CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library DS 413.C19 My Indian journal. 3 1924 022 984 243 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022984243 MY INDIAN JOUKNAL liFriiited hy R. & R. Clark, EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS, EDINBURGH LONDON HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. CAMBRIDGE . MAOMILLAN AND 00. DUBLIN . M*GLASHAN AND GILL. GLASGOW JAMES MACLEHOSE. ,'. Ar.S N Hanhj THE TIGRP. m AMBIJBH. MY INDIAN JOUKNAL COLONEL WALTER CAMPBELL AUTHOR OF THE 'OLD FOKEST KANGEll' EDINBURGH: EDMONSTON & DOUGLAS MDCCCLXIV PEEFACE. I HAVE read somewhere that any one who has seen a little of the world, and taken notes of what he has seen, need only publish these notes to produce an amusing, if not an instructive book. In my first attempt at authorship, " The Old Forest Eanger," an unfledged bantling to which no respectable publisher could be found to stand god- father, and which I was therefore obliged to publish at my own risk, I had not the moral courage to act up strictly to this doctrine, but concocted, from the materials afforded by my journal, a work of fiction, — founded on fact, however, — which succeeded so well (having speedily gone through three editions), that I thought it advisable to " let well alone," and not tempt my fate further. And so I have rested on my oars ever since. vi PREFACE. But having been strongly urged to "try it again," I have at length been persuaded to pull out the little travel-stained MS. volumes from the dusty book-shelf, where they have lain undisturbed for the last three decades, and to venture upon the perhaps rash experi- ment of trying whether the journal and notes of a s ubaltern of a marching regiment, in their crude state, can be digested by those who were good enough to take an interest in " The Old Forest Kanger." I say in their crude state, because, being of opinion that too much cooking, like too many cooks, is apt to " spoil the broth," I have not attempted to improve the subaltern's style by too miich skimming or spicing, and have therefore, with the exception of condensing a few long-winded paragraphs, and cutting out a little school- boy slang, ventured to present it as nearly as possible in its original form. The descriptions of wild animals, and the different modes of hunting them, I have compiled from notes, taken from time to time, during my five years' resi- dence in India. While these sheets have been passing through the press, my old friend Walter Elliot of Wolfelee — the Elliot mentioned in the text — who was my preceptor in PREFACE. vil Natural History and Indian Woodcraft— and a better sportsman or more zealous naturalist never shouldered rifle or handled scalpel — has been good enough to look over the proofs, and return them to me, with any re- marks which occurred to him ; and these remarks — which I consider a valuable addition to the work, as coming from the pen of so experienced a natm:alist, and so good an Oriental linguist as Elliot is known to be — I have inserted as foot notes, with his initials attached, to distinguish them from my own notes. The illustrations are by Noel Paton and Wolf Noel Paton's beautiful drawing of " Biaca," taken from my original pencil sketch — slightly idealized per- haps, the inevitable result of his magic pencil, but a good likeness — speaks for itself; and I think much credit is due to that talented artist Wolf, for having, with no other materials to work upon than my rough sketches, aided by my description, managed to produce such admirable portraits of the Sambar, Bison, and Ibex, three animals with which he was previously un- acquainted, but which any Indian sportsman will at once recognise. The Tiger, being an old friend, he has treated as such, and, I think, done him ample justice. VIH PREFACE. A few of the earlier chapters of this book were published some twenty years ago in a London Maga- zine, but are, probably, ere now forgotten. The re- mainder is all new material from the old musty jour- nals ; and I can only hope that, like old wine, it may not prove the less palatable for being covered with cobwebs. leLLUSTKATIONS. Tiger in Ambush Indian Bison BiACA, THE Beauty op Sbroda Skulls of Indian Bison Ibex op the Neilghereibs Sambar Weapons of the Nicobae Islanders Page Frontispiece. 101 . 213 . 229 'leg . 437 CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. BOYHOOD. Man a Hunting Animal — Field and School Education — Alan M'lntyre, the Highland Fox-hunter — His Lessons and his Dogs—' Mountain- Dew,' and the Greenock Excisemen — Eate Caimichael's Notions on ' Law' . . ... Pages 1-8 CHAPTER IL THE GOOD SHIP ' RESOLUTE.' The Army — ^Embarkation for India — Parting Scenes — Discomfort on Board — Crossing the Line — Neptune and Amphitrite — Rough Shave — Moonlight at Sea — A Shark — Pilot Fish — Sunday, and Divine Service at Sea — Ensign C. conjures up a Breeze — ^My Mid- night Watch — A Gale at Sea — Birth on Board . 9-31 CHAPTER IIL FIRST IMPEESaiONS. ' Land ! Land !' — ^First Impressions of * the Land of the Sim ' — ^Adam's Peak and the Coast of Ceylon — Tropical Thunderstorm — Reach Madras — Catamaran Jack and the Masulah Boats — At Anchor in Madras Roads — Griffin pounced upon by Natives — Surf, and Landing at Madras — A Generous Sahib . . 32-44 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. THE SUBALTERN IN INDIA. First Impressions on Landing— Pastoral Life, and Life in Mamifacturing Town contrasted— Palaver of Native Servants seeking Employ- ment — Maroli to Marmalong Bridge — Arab Horses — A Vicious Cutoh-horse— Camp Followers— Jungle Wallais, and how they tame WM-fowl — Hospitality at Madras— March to Bangalore— My First Sport in India — Ghauts — Dangerous Larking at VeUore among Alligators — Picturesque Encampment — Gigantic Banian Tree . . • Pages 44-56 CHAPTER V. AN EXCURSION TO DHARWAR. Leave of Absence Obtained — Travelling ' Dawk' — Bungalow — Old Palace at Chittledroog — A Great Man in Dishabille — Breakdown in Jungle — Apathy of Orientals — Repair Palanquin myself — Huiryhuv a Dull Cantonment — Palanquin attacked at Night — Dharwar — Want of Female Society — Gentlemanly Indian Sports- men — AVild Animals 57-68 CHAPTER VL SPORT AT DHARWAB. Wandering Tiger marked down — Tiger kills one of the Beaters — Apathy of Natives — How to measure a Tiger — Indian Antelope Fighting for Mate — ^Attachment to Young — Hunting-Leopards — Antelopes Entrapped in Snares — Stalking and Dri^ong — Riding down an Antelope — Adventure with a Panther — Its Death 69-86 CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER, VII. THE BANKS OF THE BLACK RIVER. A Remarkable Character — Old Kamah, tlie Prince of Trackers — My First Jungle Campaign — Lieutenant Hood on Detachment — Unin- habited Forest — Kamah punishes his Son for kiUing a Tiger — Female Bison killed — Charged by BuU — Old Kamah in his Cups — Revenge — Follo^\'ing Trail in the Forest — Encounter and kill a Solitary BuU — Leave the Forests— Herd of Bison — Pride of Young Sportsman — Sight of Deer — Sambar shot — Losing a Bison Pages 87-108 CHAPTER VIII THE BANKS OP THE BLACK RIVER. Disturb Spotted-deer^ One 'has eaten a Bullet' — How Mohadeen made the Venison Lawful to be eaten — Lieutenant Hood hunts in the Costume of a Scottish Archer — Self-satisfaction of Hood in kill- ing a Tame Bison — Tail Trophy and the Injured Bullock-driver — How to clean Bisons' Heads — KjU a Dwarf Indian Musk-deer, and a Muntjak — ^Tiger betrayed by Monkeys and disturbed at Supper — How he was made to ' eat dirt'— Cheerful Camp-fires— A Party of Indian Sportsmen — A Feast under Canvas — Natives blazing Deer — ^Track of an Enormous Snake — The Indian Boa — A grand Beat in the Indian Style — Results — Another Drive — Rencontres with Tigers — A Big Bull Bison . 109-135 CHAPTER IX. A civilian's camp. Camp Struck — A Civilian of Rank and his Retinue — Large Number of Followers necessary — Military March Compared with Civil Service CONTENTS. —Indian Breakfasts— Advantage to Sportsman of Travelling "with Great Civilian — ^Reception at an Indian VUlage— Toudiing Gifts equivalent to accepting them — Pageantry and Flattery of Indian Welcome— Summoning Bussapa, the Tiger-slayer— Instance of his Presence of Mind and Courage — Peats of a Tumbler — Snake- Charming — Poison Fangs of Snakes — Sepoy killed by Bite of Cobra-CapeUa — Four Tigers and Two Bears surrounded — ^Elephant and Tiger's Lair — Dancing-giils — Hog-hunting — Tigress and Cubs — Tigress killed — Thunder and Rain — Two Bears Asleep — Old Man- eating Tigress — A Rash Beater killed — Singeing off Whiskers of Tigress — Courage of Native Hunters — A Hindoo will crouch before his Fellow-man, but face a Tiger — Indian Matchlock — Coolness at Lion-hunt in Guzerat — Foolhardy Sportsman in Guzerat — How a Briton should treat a Tiger . . Pages 136-162 CHAPTER X. ON TIGERS. In a Country Infested by Tigers — Havoc committed by Tigers — A Coniirmed Man-eater — The Hindoo Villager roused — Native Hunters marking down Tiger — ^Faults and Good Points of Elephant for Tiger-hunting — Mahout and Look-out Men — Shooting from Trees — Shooting Tigers on Foot — Madras Sepoy killed by approaching a Tiger apparently Dead — BuUock carried over Fence by Tiger — Fore-leg of Tiger — Muscular Power — Killing Tigers in Wynad District — Spearing Tigers from Horseback — ^Five Brothers kill Tigers when Asleep — Male Buffalo and Tiger — Wild Dog and Tiger — Man-eater and Band of Bheels — Ludicrous Adven- ture of an old Kandeish Sportsman — Panther Dangerous to en- counter ...... 163-185 CONTENTS. xiii CHAPTEK XL AN EXCURSION TO GOA. An Eccentric but Warm-liearted Doctor — Dr. Macphee described by ' The Old Forest Ranger ' — Accompanies us in Excursion to Goa — Cry of tbe Hysena — Brinjaries and Piudarees — A Gipsy Queen, or Pbaiaob's Daughter — Magnificent Mountaia Scenery — Peacock and Jungle-fowl — Dying Baggage-bullock Abandoned — Jackals and Tiger — ^A Large Snake killed — ^Doctor prepares Skin — Embark on Eiver — Convent of Cabou and Franciscan Friars — Friars' Breakfast and Vows in Lent — Friar at Dinner — A Jolly Evening — The Padre under the Influence of Wine — Old Goa — Portuguese Officers and Ladies — Cockswain, and Churches — Inquisition — Pictures of Martyrs at Goa — Seroda and its Nymphs — A Nautoh — ^A Village in a Grove of Orange and Citron Trees — ^The Fair Biaca — Dangers of Seroda — Attack by Bears . . . Pages 186-214 CHAPTER XIL DHAEWAB AND A SECOND TRIP TO THE COAST. How a Vow of Vengeance was kept — The worthy Dr. Macphee's ' Grit Shot ' — Pursuit of Wounded Bear — Bruin in her Lair — Spare Gun wanted — Doctor has to leap for his Life — Death of the Two Bears of Gurrug — A Suttee described — Vain attempt to rescue the Widow — The Living and the Dead on the Funeral Pile — Haughty Brahmin bearded and cursed by a Scottish Doctor — Meet Lord Clare — An Indian Prince and his Mahratta Horsemen . 215-226 CHAPTER XIIL BISON-SHOOTING. The Indian Bison or Qaour — ^A Large BuU — Horns and other Charac- teristics — Favourite Haunts — ^A Fierce Animal — A Charge — Native xiv CONTBKTS. Hunters' Dread of Bison— A Bull attacked in the Plain by Horse- men—Hints to Sportsmen— What the Sportsman should carry- Shooting-Jacket— Thirst— Glorious Draught of Pale Ale on return to Camp- The Rusa-deer or Sambar fond of Salt— Habits of Sambar— Fight between Stag and Bison— Sambar domesticated— Destructive to Books— Spotted-deer undisturbed— Shooting a Buck —The Trail followed— Stumbling on a Tiger- A Warm Eeception — Tigers surrounded — A Young Hand ruins the ,Sport — Ride down a Spotted-deer on 'Challenger' — Muntjak or Rib-faced Deer — Indian Musk-deer — EUiot's first Bison — His immense Bulk Pages 227-255 CHAPTER XIV. FBOM DHARWAB TO THE CAMP. Visions of Sport dispelled by an Order to join my Company — Officers of Flank Companies expected to prefer Man-Hunting to any other sport — ' Turquoise,' a favourite Arab Horse — The Travellers' Bun- galow and its Furniture — Mosquitoes prevent Sleep — A Troop of Sowars — Mohadeen, the Mahometan Dandy — The Dandy in Undress — A Stuffed Tiger — A Tropical Storm — Great Speed of Antelope — Generalship of Wolves — Antelopes relieved — Cross the Toonga- budra River — Hurryhur in a fine Sporting Country — Our Destina- tion — A Revolt in Mysore — A new Escort — How I use my Holsters — My Escort vanish — A Charitable Pagan brings Food and Forage — A Midnight Messenger — Quilted Armour — Burning of Quilted Armour — Country ravaged by War — Spearing a Ryot — ^Eyot rescued — Sowars hated . . .256-278 CHAPTER XV. THE CAMP AND THE FIELD. Reach the Camp — Baggage-elephants and Naked Urchins — The Dead March — ' Jungle Wallah' welcomed — Costimie resembling that of CONTENTS. XV Robinson Crnsoe — A pompons Old Major — Cases of Cholera — Death of Babington — Reading the Funeral Service— Game, but must not shoot — Resident of Mysore — Two Brahmins with their Throats cut — Skirmishers of Enemy dislodged with Grape-shot — Long March and Severe Work — Relieving Guard by Volun- teers — Sleep by the side of my Horse — A Discreet Charger — Glimpse of Enemy's Sooiit — Combiued Display of Anglo- Saxon and Celtic Ferocity — Elephants' Sagacity in moving Guns — Fall of Nugger — Death from Cholera in the Mess-Tent — Quarters in an Old Palace of Tippoo Sahib — A Comfortable Night unin- terrupted by ' the General ' — Soldiers asleep on March — Severe Practical Joke on a Letter-Carrier — Narrow Escape of a Guide — Snap-shot by an Artilleryman . Pages 279-297 CHAPTER XVI. ON THE MARCH. Commanding the Rear-Guard — Baggage-bullocks done up — Pressiug a WUd Bullock into the Service — Pat Malony in a Prickly Bush — Great Gun at Armantepoor — Mohadeen killed by a Tiger — Spotted- deer — Bison Bull — A Day in the Forest — Following the Trail of Bruin — Frightened by a Porcupine — Pursuit of Bear abandoned — Bear iu Tree — Dr. Macphee's Advice — New Test for Military Examination . .298-311 CHAPTER XVII. IN QUAETERS AT BANGALOBE. New-Year's Day in India — How to enjoy India — Public Ball — Riding ' Turquoise' into a BaE-Room — ' A daft-like Trick' — Indian Story told at Mess-Table — The Three Brahmins — Doctor Macphee's Remarks — A young Gentleman silenced — 'The Cock Sawmon' . ■ 312-324 XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVIII. HOG-HUNTING. The Nugger Hunt — The true Sportsman — The First Spear — Boar at Bay — Requisites of a good Hog-hunter — Haunts of Hog — My first Day with the Nugger Hunt — Hunting-song — Race between two Leading Horses — The Spear won — ^Death of the Boar — ^A large Sounder of Hog — The Dying and the Dead — Exciting Match — ^A fresh Run — Onslow's Charger — A ' Muff's' Share in the Hunt ..... Pages 325-339 CHAPTER XIX. EXCURSION TO THE NEIIiGHEKBT HILLS. Four Officers start — Native Servants' Dread of Cold — Their WMrns attended to — The Laul Bang at Seringapatam — Fresco of Tippoo's Victory — The Palace Garden — Tippoo's Tomb — Large Mosquitoes at Mysore — A large Sambar's Head — Game Preserve — Wild Dogs — Thunderstorm — ^Fine View from Goodaloor Pass — Splendid Break- fast — General and Lady Dalrymple — Sportsmen at Ootacamund — First Blood .... 340-352 CHAPTER XX. THE NEILGHERET HILLS. First Intrusion of Europeans — HQl Folk — ^The Toda Tribe — Polyandry of Todas — Burghers and Cohatars — Burmese Pony 'Ginger,' and his Keeper 'Pimch' — ^A Coat for Ginger — Mrs. Punch and Baby — Ladies' Days — Extracts from Journal — A Morning Stalk — Tenacity of Life in a Sambar Stag — HiU-tops at Daybreak — Ibex-stalking — Ibex of the NeUgherries . , . 353-371 CONTENTS. xvii CHAPTER XXI. THE NEILGHEREY HILLS {continued). Glorious Climate — Small Game shooting — Misnamed Animals — Bashful Wild Bucks — Little's Pack of Dogs — Pursuit of the Sambax — In- stances of Tenacity of Life in Sambar — Shot at a Wild Dog — Stalking a SmaL. Stag — Ibex Sentinel — How to circumvent the Ibex The Fall of the Sentinel — Observe the Habits of a Bear — Bruin's Skin converted into a Eug — Ladies' Day with Lushington's Hounds — Aid-de-Camp to a General Officer — His Duties — Find the Rulers of the Land on the Neilgherries — Lady Acquaintances — An English Girl in India — Meet in the Bear's Glen — An Old Stag — ^Narrow Escape of Ladies from a Bear — The first Woodcock of the Season — Migration of Woodcock . . . Pages 372-391 CHAPTER XXIL RETUBN TO BANQALOEE AND MARCH TO MASULIPATAM. Discovery of Plot to seize the Fort of Bangalore and to massacre the Europeans — Tippoo the Mutineer — Court of Inquiry — Plans of Mutineers — The Sentence — Execution — Mutineers blown from Gons — Orders to march to Masulipatam — Cholera breaks out — First Case — Courtship of Natives ia the Hills — ^A Man murdered for his Wife — Burial Service over Serjeant's Wife — Death of Colour- Serjeant Murphy — Great Mortality — Cheering Effects of a Letter from Home — The Ninety-first Psalm . . 392-404 CHAPTER XXIIL MARCH TO MASULIPATAM {continued). Johnston attacked with Cholei-a — Mortality among Camp-FoUowers — Hot Wind — Thermometer at 107° — How to cook a Haunch — XVm CONTENTS. Mirage — A Mud Bath — Crossing the Lagoon before Daybreak — The Rajah's Turtle — ^Attempt to harpoon a Wild Boar— Salt Duties — Monument to ' Laura !' — ^Military Career and Death of Captaia Buchan — Soldiers' Wives crossing the River — Ride down a Jackal — ^Breakfast with a Capital Fellow at Masulipatam Pages 405-418 CHAPTER XXIV. MASULIPATAM. An Unhealthy Station — Swamp — The Flat — Polite offer of a Picturesque Spot in a Cemetery ! — Main-Guard Duty — Port Wine — Famiae — A Cruise in Prospect . . . 419-426 CHAPTER XXV. A CRUISE TO THE NICOBAR AND ANDAMAN ISLANDS. Our Party — Embarkation in Boats punted out — Carnicobar — Anchorage of Ship ' Abberton' — The Islanders and their ' Tails ' — Skipper's Mistake — Barter — 'Captain Macintosh' — Wild Pigs — 'Captaia Norris' and the Rifle^Pigeons — Birds and Fruits— Lee Side of Island — A Family Dinner — Huts — A Strange Ship — Burial Cere- monies ... . 427-443 CHAPTER XXVL CRUISE TO THE NICOBAR AND ANDAMAN ISLANDS (continiied). 'Captain Malbrook' — Good Feeling of Natives at a Burial — The Funeral Service — Presents — Native Politeness — Dogs and Cocoa- nuts— Pigeons — ]\Ir. Gall's Passage in my Canoe — The Doctor Swamped — Wild Pigs — Snakes and Sharks^uice of Cocoa- nut — Funeral Sei-vice at Sea — Hamilton's Accoimt of Andaman Islanders . . . 444.458 CONTENTS. XIX CHAPTER XXVII. THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS. Entrance to Port CornwaUia — A SquaU — An Attack by the Natives — ■ The Wounded — ^Arrows not Poisoned — ^An Exploring Party — Man- grove Bushes — a Landsman iu a Squall — Eeturn to the Ship — Bay on Long Island — Josey and the Natives — Return to Masuli- patam . . . Pages 459-470 CHAPTER XXVIIL CONCLTJSION. Appointed Aid-de-Canip on General Dalrjinple's Staff — Madras Society — Idle Life — The Charming Hester — Leave of Absence — 'Turquoise' Lamed — Bishop of Calcutta — Ladies' Dinner-Party — Ship ' Duke of Buccleugh' — Ginger and Punch — Homeward bound ! . . . . . 471-477 Index . . . 479 MY INDIAN JOUENAL. CHAPTEE I. BOYHOOD. Some one has said that man is a hunting animal. Whether this be true of the human race in general, I shall not venture to affirm. But this I can safely say, that I, at least, was born a hunting animal. From my earliest childhood I loved lethal weapons, I rejoiced in the smeU of gunpowder, and well do I remember the almost religious veneration with which I used to regard a certain pair of red deer's antlers which hung in the entrance hall, and sigh for the day when I should be able to earn such trophies — I have earned many since, and the poor old head is now eclipsed by the more splendid spolia which surround it, but it still retains its place, and is still dear to me for the sake of early recollections. Long before I had strength to carry a gun, I had learnt to despise such childish toys as brass cannon, and pocket pistols. My delight was to follow the keeper in his rambles over the moors, watching with boyish admiration what ap- peared to me his almost superhuman skill in bringing down birds on wing, and thinking myself amply repaid for the 2 THE HILL. hunger and fatigue I often endured, by an occasional shot at an old cock grouse, which by dint of stalking craftily, and resting the barrel of the gun over a hillock — for 1 was not yet strong enough to hold it to my shoulder — I frequently managed to slay. It would have done your heart good to have heard the shout of exultation, with which the bare- legged kilted young savage bounded from his hiding-place, as the conviilsive flutter of wings, among the heather, an- nounced that his shot had been successful — to have seen the tenacity, like that of a young wild cat, with which he clung to his prey, lest it might lose its identity by being mingled with the birds already in the game-bag — and to have witnessed the proud look of triumph with which he exhibited the scarlet crest, and glossy brown plumage of his victim, to the admiring group of younger brothers and sisters who welcomed his return from " the hill," — to them a land of mist and mystery. A Highland education naturally tended to foster this innate love of field sports ; whilst my solitary rambles, for days and nights together, in pursuit of the wily stag, and the wild legends of bygone days,* with which my ears were filled by the venerable deer-stalkers and bards of our clan, inspired me with a love for the beauties of nature, a spirit of adventure, and a considerable dash of romance, which have clung to me ever since, and have proved a source of no little enjoyment during my service in India — a country which, to Europeans in general, is merely a land of banishment — ^but which to me proved a land of stirring adventure and pleasing romance, to which, in my old age, I can look back with feelings of im- * Many of these, almost forgotten legends, have lately been rescued from oblivion by my cousin, Mr. Campbell of Islay ; one of the few men of the present day capable of undertaking such a work. EDUCATION. 3 alloyed satisfaction. But before starting for India, a word' about my dear Highland home. I was born heir to an old family property in the West Highlands of Scotland. My father died when I was only seven years of age, leav- ing me, two brothers, and a sister, to the care of my mother — an Englishwoman by birth, but romantically attached to her adopted Highland home. In her younger days, she had lived much abroad, mixed in the best society, and had the courtly manner of a well-bred lady of the last century. But with aU her courtly manner, my mother had a dash of the Spartan in her. Her theory was, that boys could not be brought up too hardy ; that a man, worthy of the name of man, should not know what fear meant ; and that, if not courteous to the fair sex, as knight-errant of romance, he was unworthy to Uve. The consequence was, that my brothers and I lived — out of doors — the lives of young savages ; wandering among the hills in search of hawks' nests, swimming across the river in our clothes (consisting merely of a kUt and flannel shirt), which we allowed to dry on our backs; riding unbroken Highland ponies, with nothing but a halter to guide them ; and going to sea in open boats in all weathers. But, within doors, no savagery was allowed. In the drawing-room, we were expected to behave like weU-bred pages, and tend the ladies as such ; and so we were brought up hardy enough for anything, without sinking into utter barbarism. But with regard to "book-learning," our education was not so good. During the sbc winter months, we attended the old High School in Edinburgh, and spent the summer in the Highlands studying, by way of, with a private tutor ; who, being a Highlander, naturally sympathised with us in our preference for rifles, salmon-spears, and flshing-rods, over 4 THE HIGH SCHOOL. Latin grammars, Greek lexicons, and the problems of EucUd. So it came to pass we learnt more of woodcraft than the classics ; and on leaving Edinburgh to join the army, I was politely informed, by our venerable Eector, that I was quite right in choosing the profession of a soldier, as I was just the sort of fellow to make capital "food for powder," but would never be good for anything else. Many years after, when I had returned from India, a major in the army, I met my venerable preceptor, and after a long friendly chat, about old times, he was good enough to acknowledge that I had turned out better than he expected, and was glad to find I had not yet been " used up " as " food for powder." There were plenty of salmon and deer in those days; and that noble bird the eagle, which has now become almost extinct, was then as common as hawks are now. I gene- rally knew where to find an eagle's nest. I early became an expert hand at slaying salmon, either with rod or leister (for spearing salmon was then considered quite a legitimate sport). And when I had learnt to handle a rifle (which I did as soon as I was strong enough to hold one to my shoulder) I took to deer - stalking, under the guidance of old Alan M'Intyre, the fox-hunter and bard of our district. The old Highland fox-hunter has long ago been superseded by the modern game -keeper. lake the Eed Indian, he has been overwhelmed by the tide of advancing civiliza- tion, and become almost extinct. But, in the days of my boyhood, when game -keepers were almost unknown, and hardly needed, the fox-hunter of a Highland district was a person of no small importance. He was paid so much a year by each proprietor, and wandered about from house to house, always a welcome guest, slaying eagles, foxes, wUd cats, and other vermin, and receiving a certain gratuity ALAU M'lNTYKE, THE FOX-IIUNTEE. 5 from each farmer for every fox or eagle he could produce. He managed also to lay up a stock of food for the winter, by spearing salmon, and slaying, as a " mart,"* a fat stag or two. And why not ? Why should not he have a " mart" as well as his neighbours ? He had neither flocks nor herds. For is not the deer of the "corrie," and the salmon of the river, the natural food of the hunter ? My friend Alan M'Intyre was a specimen of the thorough- bred old Highlander, rarely met with now-a-days. He was a tall, wiry, active-looking man of about fifty, with strikingly handsome features, and the grave expression and dignified but courteous manner of an American Indian chief. His bow, when saluting a lady, would have done credit to a courtier. Although he could neither read nor write, he had studied the great book of nature, and not in vain, for it had made biTTi a naturalist and a poet. From the stag to the stoat, he was as familiar with the habits and instincts of the wild animals of the Highlands, as a shepherd is with the habits of his sheep, or the instincts of his coUie-dog. And during his long solitary rambles among the lulls, he beguiled the time by composing Gaelic songs, and poems worthy of Ossian. Many a pleasant evening have I spent in listening to them, as we sat over a peat fire in a lonely bothie, and rested our weary hmbs, after a successful day's stalking. It was a joyful day to us boys when Alan's well-known shrill whistle, which could be heard at a mile's distance, an- nounced his arrival; for on such occasions we were always allowed a couple of days' holiday to join the hunt; and forth we rushed, with shouts of welcome, to meet him as he came striding up the avenue, followed by a pack of lean, * An animal slaughtered about Octolier or November, and salted down to supply the family with beef during the winter, is termed a " mart.'' 6 ALAN M'INTYEE, THE FOX-HUNTEE. hungry-looking dogs, consisting of two superannuated fox- hounds, an old brindled deer-hound, a rough Kussian water- dog, and about a dozen of thorough varmiat-looking terriers, ready to tackle anything from a bull to a badger, and whose scarred muzzles and torn ears gave evidence of many a fierce encounter with wUd-cat and otter. Under his arm, balanced horizontally, Alan carried a long-barrelled Spanish gun, which had been in his family for ages, and was sup- posed to have done good service at Culloden; and over his shoulder was thrown a well-worn gray plaid, one end of which was sewed up so as to form a sort of pocket, which he called his "blood-poke," and on searching which we seldom failed to find an otter, a fox, a pine-martin, or some other animal which he had picked up during his march across the hiUs. Alan was my sporting tutor, and a rare good one he was. Powder and lead being expensive commodities in the High- lands, Alan coiild not afford to burn powder for nothing, and rarely did so. He picked his shots, and would stalk a stag for half a day rather than risk a wild shot; but when he did fire, his bullet seldom failed to reach the heart. Alan's theory was that no man had any right to call him- self a hunter till he had killed a stag, a seal, an eagle, and a swan, and did not consider my education finished till I succeeded in doing so ; but, having done so, he sent me forth with his blessing, as a lad fit to take care of himself. Many years after, when I returned from India, I found poor old Alan stiU alive, and, although upwards of seventy years of age, stUl creeping about with the old long-barrelled gun under his arm. It was really affecting to see the poor old man, with tears of joy pouring over his furrowed cheeks, as I displayed to him my Indian trophies of the chase, and MOUNTAIN-DEW. 7 reminded him that but for his good training I should never have earned them. He patted me on the back, calling me the " calf of his heart," the pride of his old age, and would sit for hours ga2dng at the heads and skins which decorated the hall, as an old Indian chief might do upon the scalps taken in war by his only son, chaunting the while a song of triumph which he had composed on my return from "the far off hunting-grounds near the rising sun," where I had slain great mid-cats, larger and stronger than a Highland buU. These were the days when the real " mountain-dew " trickled from our hiUs. Every bushel of barley grown in the country was manu- factured into whisky by the grower, and despite all the efforts of excisemen, and the crews of revenue cutters which block- aded the coast, small stills might be found at work in almost every hUl-burn or mountain-stream, as our Southern friends would call them, and there was no lack of hardy, reckless boatmen, ready to ferry the " wafer of life " across to the low country, on stormy nights, when the blockading cutters did not care to keep at sea ; and to land it by force, if necessary. I remember one case of a boat's crew landing on the pier at Greenock, fighting the excisemen — some of whom were thrown into the water — and carrying off their kegs of whisky in triumph. There was an old woman in our village, named Kate Car- michael — ^there is no object in concealing her name now, for she has long ago been gathered to her ancestors — who made her living by distilling " the water of Ufe," and looked upon our good old king, George the Third, who then ruled the land, much in the same light as a modern Pole looks upon the Emperor of Eussia — a