villages were only about half-a- mile apart, and the road being considered safe enough, children used to be sent from one to the other at most hours of the day. Between the villages there was a small patch of scrubby jungle, not dense enough to form a lair for a tiger, but sufficiently so to conceal a considerable pack of marauding wolves. One morning early, the girl was sent by her parents on some important business, to the house of her intended father-in-law. She was directed to go quickly, finish the business, and return to help her mother in some heavy household duties. The girl left her home, no doubt pleased at the prospect of seeing her intended, who happened to be agreeable to her, and to be in his society for even a short time, but she never reached her father-in-law's house. Several hours having elapsed without the return of the girl, the mother meanwhile chafing at being left to do all the work alone, until, getting anxious, she sent one of her younger children to the field, in which her husband was working, to call him home. While this child was gone on his errand, a man came from the intended father-in-law on the very business concerning which the girl had been sent early that morning. Greatly alarmed, the mother asked where the girl was, explaining that she had sent her daughter early that morning on that business, to her intended father-in-law's house. She had been angry at her not returning quickly, but thought that they had detained her to take her morning meal with them. The man replying that the girl had not been to the village all that day, heightened the mother's alarm and distress, and she began making loud lamentations. 174 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. Her husband coming in just then, on learning the particulars went out, and collecting several friends, started off to search all the patches of jungle, being led to do so by the fear that some acci- dent had happened to her, remembering that some wolves had been seen about the country a day or two previous. The first patch of jungle they came to bordered on the road along which the girl would necessarily have to go, and, searching this, they came upon a bush a good deal broken, as if some heavy body had fallen upon it, and hanging to some of the twigs were some rags, which the father recognised as forming part of his daughter's dress. On searching further, they came upon more rags, hair, and marks of blood. Following up the trace, they disturbed three or four wolves, which fled on their approach, leaving what proved to be the head of the poor girl. Had they been a little later, even that would have disappeared, and as it was, the nose, ears, and part of the chin, with the lips, had been eaten off. No other fragment of the body being discovered, they carried off the remains of the head, and performed the funeral ceremonies over it. The girl's intended, it is said, devoted himself to a shikari's life, vowing vengeance, especially against any wolf that he should hear of in the whole country. While on the subject of wolves, the president stated that, unless pressed by hunger, wolves were cowardly animals, and extremely suspicious, and related the following native account illustrative of his statement. Some parts of the Kymore range seem to be more infested with wolves than others, and the same may be said of different districts of India, of Upper India especially. Two natives were once returning to their own village from Mirzapore, where they had been on some court business, and had to pass over some open ground, at the other end of which was some scrubby jungle. As they came near the jungle, they saw some dogs, as they at first took them to be, but, on getting a A NATIVE RUSE. 175 better view, they found them to be wolves. Wolves, as a general rule, unless, as said before, pressed by hunger, will not attack even a single man, if he is armed with any weapon. These men had not even the usual lathee, or walking staff, and having nothing to defend themselves with, one proposed to the other to make a wide detour, and so avoid such dangerous way- farers. The other man, aware of the suspicious nature of wolves, told his companion not to be afraid ; that he did not intend going out of his way for a parcel of sneaking wolves, but would make them get out of the road. Then, taking off the cloth wrapped round his head as a protec- tion from the sun, he told his companion to go a few yards to the right, and do the same, imitating him in all his movements. Un- rolling the cloth, he let it trail on the ground behind him, with a waving motion, advancing cautiously towards the wolves, the other man doing the same. The wolves watched them all the time, not knowing what to make of the long cloth trailing behind the men. Presently, one pricked up his ears, and then another, and then one sat on his haunches, examining the advancing men attentively, when, not liking the appearance of things, he got up and walked off, looking behind him over his shoulder every now and then. The other wolves, seeing the leader of the pack sneak off, began, one after the other, doing ditto. The artful man, seeing the wolves on the march, told his com- panion to shout loud, and run up with him towards them. The wolves hearing the shout, and seeing the men run afcer them with their long cloths, didn't wait to be caught, but, putting their tails down, they broke into a long leaping gallop, and were out of sight in a very short time. The men, having effectually terrified the wolves, laughed heartily on seeing them scamper off, and readjust- ing their clothes, reached their village in safety. Wilcox here said that wolves and hyenas were very numerous in many parts of Upper India, and that many children are 1 76 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. annually carried off by these animals. Owing to the careless habits of the natives, especially in the hot weather, sleeping with their doors open, or altogether outside their dwellings, wolves or hyenas steal up quietly, seize a child by the neck, preventing its making any outcry, and make off with it, the loss only being discovered in the morning. The reward for destroying dangerous wild beasts having been so shamefully reduced by a parsimonious government calling itself, in mockery, paternal, it is not to be wondered at if these kinds of animals should increase, and the list of casualties also increase, especially after the Gun Licence Act, disarming the natives, their poverty, that of shikaris in particular, preventing their taking out licences. Their guest here remarked that the wonder with him was, not that there were so many known, as well as conjectured casualties from wild beasts, but that there were not many more. That there were not more human beings destroyed by tigers and other wild beasts, he attributed solely to the fear of man implanted by the Creator in all inferior animals. Natives and Europeans deriving their subsistence in or on the borders of jungles, and traversing them in the prosecution of their various callings, must necessarily, and do frequently, meet .with tigers, or other dangerous animals. Almost always a shout, and a bold front, will cause a tiger to turn out of the road, and let the traveller pass on. But, in these degenerate times, few men have stout hearts, and, in their wisdom, they commit the greatest possible folly, seeking safety in flight ; as then the tiger, no longer having the fear of man before him, follows up, and with one blow of his paw crushes in the skull, or seizes and carries off the terror-stricken traveller. Tigers, and all other animals, have their different moods and humours, just the same as human beings, and he could relate numerous instances in point. Sometimes tigers will allow people TIGERS AT THE COAL-MINE. 177 to pass within a few yards of them without harm, while at other times they would charge a regiment. Personally speaking, he had had so many encounters with wild beasts that he cared very little about them. To the north of his house by the mine there is a platform of rock, and about a year ago a tiger and tigress used, for several days together, to come there regularly in the afternoon, for basking in the sun and courtship. This was in full sight of all the workpeople, and certainly not more than fifty yards distant from his house. For the first day or two the people were alarmed ; but he told them that though his house was much nearer to the tigers, he was not afraid of them, and they need not be, after which no one troubled himself or her- self about them. It so happened that a party of three gentlemen came down to Singrowlee, a week or two after the tigers' first appearance, and he at once sent off a man with a letter requesting them to hasten their march, so as to arrive at his house by noon the next day, promising them some tiger shooting. The reason why he did not fire at the tigers was because he was alone, and could not make sure of killing one, much less both of the tigers, at one shot ; and had he fired at them, and only wounded, or even if he had killed one, he was apprehensive that the other would have made reprisals, and the works in that case might have been stopped for days, until the second brute had been killed. And the reason why he wrote for the gentlemen to come was this : the tigers used to leave the platform a little before sundown, retiring over the rocks behind his house into the jungle, passing about fifteen yards from the house. After the first day or two seeing that was their route, every one took good care to clear out beforehand, and let them pass. CHAPTER XXIX. THE TIGER'S DECLARATION OF WAR. ON the day previous to the arrival of the gentlemen, one of the tigers took it into its head to come up to the house as it was passing. While the tigers used to be about the place, he noticed that his servants deserted him, leaving him alone in the house, busy with his correspondence, accounts, or what not ; and this day, having occasion to go to the bath-room, one door of which opened on to the back verandah, as he entered the room he saw the tiger about two yards off from the verandah, advancing. Shouting loud, he slammed the outer door to, hard, shot the bolt, turned quick and shut the other door, and then peeped out of the comer of the window. The tiger, it appeared, walked up and down two sides of the house, entered some of the rooms, went again into the verandah, and not finding him, walked down the steps by which it had entered the house, and he had the satisfaction of seeing it join its mate, and the pair of them walk off. As this was a clear breach of etiquette, and a declaration of war on the part of the tiger, directly they were out of sight he sat down and wrote the letter, sending a man off post-haste with it. The next day the three gentlemen arrived, and, after sending the horses and servants far out of the way, cautioning the gentle- men to speak only in whispers, they had tiffin with closed doors. As the gentlemen had spare guns, he having two, it was arranged to wait until the tigers should be, on their return, close by the house, when their afternoon gambols were over, and then for OVERTHROW OF THE TIGERS. 