THE MAHADEO HILLS 93 



wliich is exceedingly troublesome to all animals. At sucli 

 times the bison seek the high, open tops of the mountains ; 

 and I have then seen a solitary bull standing for hours 

 like a statue on the top of the highest peak in the Puch- 

 murree range. 



Though at first sight a clumsy-looking animal, which 

 is chiefly due to his immensely massive dorsal ridge, the 

 bison is one of the best rock climbers among animals. 

 His short legs, and small, game-like hoofs, the enormous 

 power of the muscles of the shoulder, with their high 

 dorsal attachment, and the preponderance of weight in 

 the fore part of the body, all eminently qualify him for 

 the ascent of steep and rocky hills. For rapid descent, 

 however, they are not so well adapted ; and I have known 

 cases of their breaking a leg when pushed to take rapidly 

 a steep declivity; a bull with one fore-leg broken is at 

 once brought to a standstill. ^ 



Terrible tales are told of the relentless ferocity of the 

 bison by the class of writers who aim rather at sensa- 

 tional description than at sober truth. I have myself 

 always found them to be extremely timid, and have 

 never been charged by a bison, though frequently in a 

 position where any animal at all ferocious would cer- 

 tainly have done so. In all my experience, I have only 

 heard of one or two cases of charging which I consider 

 fxilly authentic, and in these the animal had previously 

 been attacked and wounded. Captain Pearson was once 

 treed by a wounded bull in the Puchmurree hills, which 

 charged and upset his gun-bearer; and an oflB.cer was 

 kiUed by one some years ago near Asirgarh. Often the 

 blind rush of an animal bent on escape is put down by 

 excited sportsmen as a deliberate charge. Much, too, of 

 the romance attached to the animal must be attributed 

 to his formidable appearance; for the sullen air of a 

 mighty buU just roused is very impressive ; and much to 

 the wild tales of the people in whose neighbourhood they 

 live, who always dilate on their general ferocity, but can 

 seldom point to. an instance of its effects, and who are, 

 moreover, frequently from religious prejudice, desirous of 

 withholding the sportsman from their pursuit. Still 



