1875. J T. H. Hendley— An Account of tic Mahodr Bhils. 357 



since a Thakur cut off the legs of two eaters of the sacred cow and plunged 

 the stumps into boiling oil. The mainstay, as before stated, is maize, then 

 comes rice ; they like goat's flesh, which is most often eaten after being first 

 used as an oblation, fish, and fruit, especially nim (AzadiracJita Indica) and 

 janiiin {Syzi/gium Zamoolanun) berries. They preserve caste amongst 

 themselves, especially when Hindus are at hand ; they eat together, but two 

 people never use the same plate or leaf. They will drink raw spirits out of 

 a bottle from their hollowed hands or even in a glass, when only their of- 

 ficers are near them — -they really enjoy getting drunk ; the women do drink, 

 but not to such excess as the men, and if they should be unfortunate, remain 

 indoors, the degrading spectacle of an intoxicated woman is, therefore, rarely 

 seen. Their favourite beverage, which is used on all festive occasions, and 

 which is prepared by the Bhils themselves, or a kalal or liquor-seller, who 

 resides in every village, is the spirit distilled from the flower of the Mhowa 

 tree (Bassia latifolia). The Khond and other races use the same spirit, 

 and the bear appreciates the flowers. Every tree has its owner, however 

 remote in the jungle. The liquor is not very strong when made in the vil- 

 lages. I was compelled twice to re-distil some obtained in Erinpura before 

 it would burn in a spirit lamp. A four-anna bottle, however, of Phul Daru, 

 'flowery spirit', will rejoice the heart of a Bhil. 



The Bhil knows little of cooking, he has as furniture a charpai, a few 

 kotis or large earthen pots for grain, a brass lota or two, as many ear- 

 then pots, and when there is a baby, a cradle in which to swing it. 



His agricultural implements are a rough sort of spade, a kulhari or 

 hatchet, a khanti or crowbar with a sharp point, a khurpa for cutting grass, 

 a plough and a common piece of flat wood which takes the place of a harrow. 



Customs. — The Bhil is taught to hunt by his father and friends ; he will 

 shoot small game and not fear to attack large. He is a capital huntsman, 

 tracking and marking down tigers, panthers, and bears, knowing all their 

 haunts, the best places to shoot them, the paths they take and all those 

 points so essential to success in great game shooting ; they will remember for 

 years the spots where tigers have been disposed of, and all the circumstances 

 connected with their death. 



The Bhil will himself attack a leopard and, with his sword, aided by his 

 friends, cut him in pieces. No one, not even the Khond, can excel or even 

 equal him in tracking men. He is very skilful in snaring game, and will 

 destroy a hare in this fashion. 



A party assembles in an open place surrounded by trees, a hare is start- 

 ed, one man alone shows himself, and runs a few yards after the animal which 

 flies to the edge of the circle, whence another foe darts out and frightens her 

 back, the manoeuvre is repeated until at last the poor creature drops from 

 exhaustion. 