ruthless tyrant, who would not allow KATE CAEMICHAEL. honest people to manufacture their own grain after their own fashion, and devoutly prayed for his death accordingly. At last the news of the old king's demise reached the Highlands, and Kate, rejoicing in the death of the tyrant, im- mediately set her still to work, in her own house, and in broad daylight. The natural consequence was an early visit from the exciseman, who claimed the still as a lawful prize. Kate did not see this ; so seizing a pitchfork, which lay ready to her hand, she drove him iuto a corner, and kept him at bay, while she shouted to her neighbours for assistance, exclaimiag, '' Kill his brains ; stick the rascal. There's nae law noo ; the king's deed !" Her idea was, that the moment the king died, all law, as far as Highlanders were concerned, ceased ; and her neigh- bours being pretty much of the same miud, the exciseman was thrashed within an inch of his hfe, and the still rescued. CHAPTEE II. THE GOOD SHIP "RESOLUTE." I JOINED the army at the age of seventeen ; and soon after I had obtained my lieutenancy, the regiment in which I served received orders to embark for India. This news fell like a thunderbolt on many. India was to them a land of hopeless banishment — a living grave — a blank in their existence — a land from whence, if they escaped an early death, they were to return with sallow cheeks, peevish tempers, and shattered constitutions. And such, alas, was the fate of many. But to my romantic imagination it appeared a land of promise — a land of sunshine and perfume — a land of princes, palaces, and pageants. All the gorgeous descriptions I had ever heard or read of eastern scenery, eastern warfare, eastern hunting, rose up before me lilce fairy visions. The sunny gardens — the gor- geous temples — the picturesque camp — the gloomy hill-fort — the stupendous mountains — the eternal forests — the charge of the wounded tiger, and "the gray boar's death of foam and blood " — fiUed my thoughts by day, and haunted my dreams by night. I looked back with contempt on the dull country quarters in which I had idly, or worse than idly, vegetated for the last few years, and looked forward with enthusiasm to the field of adventure, perhaps of glory, which was thus thrown open to me. The thoughts of parting with those I loved was the only drawback to my happiness. And a sad tug at the heart-strings it was, when it came to be realised. But this is too painful a subject to dwell upon. 10 THE EMBAKKATION. It was on a bright sunny morning in the month of June 1830, that our regiment marched from Chatham to embark at Gravesend. Many a fervent prayer was breathed for our safety, many a bright eye was dimmed with moisture, as the band of brave young fellows, so few of whom were destined to revisit their fatherland, marched with proud step and flash- ing eye through the crowded streets, the band playing " The girls we leave behind us," and our silken banners, which had floated victorious over many a bloody field, rustling gaily in the summer breeze, as if rejoicing at the prospect of fresh glory. The open windows were crowded with fair faces, many of them bedewed with tears — handkerchiefs were waved — nosegays were showered upon us — and pretty taper arms were eagerly extended to crown our colours with wreaths of laurel. My heart was very full that day ; and were it not for the pride I took in the gallant light company at whose head I marched, and the relief I experienced from joining in the hearty British cheers of my companions, I could have shed tears hke a woman. I must pass over in silence the distressing scenes that ever attend the embarkation of a regiment for foreign service. The weeping of women — the screaming of children — the blank look of despair with which some fond young creature sees her husband torn from her arms — her convulsive sobs as she strains her first-born babe to her throbbing bosom — and the wild shriek of agony with which, at last, she sinks upon the earth, helpless, deserted, broken-hearted. Many such scenes were we forced to witness, fair reader; but the de- scription of them would be too harrowing to thy feelings. The tear of sympathy is already gathering in thy bright eye, and we are loath to dim its lustre. Sufiice it to say, that we embarked in admirable order, CROSSING THE LINE. 11 and with the satisfaction of knowing that the poor deserted women had, at least, been provided with ample means for returning to their homes, either by Government, or by the generous assistance of their officers. Three hearty cheers were given, the anchors weighed, the topsaOs sheeted home, and the good ships, yielding to the influence of the summer breeze, glided slowly down the river, as if they quitted the shores of England with reluctance. Every one who has sailed with troops, must remember the discomfort of the first few days on board ship — ^the decks lumbered with baggage — the ill-arranged and crowded cabins —the grumbling of soldiers — the swearing of sailors — and the weeping of women. But let this pass. Our voyage down the Channel, although as prosperous as fair wind and fine weather could make it, was sad enough. "We were still within sight of land ; and the white cliffs of Old England, although dwindled to a mere line on the horizon, reminded us too forcibly of the sad parting with those we loved best on earth, and whom we were leaving perhaps for ever. Three days' quiet sailing, however, carried us into blue water. The sea-girt horizon met our eyes on every side. There was no longer any loved object to cling to. The bitterness of parting was past. Our hearts rebounded with the elasticity of youth. And we looked forward with hope, some of us even with pleasure, to the unknown land which lay before us. I kept a daily journal during the voyage ; but this, although it proved an interesting document to my fond mother, would hardly be so to the general reader. Suffice it therefore, that on the I7th of June (having sailed on the 7th) we passed the beautiful island of Madeira ; and on the 5th of July crossed the equator in longitude 24" 20' W. Here we were boarded by Father Neptune, and 12 CROSSING THE LINE. underwent the usual ceremony of shaving. To thee, sagacious reader, the particulars of this marine saturnalia must be familiar, but for the sake of the younger members of the family, to whom it may prove amusing, if thou art ktad enough to read it aloud, I shall transcribe the description of the ceremony as I find it in my journal. "July 4;A.— Latitude 1° 5' K, longitude 23° 30' W. Wind S.W. fresh breezes. At 8 p.m. the man on the look out re- ported a light on the lee bow, and in a few minutes we were hailed by a hoarse unearthly voice which appeared to come from the water. 'Ship ahoi!' 'Ay! ay!' 'Back your mizzen topsail and let me come alongside.' ' Who are you V 'Neptune;' replied the voice. " ' Neptune wishes to come alongside, sir,' said the ojB&cer of the watch, stepping up to the Captain and touching his hat. " ' Very good, sir,' replied the Captain ; ' back your mizzen topsail and let him come.' " ' Ay ! ay ! sir ; aft here, you After guard.' The mizzen topsail was laid a-back, so as to retard the progress of the ship, and Neptune, still speaking from the water, thanked the Captain for his politeness. After asking the name of the ship, where from, and whither bound, he of the unearthly voice informed us that he would honour us with a visit next morn- ing, to give such of his children as had not before passed through his dominions, an opportunity of being introduced. He then wished us good night. His royal car — a tar bucket on fire — was shoved off, amidst a discharge of rockets and blue lights, and was seen blazing in our wake, as it danced over the waves, for nearly an hour afterwards. " July oik — Wind S.E. — steady trade — fine clear weather. At 10 A.M., being then exactly on the equator, we were again NEPTUNE AND AMPHITKITE. 13 hailed by Father Neptune, who, before coming on board, sent two of his constables to clear the decks, and to demand a list of those who were to have the honour of being introduced to his majesty. " To describe the appearance of these monsters, with their hideous masks, oakum wigs, and uncouth gestures, is beyond the power of words. They were perfectly naked, with the exception of a fringe of canvas painted green, which was fastened round their loins ; and their bare skin, smeared with ochre, was spotted over with tar, in imitation of a leopard. In short, they gave one more the idea of a cross between the devil and a mermaid, than anything else I can think of. To us youngsters, who were shortly to be delivered into their hands, there appeared something satanic in their wild gambols, and the deep hollow voice which issued from beneath the mask sounded awfully fiendish. "All being arranged, a curtain which divided the quarter- deck from the waist, was slowly raised ; the band, stationed on the poop, struck up, 'See the conquering hero comes,' and Neptune, seated on his car, with the fair Amphitrite by his side, and attended by his staff, moved majestically forward. " The car was drawn by six marine monsters remarkably well got up, and on each side of it marched the doctor and the barber. The former, dressed in an old uniform coat and a gigantic cocked hat, carried in his hand a lancet about a foot long, and under his arm a box of boluses, quite as large as pistol bullets, and formed of very unsavoury in- gredients. The latter bore in one hand his shaving brush, quite as large in proportion as the doctor's lancet, and on his shoulder he supported that awful implement of torture his razor, one blade of which had a smooth edge, whilst the other was notched like a saw. A gigantic negro, who acted, as 14 NEPTUNE AND AMPHITEITE. footman, stood on the back of the car, bearing the trident with a fish stuck upon the prongs. Two nondescript animals enveloped in sheep-skins, and which, from their growling, we supposed to be intended for polar bears, followed the car on aU fours, and a host of tritons brought up the rear. The gentle Amphitrite, dressed in an old bonnet and shawl, sat with downcast eyes, twirliag her thumbs and trying to look interesting ; but her weather-beaten face, and a huge black beard which occasionally peeped from under her muffler, gave her rather an unladylike appearance. " The first mate, hat in hand, advanced to meet the pro- cession, and many civil things passed between him and Neptune. His majesty was graciously pleased to inquire after the captain and officers of the ship, — hoped we had enjoyed a pleasant voyage, — and promised us a fair wind as far as the outskirts of his dominions. The mate hoped that Lady Neptune was quite well, and was informed that she was rather in a delicate state of health ; she had, only the week before, presented her lord and master with a fine litter of six little Neptunes, and having had a long drive that morning, she felt as if a glass of rum would do her good. A bottle was accordingly produced, and a glass of rum served out to each member of his majesty's suite, not excepting the bears, who being unable to use their paws had the liquor poured down their throats. "These preliminaries having been arranged, Neptune's secretary was called forward, and desired to read aloud a list of those who were to undergo the operation of shaving, and the victims were ordered below, there to remain till called for. When my turn came, I was seized by the two fiendish-looking functionaries before mentioned, who blindfolded my eyes, and seizing me by the arms, dragged me on deck. Here I A ROUGH SHAVE. 15 was saluted by buckets of water, which were dashed over me on all sides, whilst the fire-engine played in my face with such cruel precision that I was more than half drowned. Coughing and spluttering, and gasping for breath, I was marched slowly across the deck, forced to mount a ladder, and seated on a plank, with Neptune on one side and the barber on the other, whilst the doctor stood below with his lancet and box of nostrums ready to administer to those who required his aid. "The ceremony commenced by Neptune asking me, through a speaking-trumpet applied close to my ear, ' How old I was ' — ' Why I had come to sea ' — ' Whether I had pre- viously crossed the line,' etc. ; and each time I attempted to answer, having the enormous shaving-brush, covered with lather, stuffed half way down my throat. Declining to answer only made matters worse ; for the doctor was imme- diately called upon to restore my power of speech. This he dexterously accomplished by digging his lancet into my foot, and completed the cure by cramming one of his abominable boluses into my mouth. My face was now copiously lathered and scraped, and my legs being tilted up, I feU backwards into a sail filled with water to the depth of three or four feet. Blindfolded as I was, I fancied myself overboard, and struck out for my life. But my miseries were not yet ended. I was startled by a hoarse roar, and the two bears, who had been lying in wait for their victim, seizing me in their tarry paws, ducked my head under water, and bundled me about tin I verily thought I should be drowned. At last I managed to tear the bandage from my eyes, upset one of the bears, and, jumping on his prostrate body, succeeded in making my escape. Being now one of the initiated, I was provided with a fire-bucket, and allowed to amuse myself by ducking the 16 BOYISH REFLECTIONS. unfortunates who succeeded me. All having undergone the ordeal of shaving, bleeding, physicking, and drowning, another glass of rum was served out, Neptune drove off to the sound of martial music, and the remainder of the day was given up to dancing and sky-larking." For some days after crossing the line we were becalmed, and amused ourselves, as is usual on such occasions, by catching sharks, exercisiag the men at the guns, admiring the glories of tropical sunsets, dancing on deck, and making love by moonlight. Talking of love and moonlight, it often makes me smile when I look back upon some of the romantic effusions of my youth. Here is a specimen taken from my log, and evidently penned by a love-sick boy, as I then was, for I had left my heart in England. " We were becalmed to-night directly on the line, with the moon at full, and a more lovely night I never beheld. The stillness of a tropical night is at all times imposing, and calculated to inspire that dreamy, melancholy, yet pleasing frame of mind in which I love so well to indulge. But at sea — in the midst of the trackless ocean — with the glorious moon sailing through the deep blue, cloudless sky; — when the tall ship, like a wearied swan, folds her snowy pinions, and slumbers on the heaving bosom of the deep — ^when the spirit of the storm is hushed, and the troubled elements at rest ; — on such a night as this, the silence of nature is felt to be sublime — almost awful — and yet there is a soothing influence in all around, a sweetness, a gentleness, an inde- scribable something which fills the heart with thoughts of her we love. " This was just such a night — I felt its influence in the fullest extent — and I betook myself to my favourite perch in BOYISH REFLECTIONS. 17 the main top, to enjoy undisturbed the luxury of my own thoughts, for I was not in the mood to hold converse with the children of earth. ' The rebellious spirit of the waters slumbered,' and the full moon, shedding a flood of light over the glassy waves, reminded me of Byron's beautiful lines : — ' Tke waves lie still and gieaming, And tlie InUcd winds are dreaming, And the midnight moon is weaving Her briglit cliain o'er the deep, "Whose breast is gently heaving As an infant's asleep.' "Our gallant ship, with her ample drapery of snowy canvas, hanging in graceful festoons from her long tapering spars, bowed her proud head, as she gently rose and fell on the long regular swell of the ocean, whilst the sails flapped lazily against the masts, with a pensive melancholy sound, as if in her dreams she were sigliing over the inconstancy of the fickle wind — so have I seen a high-spirited maiden weep in secret over the broken vows of a faithless lover, whilst before the world she bears herself with more than wonted dignity, hiding the amiable weakness of a woman's heart under the outward cloak of cold indifference. " Beneath my feet the watch lay scattered in picturesque groups over the moonlit decks. The drowsy helmsman hung listless athwart the powerless wheel, now casting an upward glance at the sluggish sails, and whistling to invoke the breeze, and again relapsing into a dreamy reverie, thinking perhaps of the parting tears of his absent sweetheart. The officer of the watch, who with quick impatient step paced to and fro across the poop, appeared to be the only living thing in the whole of that vast floating fabric. One might have fancied that the angel of death had spread his wings over us, so hushed was c 18 THE PILOT FISH. every human sound — and yet what hopes, what fears, what dreams of love, and home, and happiness were there ! Vain hopes ! vain fears ! vain dreams ! which, unless the protecting hand of the Almighty be stretched over us, may, ere to-morrow's sun, be swept into eternity on the wings of the hurricane." But enough of the sentimental. Permit me just to catch this shark, which is alongside, for the amusement of those fine boys of yours, and then, gentle reader, I shaU waft thee to the spicy shores of Ind, with the speed of thought. Come here, boys — Do you see these two black things, like the blade of a shoemaker's knife, moving along slowly on the surface of the water ? Well, these are the back and tail fins of a shark, and you may see by the distance between them that he is of goodly size. — Now they have disappeared. He has gone down, but will soon be up again ; he will not leave us tUl he gets something to eat, if we remain here for days. See ! there he comes shooting up from the blue depths of ocean, like a huge bar of silver ; and now that he is close imder the counter, you can see him distinctly through the transparent water. He is, as I thought, a shark of unusual size ; nearly fifteen feet long, I should say ; but we shall have a better opportunity of judging pre- sently when we have got him on board. Mark the mahgnant glance of his green eye, as he rolls it upwards, glaring upon us with cannibal looks, and thinking in his own mind, what a nice tender morsel one of you young gentlemen would make, if you just happened accidentally to tumble overboard. Hullo, youngster! mind what you are about there, and don't be chmbing over the tafferel, else he is likely to have his longing gratified. Do you observe these two beautiful little fish, striped with green and purple and gold, like living rainbows — see A BITE. 19 how close they swim in front of the shark's nose, and how exactly they retain their position, as if they were attached to it by invisible strings, and drew the huge monster after them in spite of himseK. These are the pilot fish of which you have no doubt often heard. They are said to go in front of the shark for the purpose of guiding him to his prey. But I rather suspect they accompany him, as the jackal accompanies the lion, to feed upon the scraps of food which escape his more powerful jaws. However, whatever their object may be, they certainly appear to have a strong attach- ment to their voracious friend, and after the shark is taken, wUl linger round the ship for many hours, seeking about anxiously, as if in distress at the loss of their companion. But come, boys, we have seen enough of him in the water, and now let us try if we cannot induce him to come on board. We shall do the civil thing, and drop him a line, of invi- tation, at all events. Here, you see, is my hook — somewhat of the largest, you think, but not a bit too large for our pur- pose, although it is fully as thick as a man's finger, and the fathom of chain which is attached to it, strong enough to hold a bull. Now we bend it on to one end of this rope, the other end of which is made fast on board, to prevent his run- ning away with it — and now, if we had a bait, we are ready for him. Here, you smart Kttle fellow with the curly head, just jump forward and ask the ship's steward for a piece of pork out of the barrel. That will do famously. Now, you see, we fix it on the hook, thus, and throw it overboard with a splash, to attract his attention. There, he sees it, and comes at it like a bull- dog — he is very hungry, and has gorged it at once — there now, he is well hooked, hold on, and mind he does not pull 20 THKOUGII HIS JAW THIS TIME. some of you overboard. Ay, plunge away, old boy ; that hook ought to hold you, strong as you are. No! — by all that's unlucky, he's off! See, he has bent the hook like a piece of wire, and shaken himself clear, although it was fixed in his maw, and has come away with a large portion of it sticking to the barb. This, one would think, is enough to give him a disgust to pork for some time to come. But your shark, when hungry, is not easily put off his feed. I see he is stUl prowling about, so let us bend on a fresh hook, and try him again. Ha ! he is rather shy of it this time ; he swims round and round, smelling and nibbling, but is afraid to bolt it. Puh it away — do not let him play with it. There ! see how angiy he gets — see how he dashes about, in search of the tempting morsel which has been snatched from him. Now he is savage enough to go at anything — let him have it again. He pounces upon it without hesitation, and makes off. Give him line ! — give him line ! let him gorge it. Now then, check him with a hearty tug — well done ! it is through his jaw this time, and we have him safe enough if there be vh-tue in hemp and iron. Clap on here, all of you — take a turn round this belaying pin. Heavens and earth, what a rush ! — Give him line, boys ; he is as strong as a whale, and must have his fling at first. Now then, check him — gently now, coax him along ; see what a spring he makes, and how furi- ously he lashes the water with his tail ! Now he turns on his side ; haul his head above water, and hold on, tUl I get this bowline hitch over his head. There ! it's all fast ; and now, sir — as old Isaac Walton says — "he is your own." — Aft here, some of you idlers, and pass him along to the gangway. Hook on the tackle — hurra ! and hoist away. Bear a hand with that hatchet, one of you, else he'll break some of our SUNDAY AT SEA. 21 legs. — Well struck: another chop — aud the formidable monster, paralysed by the loss of his tail, lies gasping on the deck perfectly at the mercy of his captors. And now, my dear boys, having given you a lesson in shark-fishing, I must refer you, for further information, to the black cook, who will gladly instruct you as to the most approved method of preparing his tail for the captain's table. On the 13th July, lat. 20° 25' S., long. 29° 20' W., we passed the uninhabited island of Trinidada, the only land, besides Madeira, which we saw during the voyage. On the 16th of August, after having doubled the Cape, we encountered a heavy squall, which, during the time it lasted, almost amounted to a hurricane, and which I think worthy of being recorded, on account of the peculiar circum- stances which attended it. The day on which the gale occurred happened to be Sunday. We were dead becalmed. The albatros, instead of wheeling round us as usual, floated like swans on the glassy surface of the ocean.* The sails hung lazily against the masts ; and our gallant ship, after having fought her way bravely round " the Cape of Storms," appeared to be enjoy- ing the seventh day of rest, in common with all nature. Divine service was performed, as usual, under an awning of flags, and the whole of the crew, with the exception of the officer of the watch and the man at the wheel, attended in their best Sunday clothes, almost every man having a prayer- book, and all appearing much impressed by the solemnity of the service. And here I may remark, that whatever sailors may be on shore, I have always observed with pleasure, that at sea, at least, they appear to feel a deep respect for religious ordin- * The only instance in which I ever saw an albatros settle on the water. 22 DIVINE SERVICE. ances. Who, indeed, that believes in the existence of an Almighty Being would not ? I do not know a more impressive ceremony, or one better calculated to inspire one with serious thoughts, than that of divine service performed at sea. The solemn silence which reigns throughout the ship, unbroken save by the gentle lapping of the water against her massive sides ; the weather-beaten captain standing with reverent air at the capstan-head, which, covered by the meteor flag of Old England, serves for his reading-desk ; the little group of sincere worshippers, who, perhaps, only twelve hours before, were struggling against the fuiy of the elements with the characteristic energy and indomitable courage of British seamen, now assembled to offer up their humble petitions, and return thanks to their Creator in the midst of the trackless ocean ; the beautiful language of the prayers appointed to be read at sea, and the blessed assurance that our feeble voices are heard, although ascending from a mere speck in the ocean, many hundred miles removed from the habitations of our fellow-men ; — all tend to inspire feelings of devotion, to impress us with a conviction of our own insig- nificance, our utter dependence on the goodness of our Creator, " the eternal Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea." And the heart of the most thoughtless is filled with gratitude towards Him without whose aid vain indeed were the feeble efforts of man to contend against the spirit of the tempest. Divine service had been performed, and we were all loung- ing about upon the poop — some impatient spirits grumbhng at the delay occasioned by the calm, and making absurd bets as to the probable time of our arrival at Madras ; others, with more philosophy, smoking their cheroots in silent enjoyment conjueinCt up a BKEEZE. 23 of the peaceful scene, or watching the sportive gambols of a dolphin, which glided round the ship, sparkling in all the pride of green, and purple, and gold ; whilst the officer of the watch paced slowly up and down, now casting his eyes aloft, ia hopes that some passing current of air might fill the light duck of the skysails, and now whistling as though to awake the sleeping hreeze. Some one having remarked this circumstance, the conver- sation naturally turned upon the superstitions of seamen ; and one of our party, a wild young ensign of the name of C , proposed that we should try the experiment of procuring a breeze by sticking a knife in the mast* "What are you at there, young gentleman?" cried the chief mate, a venerable old seaman, and a firm believer in aJl nautical superstitions, as C opened a large clasp knife, and drove it with all his strength into the mizzen-mast, leaving it sticking in the wood. "Only conjuring up a breeze, old boy," replied C , laughing. " I am sure you want one." " May be, may be," replied the mate, resuming his walk with rather a dogged air ; " but mind that you do not get more wind than you bargain for, young gentleman. I have seen that trick played before now, and no good came of it, I can teU you." At this moment the dressing bugle sounded, and the youngsters rushed to their cabins to prepare for dinner, laughing immoderately at the solemn visage of the worthy mate. "I wish I had the keel-hauling of some of these d — d * Sailors believe that sticking a knife in the mast is an infallible receipt for procuring a breeze, but that the incantation is too powerful to be rashly employed, as it generally produces a severe gale. 21 VERY DIRTY TO WINDWARD. skylarking young scamps," muttered the old quartermaster, who, standing at the wheel, had been a very unwilling spec- tator of young C 's incantation, although in the presence of his officer he did not venture to interfere. " Mr. M may well say that no good ever conies of such tricks. We have good reason to remember the last time one of these boiled lobsters brought us a breeze, when the ship was on her beam-ends, and poor Tom Bunt washed overboard. And aU along of the monkey tricks of them d — d sodger officers. Ay, by the Lord Harry ! we had the devil to pay that night, and no pitch hot ; and so we'll have it again before long, else my name is not Jack. But what signifies argufying? It's always the same, with any of them cattle on board. I'm bio wed, if a man mightn't as well look for the Lord's prayer in a Guineaman's log-book, as expect to find common sense in the head of a sodger. And so there's an end on't." I had the middle watch that night — for we "sodger officers" were obliged to keep watch as regularly as the officers of the ship — and accordingly retired early to my berth ; but, before doing so, I went on deck to see how the weather looked. It was still as calm as ever, but the night was very dark ; a swell was getting up, and I could see from the anxious looks of the men who stood clustered in groups in the waist and at the gangways, that they expected a dirty night. I could also gather, from the few words which reached my ears, that my friend C and his incantation formed the subject of their conversation. At twelve o'clock I was roused from a comfortable nap by the shrill pipe of the boatswain, and a hoarse voice bawlmg down the hatchway, " Larboard watch, ahoy ! All hands reef topsails !" which, together with the uneasy motion of the ship, proved that a change had taken place in the weather. Next THE MIDDLE WATCU. -J.") moment the iimvelcome apparition of a ikipping, shivoviiig middy, stood in the doonvav of my cabin, cap in hand. " Eight bells, if yon please, sir." " Very good, Master Peter. What sort of a night is it ?" " Very dirts- to ■windward, sii' — breeze fi-eshening — sea get- ting up — hea^■y rain — every appearance of a sqnally night, sir," — and with this Job's comfort middy made his bow and exit. " Eemarkably pleasant," thought I, as I jumped out of my comfortable cot, and huddled on a thick pea-jacket and pair of Flushing trousers. When I got on deck, I found the night darker than ever. There was a thick drizzling rain — ^the sea had got up in an extraordinary manner — and the ship, under double-reefed topsails, with top-gallant sails over them, was rolling along at the rate of eleven knots, with a fresh breeze on her quarter ; the royal yards were on deck, and all appeared to be made snug for the night. Having mustered my watch, I ascended the poop ladder, and found the second mate, who had been relieved from his watch, taking a parting glance, to see that all was right, be- fore lea^-ing the deck. The wind groaned and whistled through the straining cordage, and the rain beat in my face, so as almost to blind me, as I looked out to windward and attempted to pierce the deep gloom which brooded over sea and sky. " What sort of a night are we likely to have ?" said I, addressing the second mate. " Ifot very settled, sir, from the appearance of the sky," he replied in an abstracted manner. "Eather squally or so — eh ? A small pull of that weather main topsail brace I So ! Belay every inch of that ! Now that's something ship- shape — eh ? Mr. Peter" — addressing the little dripping middy 26 THE MIDBLE WATCH. before mentioned, who, buttoned up in a huge pea-jacket, large enough to hold three of him, looked very much like a young bear — " just run down to the cabin and see how the barometer stands." " A little down since it was last set, sir," reported Master Peter, returning on deck and touching his hat. " The devil it is — eh ! Smart feUow you. Master Peter. Are all the ropes clear, and ready for running?" " Yes, sir, — saw them all clear myself." "Eh! you did, did you? — that's right! — smart fellow, Master Peter. Never trust to another. Always see things done yourself That's ship-shape — eh ! Well, go below now, and turn in. But stay — go to my cabin first, and get a glass of grog, for you are wet to the skin, you poor little imp, and must want something to warm you." Peter made a grateful duck of acknowledgment for the mate's kind offer, and disappeared down the hatchway. "And now, gentlemen," continued the second mate, "I shall wish you good-night and a pleasant watch. Your orders," addressing the third mate, who had relieved him, " are to carry on as long as you can, to keep a good look-out, and to call the captain and first mate, if any particular change takes place in the weather. You need not trouble yourself about me, unless you want to reef Good-night, gentlemen." So saying, and humming a tune, 'No. 2 dived below. During the first hour of my watch no change took place in the weather ; but about two bells (or one o'clock in the morning) the dark gloomy haze which had hung so long to windward gradually rose till it had attained a certain height, where it hung like a huge black curtain, a lurid mysterious light extending from its lower edge to the horizon, and show- ing the foaming crests of the waves, as they rushed along THE BREEZE FRESHENING. 