THE RETURN FROM HUNTING. 27
a t a mile or more distant, and the hawk, all seem to vie in ascending to a
cooler air, and to avoid the scorching heals reHected from the earth' s surface.
As for the crows, wliich are very immcrous, they generally get into a tree, or
sit on the eaves or cornices of houses, ready to seize whatever may he thrown
out, or that the negligence of servants may leave in their way; in such case
their clamour speedily convenes myriads to partake of the spoil. As many
pariah, or indigenous dogs, usually are patrolling about for the same purpose,
tlie whole presents a curious scene of jealously and rapacity, with their usual
consequences.
As before remarked, all these depredators, however, when considered as
scavengers, rather deserve encouragement than destruclion. As to crows, they
are remarkabl y useful in discovering snakes ; quickly announcing by their noise
and manner where the reptile lies, Avhich if small they will destroy without
much ceremony. In fact, crows are inimicial to all wild animals, from tlie
tigor (0 the mouse, flying over them, and watching an opportunity to peck at
tlieir eyes.
The argeelah, as well as the cyrus, and all the aquat i c tribe, are extremely fond
of snakes, which they easily overcome, and swallow down ihcir long throals wilh
g r e a t dispatch. One peculiarity regarding the argechth should not pass utinoticed
; namely, its capability of swallowing large joints of meal, such as a leg
of mutton weighing Ave or six pounds, a hare, nay even a fox, liich in India
is much smaller than in Europe,) and its rejection of the bones after the meat
has been digested. I have several times tried the experiment of powdering a
piece of meat wilh an ounce or more of emetic tartar, which did not, however,
produce any sensible eflect on the argeelah : a tolerable proof of the strength of
his stomach ! As lo animal poisons, such as are contained in the fangs of snakes,
it never ailects them; indeed it is well known, from many decisive experiments,
that they never prove deleterious uuless introduced abruptly into the
circulation.
I t should seem remarkable that few of the animals natives of warm climates,
a r e capable of enduring much heat: the camel excepted, all others are extremely
impatient; but above all ihc búllalo, wliich cannot exist without abundance
of water wlierein to wallow occasionally. Nature has provi(lc<l tlie
elephant with means lo cool its heated surface, by enabling it to draw from ils
t h r o a t b y the aid of its t runk, a copious suppl y of saliva, wliich the animal s])urts
with force v e r y f requent l y all over its skin. It also sucks up dust and blows it over
its back and sides to keep oil'the Hies, and may often be seen, as in tlie Plate,
f a n n i n g itself with a large bough, which it uses with great ease and dexterity.
H a v i n g mentioned the choisries (or whisks) used by s//ccs, and others, for
d r i v i n g away flies, it may be proper to state, that such as are intended for stable
use, are generally made of horse-hair, plaited on lo a piece of turned wood,
o r n a m e n l e d with coloured rings of lack, serving for a handle. Those for
domestic use are eitlier made of citss-cusx, (or the roots of grass,) of >plit peacocks
feathers, or of the tail of the wild ox. These last are generally set into
handles covered wilh solid silver.
The wild ox is a native of Napaul , and of Thibet ; it is indeed to be found
all along the frontier extending from Silhet to Cashtnire, es[>e(.'ially in that extensive
valley wliich lies beyond the Kammow liills. ll is said that formerly
they abounded in Bengal and Bahar; indeed during my own residence in India,
1 have repeatedly been informed by the natives thiit they were occasionally
seen between Buxar und Saseram. I believe they are become extremely scarce
even on the frontiers, aiul (hat few persons now in Bengal ever saw one. I had
once an opportunity of seeing a calf, sent from Napaul lo a dependant of the
l a t e Nabob Vizier. It was pye-bald ; the horns ratinar short atid pointing forward,
and the tail properly furnished at the end with the most beautiful silky
hair, of black and white, mixed in patches. The tpiantily of hair in the tail of
a full grown wild ox, as imported by the merchants, may be about a foot long,
anil as much as a man can well grasp. The while are most valuable, bearing
in general a price equal to four or five shillings the |)ound, in which the stump
of the tail is included. As this hair lakes a beautiful dye, it is much u»ed
among the military as a siibslitute for feathers, or bear-skin ornatnenls. Tin;
principal merchants dealing in this commodity reside at Fatna, and Buiigpore;
whence they export, by barter, large quantities of broad-cloths, and other
European or Bengal goods.
Many have supposed the niel-gaw, or blue ox, to ])e the animal above
d e s c r i b e d ; whereas the nid-qansi has a short tail, very unlike lhat of the wild
ox. It is besides rather a deer than an ox ; and, at all events, may be considered
as a mixture between the «h-er and the horse, since it partakes of many
points appertaining to each of those genera. Tlie iiie/-gaxs has short upright
horns, and a tuft of hair under the throat ; it is of a greyish blue, and grows
to about fourteen hands in height. They may easily be tamed when young,
but cannot be trusted, being at limes very treacherous and fierce. An ollicer
a t Caunpore, who had reared one for many years, fell at length a victim to tlie
animal's uncertain temper. Tlie natives consider them as being peculiarly
dangerous ; asserting that they will cope with a horseman.
Such is the heal of the climate, lhat tents of ordinary construction, as in use
throughout Europe, would be of no avail; indeed they would rather operate
as dutch ovens. High walls, with many apertures, are essential to comfort;
and to the preservation of heallli. Breakfast is generally pre[)ared under a
scmiaiiali, or spacious awning composed of four or five folds of guzzee, or thin
coarse cotton stufi", supported by means of four, six, eight, or more poles, about
twelve feet high ; some semianahs are made of an oblong form, so that one half
being brought down sloping, by means of the poles being withdrawn, may
serve as a screen to keep oil'either the sun, rain, or wind ; while the remaining
half being sustained as usual, forms an agreeable shelter.