84 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



low down, the ball penetrates the heart. If behind the 

 shoulder the lungs are perforated, and the beast succumbs 

 after about five minutes, and can easily be recovered by its 

 stertorous breathing, which it utters before it gives up the 

 ghost. This noise, once heard, can never be forgotten. 



Although the horns are almost useless as trophies, for many 

 of them are but knobs, the natives prize them very much, and 

 will buy them, giving as much as Rs. 45 a seer (2 Ibs.). The 

 young ones are easily caught after the mother has been 

 killed, and though very savage at first, soon get tame, and 

 are worth a lot of money. They cost next to nothing to keep 

 and rear. The footmarks much resemble those of an elephant ; 

 but they are a little smaller, and a little longer, and have but 

 three toes against the elephant's five. Although many castes 

 in India Brahmins and Marwaries in particular partake of 

 only grain, they have asked me to dry the tongue for them ; 

 this they pulverize and bottle, and take a pinch of it when ill. 



The Assamese, bigoted Hindoos as they are, used to follow 

 us about in gangs like flocks of vultures, and directly they 

 heard shots, rush up, all fighting for certain tit-bits ; not a 

 morsel would be left ; even the hide they cut into lengths and 

 roast over embers, and eat as some people eat the crackling 

 of a pig. 



Considering the value put on the flesh and horns of this 

 animal by the natives, I am surprised there is one left alive, 

 as it deposits its ordure l at one spot only until a mound is 

 formed, sometimes several feet in height, and as it visits that 

 spot night and morning, by digging a pit near, nothing could 

 be easier than to shoot it. 



Whenever I went into the dooars I was followed by native 

 shikar ies who kept out of my ken, but hovered about near ; 

 as I had seldom time to hunt up wounded beasts, they would 

 trace them up, and either shoot them, or, if they found them 

 dead as was oftener the case they would appropriate the 

 horns and flesh. They thus stole a magnificent horn (for 

 Assam), 18 inches long, off a beast I had severely wounded 



1 My colleague states he has not noticed these dung-heaps. I have 

 seen them, I may say, always, where either variety of rhinoceros have 

 taken up their residence. He has since come across them in the 

 Arrakan Yomahs. F. T. P. 



