OF ox, NAMED GAY A'L. ^ 519 



but, as evening approaches, they all return home, 

 of their own accord ; the young Gctyal being early 

 taught this habit, by being regularly fed every 

 night. with salt, of which he is very fond : and, 

 from the occasional continuance of tliis practice, 

 as he grows up, the attachment of the Gai/al to 

 his native village, becomes so strong, that, when 

 the Cucis migrate from it, tliey are obliged to set 

 fire to the huts which they are about to leave, 

 lest their Gaydh should return thither from their 

 new place of residence, before they become 

 equally attaclied to it, as to the former, through 

 the same means. 



' The wild Gayal sometimes steals out from the 

 forest in the night, and feeds in the rice fields 

 bordering on the hills. The Cuds give no grain 

 to their cattle. With us, the tame Gaydls feed on 

 Calc'ii (phaseolus nia.v) ; but, as our hills abound 

 with shrubs, it has not been remarked, what par- 

 ticular kind of grass they prefer. 



* The Hindus, in this province, will not kill the 

 Gahay, which they hold in equal veneration with 

 the cow. But tlie As'L Gayal, or Selo'i, they hunt, 

 and kill, as they do the wild buft^alo. The ani- 

 mal, here alluded to, is another species of Gaydl 

 found wild in the hills o^ Cliatgaon ; a correct de- 

 scription of which will be given hereafter. He 

 has never been domesticated ; and is, in appear- 

 ance and disposition, very difierent from the com- 

 mon Gaydl, which has been just desciibed. The 

 natives call him the As'lGaydlm contradistinction 

 to tht Gabay. The C/k/* distinguish him by the 

 name of Selot, and the Mugs and Burmas by that 

 of Plianj ; and they consider him, next to the 

 tiger, the most dangerous and the fiercest anima 

 of their forests.' 



LI 4 



