OXEN* 305 



shoulders, and they are as good for the saddle as for 

 draught. They are more active and agile than we can 

 imagine them to be, accustomed as we are to the slow- 

 heavy pace of others of the tribe. They go with ease at 

 the rate of six miles an hour, and travel for fifteen or 

 sixteen hours in the day. Their paces are very agree- 

 able, being wholly without the circular motion of the 

 hind-legs, which makes ours so tiring to ride. They will 

 go over a five-barred gate as well as the best hunter, 

 are equally good for the plough or for threshing corn, 

 and the white are the most esteemed. 



The Gayal affords the richest milk, and prefers feed- 

 ing on trees. It also comes from India. It is gentle 

 even in its wild state, and runs away from, but never 

 faces man. 



The Gours are much more formidable than the pre- 

 ceding ; and^ the Indians say the tiger has no chance 

 with them when full grown. They also eat trees and 

 grass, and will not live in captivity. They grow to an 

 immense size ; their back is arched, and a very thick 

 ridge rises upon it, which subsides towards the tail. 



The Yak has narrow nostrils, the ears small and 

 pointed, the forehead covered with black curling hair, 

 that on the back is smooth, and of a dark brown or 

 black colour, with one white stripe on the withers and 

 another on the croup. The shoulders, sides, inside of 

 thighs, and under part of the body, are covered with a 

 mane of hair which almost reaches the ground, and is 

 of a grizzled black with a central line of white along 

 the belly. The tail is a large mass of glossy coarse 

 hair, quite white, and from eighteen to twenty inches 

 long. The horns are small, pointed, and curve for- 

 wards. The animal is saicl to be very wild and mis- 

 u 



