100 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTEAL INDIA. 



to (p. 75), the plum of the ebony tree (Diospyros melanoxy- 

 lon), and the fruit of the wild mango, are the staples in 

 these hills. The berries of the Chironji (Buchanania lati- 

 folia), and the Ber (Zizyphus jujuba), the seeds of the Sal 

 (Shorea robusta), the bean of the giant Bauhinia creeper, 

 and many other products of trees, are also eaten in different 

 parts of the hills. A species of wild arrowroot (Curcuma), 

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

 consumed. 



The rare occurrence of the general seeding of the bamboo 

 forests, is a godsend to the aboriginal 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 experience. It would probably be in vain to 

 guess the cause of this sudden renewal at long intervals of the 

 whole crop of bamboo. 



This diet of herbs is varied and improved by the flesh of 



