CATTLE DISEASE IN ASSAM 441 



expense, and led to much annoyance. There are no zyats in 

 Assam, so tents had to be carried. There are namghurs, but 

 often they are in the heart of a village, and not pleasant places 

 to put up in ; and besides, the Hindoos are not like the 

 Burmese, who welcome visitors, whilst the former would be 

 insolent if they dared. 



We found that the villagers, to drive off the tigers, had 

 burnt every scrap of jungle, so all game had gone elsewhere. 



We got to Burpettah at 2 p.m. Near a bheel en route we 

 shot some duck, teal, and partridges. We halted the next 

 day I had work to attend to, and everything had to be 

 repacked. In the evening I shot some black partridges ; these 

 are generally very good eating, but at times, when they 

 swallow deer droppings, are not fit for table. Jungle fowl in 

 the vicinity of large Hindoo villages, especially if there be a 

 bamboo jungle handy, are very numerous ; but avoid them, 

 as they feed on human ordure. Even the cows act as 

 scavengers, and are so pressed for salt that they greedily 

 lick up any urine. The cattle are small, and die in hundreds 

 every year from the rinderpest, from which Assam is never 

 free. It is said that one of the richest Moslems in Calcutta 

 made his fortune by purchasing for a few pice dozens of the 

 skins of the animals that had died of this fell disease. These 

 were imported to other countries and carried the infection 

 with them. These cattle, when they die, are dragged away 

 about 200 yards from the village. If there is a native 

 chumbar he skins them for the pelts ; tigers drag away some 

 of their bodies and devour them at their leisure. 



After the usual trouble we got off on the I2th, and camped 

 near Sookur's village, re-engaging him and his uncle Seetaram 

 for the trip. I wanted Sookur to take permanent service with 

 me then, but he had just married a young girl who gave him 

 a lot of trouble, and he did not then like to leave her, but he 

 joined me shortly afterwards. In the evening we tried for 

 small game on foot, but did not get much : the florikan were 

 too wild and kept out of shot. All we got were a pea-fowl, 

 three black partridges, and a jungle cock. 



The next day we reached Mina Muttee, having shot some 

 small game en route. The Deputy Commissioner had ordered 



