342. WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



a cutting-up or skinning knife, named a " da myaung," the 

 well-to-do men probably stowing away a spare jacket and a 

 u loongyi " or loin-cloth. 



The above is about the sum total of a Burman's kit when 

 travelling or out on shikar. The trip from beginning to end, 

 including rations for myself, servants, and camp-followers, to- 

 gether with the hire of two mules, the other two being my own 

 (excluding cost of tinned and other stores), would be as follows : 

 Rations for camp-followers from April 3 to May 15, Rs.ioo. 

 Hire of two mules at Rs.i per diem per mule, Rs.86. Total, 

 Rs.iSo As many of the licensed gun-holders had had their 

 licences withdrawn, game was plentiful in the neighbourhood. 

 There were numerous signs of Bos sondaicus, the banting or 

 tsine, as well as gaur about, but the ground was still rather 

 dry and parched after the recent fires, and tracking was rather 

 hard. 



The places most frequented, apparently from recent tracks, 

 appeared to be those parts where large areas of grass had been 

 burnt and the young shoots had sprouted. After the fires, 

 April, May, or June is certainly the best time for big-game 

 shooting in Upper Burma, 1 more especially for gaur and tsine, 

 as, being easily seen a long way ofF, they can be approached 

 and stalked without difficulty. 



After we had been out in camp two days, one of our mule- 

 men, on his return from cutting fodder, informed me in the 

 evening that he had seen fresh tracks of a herd of gaur near a 

 patch of "kaing " or elephant grass, about four miles from camp, 

 which had recently been burnt. Moung Hpe" and I immedi- 

 ately pricked up our ears on hearing this piece of information, 

 and as he was acquainted with the locality referred to by the 

 muleteer, we decided to visit the spot next day. Early next 

 morning we were up, and well on our way when day broke. 

 Moung Hpe, who knew the patch well, said that the gaur were 

 sure to be found grazing on the young shoots of " kaing " grass, 

 which ought to be about a foot high. While nearing the patch 

 in question, a piece of ground some 40 yards square, a few 

 loud snorts and stamping of feet were heard some 50 yards 

 off. I immediately rushed up, but arrived at the patch only 

 1 Also in Lower. F. T. P. 



