142 FOREST LIFE AND SPORT IN INDIA 
joined by two men, who walked on either side of 
him, and a few hundred yards farther on there had 
been a struggle, whence a trail led into the forest to 
the spot where his body lay. He had been bound 
with his own turban and decapitated with his own 
knife, and, so far as I remember, while the police 
were discussing whether the crime had been com- 
mitted within the borders of one district or the 
other, the culprits got clean away. 
The western extremity of the Bhinga Forest lies 
on the banks of the Rapti River, infamous for its 
treacherous quicksands, which engulfed with heavy 
loss a party of cavalry who were driving the 
mutineers from Oudh into the Nepal Tarai. Even 
to-day care has to be taken when crossing the ford 
at Kakadari, or the sight may be witnessed of a 
string of laden camels reclining in the stream, their 
long legs presumably held captive by the clinging 
sands. The camel is certainly a fearsome beast on 
any but dry and solid ground ; on clayey soil he will 
slip till his straddling legs are past recovery. He is 
perhaps the only animal that absolutely refuses to 
make an effort to save his own life when out of his 
depth in water; while only strangulation will per- 
suade him to cross the gangway on to a roomy boat, 
where, once shipped, he must be bound down in a 
sitting posture, lest he should wave his irresponsible 
limbs, to the destruction of the crew and cargo. He 
has his virtues, for he can walk in paths where 
wheeled traffic is impossible, and he is not liable to 
attacks from wild beasts; his savour saves his life 
from tigers, and wild-elephants will flee from his 
approach, but his value in Tarai country is doubt- 