179 two to fire, with as sure an aim as they could, at separate tigers. This plan of action being. agreed to, after tiffin they placed themselves in concealment. Soon after having done so, the tigers came, but the male one was evidently in a bad humour about something, for, on the tigress offering some feline endearment, the tiger, like a brute of a husband, gave her a tremendous wallop with one of his fists, or fore-paws, sending her reeling down the rocks. Jumping up quickly, she sprang at one bound on to the plat- form, in no placable humour, and they all expected to see a pretty set-to between the pair, but, seemingly admonished by a growl and an angry look, she stalked off in sullen dignity. The tiger, however, was not inclined to let her go, and follow- ing, tried to induce her to return ; but no he had struck her, and she would not be mollified so easily. Continuing this play, they advanced to the distance agreed upon, and then a simul- taneous discharge of four barrels took place. Catching up the spare guns instantly, they were just in time to receive the tigress with a volley, which sent her down the rocks. The tiger had fallen, shot through the heart, but the tigress had been only wounded at the first discharge, although severely, and in two or three bounds she was about five yards off, when she was floored. And so the settlement was happily delivered from such neighbours. The president said that he remembered a story of a tiger passing close by a gentleman, without offering to do him any harm, although not without receiving harm. A party of young militaires were out on leave, and were visiting some indigo planters in a neighbouring district. One of these officers, an ensign, it so happened, had never seen a living tiger, even in a menagerie, and one day, while they were all out in the jungles, picking up what game they could get, this i8o PAST DAFS IN INDIA. ensign got separated from the rest. Tramping along through the jungle, he saw a large cat-like animal, coming from the right-hand side, in a direction that would take it past him right in front over some open ground, and about twenty-five feet off. Standing still to admire it, the thought came into his mind that he would like to have the skin of such a fine cat, and as the animal passed right in front, he raised his rifle, to have a shot behind the shoulder. The tiger, seeing the motion made in raising the rifle, stopped for an instant, turning partly round, thus presenting a full front to the ensign, who coolly took a deliberate aim, and sent a ball through its heart, dropping it on the spot. Calling out loudly two or three times to his chums to come and see a fine cat that he had shot, he began examining the tiger, and they, on coming up, did not know which to admire most, his coolness or his greenness, thankful, nevertheless, at the narrow escape some of them had by its timely destruction. On being told that was a tiger, and a good big one too, the ensign said that if they were all like that, he would not care for a troop of them. He got wiser in time. The attention of every one had been so taken up with the rela- tion of, or listening to, the several stories, that the flight of time was not noticed, until the president reminded them that if they wished to be ready for the hankwa to-morrow morning, it was quite time to think of bed ; so, taking a last tumbler of punch, they all turned in, after strict orders had been given for all to be roused at daybreak. The next morning, whether it were owing to the capital puncli or not, it seemed to several of them that they had scarcely slept half an hour, and were consequently very unwilling to turn out, until the president threatened them with a cold pig, when they jumped up, and, thrusting their heads into basins of almost freezing water, soon sent the drowsy god to the right about. While they were dressing, a man came to report " a kill," and that everything was A TIGER RELUCTANT TO BE KILLED. 181 ready ; so, taking a cup of hot coffee, they started for the jungle at the foot of the hills. Taking up their positions in the several machauns, they waited impatiently a long time for the hankwa to advance. The signal had been given, and the drive had commenced ; but after advancing some distance it seemed to stop. They were all naturally very anxious to know what mischance had happened, but neither they nor the rokhs, or stoppers, dared descend to inquire, not knowing where the tiger might be. It appeared after- wards that the tiger had got into a ail de sac of a ravine, thickly covered with jungle, and would not come out, until at last they had recourse to long sticks, with bundles of lighted rags at the end, which dislodged it. The brute, however, not choosing to go the way the men wanted it to, had a mind to break back, and through the line of beaters, but luckily one of the men with a lighted stick was at hand, and pushing it right into the face of the tiger, caused it to spring round with a roar, and proceed in the proper direction. The roar of the tiger was answered with a general shout from the whole line of beaters and a horrible din from the tom-toms, or drums. The roar of the tiger put every one in the machauns on the qui vive, and well it was that they were ready, for the tiger, the next moment it seemed, came galloping up. A quick shot caused it to stumble, and, before it could rise, a general volley settled its business. Waiting until the beaters had come up, they descended from the machauns, and after examining the tiger, gave orders for it to be carried in the meantime to the tents, where the beaters should be paid. Here, however, a friendly dispute arose between their guest and themselves, as to who should pay the expenses, he saying that having arranged for the hankwa it was his place to pay for it, and they, out of regard for his circumstances, insisting on paying i8z PAST DAFS IN INDIA. expenses. Delicacy, of course, forbade their openly stating their reasons ; but, to end the matter, it was resolved to toss up for it ; whoever cried heads twice out of three, was to pay, and the other party to have the tiger. Rummaging their pockets in vain for a coin (Europeans seldom carry money about with them in India), they had to borrow a copper from one of the beaters, and as it bore the same legend as the silver currency, it answered the purpose, and being thrown up, the lot fell to their guest to have the tiger. This matter being settled, they were returning, when their guest said that not having been to the works that morning, he must decline breakfasting with them, urging the necessity of attending to the owner's interests. Under the circumstances, they could not insist on his company to breakfast, but would take no denial for dinner, and so parted. On reaching the tents the beaters were at once paid, and breakfast being ready, they sat down to it with appetites sharpened by the bracing morning air and their walk. Breakfast being over, and the tiger sent off, while they were smoking their cheroots a man arrived from the mine, who said he had been sent by the superintendent to conduct them to a part of the jungle where they might have some good shooting, if they would like to go out again. As it was against their creed to decline a good chance, they were soon ready, and taking several men with them, they followed their native leader. A good half-hour's walk brought them to a scrubby jungle, where they soon put up as much game as their men could carry, until they procured some men who were cutting firewood. Tired with their exercise, they were glad of a glass of beer on their return to camp. As it was to be their last day's stay at Hinowtee, the caterer was soon seen mysteriously engaged with the khansa- mah, and from the activity subsequently displayed by all the servants, it was surmised that there was to be something extra, ordinary for dinner that evening. HUNGER IN THE CAMP. 183 The caterer's labours being at length over, he joined the rest at a very scanty tiffin, which called forth indignant remarks from the others, but he bore it all coolly, telling them that he intended that slight refection to serve as a whet for dinner. One of them, grumbling, warned the caterer not to come near him between that time and dinner, or perhaps a little cannibalism might be committed. After the remains of this apology for a tiffin had been removed, the caterer recommended a glass of weak brandy and water, to settle their stomachs, but a question arising as to who was to decide upon the strength of the dilution, it was settled that each one was to qualify his brandy with water, or his water with brandy, to his own judgment. Soon after this knotty point had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, their guest arrived, was duly received, and complaints poured into his ears about the state of starvation their caterer kept them in, one and another asking if his larder were well stocked, and proposing, if dinner were not ready very soon, to go to the settlement for something wherewith to sustain their exhausted nature. The complaints of one and another breaking out every now and then, mingled with threats of a raid upon the commissariat, the caterer, to pacify them, about five o'clock ordered the khitmudgar, or waiter, to hand round a thin sandwich and a glass of sherry to each. Holding up their thin sandwiches, they all looked at the caterer, and if indignant looks could have annihilated him, he would soon have been nowhere ; but he stood unabashed, the hardened man, and then they one and all declared that he had no con- science. Dinner being shortly after announced, the malcontents sprang up with a shout, as if a large war party of Pawnee Loups or other American Redskins had broken into the camp with their war whoop. More than one of the party declared that they were 1 84. PAST DAYS IN INDIA. e-nor-mous-ly hungry, and