27 tumultuously in our wake, roaring and hissing in their vain attempts to overtake the bounding ship ; the rain suddenly ceased, and the breeze freshened rapidly, coming in strong fitful puffs. "I don't much like the look of the night, sir," said the gunner, approaching the officer of the watch, and toiiching his hat respectfully. " Neither do I," replied the mate. " There's a fresh hand at the bellows, and we'll catch it before long, I suspect." " I beg your pardon, sir, for offering an opinion," said the gunner modestly, after taking a turn or two across the deck, " but that main top-gallant mast is complaining a good deal, sir ; shall we settle down the top-gallant halyards a bit to ease it ?" "Ay," replied the mate, looking aloft and smiling, "it's grinning a little, but it's a good stick, and my orders are to carry on till all's blue — so we'U let it grin a little longer ; there are plenty of spare spars on board." But the breeze now freshened so rapidly that the dashing mate was obliged to furl his top-gallant sails ; and in another hour, in spite of his inclination to " carry on," he began to think seriously of taking another reef in the topsails. He was just about to issue orders to this effect, when the wind sud- denly lulled as if by magic. The black cloud again descended to the horizon, rendering the darkness more intense than ever. It fell stark calm, and the ship, having no longer steerage way, reeled and staggered like a drunkard, threatening at every lurch to roll the masts over the side, and making the wet sails flap and thrash about with a noise like thunder. I found it impossible to keep my feet, and was obliged to hold on by the mizzen rigging. " This is strange weather," said I, addressing the mate. 28 A CALM BEFORE A GALE. "You may say that, sir. I have been expecting Mr. C 's breeze all night, and we are going to have it now with a vengeance. Here, youngster," addressing a midship- man, " call the captain and first mate, and desire the boatswain to pipe all hands, reef topsails." The first mate, who, like a good seaman, always slept in his clothes in such unsettled weather, was on deck in an instant, and his experienced eye at once detected that mischief was brewing. " Shall I reef the main topsail, sir ?" asked the officer of the watch. " Yes sir, yes !" replied the first mate hurriedly. " Away aloft there, men, maia topsail yard." The gunner was already in the top, and a few hands be- sides the topmen. But just as the words left the mouth of the chief mate, a flash of forked lightning, far exceeding in intensity anything I have witnessed before or since, burst from the black cloud over head, lighting up the wild scene with a ghastly blue light, and glaring fearfully on the anxious faces and dripping forms of the crew. Another and another followed in rapid succession, and the thunder bellowed as if the whole firmament were being rent to pieces. " Lie down there in the tops ! — Off the yards, men ! — Stop where you arc, you on deck I" roared the chief mate, as the men were swarming up the rigging like bees. At this moment I looked out over the gangway. The rain had suddenly ceased, the dark cloud lifted a little, and a line of bright phosphoric light appeared to fringe the horizon ; at the same moment a low moaning sound, gradually increasing to a fearful hissing noise was heard. " Port !" roared the captain, wlio at this moment rushed on deck half dressed, and who, bewildered by the darkness STARBOAED YOUK HELM. 29 and confusion, did not appear to know exactly what he was ahout. "Starboard your helm! hard a starboard!" shouted the first mate, in a clear manly voice that was heard above every- thing. This was no time for etiquette. The man at the wheel hesitated for a single moment, and then obeyed the latter order. It was well for us he did so. The low hissing sound increased to a terrific roar, and a thick mist drove full in our faces. It was not rain, but salt spray. Before I had time to remark anything further, the tempest had burst upon the ship in all its fury. The wind had flown round in an instant from N.W. to S.S.E., and struck us with a violence that bafiles all description. Had it not been for the quick eye and presence of mind of the first mate, the ship must have been thrown on her beam-ends, and would probably have been dismasted. As it was, she careened for an instant, and then, being right before it, flew through the boiling sea with a velocity that was fearful to behold. A terrific crash, followed by wild shrieks from the after cabins, was now heard. The cross-jack yard had snapped in the slings, and the unfortunate lady passengers, thinking, no doubt, from the tremendous noise over head, that the ship had struck, rushed wUdly from their cabins in their night dresses, and were speedily joined by the gentlemen from below, in a similar state of dishabile. It was a scene which at any other time would have made one laugh, but other thoughts were uppermost at that moment. The work of destruction once begun went on rapidly ; sail after sail was split and torn to ribbons, and in a few minutes the unfortunate ship was flying along under bare poles — a dismantled wreck. The noise of the splitting canvas, the splintering of wood, the furious 30 THE GALE. clanging of the chain sheets as they banged about and thrashed against the masts, the dismal howling of the .wind, the shouts of the men and screams of the women, formed the most terrific concert I ever heard ; whilst the fireballs which played about the mast-heads and the yard-arms, lighted up the wild scene with a ghastly blue that rendered it per- fectly awful. The only man in the ship who appeared thoroughly at his ease in the midst of the hubbub was the second mate. He was quite in his element, and bustled about, laughing and joking, as if the whole thing had been got up for his special amusement. " Why," said he, laughing, as he picked up a large splinter of wood which had been hurled from the poop with great violence ; " one might as well be in action at once ; here are splinters and chain shot," alluding to the chain sheets which were banging about unpleasantly near our heads; " and all the other delights of a naval engagement. And some work for the doctor too," he continued, as an apparently lifeless body was carried past him between two of the men. But his levity gave way to better feelings, when he discovered the sufferer to be his favourite middy little Peter. The poor little fellow had been struck by a splinter, and his head was so fear- fully mangled that we supposed him dead. But the kind- hearted reader will be glad to know that he eventually recovered. The squall, although so furious during the time it lasted, blew over in less than a quarter of an hour, when it again fell stark calm. But the sea, which had hitherto been kept down by the extreme fury of the blast, now got up so suddenly, and in so frightfully agitated a manner, that nothing could be done towards repairing damages; and for the AN AKEIVAL DURING THE GALE. 31 remainder of that uight we continued in about as uncomfort- able a plight as can well be imagined. The whole odium of th6 affair, of course, fell upon poor C , who from that time forth was looked upon as a perfect Jonah, by the ship's crew in general, and the old quarter- master in particular. So much for catching the tail of a hurricane. During the height of the gale our colonel's wife gave birth to a fine boy, and, notwithstanding the unfavourable circumstances under which the event took place, all went well. The lady made a rapid recovery ; and the young gentleman, on whom we have, in the mean time, bestowed the name of " Grampus," is thriving. On the 12th of September, we made the land near the southernmost point of the island of Ceylon. But making land after so long a voyage deserves a fresh chapter. CHAPTER III. FIRST IMPRESSIONS. ' Land ! Land !" — What a thrilling cry is this at sea ! — How that simple word makes the heart bound ! — What a world of thought is embodied in it ! — ^love, hope, fear, pride, boundless gratitude, or blank despair, may each, in turn, be called forth. The white cliffs of England ; the sunny shores of India ; the newly discovered island ; the friendly haven ; the rocky lee shore from which the reeling ship wildly, but vainly, struggles to escape, are all proclaimed by the single electrifying word — " land ! " — yet how different, under these various circumstances, are the ideas connected with it ! Some such thoughts as these flashed across my mind, as, at daylight on the morning of the 12th of September, after having paced the deck through two long dark hours of the morning watch, a voice from the clouds proclaimed the glad tidings, — " Land right ahead !" I boimded to the forecastle, and, in a few seconds, was by the side of the look-out man, on the fore-top-gallaut cross- trees. The only thing to be seen was an mdistinct blue line on the horizon, which, to the eye of a landsman, appeared a mere cloud, that must speedily vanish before the rising sun. But even this was sufficient to set busy fancy at work. Faint as that line appeared, it was still laud ! — And what COAST OF CEYLON. 33 land? — "the land of the sun" — the land of adventiu-e and romance, which, for the last three months, had filled my thoughts by day, and haunted my dreams by night — the great stage on which Clive, and Hastings, and Wellesley, and a hundred others had played their part, and earned the wreath of victory — a land of civilized idolaters — a land of palm trees and myrtle, of gloomy forests and parched deserts — a land of sunshine and perfume, yet teeming with pestilence and death. Hyder iUi, Tippoo Sultan, and all the scenes of warfare, imprisonment, tyranny, and death, associated with their names — the chase of the wild-boar over the stony plains of the Deccan — tiger-haunted jungles, and sunny meads dotted with countless herds of the bounding antelope — the turbaned warriors and dark-eyed beauties of the East ; — these and a thousand other glowing visions were conjured up by that faint blue line on the horizon. The breeze freshened as the sun rose ; and our good ship — like an impatient steed, who, after a long and toUsome march, suddenly comes ia sight of the well-known halting- place — bounded gaQy over the bright blue waves, trembling as if with eagerness, and snorting proudly, as she tossed the spray in sparkling rainbows from her bow. As we neared the land, the faint outline of hills became each moment more distinct, tiU it gradually resolved itself into the beautiful scenery of the eastern coast of Ceylon. First appeared the bold outline of Adam's Peak, towering six thousand feet above the level of the ^ea ; then the lower mountains, clothed to their summits with noble forest trees ; and now the white coral beach, fringed with palm trees, and backed by a dense jungle of feathery bamboo, rises from the ocean to complete the foreground of this glorious picture. 34 COAST OF CEYLON. By noon we were within four or five miles of the land, and the breeze having gradually died away, almost to a calm, we coasted along slowly, admiring the lovely scenery to our hearts' content. From sunrise till sunset I lay upon deck, or in the main- top, with my telescope to my eye ; now admiring the graceful forms of the native canoes, which, although there was hardly air enough to move the dog-vane, glided over the smooth sur- face of the sheltered bays with the swiftness of sea-birds, their snow-white sails contrasting beautifully with the dark green foliage which grew down to the water's edge ; and now peering into the shady recesses of the jungle, till my heated imagination transformed every dark mass of rock into the figure of a stately elephant, and each tuft of withered herbage into the brindled skin of a tiger. I felt that now, iadeed, a new and a glorious world was opened to me. The innate love of hunting, which had slumbered within me for months, burst into flame at the sight of those noble forests ; and my heart yearned, with an indescribable longing, to explore their inmost recesses. I have, since then, taken the scalp of many a wild beast ; but neither old age, nor the blood of a hecatomb of tigers, has served to quench the flame that was that day kindled on the beautiful coast of Ceylon. Although it was three months and a haK since we had left England, during which we had traversed some 15,000 miles of ocean, so little had occurred to mark the lapse of time, that it appeared to me as if I had been transported hither in my sleep, and suddenly dropped upon the coast of some fauy land. My recollections of England were still fresh and un- changed. Hitherto all around me had been English ; and were it not for the gradual change of climate, an occasional shoal of flying-fish, the capture of a shark or two, and the TROPICAL TIIUNDEKSTOKM. 35 appearance of a few tropical sea-birds, nothing had occurred to remind us that we had not, all the time, been cruising up and down the British Channel. But here, at last, were all my glowing visions realized. Here was a land of beauty which even exceeded my most sanguine expectations ; and my heart warmed as I fancied what an Indian hunter's life must be, amidst such scenery, and under such a sky. By two o'clock in the day we were dead becalmed ; the clouds began to settle down upon the mountains, the air became oppressively hot and sultry, and the sky assumed so threatening an aspect, that the captain considered it necessary to shorten sail, and make all the usual preparations for en- countering a tropical squall. These precautions fortunately proved unnecessary, as the thunderstorm did not extend to us, and we had therefore a fine opportunity of watcliing its progress. It was grand to watch the forked lightning playing round the rocky summit of Adam's Peak — to hear the thunder bellowing among the hiUs, and to mark the sudden change in the landscape, as the streams, swoln into torrents by the immense quantity of rain that had fallen, came rushing down the sides of the mountains in cataracts of muddy water. The thunder-cloud having discharged its contents upon the island, the atmosphere suddenly cleared up, the air became cool and refreshing, and the sun went down in one of those gorgeous skies which cannot be described, and can hardly be conceived, except by one who has witnessed a tropical sunset at sea. I remained on deck till near midnight, revelling in the rich perfume of spicy shrubs which was wafted to us by the gentle land-wind, and watching, with intense interest, the fires and moving lights which glowed or twinkled on the beach. 36 NATIVE FISHING BOATS. By whom were these fires lighted, and for what purpose ? Who bore these lights ? Might not this be the funeral pile of some self-immolating widow ? That, the sacred lamp which some antelope-eyed maid was about to launch on the smooth surface of the summer sea, whilst she breathed a prayer to Vishnoo for the safe return of her absent lover 1 Yes ! I was no longer in a Christian land — that beauteous coast was in- habited by the worshippers of idols — such things might be — it was possible — it was probable — nay, it must be so ! My imagination ran riot. And when, at length, I retired to rest, it was only to conjiire up still wilder fancies in my dreams. For two days we remained nearly becalmed, drifting slowly along the coast, and on the 16th of September, about mid- night, made the lights of Madras, when we lay off and on, under easy sail, till daylight. Septemler Vjth. — I was, of course, on deck before daylight this morning. Just as the first streak of dawn appeared in the east, a bright flash shot from the frowning bastions of Port St. George, and the sound of the morning gun came booming over the waters. The head-sails were braced round. The ship which had been lying to, as if asleep, gradually gathered way, and we stood in to the anchorage with a light air of wind. The coast in the neighbourhood of Madras is flat and un- interesting, presentiag merely a white line of sandy beach, fringed with cocoa-nut trees, which, at a little distance, appear to grow out of the water. But the numbers of native craft which crowded the anchorage, and the mosquito fleet of 'Catamarans' and fishing boats which swarmed round the ship, offering for sale a variety of strange-looldng fish, and, to us, unknown fruits, afforded ample subjects of interest to those who had not before visited India. CATAMABAN JACK. 37 Of all the extraordinary craft which the ingenuity of man has ever invented, a Madi'as ' Catamaran ' is the most extra- ordinary, the most simple, and yet, in proper hands, the most efficient. It is merely three rough logs of wood, firmly lashed together with ropes formed from the inner bark of the cocoa- nut tree. Upon this, one, two, or three men — according to the size of the ' Catamaran ' — sit upon their heels, in a kneel- ing posture, and defying wind and weather, make their way through the raging surf which beats upon the coast, and paddle out to sea at times when no other craft can venture to face it. At a little distance, the slight fabric on which these adventurous mariners float becomes invisible, and a fleet of them approaching from the land presents the absurd appear- ance of a host of savage-looking natives wading out towards the ship, up to their middle in water. The figure of ' Catamaran Jack ' — so the navigator of one of these primitive craft is called by the sailors — is quite in keeping with the simple machine on which he floats. He is perfectly naked, with the exception of having a piece of twine tied round his loins, to which is fastened a strip of cotton cloth about four inches wide — this, being passed between the legs, is tucked through the twine girdle behind, and, thus equipped, honest Jack thinks himself quite respectably dressed, and fit to be presented in any society. The Catamaran cos- tume, like " Bryan O'Lin's " nether garment, possesses the undeniable advantage of being ' ' Cool summer wear." But the material of which it is formed being rather slight, and constantly wet with sea water, it is apt, at first sight, to strike the European eye as being somewhat scanty, and the least shade in life too transparent. Such, at least, appeared to be the feeling amongst the female part of the community. For 38 MASULAH BOATS. when our friend Jack stepped on board, with the air of an admiral, and, like a weU-bred man, advanced to make his salaam, he was saluted with a general scream of horror, mingled with smothered exclamations of "Nasty naked wretch ! " " Horrid black monster ! " etc. ; and the ladies, cover- ing their faces with their pocket handkerchiefs, rushed in a body to their cabins, where they remained for the rest of the morning in earnest consultation as to the possibility of land- ing in boats manned by such indecent savages. The Masulah boats in which goods and passengers are transported across the famous Madras surf, although mon- strous uncouth-looking things, are admirably adapted for the purpose to which they are applied. They are perfectly flat- bottomed, with high perpendicular sides, and are built without nails, the planks, formed of soft spongy wood which yields like cork and does not split, being sewed together with strong cords. This mode of construction gives them great buoyancy, and also renders them as pliant and elastic as a basket ; so that they not only ride in safety over the giant waves, which, even in the finest weather, break upon this coast ; but, when hurried forward by the last surf, and dashed upon the beach with a violence that would knock to pieces the strongest European boat, they yield to the shock without sustaining any injury, and the flat bottom forming a solid foundation on which to rest, they remain upright, instead of falling over on their bilge, as a boat of ordinary construction would do when the wave receded from her. The crew consists of ten or twelve rowers besides a ' tindal' or cockswain, who, standing on an elevated platform in the stern of the boat armed with a steering-oar, watches the run of the sea, directing the men M'hen to pull, and guiding hi.s umvieldy craft through the tremendous surf, with wonderful skill and presence of mind. AT ANCIIOE. 39 The " accommodation boats/' which are generally provided for ladies, are merely a superior sort of Masnlah boat. They are furnished with an awning to protect the passengers from the sun, and the crew are distinguished from their brother boatmen by wearing short cotton drawers extending half-way down to the knee ; the men of the common Masulah boats being contented with the more simple costume of Catamaran Jack. " By the mark ten !" sung out the leadsman in the chains. " Stand by the anchor ! — All ready forward there ?" " All ready, sir." — "Letgo!!"— Whir! — Splash! — Away went thirty fathoms of chain cable with a noise like thunder. The ship swung slowly round to the tide, and, for the first time since leaving England, the sails were furled. Our voyage was ended. And the good old ship that had borne us safely through so many dangers slumbered peacefully on the bosom of the sunny waves, her weather-beaten sides and well-bleached cordage contrasting strongly mth the bright paint and newly-tarred rigging of a homeward-bound ship that lay near us. The moment we were fairly at anchor we were surrounded by a fleet of Masulah boats, and our decks crowded with staff officers and native servants of all grades and castes, from the pompous 'dobash' or head servant, to the cringing 'pariah' maty-boy, all clamorous for employment ; and each striving, by vaunting his own virtues and detracting from the character of his neighbour, to insinuate himself into the good graces of some unsuspecting ' griffin.' Reader, if it is ever thy fate to visit India, please to bear in mind that, of aU unhanged knaves, these same Madras ser- vants who infest newly arrived ships are the greatest. Having 40 THE SUKF. succeeded in circumventiiig a ' griffin/ they remain with him just as long as they can cheat him with impunity ; but the moment he becomes knowing enough to see through their roguery, they respectfiilly take their leave, and board the next ship that arrives to secure another victim. The ladies landed to-day ; but the troops do not disem- bark till to-morrow. September I8fh. — I had heard so much of the formidable Madras surf, that I was rather disappointed this morning at being landed with so little difficulty. The surf is certainly very heavy, and such as no European boat could live ia. But a Masulah boat is so wonderfully buoyant, and the boat- men so thoroughly understand their business, that the opera- tion of landing is attended with little if any real danger, although the roar of the surf, the wild shouting of the crew, and the anxious looks of ' Catamaran Jack,' who paddles along- side ready to pick you up from among the sharks in case of the boat being swamped, impart rather a formidable aspect to the whole proceeding. It was perfectly calm when we landed, but a long ground- swell was rolling in, which rendered the surf heavier than it frequently is with a strong breeze upon the shore. Indeed, the surf is generally found to be heavier in cahn weather, or with the wind off shore, than at any other time ; but why it is so is more than my philosophy can explain. The proper number of men having embarked, and having been cautioned to sit low and keep steady, the 'tindal' moimted his platform, and waving his hand with a dignified air, the crew began to paddle with short quick strokes, chanting in chorus a wild plaintive song to which they kept time. The ship's crew took leave of us with three cheers, to which we responded right heartily, and so we parted from our floating THE SURF. 41 home in which we had speut many a happy day. I had learnt to love the good old ship as one loves a horse that has carried him well through toil and danger, and I felt a weight at my heart as I stepped over the side and bade her adieu for ever. As we neared the land the roar of the surf became each moment louder and louder, and, as it increased, the ' tiudal ' appeared to become excited, and the song of the boatmen waxed louder and more energetic. Having reached the back of the surf the crew discontinued their exertions, and our buoyant craft floated quietly upon the long glassy swell, which rolling from under her, rushed forward with incon- ceivable velocity, and bui-st upon the beach with a deafening roar. The water being deep, there are only two of these enor- mous waves to be surmounted. One breaks upon the beach, and another about 150 yards further out, the space between the two being a smooth valley of green water, upon which a shoal of ' Catamarans ' floated like waterfowl, ready to lend their aid in case of our boat being swamped. The ' tindal ' — a right cunning rogue — availed himself of the halt to impress upon our minds a due sense of the danger which awaited us, the almost superhuman skill it required on his part to carry us well through it, and the extreme pro- priety of my stimulatiag the exertions of the crew by promising them a handsome buckshish in the event of our being safely landed. Having been previously cautioned against yielding to this piece of imposition, I informed the ' tindal,' as politely as I could, that I considered him a knave ; upon which, casting a sly glance at his companions — as much as to say, " this fellow is too knowing by half for a griffin" — he once more mounted 42 LANDING AT MADRAS. his platform, and addressed himself seriously to the business of landing. His manner now suddenly changed. He drew himself up to his full height, and assumed an air of command ; his chest expanded, his eye flashing, and every faculty appar- ently roused to exertion. For some minutes he remained perfectly motionless, his dark eye rolling anxiously from side to side as if watching for a favourable opportunity to advance. But wave after wave was allowed to roll past and burst upon the beach, whilst the crew, grasping their paddles firmly, and keeping their eyes fixed upon their leader, awaited his orders in silence. At last a sea heavier than usual was seen advancing. " On, in the name of Allah ! " shouted the ' tindal,' at the same time waving his paddle with frantic gestures, stamping violently on the deck, and yelling like a maniac. The crew responded to his wild ciy, and striking up a strange hurried chaunt, which appeared to be a sort of invocation to Allah, pulled with desperate energy to keep pace with the wave which was now rolling under us. By means of extraordinary management and hard pulling, they succeeded in retaining their position, exactly on the shoulder of the wave, and im- mediately behind its foaming crest, till it burst with a roar like thunder, when another vigorous pull sent us shooting through the boiling foam ; and, gliding down an inchned plane, we found ourselves rocking gently in a lane of green water, between two walls of raging surf, which shut out the view both of sea and land. " Shabash ! Shabash ! " (well done) shouted the ' tindal,' stroking his moustache with a self-complacent air ; and the panting crew, resting on their oars, awaited in silence his further orders. When I looked back upon the tremendous mass of broken LANDING AT MADKAS. 43 water through which we had passed with so little apparent difficulty, I could hardly believe my senses, and began to feel a considerable degree of respect for the nautical talents of my friend the ' tindal,' who had exhibited so much skill and pre- sence of mind in carrying us through it. Had he not retained his position on the shoulder of the wave with the most perfect precision, we should either have been left outside of the surf when it broke, and so been exposed to the advance of the next sea ; or, had we pushed forward a moment too soon, would have plunged headlong over the foaming crest of the wave, and been turned bottom up, when it burst upon the beach. After watching his opportunity for a few moments, the ' tiudal ' once more began to stamp and shout, the crew pulled with even greater energy than before, and rushing wildly forward on the crest of the wave, we were dashed upon the beach with a violence which nothing ,but the elastic frame of a Masulah boat could have withstood. The moment we touched the ground, the willing crew jumped overboard with the agility of monkeys, and hurrying the boat forward, beyond the reach of the advancing wave, landed us high and dry on the shores of India. I was so much delighted with the workman-like manner in which the landing had been effected that I volunteered a small present to the crew, and was accordingly voted the most generous and amiable Sahib that had ever blessed the sight of ' Catamaran Jack.' CHAPTER IV. THE SUBALTERN IN INDIA. Intelligent reader, you have probably travelled beyond the shores of our sea-girt isle. If so, you laust have experienced that peculiar sensation of wonder and bewilderment which comes over one on suddenly finding himself in a foreign land, surrounded for the first time by strange objects, and mingling with a crowd of strange people, wearing a fantastic garb, and speaking an unknown tongue. If you have not travelled, I can hardly hope to give you an adequate idea of my sensa- tions on first landing at Madras. I felt as if in a dream, or at a masquerade, or sitting in the pit of the Opera, to witness the performance of some splendid Oriental ballet ; or anywhere, in short, but actually in India. The transition from European to Oriental life had been too sudden, and it was some time before I could realise the idea, that the elephants, and camels, and palanquins, and hackaries, and turbaned men, and graceful women, with silken robes and jingling bangles, and all the other strange sights by which I was surrounded, were everyday objects, which would shortly become familiar to me, as if I had lived among them from my infancy. Of aU that met my eye, the shipping in the roads, and my little band of red-coats, who, like myself, looked very much like fish out of water, were the only familiar objects. Every- thing else was strange and new. The people, the buildiags, the trees, the herbage, the cattle, the very dogs, had a foreign NATIVE SEKVANTS. 