
der fo o t; and - after this- is -aceomplishedjj theyHget. down oil
their1 knees and endeavour- to bring-their horns into su<jh a position
as Hto^ 'gote'^ their Ivictim. I t is hlwaysdangerous fa.meefc
v ith these animals, particularly for an" European, to. whose
complexion or dress they have the- greatest antipathy. A scarlet
coat i s 1 the chief object of their resentment, and renders
them perfectly outrageous. This unaccountable aversion ,t®
red is extremely vexatious wj& military mem I have:.* myself
frequently experienced it, and been obliged to escape as fast aS
I could from their fu ry : at one tithe I was^sayed only by j the
spirit of my horse. Their fierceness surpasses« th at , of. ralmpst
any wild beast, as it can -rieveiri !be%tOtally; subdued- (either- by
gentle usage,. Or the sense of fear. .
The btrffetlo-is of a dii:ty^%r@y?4or*^mouse colour ;^itfae 4ihirs,
or rather-teistle%-are thinly.* scattered over hds^.sthick; .hoar^
skim The flesh and 'milk, though "sometime.-uted^are.^very
rafrk and disagreeable. - These-anjmals a r e d y p f ^ r tily incbjned§
and are constantly to be seen likeJxhogs- wallowing up.-fq the
necfe in mud and water.
The markets of Ceylon ate -- welLbsupplied with pig^ .dnd
they can be always had * at very , reasonable prices ; the . smaller
ones at about five shillings, and; even the largest never sell for
more than ten. , The pigs here are usually about the size of . our
small greyish ones.
Few parts of India produce a greater variety of wild animals
than Ceylon; arid its forests are rendered extremely dangerous
by beasts of pray and noxious reptiles of various sizes.
Many wild animals are also offered to the use. of man; and
afford subsistence to the tribes who, like them, range the forests;
-
r Varieties;©f 'deer and elkri^arevevery’where'miet 'with in the
pleads ^ b g l ^ ^ D n e deer ^ is particularly calculated
«ft» ratttöct atteritibïf. I t 'ia*a very small crêature> in size
IMÉ^e^ceêding our hare; it'is 1‘called by the Dutch the moose-
deer, • and by the 1 natives?'' gazelle. Itib'eyeffr'0 in|| buff ; |size
•they Siareb ‘compléte Ideèr-s^rihd Vtheir Asides-. are beautifully spotted,(
tor strearkedrylike ihefaliofe-deer.- *Tt is'usual fbr‘th e ’ na-
ÜM&es ^.to>!,%a<rêhuithend, arid btingethemr down! ino?eages td lour
markets, Whère they -afé&óld^ ^t abbut ashilling apiece. . Tlieir
flavoürSrisï',müch' sthlngfef? than1 that 'of -the hare;’ and when stewed
th ey arorie-xeelfen't^’ 1
r,> Rabbits^ a%e tiiot ‘-natives;-;of “-Geyldn, and evefit1' if they ?were
introduced, if /is\prcfbabïë' that they ^ r il^ S ö ^ r r ib e 'destroyed
fbyrritHe ;wiid' 'beasts ahd.i reptiles,. ’which * would '■••every where
•^ssail them: .ab(ive ?|reiifid, and? e^ën*pei«eG«ë!'them -f in th e ir
burrows. ?
Hares, of exactly the same species with oixr^ cotnmöri hares
iia ' -abétrild • idScyep^ quarter $hfeüghöirt> the island, in
ïgreater riumbefiSJ than I 'ha^igVer siêen elsewhere. About Go-
'luiriboTene may easii^ ' A o o t a dozeh -iri a few diours. ,:
Thë wild hog i^fmuch more esteemed than the tame. The
wild ;bo'al^y%dd much to th e 1 dang^Sriof:i%h#?Ce^Gnea%fereits;
th ey Hatfe^ y ^ y pfjplptfpÉHÉ fikree, rind -böldi^'attack those who
fall in tlieip« way.- The natives ire particularly afraid' of
Mrim;'and think itéan^exspl<' óf*;n b small iritrepidity to hunt
them.-
The-;smaller speciësrof ‘ tiger also infests the woods, but set-
'dom ventures to a tta c k ^ man. The'larger kind,^called thé
Scoyal tiger,uis not a n ‘inhabitant rif th e islarid, which is a cir-
icqii^fenee i extremely fortunate fo r the natives, as from the
q q 2