were prepared to do justice to a roast elephant even, and so proceeded to the dining tent. The soup gave decided satisfaction, especially to their guest, and was followed by hunter's pie, hunter's stew, roast saddle of venison with tamarind sauce, deers' tongues with ham, venison cutlets with tomato sauce, and three or four kinds of curries, winding up with some peculiar Indian pies, and other sweet pre- parations, until the malcontents were not only satisfied, but were pleased to declare that the caterer, khansamah, and all concerned had surpassed themselves, that such a dinner would not soon be forgotten, and that they only hoped none of them might have the nightmare. CHAPTER XXX. THE HERDBOY'S FOLLY. guest thought that something more than satisfaction -L ought to be expressed, and proposed a bumper with full cheers to the president and caterer, who, he was informed and had partly heard, had stood a good deal of badgering during the day. Filling their glasses, the toast was done justice to, accord- ing to custom, one of the party insisting on adding musical honours. The president, in modestly returning thanks, trusted that the jungle fare they had tasted might not soon fade from their memories, was sorry that they had reached the limits of their excursion, and would have, the next day, to make a retrograde movement, but hoped that the trip would end satisfactorily to all. When they had adjourned to the fire, their guest informed them that a herdboy had been seriously mauled by a tiger that after- noon within half-a-mile of where they were sitting, and being asked for particulars, he gave the following account : Some herdsmen were out in the jungle that day attending their cattle while feeding, accompanied by the son of one of them, a boy about fifteen years of age. The cattle were scattered about a good deal, some on the higher land, some in the ravines, browsing on the leaves arid tender shoots of wild plants. The boy was tending some that were in a ravine, and while doing so a tiger sprang into the ravine, evidently after one of the bullocks. All herdsmen and shepherds are held responsible for the cattle or sheep under their charge, and are made to pay for any loss, unless they can give satisfactory proof that any of the cattle died 1 86 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. of disease, or were destroyed by wild beasts. Against the latter, they are expected to do their utmost to protect their charge, and are usually very courageous in the performance of their duty. This boy, seeing the tiger spring into the ravine, boldly placed himself between it and the cattle, calling out loudly to the others to come and help, shouting at and abusing the tiger. The animal finding itself foiled, was turning off in a different direction, and would have gone away without doing further harm than frightening the cattle, but the foolish boy thoughtlessly struck the tiger as it was passing, thinking, it may be, to quicken its move- ments. The tiger, half rising on its hind legs, struck at the boy with its right paw, and had it caught the boy, would no doubt have carried him off; but the lad stepping back quickly, the claws of the brute caught his left shoulder, and made two deep gashes right down to his elbow. At that moment the herdsmen all came up, and, by their united shouts and presence, scared the tiger away. The boy's arm was immediately attended to, people living in the jungle generally having a rude skill in surgery and simples, and as the gashes are clean cuts, the boy will most likely recover his health, and the use of his arm in two or three months. There is however a man about these villages who was some years ago attacked by a tiger, and wounded much in the same way, who recovered his health, but not the use of his arm, which is quite shrivelled up, and a similar result may possibly be in this case. Their guest added that he had ordered a " victim " to be tied up in case of the tiger remaining in these parts, and should it be killed, they would perhaps have no objection to start a little later next day. The march for next day being only back to Ghurwar, the pos- sible detention to shoot a tiger was rather agreeable than other- wise, and consequently all willingly agreed to the proposal. Tigers being the topic of conversation, their guest was asked by one of A GRAND TIGER-FIGHT. 187 the company whether he knew of any instances of wild beasts encountering each other. To which he answered, that no doubt in the course of roaming about for prey or food, wild beasts do encounter each other, tigers meet tigers or other wild animals. Judging from the actions of domesticated animals, we may reasonably infer that if a strange tiger is found poaching upon the manor of another the result is a row, and a jolly one too. Also, it does happen occasionally that, in the pairing season, two male tigers will, for days together, follow about a female one, trying to win her exclusive favour, whilst she on her part, un- decided which to prefer, smiles (tiger fashion) now on one, and now on the other. This sort of fun goes on until the rage of the males gets up to about boiling-over point, when one of them saying in his heart he is not going to stand that fellow's nonsense any longer, gives the other one a clout. That is enough, the gauntlet is thrown down, taken up readily by the other one, and at it they go, tooth and claw literally, and if the two males are well matched, the fight is a grand one. Three or four years ago, he partially witnessed just such a fight. The event came off in a small open space in the jungle, about a mile or less from the coal mine, and lasted about three hours. The tigress, the cause of the shindy (and what row is there in which a female is not openly or in secret at the bottom), was seen now reclining, now sitting on her haunches, on a small hillock, witnessing her two lovers clapperclawing each other. When the tigers ceased awhile to draw breath, the fair one would descend from her throne, walk round them purring her encouragement, and perhaps give one of them as she passed an approving whisk of her tail, which would send the other one into fits of rage, and then the row would be awful. Soon after the fight commenced, buffaloes, bullocks, deer, and other animals, cleared out of that neighbourhood pretty sharp, you may be sure. The affair of honour at last ended in a drawn 1 88 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. battle, both having had enough, the tigress walking off with the one which, in her opinion, had shown the greatest valour. The half-eaten remains of one of them was found two days afterwards, and it is supposed that the other one died of its wounds, or was killed by a third competitor for the fair one's favour ; for the same tigress was seen a few days after the fight mated with a tiger without a scratch on it. In fights with other animals, tigers are not always victorious. Some time ago, a large dead bear, and also a dead tiger, were found in the jungle close to each other, exhibiting plain enough signs of the battle having been d entrance, both being so mauled by each other that the natives who found them did not consider their skins worth the trouble of stripping off. He remembered also a friend telling him that, in a belt of jungle not far from his factory, a dead tiger and an enormous dead wild boar, were found a few feet distant from each other. Tigers are more fond of pig meat than anything else (unless they have once tasted man), and it was supposed that the tiger seeing this huge tusker, wanted to appropriate him for supper ; but the tusker, not having a mind to be so cavalierly appropriated, resisted the bland advances of the feline. A little opposition, you know, gives zest to an affair, and the coyness -of the porker only led the feline to exhibit more ardour in the prosecution of his suit. Having a decided objection to being made into pork sausages or mincemeat in any shape, the tusker resolutely maintained his right to be a free agent, and whenever the feline became too demonstrative in his suit, gave him an accolade which let daylight beneath his outward covering. The tiger's activity, however, enabled it more than once to spring on to the boar's back, as was manifest by the marks of the teeth and claws, but it was equally evident that it could not maintain its hold. The scene of the fight showed that the battle must have lasted a considerable time, the ground being much cut A DEAD SET AT AN AHEER BY A TIGER. 189 up, and the bushes broken and knocked about a good deal, but how long it lasted of course no one could tell. The skin of the tiger was too much gashed about to be worth taking, but the villagers carried off the tusker, and were not long in putting it out of sight. Tigers do not usually attack a man unless pressed by hunger. Of course, in making such a remark, those tigers that have once tasted human flesh must be put out of the question, as such brutes will leave the herd and carry off the keeper, many an unfortunate aheer, or herdsman, being thus carried off. The president here interposed, saying that he remembered once rescuing an aheer who had been made a dead set at by a tiger. He was living then not far from the top of Ekpowa Ghat, when one night the man on guard came and reported that some traveller, he thought, had been beset by a tiger, and was calling out lustily for speedy help. Seizing one gun, and giving an orderly another, and a lighted lantern, and calling three or four men to him, he proceeded in the direction of the cries, ordering his men to shout, and let the man know that assistance was at hand. In a few minutes he arrived at the place, and found that it was a herdsman that had been beset by a very persevering tiger. It being a dark night, the man had not taken his buffaloes into the jungle to feed, but only to the skirt of it, and was watching them as they were browsing. An hour or so had thus passed quietly, when on a sudden the herd broke away from the bushes, and made for the open ground. Knowing that it could only have been a tiger that had alarmed them, he shouted, and was running up to collect them together again. As he was going, the tiger had seen him, and somehow got between him and the buffaloes, and kept him at bay. He had tried all he could to circumvent the brute, but. without success, for wherever he turned, the tiger turned, so that it was impossible to get to his herd. The brute took little or no notice i go PAST DAYS IN INDIA. of the buffaloes, seeming bent on