45 air. The monotonous cliaiint of palanquin-bearers, the grunting of camels and beating of ' tomtoms,' the wrangling of ' coolies ' and bullock-drivers, in guttural Malabar ; the more musical cadence of Hindostanee, and the soft Italian accent of the TeUagoo language, filled the ear with a strange mixture of sounds. WhiLst the air, free from smoke, but heavy with the perfume of fruit, sandalwood, and spices, exposed for sale in the bazaar, forcibly reminded us that we were no longer in the land of coal-works, breweries, steam-engines, and cotton-mills ; and I must confess the idea was pleasing to me. I shall probably be voted an ignorant savage, by many, for expressing such a sentiment. But I am not ashamed to own that I have ever been an enthusiastic lover of nature, and a natural mode of life ; and much as I rejoice at the pros- perity of England, I like not the sources from which a great portion of her wealth is derived. There is something, to me, inexpressibly depressing in the neighbourhood of a large manufacturing town, where the blessed air of heaven is poisoned by sulphureous vapours, and the fair face of nature is blasted by the fiery breath of the demon of machinery ; where vice and squalid misery haunt the footsteps of Mam- mon ; and riches, like mushrooms, are forced from a hotbed of corruption. Surely a pastoral life, with pure air and poverty, is prefer- able to riches earned at such a price. Surely the stanch English yeomen, and brave Scottish peasantry, are better men, and better subjects, and likely to prove better defenders of their coxmtry in time of need, than the demoralised popu- lation of our manufacturing districts, who, while they fill the pockets of their taskmasters with gold, fill also the work- house with paupers, the hospital with patients, and the jail with malefactors. 4G PALANQUIN-BEAREES. We had hardly set foot upon the beach before we were surrounded by a host of clamorous natives, all eager to im- pose upon the newly-imported 'griffins,' and each talking with wonderful volubility, in a strange mixture of Hiados- tanee and broken English. " ' Salaam Sahib ! ' — Master please to want ' Dobash ? ' " — asked a sleek weU-fed butler, in scarlet turban and flowing white muslin robes — making a profound obeisance, and thrust- ing into my hand a huge packet of written certificates of cha- racter, the greater number of which he had probably stolen or hired for the occasion. " I very good ' bootleer ' — ^Plenty good character I got — General H , ' Sahib !' Colonel S , ' Sahib ! ' Doctor H , ' Sahib ! ' — Plenty great gentlemen I serve ! — Look, ' Sahib ! ' — Master please to read ; that time he see I tell true word — I very good man ! — Hindoo caste ! — ^not can tell lie ! — Ya, ya ! suppose Hindoo man tell lie, that time Debil come catch ! " And here the varlet clapped his hands together, and turned up his eyes with a look of ineffable horror, as if the idea of falsehood dwelling in the breast of a Hindoo was something too dreadful to think of " ' Maty-boy, Sahib,' " whiued a long, half-starved slip of humanity in a dirty cotton robe, advancing with a crouching step, and producing, like his superior, a bundle of well- thumbed papers. " I very good ' Maty-boy,' very honest man — I Christian caste — eat beef, drink brandy, all same like Master ! " — Thereby implying, not that he was a Christian by profession, but belonging to that respectable body, which classed themselves with Christians and dogs, namely a ' Pariah,' untrammelled either by caste or religion, and ready to follow master's example in everything, even to eating beef, and drinkiag brandy, as often as he could get one, or steal the other. PEEPAKATIONS FOE A MAECII. 47 " ' Palkee, Sahib ! Palkee !'" shouted a set of palanquiii- bearers, sliding open the door, pointing, with expressive ges- tures, to the blaziQg sun, and striving by every means, short of absolute force, to urge me into their luxurious vehicle. Thus were we beset by hawkers, jugglers, snake-charmers, ' coolies,' and mendicants, begging for coppers, and drawing up their wrinkled stomachs, in a most ingenious and extraor- dinary manner, in proof of their assertion that they had not tasted rice for three days. After standing on the beach for upwards of an hour, braving the fury of a tropical sun, and keeping our assailants at bay as well as we could, the debarkation of the troops was completed, and we were marched up to Marmalong Bridge, seven miles from Madras, where we foimd tents pitched for our reception, and where we are to remain ten days or a fort- night, to make the necessary preparations previous to march- ing up the country to Bangalore. Camp, Marmalong Bridge, September SOth. — We have now been upwards of ten days under canvas, and although we found the heat oppressive for the first few days, are be- coming quite reconciled to our new mode of life. We have been busUy engaged, since our arrival, in procuring tents, horses, servants, and camp equipage for our march, and are now ready to start at a moment's notice. The following is a list of the principal things required previous to taking the field in India : — A tent — single-poled for a subaltern, and double-poled for a captain, or field officer — with two or four bullocks to cany it, according to its size. A portable camp-table, chair, and basin-stand. A camp-cot, consisting of a light framework of wood, with a rattan bottom, and a thin cotton mattress, on which is 48 ARAB HORSES. packed the table, chair, and other light articles — the whole being carried by two ' coolies ' on their heads. A good horse — or two of them, if you can afford it — ^with his attendants, a ' gorah-wallah,' or horse-keeper, and a grass- cutter — one of each being required for each horse. A sufficient number of bullocks to carry your baggage. Two servants : a ' dobash,' or head man, and a ' maty- boy.' Two ' cowrie-baskets,' containing a sufficient stock of tea, sugar, coffee, brandy, and wax-candles, carried by a ' coohe,' suspended from the ends of an elastic slip of bamboo. A couple of hog-spears — the spear-heads made by ' Arnat- chelem,' at ' Sahm,' and the shafts of male bamboo brought from the ' Conkan.' A hunting-knife, also made by ' Arnatchelem,' if possible. A hunting-cap, strong in proportion to the respect you have for your skull — a thin plate of iron let into the crown is not a bad thing in a stony country. A good stock of cheroots, and ' plenty ' of ammimition — it being taken for granted that you are already provided with a gun, a rifle, and a telescope. Some men, who study their comfort rather than their purse, indulge in a palanquin, a Chinese mat, a tent carpet, and many other little luxuries ; but the fewer things of this kind a man hampers himself with the better. Arab horses are almost universally used by Europeans. Native horses may be had very cheap, and some of them, the ' Cutch ' horses in particular, are strong serviceable animals ; but they are almost invariably savage, ill-tempered brutes, and so desperately pugnacious, that it is neither safe nor pleasant to ride them in company vdth another person. A friend of mine had an animal of this Idnd of so savage a temper ANECDOTE OF A NATIVE HORSE. 49 that it was necessary to blindfold his eyes, put a twitch upon his nose, and hold up one foreleg, before he would suffer him- self to be mounted. Once mounted, he went as quiet as a lamb, provided you kept him out of reach of other horses, and was the most hardy, indefatigable brute for work I ever saw. But it was as much as the rider's life was worth to dismount before the brute was blindfolded and twitched ; and woe betide the unlucky wight who got a fall from him. He might as well have been in the clutches of a Bengal tiger. No one but his own groom dared to go near him in the stable, and, even towards him, the temper of the animal was so capricious, that it was found necessary to fasten all his four legs to the ground by chains. I need hardly add that no one except his master, who was a beautiful horseman, and a dare- devil sort of character, cared to ride him. Good Arab horses, such as are used for hacks or buggy- horses, may be had at a moderate rate — from £20 to £50 ; but hunters and racehorses fetch large sums — £200 and £S00 for the former, and £1000, or upwards, for the latter, being no unusual price. A man, however, if he is a tolerable judge of a horse, and jockey enough to hold his own with an Arab horse-dealer — no easy matter by the way — may mount him- self well, in any hunting-field, for £100. The camp is daily fiUed with jugglers, snake-charmers, and itinerant tradesmen of all sorts, from shoemakers and tailors, up to goldsmiths and diamond merchants. These afford us ' griffins ' a constant source of amusement, and drain our pockets of the little superfluous cash that remains. Of all these, the people who interest me most are the ' Jungle WaUahs,' and ' Shikaris,' wild naked men from the jungles, who come in with live pea-fowl, jungle-fowl, par- tridge, antelope, jackals, and other wild animals, for sale. 50 JUNGLE WALLAHS. Their free step and manly carriage, so different from that of the cringing wretches by whom we are surrounded, makes my heart warm towards them. I am weary of civilized life, and long to follow them into the wilds and forests of which I daily hear more tantalizing descriptions. It is a pretty sight to see one of these people coming in from the country, lead- ing a tame antelope, and bearing on his head a large frame of wicker-work — like the trays used by Italian boys for carrying their plaster figures — on which are perched ten or a dozen wild peacocks and jungle-fowL I was, at first, puzzled to accoimt for the quiet manner in which the birds submitted to be thus carried, and, on closer inspection, was not a little dis- gusted to find that each poor bird had his eyelids stitched together so as effectually to prevent his seeing. Tliis appears a dreadfully cruel way of reducing the poor creatures to tameness, but it has the desired effect, for the moment they are thus blindfolded, they no longer make any efforts to escape, but sit quietly on their perches, and allow themselves to be handled without moving — neither does it injure the sight, for, on cutting the stitches which closed the eyehds of one, I find the eye perfectly bright and clear, and the eyelid, although a little inflamed, likely to heal in a few days.* * The people here called Shikaris consist of several very different and distinct tribes, each of which confines its efforts to the pursuit of some par- ticular description of game. For instance, those described as carrying pea- fowl, jungle and spur fowl, partridges and quails, in tray-like baskets, are Pardees, originally from Northern India, and speaking a dialect of Mahratta or Hindi. Another class, called Eckalis or Terkalwar, capture all manner of water-fowl, and also falcons for training. They speak Teluga, and are natives of the Coromandel coast, whence they travel all over the country. A third tribe, more particularly described at page 78, are the Baorees, or Hum Shikaris, who catch antelope in the manner described in the text, and likewise by means of springes made of deers' tendons, over which the animals arc driven, whilst they are hemmed in on either side by long lines of cord, to which are MADRAS HOSPITALITY. 51 I am toldthat these people employ their tame antelope in catching wild ones, in the following manner : — The tame antelope, having a number of nooses fastened about his head and horns, is turned out in the plain, where a herd of wild antelope are observed ; the old buck of the herd immediately advances to give battle to the intruder, his long spiral horns become entangled in the running knots, and the ' Shikari,' who has been lying in ambush, rushes out and secures him, before he has time to disengage himself Thanks to the kindness of a rich Madras merchant, to whom I had letters of introduction, and who not only gave me up a suite of rooms in his house, but had a buggy or a palanquin at my disposal whenever I required it, I have been enabled to see a good deal of Madras and its society, and never have I met with more real hospitality and friendship. The luxiixious mode of living, the sociability, hospitahty, and gaiety of the presidency, render it a delightful place of resi- dence for a time. The cool morning ride, the sociable luncheon, the evening drive to enjoy the refreshing sea-breeze and listen to the music of a fine military band, the balls, private theatri- cals, and flirtations, are all dehghtful. But I have not come to India to enjoy English society ; my object is to see the country and the natives, and much as I have enjoyed myself here, I confess that my heart begins to yearn for a wilder and more eventful life. So much has already been written on the subject of Indian and Anglo-Indian manners, that I shall spare my reader a repetition of the crude remarks on Madras society which I find recorded in my journal, and proceed at once to the march. attached tufts of feathers— a device that effectually hinders them from break- ing away. They are also of Northern extraction, probably from Orissa, and speak a dialect of Hindustani. — "W". E. 52 ROUTE TO BANGALORE. Marmalong Bridge, October Sd.—We commence our march to Bangalore to-morrow, and all is bustle and preparation in the camp. For the information of those who are curious m such matters, I subjoin a copy of the route to Bangalore, with the length of each day's march. ROUTE FROM MADRAS TO BANGALORE. Poonamallee Koratoor Parumbaukum Trimapoor Allepaukum Allecolluni Camtimpett Laitairy Fort Goriattivm Laulpett, near Sautgur Naickenairy, top of Peddoonaigdroog Pass Vencataglierry Baitmunglum Colar Belloor Ooscottali Cantonment of Bangalore Total miles Miles. Furlongs, 12 8 14 13 10 9 10 11 13 13 10 9 11 18 10 15 16 4 1 3 6 1 4 5 2 5 4 2 2 2 2 1 207 Bangalore, Novemher. — ^We arrived here on the 26th of this month, after an easy march of twenty-two days, includiug halts. Provided the weather is favourable — that is to say, neither very wet nor very hot — for either extreme is disagreeable under canvas — I do not know a pleasanter way of spending one's time than in marching by easy stages in India. There is a mixture of wild independence and luxurious living, which is not to be found in any other mode of life, nor in any other country. There is beautiful scenery for the lover of nature — WILD ANIMALS. 53 jungles abounding in game, and plains covered with antelope, for the sportsman — fruits and flowers for the botanist — beasts and birds for the zoologist — insects, more than sufiEieient to satisfy the cravings even of a rabid entomologist — constant change of scene for the ennuyS — and plenty of fresh air and exercise for the dyspeptic. In short, a man can liave very few resources within himseK, or must be very hard to please, if he does not find subjects of interest and amusement — ay, and of improvement too — on a march in India. The country between Madras and Bangalore is not exactly the hunting-ground which a sportsman, accustomed to better things, would select. There is too much cultivation, and the road is too much frequented. But to me, in my griffinage, it aEPorded ample sport. Hares, partridge, quail, and snipe, may be found at almost every stage, and after ascending to the table laud of Mysore, there is a fair sprinkling of antelope on the plains. In my journal, written at the time, I find the following description of the country through wMch we marched. " The country through which we marched was certainly pretty, but there was a sameness, except in the immediate vicinity of the 'Ghauts,'* which made it rather monotonous. We, however, passed several places well worthy of observation, and some of our encamping grounds were strikingly beautiful. The road, for a great part of the way, was bordered by fine old trees, which not only afforded a delightful shade, but swarmed with paroquets, green pigeons, minas, and other tropical birds, which afforded constant objects of interest to a * The Ghauts (the English ' gates ' or passes) are two converging ranges of mountains which run parallel with the east and west coasts of the peninsula of Hindustan, and hence known as ' Eastern and Western Ghauts.'— Cham- bers' Oydopccdia. 54 CHEATING THE ALLIGATORS. novice in the study of natural history. There were plenty of wild monkeys, too, which afforded capital sport to the men. The whole camp used sometimes to turn out for a monkey- hunt, and, on one occasion, after a desperate chase of upwards of an hour, they succeeded ia catching two ; one died of the injuries he received m taking him, the other was brought here in safety, and is now the pet of the barracks ; he wears a red jacket, drinks grog, and is learning to smoke tobacco ; the sergeant-major, who prides himself not a little on his system of drill, does not despair of teaching him the manual and platoon exercise ; and the drum-major is quite certain that he will soon be able to beat the tattoo. " The first place worthy of notice on this route is VeUore, famous for the mutiny of the native troops, and also for the size and number of alligators with which the ditch round the fort abounds. These ravenous animals are not only unmolested, but encouraged, and fed ; being considered, as they no doubt are, a great addition to the defences of the place. Their for- midable jaws, however, have not sufficient terrors to deter some daring spirits among the European troops from crossing the ditch at night. I was told by an officer in the garrison, that some ' larking' young fellows in his regiment, having discovered tliat the alligators, being frightened by the dis- charge of artillery, are in the habit of sinking to the bottom, and hiding themselves in the mud for some minutes after the morning and evening gun are fired, avail themselves of the only two auspicious moments in the twenty-four hours, by swimming across the ditch the moment the evening gun is discharged — pushing before them a ' chatty' or light earthen jar into which their clothes have been previously stuffed — and after enjoying a night's amusement outside the walls, returning in the same manner at gunfire in the morning. PICTURESQUE ENCAMPMENT. 55 " From hence to the foot of the ' Ghauts ' there is uothiiio- O particularly worthy of notice except a few native forts, some of which exhibit considerable skill in the art of fortification, and great judgment in the choice of position. " As we approached the ' Ghauts,' the country which was hitherto flat gradually became more mountainous, and afforded some beautiful views. Our encampment at Laulpett, at the foot of the pass, and near the gardens of Sautgur — famous for a peculiarly fine species of orange — struck me as one of the most beautiful sights I ever beheld.* An Indian encampment, with its elephants, and camels, and ' tattoos,' j- and bullocks, the various and picturesque dresses of the camp followers, and the number of handsome Arab horses, each picketed in rear of his master's tent, is at all times a striking object ; but in such a situation as this, with a foreground of blooming orange groves, a background of lofty mountains, and the accessories of luxuriant tropical scenery lighted up by the warm glow of a tropical sunset, it forms a picture not easily forgotten, and still less easily described. " From Laulpett we ascended the Peddoonaigdroog Pass, and halted for a day at the top, to rest the ' coolies ' and beasts of burden. The scenery of the pass was wild and picturesque, but less grand than I expected. The jungle on each side of the road is very close, and was at one time much infested by tigers, but they are now rarely met with. The natives point out a place where a party of troops were attacked by a tiger about ten years ago, and two or three men killed. " After ascending the pass we entered the Mysore country, which is flat, and strikes one as rather barren, after the * To sucli of my readers who think the beauties of Laulpett exaggerated, I can only reply, that the description was written in my day.s of griflinage, and that I transcribe it verbatim. + Native ponies. 5G BANIAN TKEE. Carnatic. The plains abound with antelope, but they are so wild, and the country so fiat, that it is difficult to stalk them. " The only place worthy of notice after this is Colar, cele- brated as being the birth-place of Tippoo Sultan. It is a large village with a good bazaar, and is inhabited by several natives of rank. In front of the moscLue we saw a Fakeer (a Mahomedan devotee) performing a curious and remarkably unpleasant act of penance. He was shod with a pair of wooden sandals, armed with long iron spikes, which, passing through the sole of his foot, came out at the instep, nailing his feet to the boards ; and thus, staining the earth with his blood, he marched up and down chanting a hymn, and looking as unconcerned as if he were merely performing a pilgrimage, with his shoes full of boiled peas. " Near the village of Narsapoor is a famous banian tree, said to be one of the largest in India — and certainly a marvel- lous specimen of tropical vegetation. We measured it as accurately as circumstances woiild permit, and found the dimensions to be as follows : — " Gixth of parent stem . . .90 feet. Circumference of tlie wliole cluster of stems at the roots 150 yards. Circumference of shade afforded by the tree when the ) .„„ ^ , • ,. 1 •' 5- 470 yards, sun IS vertical . ' j We had no means of ascertaining the height of the tree, but it appeared enormous." CHAPTER V. AN EXCURSION TO DHAEWAE. Bangalore, February 13iA. — It is only five months since I lauded in India, and I have already been fortunate enough to obtain leave of absence to visit my brother, at Dharwar, in the Bombay presidency, about 280 miles from hence. I have not yet seen anything of the grander field sports of India ; our exploits, at Bangalore, having been confined to coursing jackals, shooting snipe and quail, and "larding the lean earth " in our futile attempts to circumvent a certain' herd of very shy antelope, which, being the only animals of the kind within ten miles of the station, are proportionately careful of themselves, and appear to have no stomach for " eating bullets." 'Inshallah!' they have laughed at our beards. But, from the account my brother gives of the country in the neighbourhood of Dharwar, I expect better sport before long. I sent on my servants, baggage, and horses, some days ago, to Hurryhur, a military station on the banks of the Toom- budrah, 185 miles from hence ; and start to-morrow night, in a palanquin, to travel ' dawk,' that is, with posted bearers, who travel day and night, each set running a stage of from 10 to 15 niUes. Travelling with a single set of bearers, who carry you from 25 to 30 miles a night, and halt during the day, is cheaper, and a pleasanter mode of performing a journey, as it gives the traveller an opportunity of seeing the countiy, and 58 CHITTLEDKOOG. keeping himself in game ; but it is much slower, and, my leave being limited, I do not like to lose time by the way. My brother is to meet me at Hurryhur, and from thence we march, by easy stages, to Dharwar — 95 miles — hunting as we go. On the night of the 14th of February I started from Bangalore by torchlight, and posted on, without halting, 137 miles, to Chittledroog, a fortified town, and strong hill-fort, belonging to the Eajah of Mysore, where I arrived on the afternoon of the 16th. As I passed through the Fort gate, I was accosted, in tolerable English, by a respectable-lookiag native, who, after performing sundry very low ' salaams,' and assuring me that "my lordship's footsteps were welcome," begged to know whether ' Sahib ' would be pleased to alight at the ' Bungalow,' which is kept up by the Eajah for the accommodation of European travellers, and of which he was the keeper. After two nights' travelling in a palanquin, the prospect of a few hours' rest and a comfortable bath was a temptation not to be resisted, so I thanked my dusky friend for his polite offer, and was forthwith conducted to the ' Bungalow.' It was formerly one of the Eajah's palaces, and although now rather out of repair, is still a fine building. The princi- pal room is supported by carved stone pillars, and opens upon a handsome terrace, to wliich you ascend by a broad flight of steps, and in the centre of which is a fountain guarded by four elephants elaborately carved in black marble. The back of the house opens upon a large garden, which is kept in good order, and well stocked with grapes, oranges, plantains, mangos, and other fruits. After I had liathed and made myself comfortable, and Avhilst some curry was being prepared, I received a visit INTERVIEW WITH THE PATELL. 59 from the ' patell,' or head man of the village, who came in state, attended by the principal inhabitants, to pay his respects to the ' bnrrah sahib.' He was mounted on his best pony, the mane and tail of which were dyed bright scarlet, and followed by two or three servants bearing on their heads brazen dishes filled with fruit and flowers, as an offering to me. I could hardly keep my gravity when I found myseK — a jolly subaltern, with no other dress than a shirt, loose drawers, and slippers— seated in the midst of the rajah's hall of audi- ence, to receive a deputation of handsomely dressed natives ; but as they evidently took me for a great man, I did my best to sustain the character, and received their homage with the air of a three-tailed bashaw. The ' patell,' who had been a soldier in his youth, was a fine handsome old man, and very talkative. My stock of Oriental learning being as yet rather limited, I could not, of course, benefit by the many high-flown compli- ments which were bestowed upon me ; but with the aid of mine host of the ' bungalow,' we managed to keep up the con- versation pretty well. The venerable 'patell' began by asking me my name, whence I came, and whither I was going. He then pro- ceeded to ask after every European he had ever seen or heard of — taking it for granted that I must of course be intimately acquainted with them all — and was very particular in his inquiries about his old friend 'Wellesley Sahib' — against whom he had the honour of fighting when in Tippoo's ser- vice. He begged to know whether he was still alive, and if he had got a good pension ; and appeared much pleased when I told him he had been appointed 'Grand Vizier' (Prime Minister) to the King of England, He stroked his snowy beard, exclainaing 'Atcha' (very good), and remarked that 60 A BREAK-DOWN IN THE JUNGLE. ' Wellesley Sahib ' had been better treated than he ; his rajah having only appointed him ' patell ' of a village. Who the worthy man took me for I know not ; but he evidently thought me a person of some importance, for he concluded his harangue by begging that I would exert my interest with the rajah to procure him a better appointment — a favour which I promised to grant the first time I was favoured with a private audience. After sitting for an hour, I began to think the visit had been prolonged to a sufficient length, and my want of know- ledge of Oriental customs might have prolonged it till next morning, had I not applied for advice to my interpreter, who, smiling at my ignorance of Indian etiquette, informed me that I, being the superior, my visitor could not take his departure without my giving liim permission to do so. I accordingly desired the interpreter to inform him that, " the ' sahib ' was graciously pleased to say he might take leave " — giving him at the same time a present of a few rupees iii return for his fruit. And the old gentleman, making his best ' salaam,' bowed himself out amidst a flourish of trumpets. By the time I had finished my curry the sun had set, so bidding my obliging friend adieu, I stepped into my palan- quin, and resumed my journey. The monotonous chaunt of the bearers soon lulled me to sleep, and all went well till about three o'clock in the morn- ing, when I was roused from a sound sleep by feeling the palanquin come bump upon the ground. On jumping out I found that my conveyance — a ricketty old concern at the best — had fairly broken down, the fore pole being snapped off close to the body, and the hind one badly sprung. A remarkably pleasant adventure, thought I, after I had REPAIRING DAMAGES. Gl ascertained the full extent of the damage. Here am I, in the midst of a jungle, two days' march from the nearest military station, and heaven knows how far from any village ; the night as dark as Erehus ; and the bearers — a set of half-savage villagers who do not understand a word I say — squatted round me on their heels, and jabbering like a parcel of monkeys ia concert to the dismal howling of the jackals, but making no attempt to remedy the mischief. " The ' sahib's ' star is unfortunate;" "It is our fate;" that is enough for them ; and there they sit with true Oriental apathy, twirling their moustaches, and staring at the shattered palanquin, as if they expected new poles to grow of their own accord. After a great deal of talking, and scolding, and violent gesticulation, I at last succeeded in making the wretches un- derstand that, in spite of fate and unlucky stars, I was deter- mined to proceed ; and having got them to raise the body of the palanquin on their heads, we resumed our march, the ' mussaulchie'* leading the way with his torch, and I bringing up the rear with the broken pole over my shoulder. Having proceeded in this manner about a couple of miles, we arrived at a small cluster of huts in the midst of the jungle. Here the palanquin was set down, the bearers once more squatted upon their heels, and the shouting and lamentations were resumed. The inhabitants of the village, alarmed by such unusual sounds, rushed out of their huts, and stared at the broken palanquin, and talked, and shouted, and held up their hands in astonishment at the extraordinary iU luck which attended the ' sahib's' star ; but no one appeared to have * A posting team of palanquin-tearers consists of twelve men, and a mussauloliie or torch-bearer, whose duty it is to supply torches and oil, and to light the footsteps of his comrades. 