94 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



part of the ground. They were each sunk about 3 feet 

 in the ground, 18 inches apart, and lashed together with 

 cross sticks and fibre, and formed an almost solid wall. A 

 sheet-iron trough was fixed in one corner; when complete, 

 large quantities of brushwood, ferns, and grass were thrown 

 into the pit, until by degrees it became half full, and the bull 

 was enabled to jump out. His first act was to charge the 

 corner whence he was being watched, but the only harm was 

 done to himself, his frontal ridge being slightly cut. His 

 attention was then attracted by the water-trough, which he 

 knocked about considerably, but finding the water, he took 

 one good long drink before finally knocking it to pieces. 

 During the examination of his new quarters he once more 

 fell into the pit, and this enabled us to repair damages ; but 

 before they were quite completed he jumped out again and 

 caused a general stampede. Having twice hurt his head 

 against the stockade, he never again made any attempt to 

 test its strength. The sheet-iron trough seemed to annoy 

 him more than anything else, and was soon rendered useless. 

 A three-cornered wooden trough was then inserted in a corner 

 and protected by stout poles across the corner of the stockade, 

 and this having been satisfactorily arranged, the gaur soon 

 became comparatively tame. He allowed the measurements 

 of his horns to be accurately taken through a window left in 

 the stockade, and very fine horns they were too, measuring 

 34J inches across, from outside to outside of sweep. Although 

 the pit was filled up level with the ground, his previous 

 experience led him to conclude that it was dangerous, and 

 he never crossed it. The result was, that the narrow space 

 between the pit and the stockade became ploughed up, and 

 he was up to his hocks in mud. It therefore became necessary 

 to enlarge the enclosure for about 100 yards in length, taking 

 a bit of jungle for shelter, and a small ravine which would 

 hold water. A small shed was erected with sliding bars on 

 the outside and inside, with a view of introducing a domestic 

 cow as a companion, and so if he approved of her she 

 might be let into the stockade. 



" He took to his new quarters very kindly, and soon got to 

 know that grass was left for him at the inner gate of the shed. 



