244 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



of the i2-bore low behind his shoulder. The bullets 

 struck true, with a heavy thud. This time I had put in 

 enough powder (8 drachms), and one of the bullets was 

 a conical 12-bore weighing nearly 2 ounces. He came 

 on, his eyes flashing fury, straight for his enemy ; but it 

 was his last effort — the cruel lead had gone surely home. 

 He swayed from side to side, game to the last, still facing 

 his foe ; and, snorting out defiance, he blundered bUndly 

 on to his knees and rolled over quite dead. One always 

 feels sorrow at the downfall of a noble wild beast who 

 dies bravely without a groan. His head was a fine trophy, 

 which now adorns my walls with those of many and 

 various animals, but I look on this head of the bull arna 

 as my grandest trophy. The horns measure 8 feet round the 

 curve and 17 inches in girth. The arna is now, I believe, 

 very scarce. It is sad to see the last of the indigenous 

 cattle swept off the globe by the thoughtless pot-hunter, 

 who shoots females and males alike, and cares nothing 

 that they have as good a title to exist and inhabit the 

 world as man has.* The problem of how the numerous 

 wild animals got there, and whence they came, is one of 

 the most intensely interesting that we can imagine. If 

 men, whose origin is equally mysterious, regard so lightly 

 the reckless slaying of whole species for so-called sport, 

 or, worse still, for the simple lust of slaying or for petty 

 gain, it speaks badly for the boasted evolution of the 

 human species towards a nobler intelligence, a higher 

 knowledge, or a better life. 



The line came up, and I received the hearty congratula- 

 tions of the party, who admired the great bull. He 

 measured 9 feet in girth and 11 feet from nose to tail, and 

 was 15 hands high ; his head weighed 75 sets — 150 pounds, 



* The bisons of America and of Europe (aurochs) have been ex- 

 terminated thus. 