62 EEPAIEING DAMAGES. the most remote idea of what ought to be done under the circumstances. It was in vain that I stamped, and raged, and showed them money, and made signs that I wanted ropes to mend the palanquin. The poor people only shook their heads, and drew back from me in alarm, as if they thought me deranged. At last, after having put myself in a terrible heat, and ex- hausted my whole stock of invectives in bad Hindostanee, and worse Malabar, two or three men left the crowd and ran into the village ; so, thinking that I had at last made them understand what I wanted, I lighted a cheroot and sat down on the top of my disabled palanquin to await the result with patience ; whilst the bearers remained squatted on the ground, with their eyes fixed upon me, as if they fancied I was per- forming an incantation which was to set aU to rights. By the time my cheroot was finished, my patience was also exhausted, the crowd had dispersed, and still no appear- ance of anything being done So, as a last resource, I seized the torch, and taking one of the bearers with me, went on a voyage of discovery round the village. The houses were all closed, and no one would reply to my repeated knocking ; but, at last, in an outhouse, I discovered a goodly piece of bamboo, which I took possession of, and a little further search pro- duced a coil of rope, and a small hatchet, which I also appro- priated, and with these materials I soon managed to sphce the hind pole, and rigged on a sort of yard across the front of the palanquin, which, although anything but a workmanlike job, served very weU to carry it empty to the next stage. By the time my arrangements were completed it was broad daylight ; so, with a hearty malediction bestowed upon the stupid ' Jungle Wallahs,' I shouldered my rifle, and pro- ceeded on my way. CANTONMENT OF IIUEEYIIUR. 63 A fatiguing walls: of fifteen miles, under a broiling sun, brought us to a good-sized village, where I managed to get my palanquin sufficiently well secured to carry me on, and, about sunset, reached Hurryhur without further adventure. Hurryhur, Fehruary 2\st. — Hurryhur is a small canton- ment for one regiment, and having been only lately estab- lished, there are not more than two or three houses built for the oficers ; the remainder hving in their tents. It is situated in the midst of a barren sandy plain, with hardly a tree or shrub in sight, and looks the very picture of desolation. The regiment quartered here is the 2-ith native infantry. I brought a letter of introduction to one of the officers, by whom I have been most hospitably received and comfortably lodged. There are not more than five or six officers present with the regiment, and only one lady, the adjutant's wife, who tells me she has not seen the face of a European woman for two years, and complaius sadl}' of the dulness of the place The country about here is in a very disturbed state. Tlie regiment is ordered to march in a few days, to attack a petty rajah who has revolted, and fortified himself so strongly in a hill fort among the Western Ghauts, that all efforts to dislodge him have hitherto failed. He is so situated that artillery cannot be brought to bear upon him, and they will have either to sheU him out or reduce him by famine. The poor adjutant's wife is to be left with an assistant-surgeon, and a few invalids, to take charge of the cantonment, and does not appear at aU happy at the prospect. My servants and horses, which I sent on before me from Bangalore, did not arrive till yesterday evening ; so that I have been obliged to vegetate here ever since the iVth ; and, in spite of the kindness and hospitality I have experienced, am beginning to weary sadly of Hurryhur and the adjutant's wife. 64 A NIGHT ATTACK. I have just received a letter from my brother, saying that he cannot meet me here, as he intended, and proposing the following route, which I intend to adopt. He is to have bearers laid for the first forty miles, to Davigherry, and from thence to Dharwar (fifty-five miles) three of his own horses are to be posted at equal distances. I shall leave this to-morrow evening ; run the first forty miles during the night ; start from Davigherry at daylight ; and ride into Dharwar, in time for a late breakfast. Dharwar, February 2Uh. — I arrived here yesterday with- out any adventure worthy of remark, except having been stopped during the night by a party of the disaffected natives, who, as I before remarked, are in a very unsettled state, and have stopped and plundered several travellers of late. 1 was awakened, in the middle of the night, by feeling the palanquin set down, and hearing a scuffle outside. On jump- ing out, with a pistol in each hand, I found myself surrounded by twenty or thirty wild-looking men, armed with sticks, knives, and old swords. Two or three of the bearers were lying on the ground with broken heads ; and the others, who it appeared had made some shew of resistance, were getting unmercifully mauled. Knowing that with my two pistols, besides a rifle and double-barrelled gun, which were also in the palanquin, ready loaded, I was more than a match for the poor half-naked wretches who surrounded me, I did not hke to shed blood unnecessarily ; and, in spite of the urgent entreaties of the bearers to fire, I contented myself with talk- ing in an angry tone, pointing to my pistols, and making signs to the people to disperse. At first they drew back ; but when one of the fellows advanced towards me, brandish- ing a knife, I immediately fired over his head, keeping the other pistol ready to fire into him, if necessary. This answered SOCIETY AT DHARWAE. 65 my purpose quite as well as if I had sent the poor misguided wretch to the shades before his time, for he immediately turned tail, and his companions, uttering a yell of terror, fled in aU directions. And so I obtained a signal victory, which was aU the more satisfactory for having been bloodless. After posting on quietly for the remainder of the night, I arrived, about daybreak, at the village of Davigherry, where I found my first horse, with a ' sowar,' or native trooper, to act as guide. I immediately mounted, leaving my palanquin in charge of the horsekeeper, and the nags being all in hunting condition, with a fresh guide at each stage, I cantered over the remaining fifty-five miles in less than five hours, and had the happiness of once more embracing my dear brother, whom I had not seen for many years. Dharwar, being situated more than 3000 feet above the level of the sea, enjoys a cool and healthy climate. The thermometer seldom ranges higher than 80°, and the nights are frequently cold enough to render one, and even two blankets desirable. The country in the immediate vicinity is admirably adapted for sporting, being beautifully diversified with low jungle, open plaias, and small lakes, and there is no lack of game ; but, beyond this, it has nothing to recommend it as an agreeable station. A regiment of native infantry, the col- lector of the district, four ladies, and a few young civilians, constitute the entire society ; and three ladies, out of the four, are anything but young, pretty, or agreeable. To any one, therefore, but an inveterate sportsman, Dhar- war must prove a dull station, and even to him the want of female society is a great privation. Although I have not been here more than a month, I 66 INDIAN SPOHTSMEN. already feel this. No one can enjoy the wild excitement of a hunter's life more than I do ; but this, instead of weaning me from the more reiined pleasures of civilized society, only tends to heighten my enjoyment when I return to it. VerUy it is not good for man to be alone. He is by nature a savage, and it is only the refining influence of the gentler sex — the angels of creation — that saves him from utter barbarism. In other respects the society of Dharwar is decidedly above par. The civilians, in particular, are exceedingly well- informed and gentlemanlike young men, and are first-rate sportsmen, without any of the slang and swagger of ' sporting men.' They neither keep bull-dogs nor fighting-cocks, nor do they dress like ' swell dragsmen,' and talk like stable-boys. They make use of good honest homely English, in preference to the pick-pocket slang, which I regret to say is now becom- ing much too common, and wliich, when interlarded with a few quaiat blasphemies, is supposed to impart force and bril- liancy to the conversation of the ' bang up sporting character.' Half the heroes of ' the ring ' are unknown to them even by name, and I doubt much whether one among them could answer the simple questions, "Who wears the champion's belt ? " " "What is the exact weight of the famous dog BiHy ?" or " Whether the Manchester Pet or the Game Chicken came off victorious in the last miLL ? " And yet I have never met with harder riders, better rifle-shots, or stancher men to back you in the hour of danger, than these same quiet gentleman- like civilians. This for the information of the young gentlemen of the rising generation, upon whose minds I — as an old sportsman who has seen a little of the world — wish to impress this doc- trine, that neither the use of slang expressions, the society of sporting ' coves,' a sporting style of dress, nor the study of XATUKVL HISTORY. (w Bell's Life, are conducivt' to the formation of a j^ood sports- man, but rather the revei-so. A sportuig character, and a good sportsman, are two perfectly distinct animals. Instead of devoting their time to such acquirements, I would strongly ui^e upon them the necossitj- of stud\*ing drawing, comparative anatomy, and natural history in all its branches, from the geological formation of a moimtain to the reproduction of a plant ; for, without the refining influence of some such knowledge, the pursuits of the sportsman lose half their charm — ^that of being able to study with advantage the great book of nature — and become the occupation of a savage, who slays that he may eat ; or, woi-se stOl, they degenerate into the mere bloodthirsty instinct of a beast of prey. Whereas, to a man of cultivated mind, they not only afford a healthy and exciting amusement, bracing alike to mind and body ; but, if pursued in a proper spirit, present constant opportunities of studying the glorious works of creation, and storing up knowledge which must prove useful to himself, and may prove useful to others. A press of business, which keeps my civilian friends close at work, has hitherto prevented our making out a long-talked- of expedition to the Great Canara Forest, where that splendid animal, the Indian bison, abounds. But, in the meantime, I find plenty of occupation, during the cool hours of morning and evening, stalking deer in the neighbouring jungle, or shooting antelope, which abound on the black cotton-ground within a few miles of the cantonment ; and I generally manage to keep the mess pretty weU supplied with venison. The heat of the day is devoted to reading, studying natural history, preparing specimens, and making drawings of any rare animal I may have met with in my morning ramble ; and in the evening we all dine together, each of the 68 NATURAL HISTORY. young civilians taking it in turn to act the part of host and supply the liquids. The Southern Mahratta country, in which Dharwar is situated, presents a fine field for the naturalist as well as the sportsman, affording, as it does, almost every variety of game found in India.* * Of beasts of prey, the tiger and two varieties of panther are numerous. The Cheetah, or hunting-leopard (Felis Veimtica), is rather more rare, and a variety of the tiger-cat is found occasionally. The Indian bear (Ursm Labiatus) is common in all hilly districts. Wild-hogs abound in the jungles, but are daily becoming more scarce in the open country. Hyenas, wolves, wild-dogs, jackals, and foxes abound, occasionally afford- ing an hour's sport, in default of nobler game. "Wild elephants are found in the Canara Forest, on the western fi-ontier of the district. Within twenty miles of Dharwar, we iind the Indian bison (Bos Qawms). That noble deer, the Sambar, or Eusa-deer (Cerims Aristotdis), standing about sixteen hands high, and commonly called the elk, probably on account of its great size. The beautiful spotted deer, or cheetle {Germs Axis). The rib-faced deer, or muntjak (Oervus Muntjak), and the dwarf musk- deer {Mosciis Memina), hardly so large as a hare. The neilghau {Damalis Risia) frec[uents the baubul jungles to the eastward. Low coverts upon rising grounds are the favourite haunts of the four- horned antelope (Aiitilope Ghickara). The little graceful gazelle {Antilope Cora) is found in great numbers, scattered over the barren ground, between the great forest-jungle and the extensive plains of black alluvial soil, commonly called cotton-ground, where the common antelope [Antilope Cermcapra) and bustard afford constant and beautiful practice for the rifle. Of small game there is also a great variety ; but, except for the sake of supplying our mess-table, we do not ti'ouble them much. The painted snipe (Scolopax Oapeiisis), the common snipe, and a great variety of the duck tribe and waders, are numerous. Hares, pea-fowl, jungle-fowl, spur-fowl, three varieties of partridge — painted, black, and gray — the florican (Otis Aurita), sand-grouse [Tetrao Arenarius), and five varieties of quail, complete the list. CHAPTEE VI. SPOET AT DHAEWAE. March \st. — We have opened our campaign gloriously ! Yesterday T shot two spotted bucks before breakfast ; and to- day we have taken the scalp of the fanjous wandering tiger, which has been the terror of the neighbourhood for the last six months. This morning, EUiot's native hunters, who have been on the trail of the tiger for a week past, brought intelligence that they had at last succeeded in marking him down. After fol- lowing him from jungle to jungle, they watched him, at day- break this morning, as he was returning to the Omlekop thickets, and turned him into one of the small ravines on the hills, beyond Munsoor, where he was surrounded, and word sent into camp that we should lose no time in going out, as he was savage, and likely to break through the line. Old 'Anak,' a fine elephant, which we have borrowed from a neighbouring rajah, was instantly despatched with guns and ammunition in the howdah, and Elliot, my brother, and I, followed soon after on horseback. On arriving at the ground, eight miles from camp, we found everything looking well for a certain kill. The tiger had been marked into a small open ravine, where there was no strong cover, and every rising ground within sight was crowned by a look-out man, to turn him or mark him down if he should break away. All possible precautions having been taken to prevent his a 70 MY FIRST TIGEB-HUNT. escape, we mounted the elephant, and the tiger was roused by a rattle of ' tomtoms ' and a wild shout from the beaters. He was on foot in a moment, and, with a loud roar, dashed from the ravine, and took away across country at a lobbiag gallop. The elephant was badly placed, and the tiger passed us at a distance of 150 yards, going at a pace which rendered the chances of hitting him very slight indeed. Two balls rang among the rocks close behind him, and just as he was top- ping the bill, a long rifle-shot appeared to touch him, for a short angry roar was borne back upon the breeze, and the beaters made signs that he was hit. We followed at the best pace old ' Anak ' could muster, and on reaching the summit of the hill, saw the tiger slowly steahng down a ravine on the opposite side. He was out of shot, and we halted to mark him down, and to send the beaters to a place of safety ; for he was evidently wounded, and therefore dangerous. One man alone, intoxicated with opium, disregarded every warning signal : the tiger was going straight towards him ; we called and beckoned in vain ; the infatuated Avretch drew his sword, and waved it in defiance, while we saw the fatal crisis approaching, and could do nothing to save him. Elliot ordered the ' mahout ' to urge the elephant forward at his utmost speed. I shall never forget the excitement of that moment. My brother and I, both novices in tiger-hunt- ing, were almost in a rabid state ; and in our anxiety to rescue the doomed wretch from his impending fate, we stamped with impatience, and abused the driver for not exerting himself sufficiently, although he was plying the goad with all his strength, making the blood flow, and extorting a scream of pain from the unfortunate elephant at every stroke. But aU was in vain. Before we were half way down the DEATH OF A BEATER. 71 hill, the tiger had caught sight of the poor helpless drunkard, standing directly in his path, and his doom was sealed. He naight still have made an effort to escape, for he had a long- start ; but he appeared paralysed by fear when he saw the tiger making directly towards him with terrific bounds. The brute was upon him with the speed of light. We saw him rear for an instant oyer his victim, who attempted to defend himself with his sword and shield. One savage roar rang through the soul of the stricken wretch, and he was dashed to the ground, amidst a cloud of dust, through which we could just distinguish the agitated forms of the tiger and the wretched man, writhing like a crushed worm in his gripe. It was over in an iastant. The tiger trotted off, sulkily, to a small patch of thorny bushes, and being now excited to madness by the taste of blood, stood boldly awaiting our attack. The elephant was pushed forward with all speed, the tiger roaring furiously as we advanced, and the moment his splendid head appeared, a volley from sis barrels sent him back staggering into the centre of the bush. He rallied instantly, and made a brilliant charge close up to the elephant's trunk, when he was again turned by a well-directed volley from the spare guns, and retreated growling to his lair. We now retired a short distance to reload ; and when we advanced again, the tiger, although bleeding at every pore, rushed forth to meet us, as savage as ever. He was again turned before he could spring on the elephant, and again dragged forward his bleeding body to the charge, roaring as if his heart would burst with impotent rage. We now let him come up quite close, so that every ball might tell, and gave him shot after shot, till he crawled back exhausted into the bushes. We followed him up, and in a last expiring effort to 72 APATHY OF THE NATIVES. reach the elephant, he was shot dead, while struggling to make good his charge. He was game to the last, and EUiot, who has killed many tigers, says he never saw one die more gallantly. Having ascertained, by poking him with a spear, that the tiger was actually dead, we dismounted from the ' howdah,' and, leaving the ' mahout ' to reward his unwieldy pet after his exertions, by giving him balls of sugar dipped in the tiger's blood, went to look after the unfortunate beater who had been struck down. We found him lying under a bush, in a dying state, and a more frightful spectacle I never beheld. His lower jaw was carried away as if he had been struck by a cannon ball, his cheek bones were crushed to pieces, and the lacerated muscles of the throat hung down over his chest. So dreadful was the injury that literally nothing of the face was left below the eyes. He appeared quite sensible, poor fellow, and made frantic signs for water, whilst his bloodshot eyes rolling wildly, imparted to the shattered head the most ghastly expression I have ever beheld. It was, of course, impossible to afford him the slightest relief, and death soon put an end to his sufferings. I was much struck by the extraordinary apathy of the natives on this occasion ; many of them passed the mangled body of their companion vidth a careless glance, merely re- marking "that it was his fate ;" and those who remained to witness his dying struggles evinced no more feeling for Iiitti than if he had been a dog, unless their suggestion that we should put an end to his misery by shooting him through the head might be considered as such. The poor fellow himseK intimated, by signs, that he wished us to do so ; but we could not, of course, comply with his request. The important operation of singeing the tiger's whiskers Feet. 9 Inches 5 2 10 3 2 3 11 2 5 3 2 7 3 3 3 MEASUEING A TIGEE. 73 having been performed by the oldest native hunter,* the carcass was laid upon a cart, drawn by six bullocks, and decorated with flags, and was thus dragged home in triumph. On skinning the tiger we found sixteen balls lodged in his body, most of which had entered his chest ; a strong proof of the extraordinary tenacity of life possessed by these animals. He was a male, about the medium size, and his dimensions as follows : — t Length from point of nose to point of tail Length of tail .... Height from heel to shoulder Length from shoulder to point of toe From elbow to point of toe Girth of body, immediately behind the shoulder Girth of forearm Girth of neck .... Girth of head .... * The natives have a superstitious belief that, unless the whiskers of a tiger are singed off immediately after he is killed, they will be haunted by his ghost. f A tiger 9 feet 5 inches may be pronounced by some sportsmen, accustomed to hear of tigers of 12 and even 14 feet in length, to be a small specimen. But such was by no means the case. The animal in question was a full-sized specimen, of very thick, robust shape, and was measured with scrupulous accu- racy, and without the natural wish of young sportsmen to magnify the size of their victim. There are various ways in which measurements of large game are taken. Many, I may say most men, content themselves with taking the length of the skin when pegged out to dry, after the beast has been flayed. It is thus that the 12 and 14 feet measurements are obtained. From the ex- amination of a great number of individuals — not less than from 200 to 300 carefully measured — I am satisfied that few tigers exceed 10 feet in length, and that the majority fall short of that limit. Then there is as great variety of form and proportion among tigers as among men. Some individuals are the long, lanky animals, others short and stout. Again, there is great diversity in the length of the tail, which is always taken into the notation of the length. Some tigers have long, others short taUs, in proportion to their bodies. It is obvious how these several circumstances modify the idea of size formed from a statement of the total length alone. — W. E. 74 ANTELOPE-SHOOTING. For the last week I have devoted my time almost exclu- sively to antelope-shooting on the Black Plain, where the apparently endless level extends on all sides to the horizon, like a dark sea studded with little hillocks that resemble islands. Morning and evening I ride out here, armed with my rifle, spear, and telescope, and wander over the cotton- ground where the antelope feed, watching their habits, and daily discovering some new and interesting feature ia their character. The Indian antelope* — the ' quarry' of the Hindoo gods — is considerably larger than the roebuck, an adult male standing nearly three feet at the shoulder, and weighing about ninety pounds. The old bucks are dark coffee-brown, or nearly black above, and white beneath, with a white spot round the eye ; head long, nose rather square and blunt, with an incipient muzzle, or naked space between the nostrils. Horns from eighteen to twenty-two inches long, dark brown, annulated with from twelve to twenty-two rings, and beautifully twisted in a spiral form. Female hornless, pale fulvous above, white beneath, with a white line running along the side. Very young males are of the same colour as the female, but become gradually darker with age, tOl at five or six years old they have acquired the darkest hue, and are then called black bucks. They are * The Indian antelope " is not less remarkable for beauty of form, and ele- gant distribution of colours, than for the interest it has excited, from the remotest antiquity, among the nations and philosophic legislators of the regions where it resides. They have raised the common antelope among the constellations, harnessed it to the chariot of the moon, and represented it as the quarry of the gods. In the opinion of Hindoos the animal is sacred to Chandi'a (or the moon) ; female devotees and minstrels lead it, domesticated by the harmony of their instniments, or the power of their prayers ; and holy Bramins are directed to feed upon their flesh, under certain circumstances pre- scribed by the institutes of Menu."— Cuvier's Aniinal Kingdom, with Addi- tional Descriptions by Edward Griffiths and others. HABITS. 75 gregarious, and go in herds of from ten to twenty ; each herd being under the command of an old black buck. This is their rutting season, during which period desperate engagements take place between the males : they fight with great obstiuacy, lowering their heads and tilting at each other so furiously, that their long spiral horns frequently snap ia the encounter. When a stray doe gets accidentally, or perhaps intentionally, into a herd of young males — who, driven away by the old black bucks, form themselves into a club of bachelors — a series of single combats ensues, which are maintaiaed for hours, till the strongest or most chival- rous of the fraternity shews a decided superiority over all the others. The little timid doe, who has stood aloof anxiously watch- ing the progress of the fight — ^Kke Helen, the cause of many woes — now quietly walks off with the victor. Valiant alike in love and war, the conqueror, with swell- ing throat, tail curled proudly over his back, and head erect, sidles up to Ms hard-won prize, uttering a low bellow of delight. The skittish doe repels his advances, tosses her pretty head, and starts off in a succession of graceful bounds, cleaving the air like a meteor. On, with the speed of light, dashes the excited buck, stretching himself across the plain in a long striding gallop, the rapid stroke of which is more than the eye can follow, and at length overtakes the bounding doe in a race where his muscular powers are taxed to the utmost. When the doe is wearied out, and can no longer avoid the male — who even has reco\irse to blows to bring her to sub- jection — she yields herself, and remains in company with the buck for several days, generally in some secluded spot, where no intruder is likely to interrupt their honeymoon. 76 AFFECTION FOK THEIR YOUNG. I have observed, and watched for several successive days, a pair in this retirement, and have seen the poor buck at length driven from his partner by some more powerful rival, whom the doe follows, always becoming the willing prey of the conqueror. The beaten buck generally leads the life of a hermit for the rest of the season, but sometimes returns to the society of his bachelor friends. It often happens that the old black buck of a herd is led astray by one of his own skittish does, and does not return tOl another male has usurped his place, and established him- self in the good graces of the ladies of his harem. If both bucks happen to be renowned warriors a desperate combat ensues, which is seldom decided without a broken horn at least. But if the intruder be a young male, he walks off at once, like a wise dog, who leaves the room as soon as he sees preparations making for throwing him out of the window. Antelope exhibit great affection for their young, exposing themselves, in their defence, to dangers which they most dread. I met with a remarkable instance of this while trying to approach within shot of a black buck, in company with a doe and fawn. The fawn foUowed the doe when she made off at my approach ; but its weakness not allowing it to keep pace with the old ones, they both halted, and forced it by blows to crouch in a furrow. As often as it attempted to rise, they returned and pushed it down again, remaining by it, although I had by this time approached within shot, as long as the fawn continued to shew itself. This display of parental affec- tion quite disarmed me, and I left the poor things unmolested. To give my readers an idea of the various methods of killing and taking antelope, I shall transcribe the account of a few days' sport selected from my journal, kept at Dharwar, ANTELOPE-HUNTING. 77 from whence I made excursions into the neighbouring dis- tricts, where antelope most aboimded. The native names are those of the villages where I pitched my tents. " Kardagee, March \st. — Here I am again, in the land of the antelope, working the long rifle daily, and keepiag myself and followers plentifully supplied with venison — I killed three this momiag, missing hut one shot. The first dropped dead, hit in the shoulder ; the second, a black buck with twenty-one inch horns, distant one hundred and ninety yards, fell after running at full speed about a quarter of a mile, although the ball, weighing nearly an ounce and a half, had passed through his body close to the heart : the third, a fine buck with twenty inch horns, was feeding with his hind-quarters towards me, when I fired ; he raised his head just as I covered him with the sight, and receiving the ball in the back of the neck, dropped dead, without moving a limb. " March 2d. — To-day I only killed one antelope, which I brought down at a long range ; he got up again, although shot through the loins, and led me a gallop that made old ' Vul- can's' tail shake before I speared him." "GudduJc, April 26th. — Shot badly this morning, and missed several fair shots, which I ought to have hit ; the ante- lope, in this part of the country, being by no means shy. On my way home, I tried the speed of a young buck, and found that ' Merliu,' although a fast horse, could not touch him over a dead plain. I was pulling up after going about a mile, when chance put the buck in my power. In jumping a ravine, he fell and broke his fore-leg. I observed his lameness, and a gallop across a few fields blew him so completely, that I ran into and speared him." " Sudugee, November I9th. — Nothing has been done to-day, except taking out the Kolapoor Eajah's hunting-cheetahs. 