152 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



ride we had met men who were carrying to us the body of 

 a woman just killed, in the expectation that a sight of it 

 would verify their tale, and move us to rid them of the 

 murderous bull. 



When first descried through the hot quivering vapour of 

 the April afternoon the herd appeared to be about half a mile 

 away, standing in a patch of low, dry grass, and looming 

 almost as large as elephants. Stationed apart in a knot as if 

 for mutual comfort and protection were five tame cows, not such 

 as are to be seen among the tame herds in the neighbourhood 

 of Calcutta, but tall stout boasts, displaying unmistakably in 

 form and size a wild strain, such as used to graze in hundreds 

 on the " churs " and islands of the Megna and Brahmapootra 

 rivers, fearless alike of tigers on land, and monster crocodiles 

 in the water. These cows loomed gigantic through the 

 shimmering hot air, but they were small when compared 

 with the huge form towering above them, as it appeared 

 standing sixty or seventy yards beyond. The bull was 

 obviously uneasy, and keenly on the look out for some enemy 

 or victim, lowering his outstretched head only to drive away 

 impatiently with his horns the gnats and flies which pestered 

 him ; the cows keeping together, now and again picked up a 

 morsel of grass, but they too were clearly unsettled in their 

 minds, and seemed anxious to separate from the intruder, but 

 yet afraid to move off. 



S. and I were mounted on fine Arabs, fleet and expe- 

 rienced hunters, bold as lions and sure-footed as goats. We 

 carried light double-barrelled guns of 16 bore, handy for use 

 on horseback, but lamentably deficient in power when used 

 against such an adversary as that before us, except indeed at 

 very close quarters, and aimed at the weak points of his body. 

 Although young men, we had had considerable experience, 

 and were able to gauge fully well the character and powers 

 of our opponent. We understood his strength and speed, and 

 knew how to set about what had to be done ; for not only 

 had the murder just committed by the beast given us an 

 idea of his disposition, but his gaunt and savage aspect, as he 



