90
T H E B U F F A L O A T BAY.
W e |.usl.c,l o,i after o . r samo, nol, Imwcvcr, witl.ool observing that they were
tin-owing out signals lor a general engagement. A servant, who happened to be
on an ohi grey'ho,-se, altracted the attention of three of the herd ui parttenlar,
w b i e h galloped after him. The poor fellow was extremely terrified, as indeed we
•ill wer e aLnl roared out Instily for assistance, whieh, under snch cirenmstances,
eonhl not have been afforded him. His horse was not less frigl . tened, and made
e v e r y eM-rtio„ ; l)ul it did not appear he wonid have sneceeded ,n h,s flight,
liad not the hnlValos eoiiB.ied their attention to the man's turban, wbieb was
red and which, on being called to by us, lie bad thrown from his head. We
had the pleasure to find this device fnlly successful ; the biilTalos amused themsidves
with losslng iho tnrban about, till it by degrees had opened to Its full
l e n g t h , wliieh might be from eighteen to twenty yards, whe n they soon ripped it
to pieces with their horns, of nhieh they made siicb a handsome display, as
completely satisfied lis bow agreeably they would have been amused with the
owner, had he fallen into their power.
T h e late Doctor Baillie, who was a very keen and capable sportsman, used,
in my ideas, to run many vcl-y foolish risks among bufl'alos. t often remonstrated
w i l b ' h lm on bis temerity, but he was so infatuated, that all was to no purpose.
One monilng as we were riding on the same elephant to the hunting ground,
t o save CUV horses as much possible, wo saw a very large buffalo lying in the
grass, which was rather short and thin: as usual, the Doctor woul d have a touch
at him, and, heedless of m y expostidation, dismounted with his gun. 'I^ic biilTalo
s e e i n g him approach, rose, and shook his head as a prelude to immediate
bostiiities. My friend lired, and hit the bufl'alo in the side. The enraged brute
came thundering at the Doctor, who lost no time in running round to tlie
opposite side of'the elephant; the mohout at the same time pushed forwards to
meet and screen him from the buffalo, which absolutely put his borns under
the clepbant's belly, and endcavoiircd to raise him from the ground. We had
n o other <run, and might perhaps have felt some more severe elTects from the
D o c t o r ' s frolic, had not the bufl'alo, from loss of blood, dropped at our side.
\\'hat wilh the sense of our danger, and the elcpliant's alarm, we were in a
d r e a d f u l friglit. The Doctor swore it should he his last adventure in that way;
but 1 beard afterwards that he bad forgotten the lesson, and was repeatedly in
imminent danger. The bntl'alo .above mentioned was upwards of six feet bigh
a t the shoulder, and measured nearly a yar d in breadth at the chest. His horns,
\^hieb were above hve feet and a half in length, were kept by my friend, 1
b e l i e v e , until he tlemised.
T a m e btill'alos rarely grow larger than a moderately sized cow; but they
g i v e a great (piantity of milk, which, though extremely rich, yields a very poor
h i i t t c r . The natives never use it in the stale to which w e are accustomed ; they
simmer the butter over a gentle fire for a few minutes, and cool it gradually ;
it thus becomes granulated, not much dissimilar to the soft fat of beef, or to fine
c r o w d y , such as is in common use throughout Scotland, and may occasionally
he seen in our more soulhern counties. This preparation of butter is known by
i h e name oi ghee ; as lo Inilter, wl i ich is called jnuckun, llie natives do not apply
iL lo any use, conceiving it to be crnde juul iinwliolesomc, nnless granulated.
BnlTalo Initter is scarcely eatable; it is wl i i te, and tastes tal lowy; there is however
no want of good cow biilter in all siluations freqncnted by Enropeans; though
i f o-reat care be not taken, it will be made of sinoaky milk, or by not being
suiRcicntly cleared of the whey, will be acid, and soon becomes rancid. Ghee is
r e m a r k a b l y sweet when fresh, and at that time is excellent as a snbslitute for
bnttcr, as well as being in general two thirds cheaper. In most European
families ghee is nsed for all culinary purposes ; it is semi-liquid ; pouring from
the vessel like oil half frozen. If the air be carefully excluded, it will keep for
a long time in a cool situation. The natives, althongh they prefer I'resli ghee,
v e t rather than be totally deprived of it, wi l l not hesitate lous e it in such a state
as would efiectually sicken an European! They not only employ it in their
curries, and other made dishes, in profusion, but scruple not to eat a ])ouucl
o r more of it, and that perhaps not of the sweetest sort, without any accomp
a n i m c n t of bread, &c. They look upon it as conducive to fatness, which, as
-well as a very large head, is considered throughout India as one of the most
p r e c i o u s gifts of Heaven. An enormous skull is absolutely revered, and the
h a p p y owner is looked up to as a superior being. To a prince, a joul ter head
is invaluabl e ! It ensures him the good opinion of his subjects, let him be ever
such a dolt. I have remarked, that the generality of men of rank throughout
I n d i a have been blessed wi l h this very unequivocal symbol of greatness!
A lean person rarely commands respect; there is a certain sort of tacit reference
lo the body, which, in the eyes o f a Bengallec, decides the due proportion
o f veneration. Some dignitaries are so unfortunate as to retain their slim forms
in spite of oceans of admi n i s t e r e d in all shapes, and in defiance of that
onum cum (iigiiieaie, which precludes the nobility, &c. of India from every
species of athletic or manly diversion. They sleep and lounge all day among
p i l l o w s or carpets, drink .sherbet, and other cooling li([uors, smoke their
hookahs, and, unless on an elephant, surrounded by a cavalcade or mob, in
-ivhich every individual seems to vie who shall raise most dust, may be said to
l a k e no exercise whatever. Such a life cannot well be very wholesome ; and
a c c o r d i n g l y we find most of the natives subject to dreadful attacks of the bile.
T h e y are, however, so moderate in respect to the use of spirituous liquors, and
t h e y avoid the sun so much, that, in spite of such occasional ailments, we see thorn
t h r i v e in bulk. Many very young men of rank are lo be seen, who may be called
lumps of pinguefaction. The.se may be classed among the happiest of mortals ;
t h e y have arrived at the mistaken goal of felicity; namely, in having become the
o b j e c t s of envy, and have only one care, which is, lo add slill more to their
masses of rotundity.
l i u t to return from this digression. The buiTalo possesses g reat strength, and
w o u l d be highly serviceable were his .¡nalilies equal to his ])0wers. He is ext
r e m e l y slow, which, added to his invincible atlaehment lo water, in which he
w i l l always lie down, in spite of exery exertion to prevent him, renders him far