126 Incidents of Foreign Field Sport. 



During the breeding season wild bulls take possession 

 of the tame cows, feeding with them during the day, 

 and retiring with them towards w r here the} 7 are 

 picketed during the night, and he often becomes a 

 nuisance, loses his fear of man, and will not allow the 

 gwalas to approach the cows. Oftentimes he attacks 

 and occasionally kills some of the people. After he 

 has done the needful he is doomed to death. The 

 villagers attempt to hamstring him when he is en- 

 grossed by the females, or they dig pitfalls, or 

 drop a heavily-weighted dart from a height on to 

 his back, or employ someone to shoot him. I 

 have frequently shot them at the request of the 

 people. I had then often to kill them on foot, and 

 it is very ticklish work meeting this formidable 

 beast on equal terms and on level ground. The tame 

 cattle are not to be trusted either. They dislike 

 Europeans, and I have had many a narrow squeak from 

 them, as they have frequently chased me when I have 

 been snipe shooting and not expecting hostilities. 



Dr. Mason has stated that he believed the wild 

 buffaloes to be descended from tame ones run wild, but 

 I believe the very contrary is the case. The Assamese, 

 in strong nets, made expressly for the purpose, catch 

 not only wild calves, but often full-grown and half- 

 grown cows and bulls. The latter they kill, and sell 

 the meat to the Cacharies ; the former they tame and 

 incorporate with their herds. The Burmese buffaloes 

 have very heavy horns, much curved as a rule, but 

 the long-horned variety is also frequently met with. 

 The largest head I have heard of was one I gave the 

 Earl of Mayo, when he was Viceroy of India, The 

 horns round the curve from tip to tip measured 



