438 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



them, they had actually built a namghur and put an idol into 

 it ! For the first time I saw nets used for catching game, 

 from deer up to buffaloes ; those for the latter were made of 

 jute, the string being as thick as my little finger. I saw these 

 nets at work afterwards, but will describe the process separ- 

 ately. My servants, who had gone on to Burpettah, did not 

 reach my camp till midnight. 



On the 1 8th I was again hunting for Pakah. I shot some 

 florikan to-day, and also a couple of marsh deer. I saw men 

 going out with nets and agreed to go with them in a few days. 

 I put up in a namghur, but the priests objected, and we very 

 nearly had a row ; but before leaving Gowhatty I had ascer- 

 tained that any traveller of any caste had a right to put up in 

 them. The people were inclined to be bumptious, but seeing 

 my battery arranged in a row, and my two chupprassies ready 

 to back me up, they thought better of it and begged me as a 

 favour not to dine inside, to which I readily agreed, as I 

 always had my table under a tree, only using the namghur 

 for shelter during the heat of the day, or in case it came on to 

 rain. These debased Hindoos will always presume if they 

 think they can do so with impunity. With the greatest 

 difficulty I got back to Gowhatty on June 22, and all the old 

 residents prophesied I'd be dead in ten days, but I did not 

 even get a day's fever. 



Round Gowhatty we had many a day's sport, but the 

 wounded game oftener than not got into the low hills densely 

 covered with bamboos, and escaped for the time. 



In July 1867 I took my wife and a lady friend of hers up to 

 Shillong, and left them there. There was scarcely the vestige 

 of a road in those days ; we had to deposit the money for 

 coolies impressed to carry goods into the Cutcherie, and many 

 of our loads were deposited in the jungles and the coolies fled, 

 we being heavily the losers, but no redress was to be got. 



The Lower Assam Company had a bungalow in the station 

 (Gowhatty) ; there was a good deal of jungle about its vicinity, 

 and twice Fisher, their able manager, had shots at tigers from 

 the back verandah, but failed to bag; and several leopards 

 were caught there in traps. 



Near Moirapore, a tea-garden of the Lower Assam Company, 