having him for supper. He had been shouting for help for a long time, and had not some one come soon, he could not have held out much longer, as the tiger had been getting bolder every minute, and he was continually expecting it to make a spring on him. After firing a couple of shots in the direction that the tiger had taken, and escorting the aheer and his herd closer to the village, he and his men returned. The president also related that once a party of gentlemen were out in the district on an official tour, one of the principal of them having a clever khansamah, in whom great trust was placed, and who, being too obese for travelling on foot, was accommodated through his master's generosity with a pony to ride on. As the camp equipage was going along through the jungle, it came to a place where the road was very narrow, forming a long lane for three or four hundred yards. In this lane the sumpter animals, elephants, camels, ponies, bullocks, and servants of all kinds, some on foot, others on ponies, were crowded, and some obstacle ahead causing the whole procession to stop, a scene of great confusion soon arose. The khansamah was lagging behind, taking it easy, when the stoppage commenced, but after awhile, knowing that he would have to bear the brunt of the wigging if breakfast should be delayed, he was hurrying to the front as fast as he could make his pony push through the crowd of animals and men. The khansamah, it appeared, had got to about the centre of the lane when an enormous tiger sprang into the midst of the throng, scattering the animals and men to the right and left, and selecting the fat man as the choicest morsel, seized him by one of his arms and bore him off, as a cat would a mouse, into the depths of the jungle. The panic caused by such an event made confusion worse con- founded. The cattle in their terror threw their loads, and were rushing about wildly here and there trying to escape, the men shouting, some to scare the tiger, others to calm the terror of THE TIGER CARRIES OFF HIS VICTIM. 191 their animals, the cast-off burdens meanwhile blocking up the road to those behind, while men were hastening from the front to ascertain the cause of the confusion. None of the servants being armed, and the jungle being very thick, when order was a little restored, and all knew what had happened, it would have been little short of madness to have pur- sued the tiger, which moreover had by that time got far enough off with his victim. CHAPTER XXXI. THE LEAN KHANSAMAH's STORY. THE next feasible thing proposed was, that some one should mount the khansamah's pony, which, though terribly scared, had not been touched by the tiger, and hasten forwards to the gentlemen with the news of the unfortunate occurrence. Directly the gentlemen got at the gist of the man's statement, made in a very rambling, confused manner, they turned their horses' heads, and galloped back to the scene of the disaster. An inspection of the locality, together with the imperviousness of the jungle, convinced them of the impossibility of having a hankwa then, and the nature of their official duties preventing their making any delay, obliged them to defer avenging the death of the khansamah, hoping to be able on a future occasion to call the tiger to account for his misdeeds. Their guest here remarked that he remembered hearing a droll incident in connection with another khansamah meeting a tiger, which ended ludicrously, but happily for the man's safety. Three or four gentlemen had been invited to accompany a cer- tain magistrate, on his usual cold weather official tour, through a part of his extensive district, where there was every promise of an abundance of game. The magistrate's khansamah, in this instance, was far from being obese. On the contrary, he was of a very lean and spare habit. The man had but recently entered his new employer's ser- vice, and had done so, not so much for the pay, as the pickings he expected, and the opportunities of providing good billets for his kith and kin. THE LEAN KHANSAMAH MEETS A TIGER. 193 Being an atrocious coward, and having a great antipathy to tigers, he was in a state of mortal trepidation, when ordered by his master to prepare everything for a month's tour in the jungles. Pretending sudden illness, he tried to get off from going, by giv- ing a substitute, but, on being sent for, and told in a few plain words either to get things ready or resign the service, not liking the latter alternative, he managed as suddenly to get well. After the camp had been out three or four days, the khansamah reported to his employer that some few items, important in the culinary department, had, in the hurry of departure, been omitted, and requested orders being given for a man to proceed to a market town, a mile or two off the route, for the purpose of laying in a stock. The magistrate, nettled at the man's negligence, ordered him personally to go at once and purchase what was necessary, to be quick about the business, and join the camp at a place about five miles distant from where they then were. The khansamah knew that whoever went, he would have to pass through a patch of jungle to get to the market town, and through a large belt to rejoin the camp, and this order for him to go on the business caused beads of perspiration to break out all over his body. Endeavouring, however, to conceal his fright, he tried to induce some of his fellow-servants to accompany him, but they, knowing his weakness, enjoyed his dilemma, and positively refus- ing to go with him, he was fain to set forth alone, and without delay. He had reached the market town safely, had made his pur chases, and was on his return through the larger belt of jungle, when, about two miles from the camp, a monster of a tiger, as he described it, with a light leap bounded over some bushes into the road right before him, and only a few paces distant. The man's own relation of the matter was, that he was so over- come by fright at meeting with one of the dreadful animals which o 194 PAST DAFS IN INDIA. he most feared, that he did not know what to do. But being rather vain of his oratorical powers, vulgarly called the gift of the gab, he determined on trying what a little soft sawder would do. Throwing down his bundle, and going on his knees, was the work of a moment ; then, taking off his turban and placing it on the ground in front of him, he joined the palms of his hands together, in a very respectful humbly petitioning style, and began to speechify the tiger thus : " My lord," said he, "you see a poor fellow before you, with- out the slightest desire of trespassing on your domain, much less of intruding into your presence, but, compelled by the harsh order of my employer to traverse this forest, it has been my misfortune to darken your exalted excellency's presence with my insignificant shadow. " I am a very poor man, with a wife and several small children, whom I find it exceedingly difficult to support; and as they have no one else to look to for a mouthful of food, should your excel- lency's highness be pleased to make a meal of me, they would be left entirely destitute. "Trusting that these considerations may induce your sublime highness to have pity on me, and allow me to proceed on my way uninjured, I have ventured to address this humble petition to your excellency's majesty. " Besides, if your excellency's highness will only condescend to look at me better," (and here he opened his vest, showing his ribs,) " you will perceive that I am of a very spare habit, that I am little better than a bag of bones, a walking shadow, not worthy of one moment of your exalted highness's consideration. " Most exalted prince of the forest, I submit it to your high- ness's judgment, whether my lean and spare habit " (and with that he stripped off his chupkun, or coat, showing his buff,) " would afford you a single toothsome morsel." This brilliant oratorical display was mingled with incessant bows, prostrating himself at times until his forehead touched the ground. THE LEAN KHANSAMAH' S ESCAPE. 195 Now, whether the tiger understood the man's speech and ges- tures (the man himself, the story goes, asserts that the tiger evi- dently perfectly understood all that he said and did), or not, is a moot point. Whether the tiger, after a fuller examination of the man (every facility being afforded by the human for that purpose), did not think the biped really worth the trouble of eating, or whether it did not know what to make of the fellow's gesticula- tions, or finally, whether it was tired of the incessant vociferations of the lean khansamah (for the speech was not delivered in a whisper), or not, the tiger, giving vent to a contemptuous growl of disgust, at both the pusillanimity and leanness of the biped, with a light spring bounded back over the bushes into the jungle, leaving the happily released khansamah to pursue his way, in a bath of perspiration, singing sotto voce, " O be joyful." Gossip says that a villager was a concealed spectator of the whole comedy, and his report, together with that of the khansamah, is embodied in the above relation. It having by that time got late, the whole party retired for the night, after taking a last glass of punch, orders having been given for the camp to move early, and breakfast to be prepared at Ghurwar. After a sound sleep untroubled by nightmare, they were awaked early the next morning by their guest, who said he was sorry to report that the victim had not been killed. This news caused great disappointment, as, in expectation of being detained, orders had been given for the breakfast to be prepared elsewhere, otherwise they might have had the company of their guest longer. Failing in the hankwa, they tried to per- suade their guest to go and breakfast with them, promising him a horse or the elephant to return on; but he said that it would involve his being absent too long, especially as he had some very particular work in hand which must be attended to that day. Not having a chance at another tiger, they then determined on spending an hour or two at the jheel, after the snipe, &c., and dressed accordingly. A chota hazreh, or literally small breakfast, 196 PAST DAFS IN INDIA. being discussed, they bade a hearty farewell to their guest, thank- ing him for the assistance he had been to them, and for his agree- able company, and mounting their several animals, proceeded towards Ghurwar. On their way they saw a large elephant, without any attendant, feeding leisurely in the fields, at the