86 THE WILDERNESS AND JUNGLE 



it can hide from the eyes (and bullets) of man. 

 It has a remarkably keen sense of smell, and a 

 solitary old bull will get wind of his pursuer at 

 an almost incredible distance. If unwounded, 

 he will take the opportunity of galloping off 

 out of harm's way, but, if hurt, he will lie in 

 ambush with extraordinary cunning, and for 

 this reason the gaur is one of the most danger- 

 ous creatures to follow up in high grass, more 

 than one sportsman having paid with his life 

 for underrating the strength and tactics of the 

 enemy. It even turns hunter, circling round 

 the sportsmen as at times lions do, stalking him, 

 in fact, and then charging with confusing sud- 

 denness from an unexpected quarter. It has 

 also, now and then, been known to charge 

 before a single shot is fired, but this is a risk 

 to be feared rather by the silent, bare-footed 

 native than by Europeans, whose substantial 

 tread as they go through the crackling under- 

 growth generally advertises their approach in 

 time for the wild creatures to make tracks, as, 

 indeed, most of them, given the chance, are 

 only too willing to do. The Indian buffalo, 

 which flourishes in Assam and some neigh- 

 bouring countries, is a very different looking 

 animal, greyer in colour and almost hairless, 

 with a wider spread of horns. Unlike the 

 gaur, it has no fancy for the jungle, but spends 

 most of its life in the high grass of the plains 



