Tickell gives another instance of a similar unprovoked attack.
He says :—
" While shooting in those wild morasses, which in India
are called "jhils" and in Eastern Bengal " bhils," it is as
well to be provided with a spare double-barrel loaded with
ball ; for the thick beds of reeds often harbour wild buffaloes,
dangerous customers to deal with in such localities. I was
one day (in 1843) exploring a marsh of this description near
Dhobra, in the Malda District, seated in a "sarunga," a
species of dug-out, propelled by punting from the stern. A
dense tangle of rushes, reeds, and all kinds of water-plants
extended for about two miles in length and a mile in breadth,
here and there opening out into pools of deep, clear water,
covered with the wide leaves of water-lily, and everywhere
pierced by narrow channels, through which the little canoe
was propelled, occasionally being shoved through the herbage
to pick up some bird which had fallen to my gun. I had just
shot a specimen of Afdetta sinensis—a beautiful bird, very like
in size and colour our little Bittern of Europe—and we were
forcing the boat through the reeds to get at it, when a loud
plunge and rush in the tangle close by put us on the qui vive ;
and in another moment I perceived through the tall stems of
the grass, first the huge back, and then, as he turned, the broad
front and horns, of an Urna or wild buffalo. The brute immediately
advanced on us, but in so doing got off the hammock
he had been lying on, and plunged up to his jowl in the weeds
and water. To turn our boat was impossible ; so, putting down
my gun, I ordered the man to pass me over his " luggec" or
bamboo pole, and with it I began vigorously punting " bock
agen," as they say in Cumberland. The canoe retraced its
course more easily than it had advanced, as the way had been
partly cleared by our entrance, and as the native, who appeared
to understand thoroughly the character of our pursuer, hauled
strenuously at every rush and reed within his grasp ; and so,
what with warping ahead and poling astern, we made good
progress—the plunging and snorting of our friend in the rear,
as he struggled after us, allowing of no " lingcrmgs by the way."
The chase was exciting, and its result for a time doubtful.
When we reached a clearer space the sarunga would slip along,
leaving Bubalus well astern ; but when we were jammed in the
reeds he would come up uncomfortably near ; and once, when
plunging my pole into an unexpectedly deep hole, I nearly
toppled overboard, I gave myself up for lost. I do not know
what a buffalo would do with a gentleman in the water : he
could not well toss him, nor gore him ; perhaps he would
trample him under and drown him? Can anybody enlighten
us on the point? Thank heaven, it was not my fate to solve
this problem by an experiment am crucis ; for about ten minutes
struggle brought us into a stretch of clear deep water, and then
it was " Lombard-street to a Chainy orange" in favour of your
humble servant and his sable gondolier. The buffalo, perceiving
it was a decided case of nolle prosequi, and that we could go
three yards to his one, desisted from further efforts ; and, giving
us the welcome view of his stern, regained the reeds, and was
heard to plunge and flounder away—so far, indeed, that we
noiselessly returned to the spot of our first encounter, and
triumphantly carried off Ardetta sinensis"
I have known one or two people seriously injured in such
untoward rencontres, and it is "just as well," as Tickell truly
says, not to overlook their possibility when Snipe or Wild Fowl
shooting in buffalo-haunted swamps.
The places in which to seek for Snipe vary, even in the case
of the same species, in almost every district; and I do not know
that I can usefully say more in regard to the probable general
whereabouts of the Pintails than that they love good cover of
rice, rice stubble, high grass, rush, reed or scrub, in damp ground,
whether in fields or swamps, on hill-sides or along the margins
of lakes and rivers, but that they will cling to cover of this
nature long after the ground in which it grows has become
comparatively dry.
Davison writes: " On the plateau of the NI'lgiris the
Pintail Snipe frequent the swamps or marshes that lie at
the bases of the hills. These swamps vary a good deal
in the degrees of 1 boggincss,' some being comparatively
smooth and dry, (though sufficiently wet for this Snipe) and
are easily got over; others, again, arc either very soft and
slushy, or else closely dotted over with dry, rough, irregular
mounds, surrounded in every direction by little canals of water ;—
these last are the worst to get over. You have to step carefully
or jump, from mound to mound, taking care before you leave
one to make sure that the next will bear you. If you had
merely to pick your way over such ground it would be bad
enough, but when you have to keep a sharp and constant
look-out for any bird that may rise in front, to the side, or
even occasionally behind you, it makes matters a good deal
worse. Suddenly, just as you have accomplished a particularly
nasty jump, before you have had time to settle firmly on your
feet, you hear the contemptuous sneer of a departing Snipe, one
of your beaters screams out Isnope (shikarees and beaters 011 the
Ni'lgiris always call Snipe, Isnope, or /snipe) ; you whisk
round to get a shot, see the bird just within range, raise your
gun, feeling happy at the prospect of adding one more to the
bag, when, before you know exactly how it has happened, you
find yourself up to your waist in a nice soft black ooze. Your
gun has gone off, and so has your bird, and you have to wait
till you are helped out by a couple of your beaters, who, as
they approach you, are trying to look sympathetic while it is
all they can do to avoid laughing outright at your mishap.