78 HUNTING-CHEETAHS. They had three runs each at bucks without killing, which I was not sorry for, as this, like falconing and coursing, is a sport by no means to my taste. All I wished to see was the extraordinary degree of speed exerted by the leopard in chase ; and this was displayed to-day in perfection. The rapidity of his stroke, and the length of his bounds, are almost incredible ; giving a rate of going, for a few seconds, too rapid for the eye to follow. In judging of the speed exerted, there is only this to guide you — an antelope, one of the swiftest animals in nature, going his best pace, and straining every nerve to escape ; and the bounding leopard, flying through the air with a velocity that gains upon his prey as if it were only going at a gentle canter. The reason of their not killing to-day, was being slipped at too great a distance, the antelope being very shy. Neither of the leopards could or would keep up his prodigious velocity for more than three hundred yards ; and failing to strike the buck within this distance, he became sulky, lay down, and remained growling, till the keeper, com- ing up with his cart, blindfolded and secured him, after having appeased his wrath with a lump of raw meat. This style of hunting is a beautiful sight to see once ; but, in my opinion, is a sport better calculated to please an effeminate rajah than a European sportsman." " Noulgoond, May \Zth. — The antelope here are extremely shy, owing chiefly to their having been much persecuted of late by a tribe of ' Hurn shikaris' (deer-hunters), encamped in the neighbourhood. These people — a wandering caste of natives, who earn a livelHiood by snaring game — not only destroy great numbers of antelope, but render the animals so wild by constantly driving them towards their snares, that they start off the moment a man appears in sight. Their method of taking them is as follows : — ANTELOPE SNAEES. 79 "Having selected a convenient spot frequented by antelope, they erect two oblique Unes of small bamboos driven into the ground, begiuning at about three hundred yards apart, and bringing them gradually together in the form of a fimnel, tin they are within forty or fifty yards of each other. Along the oblique lines of upright posts, they extend cords, to which are suspended feathers and white pieces of antelope skins that flutter in the vsind, and across the narrow passage, between the two liaes, are fastened loops and snares of various kinds. This being prepared, the whole tribe, men, women, and children, turn out, and surrounding a herd of antelope, drive them quietly towards the wide part of the enclosure. Here they rush upon the antelope with tremendous yeUs, and the poor animals, terrified by the noise behind them, and scared from turning to the right or left by the fluttering of the feathers and pieces of white skin, rush bHndly forward, and in trying to escape through the narrow passage, are en- tangled in the snares and taken. " Another method of taking antelope is by means of a tame buck, who having a number of wire nooses fastened about his head and horns, is turned out in the plaiQ where a herd of wild antelope are feeding. ISTo sooner does he approach the herd, than the old buck steps forth and gives battle to the iutruder ; his long spiral horns become entangled in the nooses attached to the head of his antagonist, and the hunter, who has been lying in ambush, runs up and secures him before he has time to disengage himself " For the last week I have toiled across the heavy black plain for many hours every morning without once getting within shot of an antelope. Yesterday I tried an expedient commonly resorted to by native hunters, of approaching my game under cover of a light movable frame of bamboo. 80 STALKING AND DRIVING. clothed with branches ; but in this I failed, either from my own want of skUl, or from the antelope having become ac- quaiQted with this artifice. To-day I tried the experiment of using a stalking bullock, and with better success. It enabled me to get within one hundred yards of a large herd, headed by an old black buck, which I knocked over with the second barrel whilst going at speed, after having missed a fair stand- ing shot with the first. "May 22d. — To-day the stalking bullock failed me, and being in want of venison, I tried the experiment of driving the antelope. Having remarked the course which they generally took when disturbed, I posted myself in a ravine as nearly as I could guess in their line, and sent my man a cir- cuit of a couple of miles, on horseback, to drive them towards me. He played his part admirably ; the antelope crossed the ravine within twenty yards of me, and I dropped two of them, right and left. " May 23d. — I crossed the river this morning in search of new ground ; for the antelope near our encampment now know my green coat so well, that it no sooner appears upon the plain, than every one makes off as if a ' cheetah ' had been slipped at them. I shot one buck out of a herd of young males less shy than the others. I fired at a long range of two hundred yards, and broke his foreleg near the shoulder ; but he went away upon the remaining three at a rate which ' Challenger's ' best pace could not equal By the time I was mounted the buck had a long start, skimming like a bird over the treacherous cotton-ground covered with holes. I was pressing little ' Challenger ' to do his utmost, when he sank to the knees in a deep fissure, and rolled over mth a tremen- dous crash, going several times head over heels before the impetus of his speed was exhausted. We both got up rather RIDING DOWN AN ANTELOPE. 81 stunned, and I found myself lying twenty yards from my horse, "with my hunting-cap driven into the earth, leaving a beautiful cast of its figure. The buck was out of sight, but I knew where he was making for ; and, it being quite contrary to my principles to leave a poor wounded animal to die a lingering death, I laid in agaiu till a glimpse of a distant herd assured me that my quarry was among them — for I had observed that a wounded antelope when pressed always tries to join a herd — I could soon distinguish him by his lameness, and singling him out, I rattled him for about a mile over broken ground, when he became blown, and I speared him. He was a middle-sized buck, with horns of thirteen inches. "May 25th. — My brother's horse, 'Merlin,' performed a feat to-day, which I believe has never yet been accomplished by any horse in India — that of running down a full-grown buck antelope. We were returning in a sulky mood after a long walk over the plain, having shot badly, and missed where we ought to have killed to a certainty. A fine buck had been leading us a long round without allowing us to get within range, and we had mounted with the intention of riding back to the tents. My brother's horse was in one of his fidgety moods, fretting and bucking Kke a goat, till at last he lost patience, and seeing the buck that had baffled us trotting along with a supercilious air, he gave ' Merlin ' his head, and laid into him out of pure devilry. The horse was always a speedy thing, and being now in racing condition, he pressed the buck so hard, that, after going a couple of miles, my brother conceived the idea of trying to ride him down, and began to run cunning, gaining aU he could at every swerve the antelope made." But I must describe the remainder of this remarkable chase in his own words, as noted in his journal. G 82 MBKLIN. "After the first two miles I gained upon him rapidly. The antelope went less collected, his gallop lost its springy bound, and he began to turn short, his flanks heaving like a pair of bellows. " I now felt that if I did not blow my horse I must kill him. Merlin was stiU fresh, and although his tail shook a little, he felt strong under me, and his stroke was nearly as quick as ever. " Two to one against the buck ! His tongue ' is out, and his taU. wagging.' " I took a hard pull at my horse's head, drove in the spurs, and pressing the antelope to do his best for a few yards further, I fairly burst him, and down he went with the spear through his heart. " I confess I feel proud of my little horse, for having done what is generally considered impossible, and may never be done again ; and it would require a long price now to tempt me to part with him. I must have blood for my fast work, and would rather ride a well-bred horse on three legs, than a brute without a heart that you may spur to death in a close- contested run, without getting an additional yard out of him. " It is in the field that the indomitable courage of the true Arab shows itself ; and when you find what the blood of your horse enables him to do, you learn to appreciate that undying spirit which marks the difference between the breeds of India and the Desert. '' Eavenscroft and I examined the buck carefully, but could discover nothing the matter with him, except a slight scar on one knee. He was a fine old buck, in high condition, with twenty-inch horns ; and his having been ridden down by a single horse is one of those unaccoimtable things which sel- dom happen twice in a lifetime." ANTELOPE-SHOOTING. 83 From these extracts it will he seen that antelope-shooting, although looked upon as a second-rate sport in India, requires some sldU and patience in the sportsman, and is by no means deficient in excitement, particularly when riding must be resorted to to secure your game. The nature of the animal, as weU. as that of its haunts, and the long ranges at which you are obliged to shoot, render it particularly well adapted for displaying the beauties of the ' grooved barrel ' to advantage. The long, clear, standing shots at antelope on a plain, are the most perfect that can he imagined. The unbroken level, leaving the outline of your mark so clearly defined against the sky — the means you possess of ascertaining the exact range of your shots — the repeated opportunities of retrieving misses — the ever-varying circumstances under which you fire — and the facility afforded by the nature of the ground for riding down and spearing a wounded animal — all tend to render this a most enticing sport, for an enthusiast in rifle-shooting hke myself ; and yet, with all these advantages, it falls far short, in my estimation, of the exciting sport of deer-stalking in the jungles. But we have had enough of rifle-shooting for one chapter, and must reserve a description of this noble sport for some future opportunity. Dharwar, May \Uh. — My brother and I were amusing ourselves during the heat of the day by playing a rubber of billiards with the officers in the fort, when a breathless native rushed in, and announced a tiger marked down within a mile of Dharwar. The news spread Like wildfire, and the cantonment pre- sented the appearance of a disturbed nest of hornets. The proximity of the enemy induced every owner of a gun to turn out. Military men and civilians, sportsmen and no 84 ADVENTURE WITH A PANTHEE. sportsmen, all were under arms in a few minutes ; rifles and smooth guns, blunderbusses, old muskets, and even horse- pistols, were put in requisition ; and one man, a hair-brained Irishman, who possessed no more deadly weapon, came forth, armed for the fray, with the butt-end of a billiard-cue. We were soon at the ground, and having disposed our- selves upon trees, and rocks, and other eminences, the beating commenced. After a great deal of shouting, yelling, beating 'tomtoms,' and other approved methods of rousing a tiger in the absence of an elephant or fireworks, something was observed to move in the gorge where the animal was said to be lying. The thickness of the tangled brushwood and the darkness of the ravine prevented our distinguishiag what it was, td a lash of its long tail, in turning round the comer of a den where it had taken refuge, proved it to be not a royal tiger, but a panther. There he was safe enough, although within five yards of twenty guns, for he clung to the shelter of the cave, and his growling alone marked his position. It was in vain that the excited beaters pelted, and shouted, and overwhelmed him with abuse, calling him "the son of an imchaste mother ;" " spitting on his beard ;" "de- filing his father's grave," and daring him for an "unclean Kaffer," to come forth and " eat bullets ; " he was proof against foul language, and could not be induced to quit his stronghold. Our patience was wellnigh exhausted, and the more pacific members of the party were for abandoning the enter- prise, and leaving the sulky brute alone ; others proposed sending off for fireworks ; almost every one had a different plan to propose, when my brother, ever foremost in danger, cut the matter short by springing from the tree on which he was seated, and announcing his determination of descending AN ESCAPE. 85 into tlie ravine and shooting the panther in his den. We, of course, remonstrated loudly against so foolhardy an attempt, and made use of every argument we could think of, to dis- suade him from his purpose, but in vain. Before I could descend a tree at some distance and reach the spot, he had snatched a sword from one of the beaters to clear his way through the tangled brushwood, and disappeared in the gloomy ravine. I could distinctly hear the low savage growl of the panther, and a certain impatient switching of the tail, which I too well loaew denoted an inclination to charge. I was debating with myself whether I should best serve my brother by following him into the ravine, or by remaining above to cover him with my fire in the event of the animal springing upon him, when a terrific roar was heard, followed by a shot discharged in the bed of the ravine, and, through a cloud of smoke, the panther sprang out so close to me as almost to knock me down ; while in the act of staggering backwards I discharged both barrels of my rifle, but without effect. By the time the panther had cleared the bushes, he was so directly in the Une of our horses and horsekeepers, that no one could fire without running a great risk of bitting them ; he was therefore allowed to go upwards of a hundred yards before a shot was discharged. Then came a tremendous volley, and a shower of bullets knocked up the dust on every side of him ; but the panther appeared untouched, and was bounding along with undimi- nished speed — now fully 200 yards distant — when a single shot was discharged from behind me, and he rolled over, tearing up the earth with his teeth and claws. How shall I describe my joy and gratitude when, on turning roimd to ask who had fired the successful shot, I 86 A GOOD SHOT. confronted my brother, whom I had given up for lost, stand- ing like one risen from the dead, and graspiag his discharged rifle, while a smile of triumph played round his pale but firm lips. There was no time for words. A look, a warm pressure of the hand, assured me that all was well, and we rushed forward to despatch the wounded panther. The ball had passed through his loins, completely paralyzing his hind- quarters, so that although he still presented a formidable appearance, and made frantic efforts to reach us, he was no longer dangerous. He was accordingly quickly despatched, receiving his last blow from the knight of the billiard-cue ! ! We had now time to hear my brother's account of his escape, and providential indeed it was. On descending into the ravine, he immediately discovered the panther's cave, the entrance to which was raised several feet above the ground, so as to be almost on a level with his head. He could hear the brute growling ; but his eyes, dazzled by the glare of light above, had not yet become sufficiently accustomed to the darkness to distinguish objects, when the panther, utter- ing a roar, sprang out in his face. He uistractively threw himself backwards to avoid the stroke of his paw, dischargiag one barrel of his rifle as he fell. The panther flew over liim like a flash of Ughtning, and dashed up the opposite bank. And my brother, immediately recovering himself, scrambled out of the ravine just in time to administer the fatal shot before the brute was out of reach. So much for good nerve, presence of mind, and coolness in the hour of danger. It was with grateful hearts, and after having returned fervent thanks to the Almighty, that we retired that night to rest. CHAPTER VII. THE BANKS OF THE BLACK EIVEE. Dharwar, April 5th. — I have this morning made the acquaint- ance of a remarkable character. Allow me to introduce him. I was sitting in the verandah after breakfast, smoking a cheroot, admiring a magnificent bison's head which hung over the doorway, and longing to have a day fixed for our expe- dition to the great western forest, where I hoped to earn a similar trophy for myself, when a strange, wild figure, armed with a matchlock of unusual length, entered the gate of the ' compound,'* and advanced towards me at an easy sling-trot, keepiag his eyes fixed upon the ground, and instead of follow- ing the path, swerving to the right and left, as if seeldng for something he had lost. His wild air and strange motions led me to suspect he was deranged, and my suspicions were not diminished, when on catching a glimpse of Eavenscroft's tame deer, the trail of which the old savage had, from the force of habit, been following up — he uttered a wild whoop, levelled his matchlock as if about to fire, then with a low, chuckling laugh, recovered the weapon, threw it across his shoulder, where he balanced it without the assistance of his hands, and stepping up to me with a broad grin, extended his long skinny paw in token of friendship. We had exchanged civilities — for my savage friend was * The enclosed piece of ornamental ground surrounding a gentleman's house in India is called a 'compound;' from the Portuguese word 'Oampao.' 88 OLD KAMAH. remarkably courteous in his manner — and were trying, but in vain, to make ourselves intelligible to each other, when Elliot, who happened to enter the verandah, sprang forward with an exclamation of joyful recognition, and shaking the old man cordially by the hand, introduced him to me as his particular friend, "Kamah, the Jagheerdar."* This then was the renowned Kamah — the bloodhound of the western forest ; that priace of trackers, of whose fame I had heard so much, and whose exploits had formed the subject of my waking dreams for the last month ; and it was with feelings very much akin to those I experienced on first beholding our immortal ' Iron Duke,' that I now gazed on the swarthy features and eagle eye of this great general of the wilderness. While the stark old hunter was engaged in earnest con- versation with Elliot, I had a good opportunity of scanning his figure and accoutrements. He was a tail, wiry man, apparently about sixty years of age, and looked as if hard exercise and constant exposure to a tropical sun had com- pletely dried up the juices and softer particles of his frame, leaving nothing but bone, sinew, and muscle. His step had all the freedom and elasticity of youth ; and there was an air of dignity about the old man, a statehness of carriage, and a look of proud self-possession in his piercing eye, that marked him at once for a free denizen of the forest — one of nature's aristocracy. His dress and accoutrements were quite in keeping with his general appearance : a greasy skullcap, which had once boasted a variety of gaudy colours, covered his woolly pate, now grizzled by age ; a narrow strip of cotton cloth passed between his legs, and fastened to a girdle round his loins, was * ' Jagheerdar' — a petty prince ; a nickname bestowed by us on old Ka- mah, as head of the Seedee tribe, and prince of the ■Western Forest. OLD KAMAII. 89 the only piece of dress exclusively devoted to purposes of decency. But a coarse blanket, or ' cumbley,' of goat's hair, was thrown jauntily across his left shoulder, partly for effect, and partly to be used in case of wet weather, or to serve as a protection against the dew when sleeping in the open air. On his left side was suspended a pouch of dressed leopard-skin, containing his bullets, tobacco, and materials for striking a light ; and on the right he carried his powder-flask, formed of the shell of a small cocoa-nut, covered with antelope skin, and secured by a wooden stopper. A venerable-looking match- lock, richly ornamented with brass, a small hatchet, and a well-worn creese thrust into his belt, completed his accoutre- ments. But what struck me most forcibly in his appearance, was the decidedly African cast of his features, and the woolly texture of his hair — ^peculiarities unknown among the native tribes of India. This was afterwards explained by EUiot, who informed me that Kamah was in reality an African, or ' Seedee,' one of a remarkable tribe, inhabiting the Western Forest ; and said to be descended from runaway African slaves who fled from the early Portuguese settlers at Goa, and established a little colony in the heart of the jungles, where they continue to support themselves by hunting and rearing a few tame buffaloes. The arrival of old Kamah was ever hailed as a joyful event by the young civilians ; and on this occasion, his report of bison and deer swarming in the jungles was even more tempting than usual It was forthwith determined to start for DandOly to- morrow. The Jagheerdar was dismissed loaded with Httle presents, among which a bottle of brandy was not forgotten ; a meeting was appointed on the banks of the Black Kiver, and orders issued for an immediate march. 90 AN OFFICEE ON DETACHMENT. Fort of Hidlyal, April 6th. — The tents and camp-equipage having been despatched overnight, our party, consisting of three young civilians, my brother, and myself, started after lunch, and rode the iirst stage to HuHyal, a small mud fort on the outskirts of the forest. I shaU never forget the feelings of joyful excitement with which I mounted my favourite horse, ' Challenger,'' and rode forth upon my first jungle campaign. Each horseman was armed with a rifle slimg at his back, a hunting-knife thrust into his belt, and a hog-spear carried in the right hand ; and thus accoutred we rode through the cantonment in military order, performing, like wild Indians, an incantation to ensure success in the chase, by chanting in chorus a favourite hunting-song, to which we kept time by clashing our spear- heads together. Nothing worthy of notice occurred during the march, and shortly after sunset we reached our halting-place. Here we found Lieutenant Hood, of the Bombay Native Infantry, who, in consequence of the country being in a disturbed state, has been detached to this wild spot, in command of a small party of Sepoys. Poor fellow ! I pity him ; for in addition to the weary monotony of his life — which he must feel doubly irksome, from not being a sportsman — he has had several attacks of ague, and I can see by his paUid cheek and wasted frame, that the unwholesome air of the jungles is slowly but surely doing its work. If he is kept here — and he expects to be kept — during the unhealthy season, when the demon of malaria spreads his pestilential wings over the woodland districts, the chances are that he, as well as the greater part of his detacliment, will become food for the hungry jackals, which are at this moment filling the midnight air with their dismal wailings. But such THE FOREST. 91 are the chances of a soldier's life in India, and it is in vain for him to repine at his lot ; so, like a sensible fellow, Hood makes the best of it, and whiles away the weary hours with a few well-thumbed books, and a cracked flute which, as mine outraged ears can testify. Discourses most execrable music. Hunting-camp on the lanJcs of the Black River, April 7th. — We started from Hullyal at daybreak, accompanied by poor Hood, who, although no sportsman, appeared delighted to join our party, for the sake of enjoying a few days' social intercourse with his fellow-beings. After riding a few miles through low brushwood, which gradually increased in height as we advanced, we at length found ourselves fairly enveloped in the deep gloom of the eternal forest. And well do I re- member the feelings of boyish delight, almost amounting to rapture, with which I gazed upon the dark wilderness of trees, and felt that now the dreams of my childhood were realized. From my earliest youth the description of an uninhabited forest possessed the greatest charm for me. I never read or heard of one that my heart did not yearn to explore its inmost recesses. The desire to do so became a sort of monomania ; it haunted me in my dreams ; and often when wandering through the fragrant birch woods of my native land, towards the close of an autumn day, have I magnified the humble brushwood into gigantic oaks and stately pines, and fancied myself a lone hunter, about to be benighted in the wilds of some far distant clime. But ever and anon, a silly-looking, black-faced sheep, plentifully besmeared with tar, to render him as much as possible out of keeping with my imaginary wilderness, would cross my path — the inharmonious whistle of a small herd-boy would grate upon my ear, or a most 92 THE FOREST. commonplace cottage, with a few half-naked urchins dabbliag in the pool of stagnant water in front of the door, would ob- trude itself upon my sight, and I returned home disgusted with civOized Hfe, to pay the penalty of indulging my ro- mantic propensities, to the neglect of my lessons, by imder- going, at the hands of a very unromantic tutor, the still less romantic punishment of being flagellated with a pair of leathern taws. But a whole bull's hide cut up into taws, and wielded by a whole regiment of dominies, could not have flogged out of me my innate love for a forester's life ; and now that my cherished visions were realized, the feeling returned upon me with redoubled force. I felt that I was a man — that the field of adventure was open to me — I felt the inexpressible delight of beholding nature face to face — ^primitive nature in aU her unadorned loveliness. I revelled in the idea of perfect soli- tude — of wandering unrestrained through the noble vistas of the primeval forest, and walking victorious amidst its savage inhabitants. I longed to grapple with some formidable antagonist — to lead a charge of cavalry — to be placed, in short, in any situation in which I might give vent to my excited feelings ; and driving the spurs into my horse's flanks, I dashed wildly forward, brandishing my spear and shouting like a lunatic — or a fool, sage reader, if you prefer the word. But, smile as you may, those were happy days ; and, unlike many other happy days, have left no sting behind ; for to this hour I look back upon my first visit to the forest, as one of the bright spots in my existence. A ride of some fifteen miles through beautiful forest scenery brought us to our halting place on the banks of the Black Eiver, where we found our tents pitched, a substantial breakfast prepared, and the Jagheerdar, with his son, and two A TIGEE-SLAYEE EEWAEDED. 93 other men of his tribe established in a temporary hut ; his own village being eight mUes distant. I was much struck with the beauty of the spot selected for our encampment. It was a natural lawn of the smoothest turf, sloping down to the edge of a noble river, studded with wooded islands, and surrounded by heavy forest jungle. The summits of the distant Ghauts, which here and there showed above the tree-tops, were the only landmarks ; all else was a pathless wilderness, where none but a forest-bom savage could hope to fhid his way. While sitting at breakfast, we were alarmed by hearing cries of distress proceeding from the Jagheerdar's hut, and on running out to ascertain the cause, we found old Kamah in a furious state of excitement, his left hand firmly fixed in the woolly pate of the hopeful scion of his house, and belabouring him soundly with a stout bamboo. We enquired what crime young Mohadeen had been guilty of, to bring upon himself such a storm of parental indignation, and learned to our astonish- ment that it was all owing to his having killed a tiger ! One of his father's tame buffaloes having been killed by a tiger on the previous day, the young savage had watched for him during the night and shot him from a tree, when he returned to feed upon the carcass. This, most people would have considered a very gallant and meritorious exploit on the part of a lad of fifteen ; but the old forester was of a different opinion. " It was all very well," he said, " for us who lived in the open country to wage war with tigers ; but with him, who lived on sociable terms with them in the jungle, the case was different. " I have no quarrel with the tigers ! I never injured one of them — they never injured me— and, while there was peace 94 KILLfflG A BISON. between us, I went among them without fear of danger. But now that this young rascal has picked a c[uarrel, and commenced hostilities, there is no saying where the feud will end ! " And for this breach of good fellowship between the family of Kamah and his feline neighbours, the unfortunate young- ster was being beaten to a mummy. We remained under cover during the heat of the day, and, in the cool of the evening, Bruce and I, accompanied by old Kamah, strolled into the forest for a couple of hours, while my brother and Eavenscroft, under the guidance of the woolly-headed youth, explored the woods in an opposite direction. We had no great expectation of finding game in our im- mediate neighbourhood, after the noise and bustle occasioned by pitching the camp, and were strolling along carelessly, admiring the scenery and enjoying the delightful coolness of the evening breeze, when old Kamah suddenly stopped, motioned to us to keep sUence, and, after listening for a mo- ment, pointed significantly towards a thick clump of bamboo, beyond which we could now hear a slight rustling soimd, as if some animal were cropping the branches. We crept forward with the utmost caution, and separating when we reached the thicket of bamboo, proceeded to get round it on opposite sides. I had not yet advanced far enough to see the game we were approaching, when I heard the report of Bruce's rifle, followed by a crash, as if a squadron of cavalry were charging through the forest. Next moment I emerged from the thicket, and found myself on the edge of a large open glade, in the centre of which a female bison lay struggling, and tearing up the earth in the frantic efforts she made to regain her footing. I NAKKOW ESCAPE FROM A BULL. 95 instinctively drew my hunting-knife, and rushed forward to despatch her. It was in vain that Bruce shouted to me to hold back, for he knew the animal was only hit in the flank, and might get up again ; in the excitement of the moment I was deaf to his cries, and getting close up behind the shoulder of the wounded bison, so that she could neither strike with her head nor her feet, I drove the knife up to the hilt in her side. She instantly sprung to her feet with a con- vulsive bound, uttering a roar that might be heard for miles. But the knife had reached her heart — this was the last effort of expiring nature — her knees bent slowly under her, and she dropped dead at my feet. I was wiping my hunting-knife, and admiring the gigantic proportions of the noble animal, when I was startled by a warning whoop from the Jagheerdar ; and, on turning round, I beheld the old bull of the herd, who had returned on hear- ing the bellowing of the cow, in the very act of charging through the thicket of underwood which surrounded the open space. Bruce shouted to me to make for the shelter of a tree ; but a single glance sufficed to shew me that his advice came too late. The bull was already within thirty paces of me, and the nearest tree was fifty. Turning, with the coolness of despair, I took a steady aim at his forehead and fired ; he staggered forward, and, uttering a deep growl, dropped upon his knees, with a stream of blood pouring down his nose. Without waiting to see anything further, I took to my heels, and made for the nearest tree ; but before I could reach it, the buE. had recovered himself, and turning round, staggered back into the thicket. As soon as we had reloaded our rifles, we went after him, expecting to find him dead ; but although we followed up the trail as long as there was light enough to distinguish the drops 96 OLD KAMAH AND THE ENGLISHMAN. of blood which marked it, we never saw more of him, nor did we find any place where he had lain down. "We supposed that the bidlet had flattened against his skull, which in the bull bison is fuUy two inches thick ; or what is more probable, from the quantity of blood lost, it had struck rather low, and entered the head without touching the brain. Our unexpected success is hailed as a propitious omen, and we expect good sport to-morrow. Elliot, being senior sportsman of the party, has adopted me as his pupil ia woodcraft, and availed himself of the opportunity, while we were smoking our cheroots after dinner, to give me some useful hiats. Among other things, he particularly cautioned me against bullying the Jagheerdar, or giving him brandy, for which he has an inordinate liMng. " For," continued EUiot, " he becomes a thorough savage when excited either by ardent spirits, or his own evil passions ; and on such occasions is rather given to the use of lethal weapons. In proof of this, I shall relate an anecdote of him which occurred during my last visit to the jungles : " The Colonel of a British regiment* accompanied me, and brought with him an English servant to look after his guns and horses. The Englishman had picked up enough of the native language to make himseK understood, and the Jagheerdar and he were at first sworn friends and boon companions. But, on one occasion, I imprudently gave them some brandy to regale themselves after a hard day's work. They sat late and drank deep, and, having quarrelled over their cups, old Kamah instinctively drew his knife ; but, before he could use it, was feUed to the earth by a weU-directed blow between the eyes, * The late Colonel Henry Thomas, C. B., commanding H. M. 30th Eegi- ment, then stationed at Belgaum ; an excellent sportsman, a most agreeahle companion, and a staunch friend, — W. E. KA.MAHS REVENGE. 