514 THE BUFFALO. 



animal is carried to so great a height, that if a Brahmin Bull chooses to lie down in a narrow 

 lane, no one can pass until he gets up of his own accord. 



Bishop Heber, in his well-known journal, mentions the Brahmin Bulls and the unceremo- 

 nious manner in which they conduct themselves, and remarks that they are sometimes rather 

 mischievous as well as annoying, being apt to use their horns if their caprices be not immedi- 

 ately gratified. 



The Buffalo is spread over a very wide range of country, being found in Southern 

 Europe, North Africa, India, and a few other localities. 



This animal is subject to considerable modifications in external aspect, according to the 

 climate or the particular locality in which it resides, and has in consequence been mentioned 

 under very different names. In all cases the wild animals are larger and more powerful than 

 their domesticated relations, and in many instances the slightly different shape, and greater or 

 lesser length of the horns, or the skiu denuded of hairs, have been considered as sufficient 

 evidences of separate species. 



In India, the long, smooth-horned variety chiefly prevails, and is found in tolerable pro- 

 fusion. This animal frequents wet and marshy localities, being sometimes called the Water 

 Buffalo on account of its aquatic predilections. It is a most fierce and dangerous animal, 

 savage to a marvellous degree, and not hesitating to charge any animal that may arouse its 

 ready ire. An angry Buffalo has been known to attack a tolerably-sized elephant, and by a 

 vigorous charge in the ribs to prostrate its huge fire. Even the tiger is found to quail before 

 the Buffalo, and displays the greatest uneasiness in its presence. 



The Buffalo, indeed, seems to be animated by a rancorous hatred towards the tiger, and if 

 it should come inadvertently on one of the brindled objects of its hate, will at once rush for- 

 ward to the attack. Taking advantage of this peculiarity, the native princes are in the habit 

 of amusing themselves with combats between tigers and trained Buffaloes. The arena is 

 always prepared by the erection of a lofty and strongly-built palisade, composed of bamboos 

 set perpendicularly, and bound together upon the outside. The object of this contrivance is, 

 that the surface of the bamboo is so hard and slippery, that the tiger' s claws can find no hold 

 in case of an attempted escape. 



The tiger is first turned into the arena, and generally slinks round its circumference, seek- 

 ing for a mode of escape, and ever and anon looking up to the spectators, who are placed in 

 galleries that overlook the scene of combat. When the tiger has crept to a safe distance from 

 the door, the Buffalo is admitted, and on perceiving the scent of the tiger, it immediately 

 becomes excited, its hairs bristle up, its eyes begin to flash, and it seeks on every side for the 

 foe. As soon as it catches a glance of its enemy, it lowers its head towards the ground, so 

 that the tips of its horns are only a few inches above the earth, and its nose lies between its 

 fore-legs, and plunges forward at the shrinking tiger. Were the latter animal to dare the 

 brunt of the Buffalo's charge, the first attack would probably be the last ; but as the tiger is 

 continually shifting its position, the force of the onset is greatly diminished by the curve in 

 the Buffalo's course. 



As a general rule the Buffalo comes off the victor, for even when the tiger has gained an 

 advantage, he does not follow it up with sufficient celerity, but permits his antagonist to regain 

 his lost breath. The Buffalo, on the contrary, allows the tiger no breathing time, but con- 

 tinues his rapid charges without cessation, until he forces the tiger off his guard, and then with 

 a rapid spring impales the foe on his horns. 



It is generally supposed that the wild Buffaloes will destroy any tigers that may happen 

 to approach their herds too closely. A wild adult male Buffalo, or Arnee, as it is also called, 

 is one of the largest of the Ox tribe, measuring no less than ten feet six inches from the tip of 

 the nose to the root of the tail, and from six feet to six feet six inches in height at the shoul- 

 ders. So confident are even the tiger-dreading herd-keepers of the prowess of their tamed 

 animals, that they will ride them in search of pasture even when they know tigers to be in the 

 near vicinity. One of these herds chanced to come across the spot where a tiger had been 

 recently shot, and on perceiving the scent of the blood, they became powerfully excited, 