expense of the poor culti- vators, destroying with his feet as much as or more than what he consumed. One of the party protesting against such wrong and oppression, declared that if he only knew who was the owner he would write to the district magistrate. The president said that the only individual who could pretend, in those parts, to keep an elephant was the rajah, and whom they were so desirous of visiting. The man was known to be in reduced circumstances, but pride induces him to keep an elephant, as part of the state of a native prince, although unable to bear the expense of its keep. No good would come of bringing such matters to official notice. A letter might come down to the rajah on the sub- ject, which would only cause him to take revenge in some shape. Many iniquitous things are done in India and other countries that never come to light, and if honest English indignation were to run full tilt against every abuse, we should have Don Quixote charging the windmills every moment. The poor in every country are oppressed, and he supposed will be to the end of the chapter, until the day of reckoning comes, and then, in the general uprising of the lower classes, the bad specimens of the upper ten thousand will meet with their deserts, many of the good ones most probably being involved, in the indiscriminating anger of the mob, in the same fate, as it was in France. When they reached Khairwah the party dismounted, and send- ing the animals on to the camp, they proceeded on foot to the jheel, where an hour wa spent very satisfactorily, and when they reached the camp, as breakfast was not ready, they strolled about shooting partridges, green pigeons, and a couple of peacocks. FEATHER PILLOWS. 197 Then returning again to the tents, they sat down to and enjoyed an excellent meal. While enjoying their cheroots after breakfast, one of the servants came to say that a passing traveller reported that a tiger was doing much damage at Bilwadah, having killed two or three bullocks. A tiger being at the next camping-ground was good news, as it was their intention to proceed the following day to Bilwadah, where they resolved to stay two or three days rather than not shoot that tiger. One of the party Brown being heard to scold some of the servants, the others went to hear what it was about, and found him very irate because the feathers of a teal had been thrown on the fire and consumed. On being chaffed about it, he said that the feathers of themselves were of course of little value, but as that kind of teal was the only one shot, he wanted the feathers to add to his collection, and then showed the rest a large bag three parts filled with all sorts of feathers. He said further that shortly after starting, the idea came into his mind to make a unique feather pillow for himself, at a cheap rate, and had therefore ordered the soft feathers of every kind of bird shot to be daily brought to him, and added them to his collection. The idea seeming rather a good one, Wilcox declared that he too would have a feather pillow, and so all future birds that might be shot were ordered to be carefully plucked and the feathers to be brought to the main tent. But Wilcox, being chaffed about its being rather late in the tour to begin, said that in his case quantity of each kind must make up for variety. They next ordered the servants to put out in the sun the skins of the various animals killed during the tour, and while seeing this done, and examining the skins, the president said that he recol- lected a story of a tiger and tigress visiting the bungalow of an indigo planter once in the daytime, and would relate it if they adjourned to the tent. By that time tiffin was ready, and when that had been discussed, cheroots lighted, and so forth, the presi- dent proceeded with his story as follows : CHAPTER XXXII. THE PLANTER VISITED BY TIGERS. THE event, he said, happened at an indigo factory, in the Mirzapore district. A friend had come on a visit to the planter, and after inquiries concerning mutual friends, the visitor was taken over the works, and then to an out-station, where the planter purposed spending the day and sleeping ; and while there his friend asked if there were any tigers about the neighbourhood, as he particularly wanted a skin for a friend. The planter, understanding at once, banteringly expressed his surprise that matters had gone so far, and asked when the happy day was to be, and so on, and then seriously informed him that there were two tigers about the place, and not far off either, quite unconscious of how literally true his words were. As he was about to tell his friend where would be a good place to have a hankwa, a servant came running in to say that two tigers were coming direct towards the bungalow, and were close to it then. Not believing the man's word, the planter got up and went to the door to see for himself, the servant meanwhile vanishing. Hardly had he looked out, when, stepping back quickly, he told his friend instantly to climb up the other side of the bungalow, get on the cross beam, and not stir for his life. Seeing the planter climbing, the friend climbed too, and both had scarcely got seated when a large tiger showed itself in the verandah, at the door of the room. The brute gave a look in, but, not satisfied, came in half its length, and after a searching look around, and a stare aloft, it upset a stool that happened to be close to the door. THE PLANTERS TREE- ED BY TIGERS. 199 The noise that the stool made in falling startled the tiger, causing it to make a quick step back into the verandah, and this sudden action alarmed the tigress, which was close behind, causing her to spring off the verandah into the compound and walk off. The tiger, seeing its mate going away, tried to recall her by a sort of low growl, but instead of returning she broke into a trot, and the tiger after her. When the tiger came up to its mate there was a matrimonial squabble between them, the two growling at each other, and clapper-clawing in a sort of friendly way. The noise they made showed them to be at a safe distance, and then the planter and his friend descended from their elevated positions. Rushing to the inner room, they quickly fastened the doors and windows in case the brutes should return, and seizing their guns, they made for the other room, one door of which they also fastened. They then cautiously looked out into the verandah and round about, but not seeing anything of the tigers, one took one side of the house and the other the opposite side, and walked round to the back. Just as they had met, the two tigers were seen in the plain, going away from the cover of some bushes, about a quarter of a mile off. The planter and his friend were in a state of intense indignation ; they had never known or heard of such impudence ; they had never been so tree-ed in their life, and they would make the brutes pay for their temerity. In order to understand the story better, it should be stated that the bungalow was a small one, at an out station of the factory, visited only occasionally, and, through being seldom visited, these tigers, by the boldness they displayed, showed that they must have been there previously, and perhaps often. The small bungalow consisted of two rooms, the doors of which looked east and west, one window north and the other south, with a door in the centre of the party wall between the rooms. The bungalow was surrounded by a verandah, about ten feet wide, and 200 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. had a small bath-room at the south-east corner, with the door opening into the verandah. The bungalow fronted the west, and the pleasantest of the two rooms was the east one, being shaded by a large tree, and was used as the sitting-room. Coats, hats, and guns were in the west, or bed-room ; and the tigers coming from the east, and being close to the verandah when seen by the planter, gave no time to rush into and secure the doors of the west room, and seize their guns. Being an out-station bungalow, seldom visited for any lengthened period, the beams and rafters were not concealed by the usual cloth serving as a ceiling, and the side posts, not being plastered over, rendered the work of climbing easy and speedy of accom- plishment, and for which there was barely time. The planter and his friend were wild at having been made to perform " 'possum up a gum tree," and, summoning some of the factory people, they set one to watch that the tigers did not pay them a return visit. Another was sent to buy a victim, and a third to call the village shikari, who when he came had instruc- tions where to tie it up for a hankwa the next day. Determined to lose no chance, the guns and rifles were over- hauled, cleaned, and carefully loaded. The factory people and servants being greatly alarmed, it was judged prudent to have dinner over before night set in, that the house might be secured, the servants taking good care of themselves. The next morning the welcome information of " a kill," was re- ceived, and, the surrounding villagers having readily assembled, the two friends made for the appointed spot, and had the satisfaction of bagging both the tigers. In the excess of their joy at so speedily avenging their own enforced disgrace, they gave liberal largess, in addition to the usual pay distributed, to the hankwa. The friend, on presenting the tiger-skin to his inamorata, did not fail to add that "thereby hangs a tale," and, being asked for it then and subsequently, his humorous account of how the planter SMITH SHOOTS A YOUNG BOA-CONSTRICTOR. 