97 and disarmed. The crafty savage, finding himself inferior in physical strength to his more muscular antagonist, affected to yield to him with a good grace ; and by next morning the open-hearted Englishman had half-forgotten and quite for- given the savage conduct of his swarthy friend, to whom he returned the knife, with a good-humoured laugh at the old fellow's swollen face and haK-closed eyes. N"ot so Kamah. The insult offered to his African features rankled in his breast, and he thirsted for revenge. We had arranged on that day to drive the jungles for game, and the Englishman volunteered to assist as a beater. In the midst of the beat, he heard the report of a matchlock behind him, and a bullet, whistling close to his ear, lodged in the stem of a tree within an inch of his head. " ' Too near to be pleasant ! ' thought he, as he started up with a round oath, and shouted to the invisible marksman to ' mind his eye.' At the same moment old Kamah stepped from behind a bush within fifty yards of where he stood, and coming up to him with a broad grin, extended his hand in the most friendly manner, telling him at the same time, as if it were a capital joke, that it was he who fired the shot in revenge for the blow he had received the night before ; but was now satisfied the Englishman was either a ' Swamy,'* or bore a charmed life, for that he had never before missed so fair a mark ; and humbly begged leave to shake hands and make friends with so gifted an individual. Honest John could not see the force of this reasoning ; neither did he at all relish the joke which appeared to tickle old Kamah's fancy so mucL But thinking it safer to have him for a friend than a foe, particularly in thick cover, he at last agreed to shake hands ; and considering it unworthy of an Englishman to bear • ' Swamy,' a god. H 98 THE INDIAN FOREST. malice, was from that time forth on as friendly terms as ever with the Jagheerdar. But I have ever since been on my guard with the old savage ; and never allow him a drop of his favourite liquor as long as I remain in his neighbour- hood." Hunting camp, April 8th. — On awaking this morning, the first sounds that reached my ear were the shrill crowing of the jungle-cock, and the belling of the beautiful spotted deer. A herd of the latter, hardly out of range from the door of my tent, were gambolling on the yellow sands of the river ; the j'-oung does capering about with their tails erect, starting sldttishly at the fall of a leaf, and chasing each other in shortening circles around a fine old buck, who stood in sulky gravity, Uke a Turkish Effendi, surrounded by the fair inmates of his harem. A push of his sweeping antlers agaiast the nearest skylarker, stopped their game at romps, and they aU trotted off into the jungle, whither they were followed by my brother, under the gmdance of the Jagheerdar's hopeful son Mohadeen, a youth who trod in his father's footsteps, and almost rivalled him in his love for brandy and hunting. " He," the old man remarked, with a contemptuous smUe, " does very well in deer-stalking ; but you, ' Sahib,' wish to kill a bison, and must follow the Jagheerdar, in whose hands the vrild bulls are as sucking calves ! InshaUa, I have said it ! !" Having delivered this modest opinion of his own skill in woodcraft, the old fellow inhaled two or three visorous whiffs from his ' kalioon,' slowly and pompously expelled the smoke through his nostrils, and throwing his blanket over his shoul- der, he grasped his long matchlock, and strode off into the jungle without another word. To one who has never wandered through the depths of an - FOLLOWING A TEATL. 99 Indian forest, I can hardly hope to convey even a faint idea of my feelings, when, for the first time, with nerves braced by the fresh morniag air, and a mind screwed up to the highest pitch of excitement by the prospect of the noble sport in which I was about to engage, I followed my sUent guide amidst stately forest trees, decorated with festoons of pepper-vine and wild jessamine ; treading under foot the rarest hothouse plants ; and filling the air with perfume arising from the crushed leaves of cinnamon and camphor laurels. The plants themselves, and the rich perfume they exhaled, were so intimately associated in my mind with ideas of refinement and luxury, that I almost started at the sight of my own barbarous accoutrements ; and could hardly realize the idea that, instead of strolling through pleasure-grounds, I was following a savage child of nature into the stronghold of still more savage beasts. But these feelings speedily gave place to that thriUing sensa- tion of proud independence, that glorious consciousness of unbounded freedom, which can only be experienced amidst such scenes as this. I felt as though " my veins ran Light- ning ; " and I verily believe that, at that moment, I might have been induced to exchange all the luxuries of civilized society for the free life of a savage. As we penetrated deeper into the woods, the forest appeared aUve with birds, calling in every variety of key, from the harsh scream of the hornbiU, to the glad notes of the brULiant mina of the Ghauts, as he smoothed his ruffled plumage previous to taking his morning flight ; while the large gray monkeys, peculiar to this district, alternately chattered and raised that unearthly howl, which sounded in my ears like the voice of evil spirits, and which Coleridge (I believe) says, can only be compared to " the mingled din of iron bars rattling up Fleet Street, the wailing of a hundred 100 A SOLITARY BULL. bagpipes played at once, and the silly laughter of a gronp of drunken men." The number of footmarks of all sizes, from the light print of the dwarf musk-deer to the heavy tread of the stately bison, satisfied me there was no lack of large game ; and old Kamah, stavmch as a bloodhound in hitting off a trail, was soon hot upon a fresh track. This he followed up for several miles, and in profound silence ; when, thrusting his foot into some fresh droppings to ascertain by their warmth how far the game might be ahead, he dropped upon his knees and applied his ear close to the ground. After listening with an air of intense anxiety which gradually relaxed into a grim smile, he started to his feet, and tapping me on the shoulder, pointed towards a clump of bamboos within a hundred and fifty yards of us. He now threw off his blanket, loosened his knife in the sheath, and began to creep forward on his hands and knees, I following close behind with a beating heart, and limbs trembling with excitement. After advancing about fifty yards he stopped behind the stem of a large tree, and pulling me towards him whispered that the game was in sight. At first I could see nothing, although I perceived' that the branches moved by sudden jerks as if some large animal were cropping them ; but, after watching for a few minutes, the muzzle and broad forehead of a bison appeared through the leaves. He was an old, solitary bull, with splendid horns ; and the glimpse I had of his head showed him to be one of the largest size. I was about to raise the rifle, when my guide whispered not to fire tiU I could see his shoulder, and we remained quietly within eighty yards of him tiU he took one step for- ward. Then was the moment ; just as his fore-leg appeared I took him in the point of the shoulder, with a buUet weighing ^^-■^ KAMAHS OPINION. 101 an ounce and a half, and the enormous brute sank with a crash that levelled the bamhoos as if an elephant had fallen. He lay apparently dead while I reloaded ; but the moment I stepped from behind the tree he started up with a roar that made the earth tremble, and tried to steady himself for a charge. His tongue lolling out of his mouth, and his blood- shot eye roUing with the fury of madness, lent to his enor- mous head an expression of indescribable ferocity. But a single glance satisfied me the poor brute was not in a state to proTe dangerous, for his fore-leg hung dangling from the shoulder, and the foam which besmeared his mouth was deeply tinged with blood. He made one frantic effort to reach us, but fell before he got half-way. I planted a ball in his forehead which effectually stunned him (although I after- wards found it had flattened upon his massive skuU without penetrating), and advancing close to where he lay, I discharged the remaining barrel into the back of his neck where the skuU joins the spine. This of course proved fataL He stretched out his limbs with a convulsive shudder, his eyes turned in their sockets, and the mighty bull was no more. This was a solitary bull which, like a 'rogue elephant,' is generally a savage, dangerous animal, and charges without provocation. " ' Shabash, sahib, shabash !' " * exclaimed the Jagheerdar, stroking his chin complacently, and nodding to me as he walked roimd the fallen bison, and examined the shot-holes with the eye of a connoisseur ; " the young sahib has made the ' koolga' t eat some good bullets. He will be a great hunter ! I have said it." Having delivered this opinion with the air of one from whose decision there was no appeal, the Jagheerdar seated * Well done, my lord, well done ! f Native name for bison. 102 A HERD OF BISON. himself upon the trunk of a fallen tree, pulled out his flint and steel, lighted a cheroot formed of dry tobacco rolled up in a green leaf, and puffed away in dignified silence. Exhausted as I was by heat and excitement, and dripping with perspira- tion, I thought I could not do better than foUow his example ; and there we sat side by side, with the dead bison at our feet, a couple of hungry vultures, which had already been attracted by the smell of blood, wheeling round our heads, and the sunbeams which struggled through the dense foliage, lighting up the wild group with a depth of colouring that rendered it worthy of the pencil of Salvator Eosa. Having finished our cheroots, and cut off the tuft of the bull's tail to produce as a voucher on my return to camp, we began to retrace our steps ; for we were at least five miles from home, and the sun was becoming powerful To any one but a native of the woods it would have proved a difficult, or rather a hopeless, experiment to attempt finding his way out of this wilderness of trees. But the sagacious savage, as if guided by some unerring instinct, pursued his onward coxirse without doubt or difficulty ; occasionally marking a tree, or tying a knot in the long grass to guide him back to the spot where the bison lay. On our way home we walked up three 'sambar,' all solitary stags, without getting a shot; for having by this time laid up in thick cover, it was impossible to approach them imheard. The old savage became quite disgusted, and, for the first time in his Kfe, I believe, was trudging on with- out keeping a look-out ahead, when I, who followed close at his heels, observed a Une of bison moving slowly towards us, and grazing as they went. A single rash step might have spoilt all. To seize old Kamah by the shoulder and drag him to the ground was the work of an instant, and there KAMAH REPELS A CHARGE. 103 he lay on his back motionless as a corpse, chuckling with inward satisfaction as he saw the herd approach. The fact of my having first discovered the game had evidently raised me immeasurably in his estimation, and a grim smile lighted up his swarthy features as he patted my head with parental tenderness. Being in the midst of an open 'midan,'* without a tree or bush to screen us, I was obliged to trust entirely to the colour of my dress, and a little scanty grass for concealment, and crouching down I waited to receive the approaching herd. The wind was fortunately in the right direction, and on they came, unsuspicious of danger, tOl within fifty yards of us. I fired at the leading cow, at the moment the old bull behind gave the signal of alarm. She fell to the first barrel, and the remainder of the herd, excited to madness by the sight of her blood, came chargiag down upon us, snorting and bellowing with rage. It was a nervous moment ; but old Kamah, who knew the nature of the animal well, laid his hand upon me to keep me down, and raising his head above the grass uttered a yell so imearthly, so fiend-like, that I could hardly believe it proceeded from human lungs. The wild herd turned, as if a thunderbolt had fallen among them, and we could hear them crashing through the branches in their mad career, as they fled far into the forest. " The wild bulls tremble at the voice of the Jagheerdar," said the old man, regarding me with a peculiar leer, and in- dulging in low chuckling laughter. " It was enough to frighten the devil," I replied, in aU sincerity. The poor cow lay kicking on the ground, disabled by a * In the forest jungles of India you occasionally come upon open spaces, or clearings, free of trees, but clothed with rich grass ; these are called ' midans,' and are the favourite feeding-grounds for deer, bison, etc. 104 BISON DECAPITATED. broken shoulder-blade. She made an attempt to charge, as soon as our motion discovered us ; but could only get upon her knees, in which position I lodged a ball between her eyes, that put her at once out of paia. I had thus, in one morning, procured a male and female specimen of one of the finest animals in India, and was elated in proportion to my success. It makes me smile, even now, when I recall to mind the bantam-cock strut, the don't- talk-to-me sort of air, with which I swaggered into camp on that eventful morning — ^the dignified manner with which, on being asked, " What sport, youngster ?" I pulled out my two tails, and threw them on the breakfast-table, without deign- ing to utter a word ; but with a look that clearly imphed, " Do you call that nothing ? " and the patronising smile — the look of proud superiority — with which I acceded to poor Hood's modest request, that as he did not aspire to earn trophies for himself, he might be allowed to keep the precious tufts as a memento — I felt assured — of the memorable morn- ing on which he had enjoyed the honour of sitting at the same table with the man who had killed two bison before breakfast. In short, I verily believe that, at that moment, the whole wide world did not contain a more vain-glorious, self-sufficient, conceited young whelp than your humble servant. My brother succeeded in killing the old buck of the herd, which he had followed ; and Elliot brought home a wHd-boar. The others had fired several shots, but returned without any game. As soon as we had finished breakfast, the whole party sallied forth to examine the dead bison, piloted by the Jag- heerdar, and accompanied by a party of ' coolies ' to cany home the heads. DEATH OF A SAMBAE. lOii Having taken exact measurements of the animals, made a rough sketch of them, and noted down their peculiai'ities — according to the dii-ections of Elliot, who is a zealous natur- alist, and has kindly adopted me as a pupU — we proceeded to decapitate our victims. This was no easy task; but after half-an-hour's chopping with hatchets and hunting-knives, we managed to accomplish it. The heads, together with as much of the meat as the natives thought worth caiiying home, were slung upon bamboos, and despatched into camp ; and the day being now far advanced, we branched off in various dii-ections to look for game on our way home. I was this time accom- panied by young Mohadeen ; and old Kamah took my brother under his wing. I met with several herds of spotted deer and sambar, but the thickness of the cover rendered it impossible to get a shot at them. The slightest rustle alarmed the deer before they became visible ; then came a crash through the bamboos ; and a momentary glimpse of their brown hides as they bounded away was all we got, after creeping on their trail for miles. After a long fag through this sort of jungle, we came to a deep ravine, where the grass had sprung up to the height of eight feet. This, my guide informed me, was a favourite haunt of the old solitary stags, who retire at this season to secluded spots while their horns are in velvet. The earnest cawing of some crows, hovering over a shady spot, attracted the attention of my guide ; and, after watching their motions for a few seconds, he pronounced, with an air of decision, that either a tiger, a solitary bull, or a stag was lying there, probably one of the two latter, as the monkeys overhead were not chattering with alarm, as they generally do when a tiger is in the neighbourhood. He was right. We crept silently to the edge of the 106 A BISON LOST. ravine and looked down. A noble stag was lying stretched on his side by a pool of water, lazily brushing off the flies with his sweeping antlers, and flapping his long ears in in- dolent security. He was within eighty yards, and his shoulder beautifully exposed, so I took him as he lay, and hit him in the fatal spot. He rose slowly, looked wildly around him, staggered forward a few paces, with the life- blood gushing from his side, and dropped dead. The young savage proceeded to break the deer, upon the spot, in a most workmanlike manner ; and having deposited the heart and other Abyssinian dainties in the ample folds of his blanket, we left the carcass to be brought home next morning, and made the best of our way into camp ; for it was becoming dusk, and the ground we had to traverse was of a rather tigerish character. This stag was an old and rather large 'sambar:' he measured in height, from heel to shoulder, fourteen hands three inches, or within one inch of five feet, and the beam of his horn, immediately above the burr, was ten inches in cir- cumference. My brother shot a bison, which he lost in rather a remark- able maimer — but I must tell the story in his own words : — " We soon hit upon a fresh trail After following it up for some time, Kamah suddenly halted, listened for a moment, and turning to me with that peculiar grin which always denotes game at hand, whispered that the herd was close to us, drinking in the bed of a ravine, which hid them from our sight. "We crept up to the bank, and there they were, a noble herd of at least fifteen, stooping over the stream. Then- size appeared enormous, as they stood without a bough to conceal their gigantic proportions. Head after head dipped into the muddy water, and their small, fierce eyes often met A BISON LOST. 107 mine, unconscious of impending danger, as I watched tliem from the top of the bank, where I Inv concealed. Alone, at the distance of a hundred yaixis, stood tlie old buU, on a rising ground, ever and anon snufling the aii', and looking anxiously towards us. At last he smelt danger, and gave the signal of alarm by stamping violently on the ground. In an instant every head was raised, with distended nostrUs, snorting to discover from whence an enemy was approaching. At this moment I fired — the foremost cow staggered to the ground, and the sharp crack of the rifle was followed by a crash like thunder, as the startled herd dashed through the jungle, bearing down everything before their enormous strength. " ' Give her another shot,' said the Jagheerdar, as the wounded cow recovered herself, and slowly followed the others, markiag with many a crimson drop each tottering step she took. " ' Well, hand me the spare gun .' ' " Alas, there was no gun to hand ! !My ' peon,' who caxried not only the spare gun, but aU the aromnnition, had loitered behind ; and missing us for a moment in this trackless forest was to lose us for good " There still remained a chance. The wounded bison might fall, without requiring another shot ; and we followed her up with great caution, keeping out of sight behind the trees till we saw her join the herd, which was dra^n up ready for a charge, and headed by the old bull It was now too dangerous, unarmed as we were, to approach nearer. The wounded cow was leaning against a tree for support, and surrounded by the herd, who pawed the ground and snorted with rage at the sight of her blood We therefore retreated with aU expedi- tion, old Kamah being well aware of what would happen if once they caught sight of us. 108 THE END OF MY FIRST DAY. " We were now about eight miles from camp, and when half-way home we met my stray ' peon/ who had completely lost himself, and appeared very unhappy at the prospect of spending a night in the jungle." So ended my first day in the forest. A tiger roared round the tents all night, to the great alarm of our horses, but for- tunately none of them broke loose, and the light of our camp fires prevented the brute from carrying off any of our bullocks. CHAPTER VIII. THE BANKS OF THE BLACK RIVER. Hunting-camp on the lanJcs of the Kallah^uddy or Black River, April 9th. — ^I crosseb the river this morniiig in a canoe, accompanied by young Mohadeen, who carried my spare gun. We soon came upon fresh tracks of spotted deer, which we followed up for about a mile, guided occasionally by the short barking cry of these animals. On reaching a thick clump of bamboo, some dark object appeared indistinctly among the green leaves. We dropped behind the trunk of a fallen tree and watched. The outline became more distinct, and then a fine buck was visible, lazily rubbiag his horns against the smooth bark of a bamboo. The young males of the herd, and a few does, to whom he appeared to leave the charge of his safety, were at some distance, but began to show symptoms of alarm as I raised my rifle. " Take him behind the shoulder," whispered my attendant. But as the buck stood directly facing me, I took a steady aim at his chest, and fired. I fancied I heard the ball tell, with that peculiar soft ' thud ' which indicates a deadly shot ; but I might have been deceived by the echo of the woods. The report of the rifle was answered by a crash, and the pattering of a hundred hoofs, as the startled herd dashed into the thickest cover, their dappled hides glancing, like meteors, through the tangled brushwood. We went up to examine the spot where the buck had stood. No venison ! and, what no HE HAS EATKN A BULLET, MY LORD. was still more remarkable, no blood! — and yet at seventy yards, wMch I ascertained to be the distance, 1 could hardly persuade myself that I had missed. " Goolee mar khyah, Sahib !"* exclaimed Mohadeen, with a confident air, after he had carefully examined the surround- ing bushes. The sagacious savage had ascertained, after a close scrutiny, that the bullet had not divided a single twig, and therefore, notwithstanding the absence of blood — ^which he was well aware does not always flow from a gunshot wound — had come to the conclusion that it must have lodged in the body of the deer. There was sound reasoning in this, and we accordingly followed up the trail Mohadeen gave a grunt of satisfaction when he found the largest footprints turning off from those of the herd ; and when he observed the marks prolonged into deep irregular furrows, as if the animal had staggered from weakness, he began to feel for his knife, and grinned Kke a laughing hysena. A few drops of frothy blood now made us certain that the wounded buck was not far off. A choking, gurgling soimd caught my ear ; and, on running up to the thicket whence it proceeded, we found the buck kicking in the last agonies. The ball had entered his chest, and lodged near the tail. The young savage sprang upon the dying animal like a panther, lest he should expire before the neces- sary operation of drawing blood had been performed, and muttering a short prayer, plunged the knife into his throat. A very few drops of blood flowed from the wound, but these were sufficient to satisfy the conscience of my friend Mohadeen, who was evidently an admirer of fat venison ; and, as he * Literally — He has eaten a bullet, my lord — a common mode of expressing that an animal is wounded. LAWFUL TO BE EATEN. Ill handled the plump haunch of the buck, he remarked, with an air of great seK-complaisance, that the flesh was now 'hulal.'* After breaking the deer, and taking a landmark by which to find him, we left the banks of the river, and struck into the teak forest, where we expected to find bison and sambar. Three hinds of the latter species, with their calves, crossed our path, uttering their deep trumpet-like note of alarm ; but these I spared, much to the astonishment of my savage guide, who had no idea of allowing anything eatable to escape. We also saw a herd of spotted deer feeding in an open plain, where it was impossible to approach them, but did not fall in with any bison. This was probably owing to want of skiU on the part of my guide — his father, old Kamah, being the only man of the tribe on whom one can place implicit reliance, in tracking up this very wary animaL We returned to the tents by ten o'clock, after a long and rapid walk. On entering the mess-tent, I found the party seated at breakfast, and laughing immoderately at poor Hood, who was giving them an account of his morning's adventures. He declared he had slain a bison, and was almost beside himself with excitement. His description of his first essay in woodcraft was so good that I must give it, as nearly as possible, in his own words ; but shall first attempt to convey some idea of our hero's per- sonal appearance ; for, without this, the story would lose half its zest. The reader wUl remember that Hood was the unfortunate subaltern, in command of a native detachment, whom we * Lawful to be eaten. The Mahometans, and other Indian tribes, are for- bidden to eat the flesh of any animal that has not been prayed over and bled by one of their own caste. 112 A SCOTTISH ARCHER. picked up at the half-ruined fort on the outskirts of the forest. He was a tall, slender youth, with weak legs, lank sandy hair, and a soddeii complexion, rendered almost cadayerous hy a recent attack of tertian ague. His manner was quiet and gentlemanlike enough, poor fellow, and he was evidently ' a good creature.' But that was aU. He had no spark of fire in his composition — there was no soul in his large lack-lustre blue eyes — no expression, save that of habitual wonder, and, like most simpletons, he was always wondering. In short, he was one of those uninteresting, milk-and-water young gentle- men, who, without the slightest knowledge of, or even taste for music, are inveterately addicted to playing upon, or rather blowing into, a flute, to the grievous detriment of their own lungs, and the auditory nerves of their neighbours ; and who, you can see at a glance, have been reared in the smaU back- garden of a town residence, among tame rabbits and pouter pigeons. He had arrayed himseK for the occasion — in humble imitation, no doubt, of a Der Freischutz jager — in an old dress-jacket of the Scottish archers (to which corps he informed us he had the honour of belonging), with green worsted wings, and a sHver arrow embroidered on the collar ; a pair of snowy white trousers, and a fantastic cap, decorated with a black ostrich feather ; and thus accoutred, with a small bugle dangling from his shoulder, a gimcrack French rifle (the stock of which terminated in an elaborately carved boar's head with mother-of-pearl eyes) slung at his back, and followed by my ' maty-boy,' Heels, brandishing the tail of some animal of the ox species — he had been foimd, on the return of the sportsmen, strutting about the woods in the neighbourhood of the camp, and screeching like a jay the himting chorus in ' Der Freischutz,' fancying himseK, no doubt, the very beau ideal of ' a forester bold.' HEELS. 