118 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



duals, though never reaching the sooty blackness of the negro- 

 Among the G6nds a lighter-brown tint was not uncommon. 

 In features both races are almost identical, the face being flat, 

 forehead low, nose flat on the bridge, with open protuberant 

 nostrils ; lips heavy and large, but the jaw usually well 

 formed and not prominent like that of the negro ; the hair 

 on the face generally very scanty, but made up for by a 

 bushy shock of straight black hair. In form they are gene- 

 rally well made, muscular about the shoulders and thighs, 

 with lean sinewy forearm and lower leg. The expression of 

 face is rather stolid, though good humoured. Some of the 

 younger men might almost be called handsome after their 

 pattern ; but the elders have generally a coarse weather-beaten 

 aspect which is not attractive. All the men present carried 

 the little axe, without which they never stir into the forest, 

 and many had spears besides. During the beat they had 

 killed a good many peafowl and hares, and one little deer, by 

 throwing their axes at them, in which they are very expert. 



The Korktis, I found, were prevented by prejudice acquired 

 from the Hindus from eating the flesh of the slain bison ; so 

 the Gonds from Alm6d, and a number of a tribe called Bharyas, 

 who had come from the Motur hills, had him all to them- 

 selves, while the Korkus set to work on the s&mbar with their 

 sharp little axes, w T hich are all that is wanted for skinning 

 and cutting up the carcass of the largest animal. My servant 

 secured the tongues and marrow-bones, and a steak out of the 

 undercut of the bison all delicacies of the first water for the 

 table of the forest sportsman ; and the remainder of the flesh 

 was given up to the hungry multitude. As night fell, they lit 

 fires where the bison had fallen, and near the village where 

 they had brought the deer; and for hours after continued 

 carrying about gobbets of the raw meat, which they hung up 