201 and himself were tree-ed on the cross-beam of the bungalow, always elicited roars of laughter. When the president had finished his story, he ordered beer to be brought, and, taking a glass each, they all went out for a short stroll before dinner. After shooting a deer and a few birds, they saw a monstrous snake, partly coiled round a young tree, engaged in swallowing a hare. A rifle-ball from Smith through its head caused it to drop the hare and uncoil itself from the tree, when such a scene of wriggling and twisting occurred, in its dying struggles, as made all the party fall back a good distance out of the way of the blood which was being spattered about in all directions. When the last convulsive movements had ceased, and the party could have a nearer and better view, the snake turned out to be a young boa-constrictor apparently, twelve and a half feet long, as measured at the tents, where it was speedily carried by relays of men, who complained of its great weight. Directing the deer and snake to be skinned immediately, dinner was ordered, and after due attention to their toilettes, was sat down to with usual appetites. The mysterious conference of the caterer with the khansamah resulted in the wild ducks and teal being cooked in a way that was pronounced delicious, the only regret being that there were not more shot. Dinner being over, and orders given for the camp to move early the next morning for Bilwadah, the party assembled round the fire as usual, passing the time in talking or singing, until the president and the whole party feeling tired, with the prospect of rousing early for the march, they all turned into bed. A clear, frosty morning induced them, after awaking early, to walk a considerable part of the way, and so enjoy the bracing air. Not long after leaving Ghurwar, and after passing the camp equipage, when they had commenced the gentle ascent they 202 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. noticed the perfectly fresh footprints of a large tiger in the middle of the road.* On carefully examining them, the president gave it as his opinion that the tiger must be almost in sight, certainly it could not be many minutes ahead of them. The guns were soon taken from the hands of the servants, and, fresh caps being put on, they proceeded forwards, keeping a sharp look-out in all directions, until they came to rather an abrupt rising near Beyreeddee, where the footprints showed that the tiger had turned off to the left, down into a broken hollow covered with thick jungle. Not thinking it advisable to run any needless risk by trying for a shot at the tiger on foot, they continued their walk until they reached the top of the rising ground at Beyreeddee. While wait- ing here for the horses to come up, they took a look round at the scenery, and could not help being struck with the appropriateness of the title, Basin of Singrowlee ; the district of Singrowlee there- abouts being embosomed in, and environed by, a chain of hills, the whole forming as complete a basin on a large scale as could well be conceived. The horses and elephant having come up, the whole party mounted, and soon reaching Bilwadah, a man was sent off at once for the shikari, who came quickly and gave a doleful report of his, among others, personal loss of a breeding cow carried off by the tiger. He was glad that the gentlemen had come, as he thought there could not be a better opportunity for killing the brute. The tiger had that morning, not half an hour previous, killed a bullock, and dragged it to a place where were some trees suitable for sitting up in. After killing the bullock, the tiger had left it a few minutes ago and was then away, but might be expected to return shortly. He thought that there was time enough for all the party * On one occasion, the writer well recollects having followed, at this very place, in the rear (as shown clearly by the fresh footprints) of a tiger and tigress, and a cub nearly full grown. THE TIGER DISAPPOINTED. 203 to get seated in the trees, if they would start at once and go quickly. No second hint being required, they soon followed the shikari, who led them to a very lonely spot, admirably suited for a tiger's lair. Selecting their several trees, they soon climbed up and were seated in silent watchfulness for the advent of the depredator. They had not long to wait; the tiger had apparently left the bullock only to call its mate, for two, a tiger and a tigress, were seen coming along up a ravine. Making hasty signals among themselves, they waited until the huge cats had come up to the dead bullock, when the tiger, after giving a look at its mate, as much as to say, " See ! haven't I got a nice breakfast for you, my dear ? " little dreaming of the kind of breakfast he was in reality going to have tore open the stomach of the bullock, and had placed his mouth at the hole so made to suck out the entrails, when a general volley, half directed at the tiger, and half at the tigress, furnished them with an unexpected dish. The tigress fell dead, but the tiger, although mortally wounded, rose on its hind legs, roaring fearfully with rage and pain, and then bolted off down the ravine. Every one was about descending from their trees when the shi- kari called out for them to stay where they were for a few minutes, adding that the tiger could not live many minutes, but had strength enough left to make it too dangerous to encounter him just then. After waiting a few minutes they had the satis- faction of hearing the growls of the tiger grow fainter and fainter, until the noise ceased altogether. The shikari then said that he would get down and reconnoitre, and, having done so, he returned, saying that the tiger appeared dead, but advised their being careful how they approached until they were sure. After getting down from their trees and looking well to their guns, they followed the shikari who, when they came in sight of the tiger lying at full length on the stones, threw a stone and hit it on the head above one of its eyes, to ascertain if it were 204 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. dead or not. Jumping up with an apparently expiring effort, and with its eyes glaring wildly, it was about to make a charge, when a ball aimed full at its chest dropped it without a struggle. Sure then of its death, the shikari made a peculiar jubilant outcry, which soon brought several villagers round the party. The whole affair having been over so soon, the shikari was ordered to send four men with the tigers to the camp, and for himself and other men to attend them into the jungles for some deer shooting. In half an hour or so they had killed two deer, a pig, a magnificent peacock, and a brace of young ones. Having been so successful, they were satisfied with their morning's work, and returned to the camp, where they found breakfast waiting for them. After having a good wash, which they all needed, they sat down to an ample meal, with appetites such as can only be got by plenty of exercise in a good bracing air. Their keen hunger having been at last satisfied, they lingered over the rest of the meal, talking over their extraordinarily good fortune that morning in having had such capital sport in such a short space of time. CHAPTER XXXIII. A FLOCK OF PARROTS. WHEN breakfast was over, the paymaster was called upon to give the shikari, and the men who had been out with them and had brought in the game, a liberal present, which sent them away highly pleased, and making profound salaams, after which the party superintended skinning the tigers and deer, and breaking up the latter. Then, as they had a long day before them, the larder being full obviating any necessity for going out again for anything to keep the pot boiling, selecting a shady place under the trees, they had camp folding-chairs brought, with a camp table and glasses put on it. When these arrangements had been completed, and the party were seated with lighted cheroots in full operation, the president entertained them with the relation of further items of his jungle experience. In the afternoon, some of them wishing to examine closer the cultivation of some fields, they all went for a walk in that direc- tion, and, as they were going through some growing corn, they roused such a cloud of green parrots as startled and astonished most of the party, and which cloud, by general guess, must have consisted of not less than two to three thousand birds. As these parrots, besides immense flocks of minahs, starlings, doves, &c., live almost entirely at the expense of the cultivators, it was determined by general vote to thin the flock ; so, drawing every ball but those of the rifles, and loading with No. 6, they spread themselves a good distance apart and prepared for a regular battue, the parrots meanwhile having settled again. 206 PAST DAFS IN INDIA. When they were all ready, the president, who was nearest the flock, approached cautiously until getting within shot, the parrots alarmed rose together, allowing him a good chance right and left. The rest of the party, as the flock wheeled about screaming, had each a chance of firing into the dense mass, until the parrots, thoroughly scared, flew straight off a long distance into the jungle, every now and then a wounded bird dropping to the ground. Wishing to know the result, all were busy picking up the dead, and running after and killing the wounded birds. Collecting them into one heap, the servants counted them, and told off one hundred and sixty-three parrots as the result of ten shots only, besides many that were seen to drop as the flock flew out of dis- tance, and those that were wounded and yet had strength enough left to fly up into the trees. Several of the dead birds were half cut in two, and others with their heads half cut off, which, exciting wonder, Brown said that the flock approaching him edge on, he had fired his rifle, which was in his hand at the moment, and he fancied that those birds must be his. One of the servants was then directed to take the parrots to the tents, with orders for the soft feathers to be plucked off, and the bodies given to whoever chose to have them, but a difficulty arose how to carry them. This was solved by one of the attend- ants going to the village, and borrowing a large grain basket, into which the parrots were tumbled and carried off. So much time had been spent in the parrot-shooting that they were obliged to return direct to the tents, picking up, however, a brace of hares and peacocks on the road. On their way back, Smith expressed his surprise at the number of parrotj- they had seen, and wondered how the cultivators could secure any crop worth gathering. The president answered that he bad wondered a good many times too, when he thought of the immense amount of damage that was, all the year round, done to the crops. INGENIOUS PLAN FOR CATCHING PARROTS. 