113 Such was the figure which I found holding forth as 1 entered the mess-tent ; and the contrast he presented to his sunburnt, weather-beaten companions in their hunting-dress of brown fustian, and long deer-skin leggings, formed as fine an illustration of the real, and the melodramatic 'forester bold,' as can well be imagined. But we must let our jager tell his own story. " After you had all left the camp, it occurred to me that it was very stupid work remaining alone in the tents, and Campbell's boy, Heels, having informed me that he knew something of ' shikar,' and could shew me plenty of game, I resolved to put myself under his guidance, and try if I could not bring in some spoil as well as my neighbours. I accord- ingty got out my rifle, and mounted my jager's dress — all right, you see, bugle-horn and aU ! " — here he cast a complaisant glance at his own figure — " and sallied forth, accompanied by my friend Heels. By Jove ! Campbell, he is a splendid fellow, that Heels ; a rum un to look at but a devil to go ; I wonder you do not make him your sporting 'peon' instead of a 'maty-boy ;' I found him a first-rate hunter, and he has a soul above cleaning boots and shoes, depend upon it." Here we all burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, and Heels, who was standing behind my chair, drinking in with greedy ears the praises bestowed upon him, turned upon his heel, and walked out of the tent with an air of offended dignity. "You may laugh, gentlemen," said Hood, resuming his narrative ; "but such is the case : and so you will find by the sequel Well, as I was saying, Heels and I started, and plunged at once into the forest ; but Heels being a stranger in these parts, adopted the very proper caution of not ventur- ing out of hearing of the tents, lest we should lose ourselves, I 114 TAME BISON SHOOTING. and indeed there was no occasion for going further, as we almost immediately found ourselves in the midst of game. The trees swarmed with minas and woodpeckers, of the most beautiful plumage, and we observed several splendid jungle- fowl running among the bushes. But the former offered too small a mark for a riile— although with a shot gun I might have had glorious sport — and the latter were so rapid in their movements that I found it impossible to take a steady aim at them. We therefore proceeded onwards in search of nobler game, and were soon rewarded by discoveriag a troop of monkeys regaling themselves upon wild figs — (hear, hear). We stalked them with the utmost caution. Heels displaying wonderful sagacity in accomplisliing this difficult manoeuvre — (hear, hear, and laughter) — tiU at length we found ourselves within fifty yards of our game. I took a steady aim at the largest monkey, and, I have no doubt, hit him ; for he screamed and chattered in a most extraordinary manner. But Heels informs me that these animals are remarkably tenacious of life, and seldom fall at the first shot — (bravo. Heels). "Well, I was reloading with the utmost haste, for the monkeys were bounding about from tree to tree, screaming in a very threatening manner, and I thought they might be pre- paring for a simultaneous attack, when Heels, with a shout of triumph, announced that he had discovered the fresh track of a bison — (hear, hear). " There it was, sure enough, and no mistake ! — a deeply- indented footmark, evidently not half-an-hour old. I shall never forget my mingled feelings on beholding, for the first time, such palpable evidence of being in the immediate vicinity of one of these formidable animals. My first impulse, I confess, was to return to camp and await your return, before TAME BISON SHOOTING. 115 embarking in the desperate adventure of following up the trail ; and Heels, who appeared rather nervous at the sight of the huge foot-prints, immediately agreed to this measure. But after a little further consultation, it occurred to us, that by so doing, we should make ourselves the laughing-stock of the whole camp ; whereas by following up the trail very cautiously, we might at least obtain a sight of the formidable animal, without running any foolish risk by attacking him — (hear, hear). My curiosity, and the spirit of adventure which began to rise within me, prevailed ; and we determined to make the experiment — (bravo, Jager ! — go on). The ground being soft after the rain of last night, we were enabled to follow the track without difficulty ; and had not gone more than three hundred yards, when, on reaching the edge of a thicket which bordered an open space, clothed with rich herbage, we discovered the object of our search feeding within ten yards of us! The shock I received on finding myself thus suddenly within reach of the ferocious creature, made me feel as if I had been electrified. The nerves of the boldest will sometimes give way under such a trial — (hear, hear). I dropped upon my knees, and crouched behind the nearest tree, against which I was obliged to lean for support ; while Heels, throwing himself flat upon the ground, buried his head in the grass. — He has great presence of mind has Heels ! I had just begun to breathe more freely, and Heels, who had crept close to my side, was urging me to fly at once from a scene of such imminent danger, when the animal, which had hitherto been feeding quietly, raised his head, looked us full in the face, and bellowed! — (hear, hear, hear). The time for action had arrived — we were discovered, and nothing but a stout heart and a steady hand could now save us — (up guards and at them! — Hurrah!) I instantly pitched forward my rifle and fired. 116 A TROPHV. The monster uttered a deep groan, and sank to the ground, kicking convulsively. I instantly reloaded, fired into him again, and continued to do so as long as any signs of life remained — (hear, hear). At last he ceased to move, we ventured to approach him, and there lay my formidable antagonist stone dead, and hterally riddled with bullets." — (Bravo, Jager ! — great cheering and clapping of hands.) " No mistake upon that subject, sir," he continued, as he saw an incredulous smile playing round Elliot's lips ; " for here is his tail !" — (roars of laughter). So sayiag, he puUed from his pocket a dirty, mangy, tuft of hair, threw it upon the table, and leaning back in his chair began to rub his hands with an air of conscious triumph. The imcontrollable burst of merriment which accompanied poor Hood's hard-won trophy, as it was handed round the table, had hardly subsided, when a half-naked bullock-driver, followed by a crowd of clamorous natives, rushed into the tent, and falling on his knees before Elliot, craved justice at his hands. " What is your complaint, my man ?" asked Elliot, strug- gling to suppress a smile, for he guessed how matters stood. " Justice, my lord ! justice ! " sobbed the poor feUow. " Some son of an unchaste mother has killed my best bullock, and I am a ruined man. I turned him out this morning to graze in the woods, and on going to look for him just now I found him cold and stiff, with his body full of holes, and his tail cut off." This completed the chain of presumptive evidence against poor Hood, and the laughter was redoubled. But who can describe the scene of quizzing and merriment that ensued ? Suffice it to say that poor Hood was glad to stop the mouth of the injured bullock-driver by paying twice AN APTEENOON RAMBLE. 117 the value of the unfortunate bullock, whose similarity in colour to a bison had doomed him to a premature death ; and that, from that day forth, the 'bold Jager' contented himself with singing ' Der Freischutz,' and ' A forester's life for me,' without making any further experiments in the practical study of woodcraft. I devoted the morning to skinning and cleaning my bisons' heads, which I afterwards sunk in the river, to undergo a further polishing by the animalculse which swarm in all tro- pical waters. In the afternoon, when the heat had somewhat abated, we took another ramble in the forest. Young Mohadeen led me a long round through a part of the jungle which had not yet been disturbed. The traces of bison soon began to appear, and we got upon the trail of a herd so fresh, that they could not have passed many minutes. Mohadeen started off with the eagerness of a young hound, and we followed it up, with- out a check, till the brown hides of a dozen bison, moving in single file along one of their beaten paths, appeared about eighty yards in front. As they were moving off with their hind-c^uarters towards us, we crouched behiad a tree, while my guide, putting his finger in his mouth, gave a loud ' cluck,' hke the sound produced by drawing a cork, in hopes of mak- ing one of them turn round so as to offer a fair shot. This time it did not succeed — owing probably to the ani- mals having got the wind of us — and the herd breaking into a trot, I was obliged to take the nearest as he was. Both balls hit, but vidth httle effect, and after a long walk upon the trail, which led us several miles farther from home, we gave it up on finding that the blood had ceased to flow. While following up this trail, a little animal about the size of a hare, and beautifully marked with white streaks 118 DWAKF INDIAN MUSK-DEEK. upon a dark brown ground, started from a bed of dry leaves at the root of a tree, and made off with extraordinary swiftness. I took a snap-shot as he glanced among the bushes, and, by the merest chance, kOled him. On going to pick up what I fancied must be a curious variety of the hare tribe, I was astonished to find that it was a perfect little deer, but without horns, and with sharp canine teeth projecting from the upper jaw, beyond the lips. I was not at that time suf&ciently well versed in natural history to know the name of the animal, but I was aware it must be a valuable specimen. I therefore carried it home with the utmost care ; and on my return to camp, was informed by Elliot that it was a remarkably fine specimen of the ' Me- mina,' or dwarf Indian musk-deer, a rare animal, and one the history of which is but imperfectly known.* I shall give a more minute description of this animal hereafter. On our way back to the tents, I shot a ' Muntjak' (the rib-faced deer, or Indian roe). A low whistle stopped him as * The Moschus Memina, or pigmy musk, although rare in the plains, is by no means uncommon in the forests bordering the mountainous tracts of India. The distribution of animal life is marked not only by geographical but by topographical limits. Thus, many of the birds and animals of the country south of the Nerbudda are distinct from their congeners of a different species which represent them to the north of that river. In the same manner, the denizens of the forest- tracts are rarely, if ever, found in the plains ; and there is a thml belt or zone of country called the malndd, lying between the forest and the open champaign country, and characterised by low, rocky, graveUy hills and slopes, which is tenanted by certain species seldom found in either of the other two. Thus, the bison and the sambar, the muntjak or rib-faced deer, and the little musk, are confined to the forest ; the Antilope Chikara, or four-horned antelope, and the gazelle {Antilope Cora), prefer the red rocky hills ; and the Antilope Ccrvicapra, or typical antelope, the open black plains. — W. E. IT IS A TIGEK PROBABLY. 119 he was bounding across our path, and I knocked him over as he stood hesitating. He was an old butk, with well-grown horns, and tusks like a little boar. Just as daylight was failing us, and while we were still a couple of miles from camp, I observed a troop of monkeys crowded together on a tree, which overhung a clump of long grass, bounding from branch to branch in a state of great agi- tation, screaming, chattering, and making hideous grimaces, as if half enraged and half terrified at the sight of some object beneath them. " What is the matter with these monkeys ?" I inquired of my guide in Hindostanee. " It is a tiger, probably," he replied, puffing away at his cheroot, with perfect coolness, and striding along as if it were all a matter of course. " The devil it is !" said I, thunderstruck at the coolness of the young rascal : for the path we were pursuing being bounded on each side by impenetrable jungle, obliged us to pass within a few yards of the haunted thicket — and cocking both barrels of my rifle, I stepped out at my best pace to escape from the dangerous neighbourhood as quickly as possible. We had just passed the thicket, and were making a short turn round the end of it ; when, to my utter dismay, I found myself face to face, and within twenty yards of a royal tiger, busily engaged in tearing up the carcass of a wild hog he had just killed. My hair almost stood on end, as the brute raised his enormous head, smeared with blood, and glared upon us with his malignant green eyes. Mohadeen dropped his che- root, and remained motionless as a statue, with his keen eye steadily fixed upon that of the tiger. I knew enough of the nature of the animal to be aware that it was more dangerous 120 AN INDIAN HUNTING CAMP. to retreat than to stand fast ; but thinking that a charge was now inevitable, I was determined to have " the first word of flyting," as we say in Scotland, and was about to raise my rifle, when Mohadeen, without removing his gaze from the tiger, laid his hand upon my arm, and kept it down with a firm grasp. The tiger growled and shewed his teeth, but unable to withstand the fascination of the human eye, he gradually withdrew the paw, which jealously clutched his prey, crouched together, as if appalled by the steady gaze of the savage, turned slowly round, and uttering a sulky growl, slunk away into the long grass. No sooner was his back turned, than Mohadeen, clapping his hands to his mouth, sent forth that peculiar wild yeU, which appears to strike terror to the heart of the most savage animal, and we instantly heard the stealthy tread of the tiger change to a bounding gallop, as he fled in dismay from that unearthly cry. " We have made him eat dirt," remarked the young savage, coolly pickiag up his cheroot, replacing it in the corner of his mouth, and walking off as if nothing remarkable had hap- pened. We now set off towards camp at a round trot, for the short twilight of the tropics was fading rapidly, and my guide, although he affected to despise tigers by daylight, was per- fectly aware they were not to be trifled with after nightfall. We reached the tents without further venture ; and I confess I was not a little glad when we came in sight of our cheerful camp-fires. My brother shot a buU bison ; and two sambars were brought in by the remainder of the party. Eeader, you have probably spent many a happy hour among your brother officers at the mess-table ; you may have shared in the fun and frolic of a hunting-breakfast at Melton, THE TENT. 121 or you have enjoyed the social glee and brotherly fellowship of a masonic supper. Perhaps, like myself, you have tried them all, and have enjoyed each in their turn : but, unless you have visited ' the Land of the Sun,' you may depend upon it you have yet much to learn. If you wish to see sociability, comfort, and brotherly feeling ; if you want to learn what real good living is ; and if you appreciate agreeable society, tem- pered by sobriety and seasoned by wit, you must to the ' greenwood,' with a party of thoroughbred Indian sports- men ; for there will you find them combined and in per- fection. And here I must remark, that by ' thoroughbred,' I mean not only high-couraged and game to the backbone ; but well- informed, gentlemanlike, and agreeable, as I am happy to say my present companions are. I pray you. Friend, to fancy yourself returned from a fatiguing ramble in the forest, hot and dusty, but elate with success ; that you have enjoyed a refreshing bath, and that, having exchanged your hunting dress for light linen clothing, and thrust your wearied feet into a pair of embroidered Indian slippers, you are seated in a large airy tent, the canvas walls of which are raised on one side to admit the refreshing breeze. The table is covered with the finest damask, and loaded with goodly viands, intermixed with plate and sparkling crystal Take, for example, a haunch of venison that would do no discredit to the best park in Eng- land ; a cold wild boar's head soused in vinegar ; wild boar chops, combining the flavour of venison with that of the most delicate pork ; a noble venison pasty, over which Friar Tuck would have pronounced a benison with watering lips ; stews, curries, and ragouts, composed of every variety of small game, and cunningly devised by Elliot's incomparable artiste, the 122 THE TENT. Portuguese 'babacliee;'* marrow-bones of bison and deer, and a dozen other sylvan dainties too numerous to mention. A host of native servants clothed in white muslin, with scarlet turbans and sashes, stand around, watching with anxious looks to anticipate your slightest wish ; and in a remote corner you may observe a dusky figure (the high-priest of Bacchus) squatted on his heels, and intent on cooling to the exact pitch some dozen long-necked bottles that conjure up visions of ruby claret and sparkling champagne. The bronzed features of your companions, glowing with healthful excitement, and beaming with good fellowship, smile around the hospitable board. And the gay scene is lighted up by a profusion of wax candles in tall glass shades, to protect them from the gentle breathing of the night air, which, playing round the tent, fans your heated blood into refreshing coolness. Fancy yourself snugly ensconced in an arm-chair, recount- ing your own adventures, and listening to those of your brother sportsmen. Fancy the interesting discussions, the comparing of notes and drawings that takes place between the scientific members of the party, and the good-humoured jokes that are bandied among the less learned but lighter-hearted youngsters. Fancy all this, Friend, and say if you can imagine anything more delightful than the mode of life of an Indian hunting party. " Luxurious dogs !" the reader wiU probably exclaim. So we are, sir, after the labours of the day are ended — " and what for no ?" as my friend Macphee would say. We work for our good living, sir, and we work upon it too ; for I can assure you that the man who sleeps in a comfortable tent, with a good dinner and a bottle of good claret under his belt, will shoot better, ride better, and stand hard work better, than * ' Babachee,' a cook. THE TENT. 123 the unfortimate devil who has bivouacked at the foot of a tree, after filling his stomach with half-broiled venison and muddy water. I say this advisedly, having tried both plans. And trust me. Friend, our Indian method of doing Eobin Hood is the correct one. But, mind you, it is only in a rich civilian's camp that you thus fare sumptuously every day. We poor subalterns have to rough it pretty well, when we go hunting, ' on our own hook'' — so we make the most of it when we get into such good quarters as we have here. After dinner we adjourn to the outside of the tent, to sip our coffee and smoke our hookahs ; and retire at an early hour, with cool heads, to ensure steady nerves in the morning. I witnessed this evening a curious method of hunting practised by the natives, which I must attempt to describe. We were sitting in front of the tent after dinner, the happy camp-followers — happy, because idle and gorged with venison — had sung themselves to sleep, and deep silence brooded over the woods, save when the whine of a panther, or the distant roar of a wandering tiger, was borne on the night wind from the deepest recesses of the forest; or the sullen phmge of an alligator was more distinctly heard in the neigh- bouring river. The moon had not yet risen ; and the landscape was shrouded in darkness, except in our immediate neighbour- hood, where the bickering light of our camp-fire feU upon the corpse-like figures of the sleeping natives, swathed in their white robes ; and lighted up with picturesque effect the gnarled stem and spreading boughs of a stately teak-tree, from which were suspended the carcases of several deer, the grim head of a bull bison, and other trophies of the chase. No one spoke: for each and all of us experienced that delightful sensation of perfect repose, that luxurious lassi- 124 BLAZING DEEE. tude, which can only be experienced by one who has braved the ahnost intolerable glare of an Indian sun, and can only be enjoyed under the serene sky, and amidst the balmy fresh- ness of an Indian night. I was fast sinking into a dreamy reverie, now tracing fan- tastic shapes in the light wreaths of vapour which curled up- wards from my glowing ' chillum,' and now contrasting the air of comfort and elegance presented by the interior of our gaily-lighted tent, with the deep gloom of the surrounding forest, when I was startled by hearing the distant sound of a bell ; and on looking in the direction from whence it pro- ceeded, I discovered, far back in the woods, a brilliant light flitting among the trees. I immediately called Elliot's attention to this unusual appearance. " It is some poaching fellows from the village," he replied, "blazing deer. I wish they would keep nearer home, and not destroy the game in the neighbourhood of our camp." " Blazing deer ! " I exclaimed, " and to the sound of a bell? This is surely a strange style of hunting ! " " Have you never heard of it before?" asked Elliot. '' Never," I replied. " Then it is well worth seeing, arrant poaching though it be ; and if you do not mind the trouble of slipping on your boots and shooting-jacket, we may have a look at these fellows before we go to bed.'' I was delighted to avail myself of Elliot's offer, and guided by the light and the sound of the bell, we soon ovei^ took two natives busily engaged in their nocturnal sport. One of them carried in his hand a beU, which he kept con- stantly ringing, and on his head was fastened a small brazier filled with glowing charcoal. In the deep gloom of the BLAZING DEER. 125 forest he presented the wildest and most fantastic appear- ance that can he imagined ; and hrought vividly to my recol- lection the descriptions I have read of the mad enthusiast, Solomon Eagle, who made himself so conspicuous during the great plague in London. His companion, an active, wiry little savage, with an eye like a lynx, was merely armed with a heavy curved weapon — something between a cook's chop- ping-knife and a sword — as sharp as a razor, and commonly known in India as a Coorg-knife. Being both inhabitants of the Jagheerdar's village, and personally known to Elliot, they were much flattered by our proposal to join in their sport ; and we had soon an opportu- nity of witnessing their skill in this very curious method of hunting. The man who carries the fire and the bell moves slowly and cautiously through the thickets, ringing as he goes ; while his companion follows close behind him, keeping a sharp look- out ahead. The deer, alarmed by the sound of the bell, start from their hiding-places ; but, bewildered, and apparently fascinated by the glare of the burning charcoal — which dazzles their sight, and prevents them from distinguishing the forms of the hunters — they approach the object of their wonder, as if under the influence of a spell. The light reflected from their staring eyeballs discovers their presence to the hunters. Solomon Eagle comes to a halt, and ceases to ring his bell ; while his active companion, stealing round the bewildered animals, attacks them in the rear, and with his formidable Coorg-knife, hamstrings as many as he can reach, before they become aware of their danger, and fly from the treacherous light. In this manner we saw three deer destroyed within an hour; and our poaching friends would, no doubt, have done 126 THE TEA.CK OF A BIG SNAKE. further execution, had we not bribed them to discontinue their sport, by inviting them to return to camp, and partake of a glass of their favourite brandy. April nth. — The game in the neighbourhood of our camp having become wUd and scarce, we struck our tents this morning, and moved on to old Kamah's village, some miles fur- ther back in the forest. "When about halfway, we were met by a deputation of natives, who informed us, with bitter lamentations, that they were on their way to crave our assist- ance in destroying a gigantic snake, which had lately made his appearance in that part of the forest ; and had, within the last few days, killed and eaten two of their bullocks. This story sounded so very improbable, that we rejected it with scorn, and abused the unfortunate villagers for attempt- ing to impose upon us. But the poor fellows asserted the truth of their report with so much earnestness, and were so urgent with us to assist them, that, partly from good-nature, and partly from curiosity, we consented to accompany them in their search for the monster. This proved fruitless, al- though we explored many miles of forest; and, during the few days we remained near the village, we never could obtain further tidings of this father of snakes. But I must acknowledge that, during our search, we came upon traces which puzzled the most skilful huntsmen of the party, and somewhat staggered our iacredulity. While exploring a thicket on the edge of a hollow, which during the rains had been a pond of water, but which was now nearly dried up, one of the natives uttered a triumphant shout, and calling us around him, pointed to the hollow, and requested that we would now believe our own senses, for there was the track of the snake. There remained no doubt as to the existence of a track, and a very curious track ; for, WAS IT THE TRACK OF A SNAKE ? 127 in the half-dried mud, a deep furrow was distinctly traced extending from side to side, as if a large hogshead had been dragged across it in a tortuous course, like the track of a snake. And if this really was the track of the snake, as the natives asserted it to be, their account of his enormous powers can hardly have been exaggerated, for he must have measured at least seventy or eighty feet in length, and if so, could easily have killed and swallowed a bullock.* But was it the track of a snake ? — that was the question. No one could account in a satisfactory manner for the appear- ance of the mysterious furrow ; and yet no one would acknow- ledge that he believed in the existence of a snake enormous enough to have produced it. Neither shaE I venture to do so ; but shall leave the sagacious reader to draw his own con- clusions from the above facts ; merely remarking that I could see no motive for the natives attempting to deceive us. I never myself met with a living snake above eighteen feet in length; but I am aware that they grow to a much * There is no doubt that the Python Molurm (or Indian Boa, as it is gene- rally though incorrectly called) attains to an enormous size ; and the one referred to by the author, the existence of which was well known to the in- habitants of the Black River valley, though seldom seen, was a reptile of the largest dimensions. The late Sir Mark Cubbon used to relate an account he received from a perfectly credible witness, of a huge serpent killed in Cunda- poor, which had gorged a cow bison, and was rendered so lethargic by the process of digesting this enormous meal, that he was unable to retire to his safe haunts, and was thus discovered and easily dispatched. Another very large snake was shot many years ago in Wynad, by Captain Croker of H. M. 80th Regiment, a well-known sportsman, whose feats are still traditionally handed down in Mysore. That the track referred to by Col. C. was that of the Kala fTaddi Python there can be no doubt. I have seen it more than once, and often tried to persuade the natives to guide me to its lair. But they held it in such superstitious dread and veneration, that no reward or persuasion would induce them to approach it.— "W. E. 128 A GRAND BEAT. greater size. I once saw (in the museum at Cape Town, I tMnk,) the skin and perfect skeleton of a boa-constrictor, said to have been brought from India, which measured thirty-five feet in length ; and I am not sure we should be justified in denying, that in the unexplored forests of the East, reptiles may be found of even double this magnitude, although we do not at present possess any satisfactory proof of their existence. April \Zth. — EUiot, being anxious to shew me as much as possible of Indian sporting, gave orders for a grand beat to take place this morning, in the Oriental style. Messengers were dispatched yesterday, to collect as many men as possible from the neighbouring villages; and to-day we commenced work, after breakfast, with two hundred beaters in line, taking a circle of forest, about a mile in diameter, at each beat. The natives are very fond of this style of sport, and engage in it with the utmost spirit. The hunters best acquainted with the forest select the passes where the guns are to be posted. At each pass a light screen of branches is erected, and behind this the sportsman crouches, and remains perfectly stiU till the game is driven up to him. Unless closely pressed by the beaters, the animals generally come up at a slow pace, care- fully reconnoitring the ground as they advance, and thus afford an easy shot. But if a deer happens to dash past at a great pace, a whistle or a clap of the hand will generally make him stop for an instant to listen, and then is the mo- ment for the grooved barrel to send its hissing ball with fatal precision. I had a running shot at a stag before the first beat was arranged. He started up before me as I was going to my post, and passed within forty yards ; but I missed him with both barrels. A GRAND BEAT. 129 In the first beat nothing came near me, except a ' munt- jak,' or rib-faced deer, which I shot. I, however, heard a good deal of firing on both flanks, and the roaring of some animal, which I took to be a tiger. When the beat was over, I found that none of the European sportsmen, except Eavenscroft and myself, had got a shot ; Eavenscroft had fired at a wild boar, which he only wounded slightly. The animal charged him, and knocked him over, but fortunately without ripping him badly ; the destruction of a pair of new cords, and a slight wound on the outside of the thigh, being the only in- jury he sustained. A herd of bison, and a couple of bears — whose roaring I mistook for that of a tiger — had also been started; but had either turned back, or broken out at the flanks, where the native hunters, armed with matchlocks, were stationed. Several shots had been fired at the bison, and two or three were said to have been mortally wounded, but nothing was bagged. The bears charged through the line of beaters, and broke back. The next beat proved blank, although plenty of game was seen. In the third beat, a fine stag sambar came up to my pass, and gave me a beautiful shot — I hit him with both barrels in the throat. He stood tottering, uncertain whether to fall or not, till my peon went up to dispatch him with the hunting- knife ; when he charged, with his mane erect, and attacked the man so savagely, that I was obliged to fire again to drop him. He stood four feet five inches at the shoulder, and had fine antlers. My brother also shot a young stag, and this was all that was done in a long day's work. Having now seen the far-famed beating of the Great Western Forest, I am inclined to think it very inferior sport to stalking your game. There is certainly a good deal of ex- K 130 ANOTHEK ATTEMPT AT DRIVING. citement — there is something fine in the " pomp and circum- stance" of the thing — and when you do get a shot, it is, in general, a deadly one. But for my taste, give me the excite- ment and exercise of following up a trail ; the well-contested struggle between man's reason and the unerring instinct of the brute ; and the satisfaction of bringing down your game at a long range, when you feel that the victory has been obtained by your own skill in woodcraft. I am told, however, that this day's sport has been a very unfavourable specimen of beating. The grass is at this season too high, and the underwood so dense, that it is utterly impossible for the beaters to preserve regularity in their line, and thus the game is enabled to break back. April \4