106 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTKAL iXDlA. 



before referred to (p. 80), tlie plum of tlie ebony tree 

 {Diospyros melmioxylon), and the fruit of the wild 

 mango, are the staples in these hills. The berries of 

 the Chironji [Buchanania latlfoUa), and the Ber {Zizy- 

 lohus jiijuha), the seeds of the Stil {Shorea rohusta), the 

 bean of the giant Bauhinia creeper, and many other 

 products of trees, are also eaten in different parts of the 

 hills. A s^DCcies of wild arrowroot (Curcuma), and a 

 sort of wild yam, are also dug out of the earth and 

 consumed. 



The rare occurrence of the ofeneral seeding; of the 

 bamboo forests, is a 2;od3end to the aborio;inal tribes. 

 A certain number of bamboos seed every year, but a 

 general seeding is said to occur only once in about 

 thirty years. Then every single bamboo over a vast 

 tract of country will drop its leaves, and form at the 

 end a large panicle of flowers, to be followed by the 

 formation and shedding of myriads of seeds which are 

 hardly to be distinguished from grains of rice. This 

 done, the parent bamboo itself immediately dies, while 

 a fresh and vigorous crop at once begins to spring from 

 the seed. For some years the scarcity of so useful an 

 article as the bamboo may be severely felt, though it is 

 not often that all the sources of supply are at once 

 cut off; but in the meantime an abundant supply of 

 wholesome grain is afforded, not only to the wild tribes 

 but to multitudes of the poorer inhabitants of the open 

 country, and the cities around, who crowd to the spot 

 to obtain their share of the heaven-sent provender. 

 There is a proverb that this occurrence portends a 

 failure of the common food staples of the country ; 

 but like many such it has not been verified by ex- 

 perience. It would probaljly be in vain to guess the 