207 Directly the grain begins to sprout he had seen flocks of parrots, minahs, or other birds, picking out the young plants, and eating the grain ; and when the remainder has grown a bit^deer, night or day, may continually be seen browsing on the young plants. When the crops are coming into ear, or when the different kinds of grain are forming, again deer may be seen eating their fill, or large flocks of parrots or other birds may be seen fattening themselves. Then again, when the crops are ripening, droves of wild pigs during the night live at free quarters on them, while, during the day, parrots, minahs, &c., take their fill. If the crops are near a river, large tank, or jheel, flocks of wild ducks, geese, &c., especially on moonlight nights, must be added to the number of those that feed on both the green and ripening crops. When all these things are considered, it is a wonder how any crops at all are gathered in some parts of the country, and no one could justly say that they had not done the cultivators good ser- vice by thinning that flock of parrots. Some few cultivators do put up scarecrows, but birds and beasts soon get used to them. In some fields also there are watch-houses erected, but in jungly parts the watchmen themselves occasionally disappear, carried off by tigers. In one or two places infested with parrots, he had seen an ingenious way of catching and destroying them. Stout stakes are planted all about the field, not too far apart, and these are con- nected by strings, on which lengths of bamboo, four to six inches each, are strung, the bamboos being of sufficient diameter to allow of a parrot's claws taking firm hold. A boy is also stationed to watch the field, armed with a short thick stick, like a small ruler. The parrots alight on the corn, bite off an ear, and, seeing these bits of bamboo handy, fly on to them to enjoy the corn at their leisure. They have hardly got a firm grasp, when round goes the bamboo tube, and of course the parrot with it, underneath. Un- willing to let go the ear of corn, or his hold of the bamboo, the 208 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. thief is seen and heard, fluttering and screaming, trying its best to get uppermost, when the boy runs up and gives him a knock on the head, which settles the question. He was one day going to Kotah, by a short cut over the fields, and, putting up just such another flock of parrots as they had seen, fired only one barrel and brought down thirteen dead, and five wounded too bad to get away, besides wounding several which managed to escape. The flock was so thick, and rose in such a cloud, so near, that almost every shot must have told. On arriving at the tents, they saw several syces and others busy stripping the parrots, and evidently pleased at the prospect of a good feed before them. Some of the party expressing a wish to taste parrot flesh, a few were ordered to be grilled for dinner. After attending to their toilettes they found the shikari waiting, who asked what was to be done with the victim he had been ordered to purchase. It should have been stated before this, that too many male buffaloes, or bulls, in a herd, are no profit to their owners, conse- quently they are glad to dispose of superfluous stock to gentlemen requiring them, as a " victim " is always a young male buffalo, or a bull calf. The president here explained to the rest, that he had sent on a man the day previous to have a victim tied up, but it had been saved by the tiger killing some other animal. He then informed the shikari that in the morning they had traced a tiger nearly to Beyreea"dee, which possibly might come on that night, and there- fore he was to tie the victim up again on the chance, and if killed they would spend one more day at Bilwadah ; if not, they would leave after breakfast. With this understanding the shikari took his leave, and dinner being announced, they all sat down to it with good appetites, not having had any lunch that day. When the edge of their appetite had been taken off by the substantial good cheer, those who wished tried the parrots, and said that on a pinch a man might do RETURN TO MUGGURDAH. 209 very well with enough of them, but they thought that if made into soup or stew they would be more palatable. Assembling then around the usual fire, some general conversa- tion followed, until, feeling tired, they all retired for the night, after the president had ordered an early start for such of the camp equipage as was not wanted. The next morning early, the shikari came and reported " no kill," which was a disappointment ; but, as they were all dressed, they went out for a walk, as well as to get whatever might come in their way. Having bagged a deer, a porker, and a few par- tridges, they returned to camp, where breakfast was waiting, to which they sat down with great good-will. During the meal it was proposed that as the shikari had been useful to them, and had suffered a recent loss by one of the tigers killed, the " victim " should be presented to him, as a reward extra for his zealous exertions on their behalf, which accordingly was done. After breakfast the whole party mounted their several animals, and returned to Muggurdah, passing through Molayun Sote, a small, straggling village in a cheerless part of the hills. Being the first to reach the camping-ground, above the water-hole, they found that the servants had selected a better position for the tents, giving them an opportunity of witnessing to better advantage the various preparations for camping of successive parties of native traders and travellers. Not being inclined for further exercise that day, they ordered a servant to bring plenty of hot water, and occupied themselves in thoroughly washing out and cleaning all their guns, &c., until there was only just enough time left to wash themselves and dress, when dinner was announced. While busily engaged in discussing the good things provided, they were disturbed and somewhat annoyed at a great outcry raised by different parties of travellers, in which they heard sundry not over-complimentary references to themselves. p zio PAST DAYS IN INDIA. A servant having been sent out to inquire into the cause of the disturbance, and why they were mixed up in it, on his return he reported that the elephant and one of the camels had got loose ; that the camel had bitten one of a party of brinjarries (goods' carriers), who were very angry ; that the elephant had walked about the camping place of several parties of travellers, upsetting their cooking-pots, eating up rice, vegetables or chuppattees (hand bread) wherever he could get them ; and, on one man trying to drive him away, the elephant gave him a blow with its trunk, and had hurt him considerably ; and that a good number of the travellers had come to the tents to complain. Here was a nice kettle of fish ! Ordering the servant to request the people to wait for a few minutes, the party hurriedly finished their dinner, and then went out to inquire more particularly into the cause of the hubbub. When dinner was over, and plenty of wood had been heaped on the fire to throw a good light on the scene, which would have afforded an admirable subject for Salvator Rosa, or any celebrated painter of night scenes, partially relieved by strong light, the gentlemen having summoned the elephant and camel drivers, took their seats by the fire, and commenced their investigation into what threatened to be a troublesome affair. Inquiring first if the men who had been hurt by the elephant and camel severally were present, and learning that they were, examination proved that they were more frightened than hurt, that their hurts were nothing more than simple bruises ; the man knocked down by the elephant having received his bruise by falling on a large brass cooking vessel, and the man seized by the camel having been almost instantly released by some other man striking th camel sharply on the nose. So far matters were greatly simplified, the affair resulting in a charge of assault and battery against the elephant and camel severally, or their owners and employers, and against the elephant for felony in addition. THE MAHOUTS STATEMENT. 211 On interrogating the mahout, or elephant driver, as to the cause of the elephant's being loose, he said that he had been gone just a few minutes to see if he could buy any vegetables from any of the travellers, and that during his absence the under-keeper had somehow neglected his duty, and the elephant had got loose ; that directly he heard the uproar he ran and secured the animal, leading it back to its place, and himself properly fastening it. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE UNDER-KEEPER'S STATEMENT. HERE the under-keeper noisily interrupted the proceedings by saying that the fault was not his ; he had gone into the bushes for a necessary purpose, leaving the mahout sitting by the elephant smoking his hookah ; that, on his return neither driver nor elephant was to be seen ; that thinking it possible that the driver had taken the elephant to the water-hole to drink, he was looking out his rice for his evening meal, when, hearing a great noise, he turned round and saw the elephant among the traders ; that he ran up and brought the elephant back, and not the mahout, as many men could prove ; that the mahout, after the elephant had been secured, had returned, abused him greatly, and also beaten him ; that the mahout never attended to the elephant, leaving all the work to be done by the under-keeper, and that all that the mahout did was to drive the elephant, and when that was done, smoke his hookah. The last remark tickled every one so much that a burst of laughter was the result, which so angered the mahout as to cause him to fly at the under-keeper, and a pretty little row would have been the result, had not the other servants interfered and restrained the violence of the angry man. Other parties having been examined, and the under-keeper's statement corroborated in every particular, the president, address- ing the mahout, said that, according to his own admission, this was the second time in which he had been absent from his post, that he alone should be fined this time, and at the end of the journey, unless there were a marked improvement in his conduct, be dis- NATIVE JURIES APPOINTED. 