336 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTKAL INDIA 



or not ; and probably many migbt be slauglitered at long 

 ranges witbout even eliciting a cbarge. If followed up on 

 foot, I believe tbe bufialo to be a nmcli more dangerous 

 opponent than the bison, being less timid, and also found 

 in country where there is usually no protection to be derived 

 from trees or rocks. In Bengal they are scarcely ever shot 

 in any way but from elephants ; and then have been known 

 to prostrate an elephant iu their charge. The prime sport 

 with the buffaloes is on horseback ; but it is rare that ground 

 is found fit to ride them on with any degree of safety, and 

 I never heard of its having been accomphshed excepting 

 on the occasion above related. I am sure, though, that 

 with a horse clever over rough ground, and a hght, breech- 

 loading carbine, capital runs at bufialoes might often be 

 secured by watching them into favourable [ground. To 

 kill them with the spear would, I conceive, be utterly out 

 of the question. We cut open one buU down the chest 

 with an axe, to see what stopped our balls so strangely' in 

 front shots, and found that a bullet fired into the chest has 

 to pass through more than two feet of hide, bone, and 

 gristle before reaching the cavity of the lungs. Nor is the 

 brain more accessible, the animal holding its head either 

 elevated till the nose is level with the eyes, or, if charging, 

 down between its fore-legs, and quite protected from a 

 shot. A plain leaden bullet of an ounce weight, with three 

 drachms of powder, wiU go clean through the skuU if hit 

 perpendicularly, wliich, however, it is nearly impossible 

 to do. The best places to fire, both at bison and bufialo, 

 are through the point of the shoulder, if the rifle be power- 

 ful enough, or, if not, then behind and a httle above the 

 elbow. The centre of the neck is also very deadly, if the 

 aim be true; natives almost always fire there with their 

 matchlocks. The skull and horns of a bull buffalo are so 

 large and heavy as to form a considerable encumbrance as 

 a trophy to the sportsman marching fast with a hght camp. 

 Its value is completely spoilt, however, by sawing off the 

 horns and throwing away the skull, as is often done. The 

 better way is to boil away the flesh, and wait a few days 

 till the horn-sheaths loosen on the bony cores, when they 

 can be taken off, and the cores sawn down, leaving only 



