The Treatment of Animals in India 



any rate, this is the case in Calcutta, to which 

 my remarks here must be understood chiefly to 

 apply, though there is abundant reason for the 

 belief that such ill-treatment is general in the 

 country. 



The buffalo, which takes the place in India 

 of the cart-horse in England, being used for slow 

 heavy work, seems to be better treated ; his 

 condition is not miserable like the bullock's, nor 

 is his tail twisted in driving him. The buffalo is 

 an animal of much strength of character, and 

 would probably become dangerous if over-driven 

 or tortured ; it is known that the wild animal is 

 peculiarly savage when wounded, and will in 

 such case deliberately attempt to revenge him- 

 self. 



Sympathisers with the poor bullocks should, 

 however, remember that these meek creatures 

 have an aversion to Europeans, and are not to 

 be approached without care. I heard of a case 

 during my residence in India in which a yoked 

 beast suddenly and without provocation knocked 

 down a European standing near, and if it had 

 not been under the yoke would undoubtedly have 

 gored him. Such cases are no doubt exceptional, 

 but they are worth bearing in mind, as the ex- 

 treme quietness in the ordinary way of the Indian 

 cattle is apt to generate too great a confidence in 



their gentle behaviour ; for as a whole they are 



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