164 KIAM OOLONG. 



down, and fifteen minutes afterwards was dead. I 

 buried him deep where he died, sooner than have the poor 

 animal dragged by the other elephants ; but in a few 

 days I was obliged to decamp from the fumes exuding 

 from the earth. Some ten months afterwards I sent a 

 party to take up his bones for a skeleton, but there was 

 even then so much of the flesh undecayed, I was obliged 

 to give up the work. A few months after I was attacked 

 by the Tartars, and several of my people killed, as al- 

 ready shown. 



Another extraordinary pet I had was a blue bird 

 called " Porphiro," and in that country " Kiam." Some 

 of the same kind are in the Washington Museum. Kiam 

 acted a faithful watch-keeper, and in the early mornings 

 used to get into bed with me, and in getting under the 

 clothes, would take a nap. He was a great favorite 

 with the servants, and from his curious strutting, used 

 to afford them a great deal of amusement. I mention 

 these matters simply to show a few traits of the ele- 

 phant and of the kiam ; and would wish to dwell upon 

 this subject, but space will not admit of my doing so. 



The feathered tribe, that is, the game kind, are very 

 numerous. Oolongs are perhaps the least known ; they 

 are very shy, and seldom or ever shot. They are as 

 gross as geese in body, and stand in height, four feet. 

 There are many kinds of fowls ; the species of duck can- 

 not be less than a score. Most of the pheasants could be 

 domesticated. The flesh of the oolong is the finest 

 flavored of any of the birds I have met with. 



Fish is almost as numerous as insects in India. Every 

 small pool of water contains fish of an excellent kind, 



