D R I V I N G A B E A R OUT OI' S U G A R C A N E S , 107
Pl ant a t ions of sug a r c auc a r c f r equent ed l)y a lmos t every kln.l of g ame , licer
e x c e pt ed, wliiel. I never knew to l i a rbour In then, . 'U. c g r e a t des ider a t a of
n.eat and dr ink be ing so ha p p i l y uni ted, prove a g r e a t iueitenicnt lo beas t s , and
a s the cover is so thick and cool , bi rds al so resor t to canes as much a s to g r a s s .
T h e be a r s e ems to he pa r t i cul a r ly fond of such a res idence, and ordinar i ly a f t er
a ni ght ' s r ambl e ma y be dl s t inet ly t r a c ed iuto some extens ive pl ant a l ion.
Wh e n the s u g a r cane happens to b e insulated, bruin ha s but an indi f ferent
chance. Howe v e r , the fear s of hi s pur sue r s , and their cons equent want of
ma n a " cme i i t , of ten bef r iend him far beyond wha l hi s for lorn s i tuat ion, amids t
hundr e ds of a s s a i l anU, could entitle him to c xpe c l , and g a in him a victory,
whe r e lie takes but little pa ins to defea t . T h e very s i ght of a hear, howeve r
di s tant , di shea r t ens nine in ten of ihe nat ives ; who knowing the s t rength
and s a v a g e di spos i t ion of the s abl e sluiBler, r a rely rema in within the pos s ible
e x t ent of his prowe s s ,
Ur g e d , howeve r , by an a s sumed boldnes s , and spi r i ted on by each other , or
eventua l ly cal led for th by the author i ty of the |)nrse of Eu r o p e ans , whol e
vi l l age s pour for th their liniid ini iabi tant s to a t l a ck the bear . Dr ums , t rumpe t s ,
fireworks, and every kind of a rms , arc b r o u ght forwa rd on the occas ion. An
uneoinnionly dive r t ing scene is presented to 1 he cool and di s interes ted observer ;
who s l iould, however , t ake good ca re to select some s i tuat ion whe r e he ma y bo
a s seenro f rom the r andom shot s of the p a r l y , as f rom the a t t a ck of the bear .
N o sooner does an anima l a pp e a r , or a rus t l ing of the canes give c ause lo
suspe c t one to be about to break cover, than the f i r ing commenc e s . P e r h a p s
some jioor vi l lage cur , in the hur ry of agi t at ion, becomes the victim of that
pani c whi ch, in lien of o p p r e s s ing ihe bea r , occupies the be a r l of each a s s a i l ant I
I real ly c annot s a y that bc a rdiui i l i i ig o u ght , l i teral ly, to be clas sed amo n g the
inver s ions of the field : at least in the wa y Ibat 1 have seen it pr a c t i s ed. N o r
ean 1 ever think, lhat , until both the nat ives of Indi a and tlio be a r s unde r g o
a compl e t e chang e , in r e g a rd to the fears of tile forme r , and ihe feroci ty of the
hit ler, Iherc a p p e a r s the smal les t reason to be l i eve that this br anch of spor t ing
will ever be r ende r ed moder a t ely safe.
In r e g a rd to the bea r , a s oppos ed to a s t e ady corps of hunt er s , I es t imate
him a s not be ing mor e f o rmidabl e llnin a s tout boa r . The r e is cer tainly a diflietilty
in g e l l i n g ei ther hor ses , or dog s , to c ome to close qua r t e r s ith him ; but
one well mount ed, and pos s e s s ing tha t kind of ral ionai coolnes s wi l l iout whi ch
even the mos t ininy species of hnnl ing be come s dang e rous , will r a r e ly fail to
pl a c e a s pe a r lo advant a g e , and at all event s so haras s , and imp e de a bea r ' s
p r o g r e s s , as to afford the fai res t oppor tuni t i e s for such as ma y be monnted on
e l ephant s , or be abl e to ke ep up on fool , to shoot with tolerable preci s ion.
T h e mome i i l when a hear ma y be a l l a e k c d wi th the g r e a t e s t s a f e ty, and consequent
cer tainty, is when he is a p p r o a ching very near to a cover. Ea g e rne s s to
bo aga in conccaled f rom hi s pur sue r s , r ende r s him heedles s of all attcni|)ls to
obs t ruc t his course. Hi s whol e attention is devoted lo the a sylum in view ; bis
ai ixiely lo reach Ihc goa l even causes biiii lo submi t to llio snapi i iug» and
teaziugs of the dog s , which t aking c our a g e f rom his evasion, and eons'lruiiig
his indilTercncc iut'o fear f rom their a t t a cks , seize on his hinder par t s ; and,
though usua l ly in vain, endeavour to a r re s t his flight.
Be a r s ' g r e a s e is in no es t imat ion in Indi a for any of the purpo.ses to which
E u r o p e a n s in genera l obt a in it. T h e nal ivcs eonsiiler it as useful in removing
s t i f fnes s f rom the joint s , bnt I appr ehend any other unc tuous subs t ance would
b e equa l ly efficacious. I t is gene r a l ly taken a f t er the animal has been many
hour s de ad, whenc e , in adllition to its b e ing exposed lo the air wi thout due
prec aut ion, it is eomnionly very offensive.
As in hogduint ing , so, in lliis diversion, it is common to see the ploughs , &e.
at work whi l e the cover s are hea l ing. T h e a| ipcarai ice of bni in, however , soon
alters ihe c a s e ; both ihe pea s ant and his oxen ipiickly take the hint, and scour
awa y a t spe ed. T h e ploughs are of very s imple contrivance ; they a r e formed
o f a ' c r o o k e d piece of w ood, of wliicii one cud serves as the handle, ihe other,
be ing s omewha t broade r , and having a smal l bar sock grooved in, secured by
one or two s taples , Inrns Ihe soil lo the depth of four or five inches, in a very
rude manner . T h e heaiii is a s ingle slick inserted at the bend, and about eight
feet long. T h e ha r rows , if they may be so cal led, are be ams of ahout leu or
twelve feet long, and pe rha ps six inches squa r e : near to each end is harnes.sed
a y o k e of b u l l o c k s ; the dr iver s l andiug on ihe be am, whi ch is thus dr awn
horizontally over the sur f a c e of the field. Thi s maclnue serves to break a few
clods, and lo cover Ihe seed, which is mor e ef fectual ly done in some places by
bushe s f a s t ened behind ibe beams . In a count ry, however, whe r e two and
three crops of va r ious kinds arc produc ed annua l ly, a lmos t voluntar i ly, the
pea s ant s do not cons ider themselves necessitated to pa y much attention to
niinutiai in hu s bandr y .
In fact, every thing ill Imlia is on the most s imple constrnclion. T h e houses
of the natives, e x c ept in the eitics whe r e brick dwel l ings arc to he seen, are
usua l ly bui l t with mu d or mal wal l s, and thatched with g r a s s ; they r a rely
have anv u p p e r s tory. T h e houses of Eur o p e ans arc on a l a r g e scale, suite,1 to
the climate, mos t ly confined lo two stories, and with the offices, the kitchen ra
pa r l i cul a r , de t a ched. T h e floors arc invar iably of mor t a r cement , laid npon
s t rong be ams . Ci c l ing s are not in use, so that a room to a new-comer appe a r s
naked and uiifinished. Sueh a plan is, however , es sent ial , both on account ot
Ihc whi te ant s , and the f r equent occasion to repai r the roof s , whi ch arc all flat.
T h e wal l s are pl a s t e r ed, and the windows furni shed both with glazed sashes and
Venet i an bl inds . F ew houses have ehimnies .