MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 557 



fifteen garahs out between us for three days and eleven for six days; the amount 

 of ground covered can be imagined ; result — one kill by a panther ; there 

 was no lack of fresh pugs, but in the cold weather a place where there are 

 fresh pugs is the most unlikely spot for a kill as a rule. Twice I should have 

 got a certain kill if it had not been for the obstinacy of my shikaris in this 

 matter : native shikaris have two articles of faith — one is that it is no use 

 tying up unless there are fresh pugs, and another that, if there is no blood, it is 

 a miss ; I am glad to say that I converted mine on both these points. I found 

 the greatest difficulty in getting information of village animals killed by tigers, 

 it was quite the exception for information to be volunteered. I saw a full- 

 grown buffalo which had a narrow escape from a tiger, who must have sadly 

 miscalculated his spring, as the buffalo was clawed at the back of its hind 

 quarters, one very bad wound involving the anus : I am surprised at the tiger 

 attacking a full-grown buffalo, especially as the tiger (which I shot) was only 

 a young one. 



This tiger must at one time have had an encounter with a porcupine in which 

 the former did not have all the honours, for, on skinning him, I found pieces 

 of porcupine quill, some nearly three inches in length, in his foot, head and 

 body ; these had evidently been in a long time, as there was no trace of any 

 external wound, and the quills were very much discoloured and worn ; they 

 were between the inner layers of the skin. 



Panthers I also found decidedly scarce ; one was the smallest one I have ever 

 seen and seemed all tail (I missed it sitting over the kill). I was surprised 

 at finding it on the kill when I went to inspect it between one and two o'clock 

 in the day. It was a long time before I could make myself understood when 

 I wished to enquire about panthers and chital, when neither tendwa or chital 

 was understood ; however I at last got hold of the difference,^., Chitwa for the 

 former and Chita for the latter ; this, however, does not seem to work 

 everywhere. 



There was a custom in the case of a tiger being shot which was new to me 

 or at least which I do not remember, viz., when the dead tiger was being 

 brought in, the women of the village used to put a rope across the road and 

 refuse to let it pass until they received lachsheesh ; it would be interesting to 

 know when this originated ; I am afraid that they never get any thing out 

 of me. 



There is a deal of latent pluck and folly combined about a native ; how 

 frequently do we hear of a herd driving off a tiger which has attacked one of 

 his cattle with no more formidable weapon than a stick ; a case occurred near 

 here only last week ; the tiger, however, resented the interference and made 

 for the man, who died of his wounds. 



Bears were fairly numerous. I was having a beat for a tiger on one occasion ; 

 behind me was an open space about 300 yards across, then grass ; during the 

 beat two bears at different times came close to me ; they both behaved in 

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