A NOTED PAIR OF BULLS. 259 



to outdo this feat of my griffinage. The measurement of his horns are given 

 in the preceding chapter. The Sholagas and I also found two fine young 

 tiger-cubs amongst some rocks whilst looking for bears, and as we ascer- 

 tained that their mother was away hunting for something for supper, I got 

 down into the cave where they were and collared them, with the assistance 

 of a bull-terrier — old Boxer. I handed them up to H. and the Sholagas, 

 who wrapped them up in cumblies (blankets) and made off with them. We 

 cast many furtive glances behind as we fled ; I had had little experience 

 then ; I ought to have left the cubs and watched for the mother's return. 



From this time till I was settled at Morlay in 1873, 1 went after bison 

 whenever I had a chance. Since I commenced elephant-catching, and have 

 now innumerable opportunities for sport, I have confined myself entirely to 

 old solitary bulls. 



I once had a memorable bison-hunt with a friend, Captain P., of H.M.'s 

 48th Regiment. We jotted down the following account of it at the time : — 



"THE HANAY-KERRAY HILL BULLS. 



" Four o'clock, sir," said our faithful henchman J., as he entered our 

 shooting-tent, followed by our servants with hot chocolate and toast. We 

 jumped out of our beds, and after doing justice to the light refreshment, 

 lit our cheroots, mounted the pad-elephant, and started with our followers, 

 who had been marshalled ready in front of the tent by the invaluable J. 

 It was no ordinary shooting expedition upon which we were bound. We 

 had heard of a pair of bull-bison that had been seen the day before by 

 our jungle-people near a swamp in the Billiga-rungun hills, at the foot of 

 which we were encamped : and as wild elephants are numerous in the 

 hills, frequenting the same ground as the bison, we anticipated little 

 difficulty in approaching them with an elephant. 



Our preparations for. the day were on a scale worthy of the occasion. 

 In addition to a couple of the best hillmen as trackers, several others fol- 

 lowed us with hatchets, ropes, and skinning-knives in case of our hunt prov- 

 ing successful, whilst a luncheon-basket of fair dimensions led the van. No- 

 thing could be more enjoyable than the ride through the jungles in the early 

 morning. Not a breath stirred the towering bamboo-clumps beneath which 

 our path lay, and whose feathery branches were reproduced in fantastic 

 shadows by the bright moonlight on the ground beneath, now yellow with 

 their fallen and withered leaves. Pea-fowl uttered their discordant cry whilst 

 yet securely perched in the high trees ; and sambur and spotted-deer, with 



