THE MONKEY-EATERS. 189 



a very simple manner. A small hole was made in 

 the skin of one of the legs. Into this the thumb 

 was inserted, and the flesh separated from the skin 

 for a little distance. A reed was now inserted 

 into the hole, and strongly blown through, so 

 as to inflate the space made by the thumb. The 

 hole was now firmly pinched so as to allow none 

 of the air to escape, and the air squeezed forward 

 with the hands, so that a further portion of the 

 skin was separated from the flesh. This space 

 was now inflated, and the squeezing forward pro- 

 cess of the air again carried out, and continued 

 until in a little time the skin was swelled out 

 like a balloon and loosened entirely from the 

 carcase. A hole was now made under the 

 neck, and the whole body withdrawn, or rather 

 the skin was turned back on itself, and pulled 

 off like a sock. The hands were then cut off 

 at the wrist and, the tail being removed at the 

 stump, the skin is rubbed over with powdered 

 wild turmeric, to preserve it from insects. The 

 tails, with skins on, are carefully preserved, and 

 when dried make formidable clubs, quite four feet 

 long and immensely strong ; and these are used 

 by the Behurs for killing monkeys and other game. 

 The skins find a ready sale among the Gassis and 

 makers of tom-toms (drums), as monkey-skins 

 make better drum-heads than the skin of any 

 other animal. 



We found that the Behurs spoke a dialect of 

 Mundaree, or Kol, language common to all the 

 aborigines of Chota Nagpore. A few cigars dis- 



