1867.] Captain B. G. Beavan on Panolia Ehli. 187 



the natives itsed to destroy them wholesale at battues : a large 

 number of men would assemble from the surrounding villages and 

 gradually encircle three or four moderately sized herds with long 

 strings, upon which plantain leaves were tied so as to flutter in 

 the wind. The circle originally formed at some distance was gra- 

 dually lessened, as the deer, afraid to pass the scarecrows, got 

 gradually driven togethei*, until they were completely surrounded and 

 at the mercy of the hunters. The object was to get them into a 

 corner near the heavy jungle, into which if they attempted to run, 

 they either became entangled or allowed their pursuers to get up 

 quite close. My informant tells me that, in former years, he has himself 

 seen as many as 150 to 200 killed in one battue. To such a length 

 was this system carried, and such enormous havoc thereby created, that 

 the Burmese Government, fearing that the species would be utterly ex- 

 terminated, wisely put a stop to the practice. This shikarree informed 

 me that five-and-twenty years ago he has seen as many as five hun- 

 dred head in one herd, and his account was confirmed by others. At 

 the present clay, vast mounds of their bones, in every stage of decay, 

 exist on the Thatong plain, the site of many a battue in former times. 

 The value of a whole carcass then was only 4 annas or ^ tical weight 

 of Burmese silver, equivalent to eight or ten annas of our coinage at 

 the present day ! Several intelligent men are now living in the 

 vicinity of Thatong and Yengyaing who formerly took part in these 

 wholesale slaughterings, and, like many others of the present genera- 

 tion, are apt to look back fondly to those good old times. 



These battues or Jcyoioine were preceded by all sorts of ceremonies 

 and sacrificial rites, offerings being previously made to the tutelary 

 nats or deities of the woods and plains, to ensure success. In addition 

 to these battues, and the recent increase of cultivation and population, 

 we may account for their gradual decrease by the great increase that 

 has taken place, of late years, in the number and use of fire-arms. 

 Nearly every Burman can shoot, and a large proportion have each 

 their matchlock or cheap Birmingham gun. It is excessively diffi- 

 cult to catch a thamyn, even a young one, alive, owing to the open 

 nature of the country which they frequent ; and several officers in 

 the Burmese Commission have for some time past been endeavour- 

 ing, without success, to procure young individuals of both sexes 