213 missed from the employ ; that a native punchayet, or jury, of five should assess the damages, and that he was at liberty to name two of the jury. On asking the camel-driver how his camel got loose, he at once confessed that the rope with which the animal was tied was rather rotten, and had broken, but that directly the camel was observed to be loose he had run after and secured it, just as a man had made it release the person seized. All the evidence being heard, the president said that it would be more satisfactory to allow the men to settle the matter of com- pensation among themselves, which, being agreed to by the rest, he ordered another punchayet in the affair of the camel, informing the driver that he might choose two jurymen. The crowd of natives having dispersed to hold the two courts, the caterer busied himself in brewing a tureeh of punch, which on trial appeared to give general satisfaction. During the interval of the absence of the natives, elephants, wild and tame, being the topic of conversation, the president remarked that his brother had informed him of sundry pranks performed by a dangerous wild elephant, in the district of Goruck- pore, that had been expelled from elephant society in general for conduct derogatory to elephant morals. This brute, in course of time, was cunning enough to waylay the natives as they returned from making their purchases of rice, sugar, vegetables, or sugar-cane. It seldom molested a man or woman without a bundle, but those who carried bundles were surprised, and subsequently terrified, at finding their heads relieved suddenly of their burdens, and, on turning round, seeing the wild elephant within a yard of them. Those who knew the animal soon gave it a wide berth, for if they hesitated the elephant settled the matter by settling them. Strangers sometimes remonstrated, and tried to regain their property, but the elephant put its veto on that, and its feet on the bodies, after knocking the man or woman down, or else put its tusks through the bodies. 214- PAST DAFS IN INDIA. One native had apparently roused the anger of the brute, as it was seen by others, not content with simply killing the man, but vented its rage in pounding and pressing the dead body until it was an undistinguishable mass of smashed bones, flesh, blood, and mud mixed up together. Things went on so until the people were afraid of going even to the next village alone. When they were obliged to go to market, they used to go in companies, but, as the elephant learned not to fear one man, so in time it came not to fear a dozen, and on their return it always made one or more pay toll by leaving their bundles behind, glad if they escaped with their lives. The brute once overtook a man resting by the wayside with his two pitchers of native liquor, but, seeing the elephant approach, he vanished, leaving the grog behind, which the brute tasted and approved of so much, that it kept a special watch on all spirit carriers, waiting until it saw them resting themselves, when it would rush up, scare them away, and then enjoy itself. An indigo planter once had a narrow escape from the brute. Going on a visit to another factory ten or twelve miles off, he had to pass through a part of the country ranged over by this wild, mad elephant, and had got rather more than half-way on his journey when, at a sharp turn of the road round some rocks, he came right upon the elephant standing a few paces off the road, evidently on the watch for travellers. Fortunately, he was mounted on a swift Arab, and was an excellent horseman, otherwise he would, to a certainty, have been spilled by the spring-round which his horse made. There was no need to apply whip or spur, the horse flew along at its utmost speed, terrified at the sight and the snort, together with the rush of the elephant, which tore along after horse and rider, getting, at times, just close enough to pull a hair or two out of the horse's streaming tail, causing it to bound off with fresh terror. The running made by horse and elephant was excellent, the THE PLANTERS RACE FOR LIFE. 215 race leading over about one mile of country, some of which was very broken, so much so, that, had he his choice, he would never have risked his horse's legs or his own neck by a gallop over such ground. The elephant at last seemed to think that it had had sufficient exercise for that day, and so gave up the chase. The planter declared that he had never ridden so fast before in his life, and never wanted to again ; that he backed himself there- after against any known or unknown jockey ; that a race for life with a mad, wild elephant pelting after you, nibbling at your horse's tail, was first-rate exercise, and a fine thing to teach a man a proper seat. This mad brute was too cunning to be caught in any pitfall or other trap, and too dangerous to be boldly attacked and shot ; but after many natives had been killed, and after having been fired at without effect from an ambush, with large-bore rifles, by several European gentlemen, the elephant was at last destroyed by a poisoned arrow shot into its eye by a shikari, who was concealed in the branches of a tree, under which the brute came one day, decoyed there by a trained female elephant. Further conversation was here interrupted by the return of the crowd of natives to report the decision of the two punchayets, or juries. That held on the camel gave in a verdict of one rupee (two shillings) damages, to be paid by the driver to the man bitten by the camel. As no other loss or damage had been caused by the camel, the amount of fine was considered by all to have been very justly assessed, and being respectfully submitted to by the camel-driver, the paymaster was requested to pay it for him, the man himself being warned to take better care of his camels. The jury held on the elephant gave in their verdict for five rupees (ten shillings) damages, to be apportioned thus : two rupees (four shillings) to be given to the man who had been knocked down and his life endangered by the elephant, and three rupees (six shillings) to be divided amongst those whose property n 6 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. had been either destroyed or eaten up by the elephant, and which damages were to be paid by the driver. In this case also the gentlemen agreed that the amount of damages had been very justly assessed. The verdict having been communicated to the mahout, or elephant driver, caused that respectable individual to be very irate, and to break out forthwith into a torrent of the vilest native abuse, levelled at all and sundry around him, not excepting even the gentlemen. The Saxon temperament being nowhere noted for patient sub- mission to vile personal abuse, the president ordered him to be seized, and, bringing out a riding-cane from the tent, he adminis- tered to him a sound and well-merited castigation for his foul language, which was wholly uncalled for, as he had been treated, together with the rest of the servants, with great consideration. After being released and getting beyond the reach of the presi- dent's arm, he could not restrain his unruly member, but began threatening the president and the rest of the party with actions for assault and battery, ending with hurling at the president an epithet of gross personal abuse. As such conduct was an aggravation of his offence, the order was given to puckerlao, or catch and bring him, whereupon he showed a clean pair of heels, followed by a posse of servants and travellers. Having been caught and brought back, the man suddenly altered his tone, begging humbly for forgiveness, declar- ing that the president was his father, mother, uncle, aunt, and all the rest of his relations, male and female put together, and that if the president visited with severity the petulance of his own son, to whom could he go, and so forth. The man's volubility of tongue was so great that it was in vain to try to stop him without forcibly gagging him, so, waiting patiently until he had exhausted himself, the president told him very politely that it was his turn to speak, and the man's duty to isten. He then said that he and the rest of the party were quite EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE IN THE MAHOUT. 217 prepared to meet the consequences of taking the law into their own hands, but that neither of them was prepared to put up with a repetition of personal abuse. The full amount of damages, as assessed by the jury, together with a fine of two rupees (four shillings), should be levied from his pay, and if he absconded on the road he should be prosecuted. He (the president) had no intention of chastising him again, that proceeding taking little effect ; he therefore intended to punish him further in another and more effectual way he was to be tied up to a tree in the jungle for the night. Great fear is said to work an extraordinary change in the subject of it, and this saying was verified in this case. The announce- ment of the sentence seemed to freeze the man's blood in his veins ; his whole frame was so shaken that he could scarcely stand, while, in a scarcely audible voice, he begged for mercy. The president, seeing the effect produced that he had intended, pre- tended to relent, and, on the man's promising better behaviour for the future, he let him go once more. The effect of the threat was such that there could not be a better servant of his class ; the elephant ever after was well attended to, and his whole bearing towards his fellow-servants was completely altered ; for, where he formerly bullied, he subsequently used the most conciliatory language. The alteration in his conduct was so much approved of, that his fine and the damages were at a later period remitted. One of the party here remarked on the extreme terror exhibited by the mahout at the mere threat of being exposed to the chance visitation of a tiger or other wild animal, contrasting his behaviour with that of natives living out in the district, where the possibility of meeting with a tiger is no unusual occurrence. The president replied that, suspecting the man to be a mere bully, he judged rightly that such a threat would take all the bounce out of him ; not that he, for a moment, would think of putting his threat into execution. With regard to the difference zi8 PAST DAYS IN INDIA. in the behaviour of two classes of men, the citizen and the countryman, it is to be attributed to the enervating effects of a city or town life. He thought, however, that even the boldest countryman's courage would not be proof against such a threat. Education properly conducted would, in course of time, create a factitious courage in even a previous arrant coward, that is, by degrees he might be brought to face the greatest dangers, which, without the education, he would no more have thought of doing than he would of flying. Some persons are naturally endowed with such an amount of fearless courage, that it, so to speak, crops out in their nature. Others have a sufficient stock of latent courage, which, like heat, lies dormant in them until occasion arises, and then it bursts into refreshing and vigorous activity. Courage is an attribute of great minds, and a man or woman, boy or girl, may rise to the height of this moral greatness by progressive steps,