1840.] The Hodesum (improperly called Kolehan) , 785 



The men are fine powerful fellows, and while young, very handsome. 

 The early use of the bow expands the chest and sets the muscles while 

 yet mere boys, and their passion for the chase, which they pursue over 

 their steep and rugged hills, brings their lower limbs into a state of 

 training which the best " Phulwan" of the plains of India might envy. 



The Hos are keen sportsmen, a fact which the *' Saheb Log" at 

 Chyebassa soon found to their cost ; their Manton's and Purdey's, 

 and Westley Richard's, might as well have been left unpurchased, for 

 scarcely a living thing in the shape of game could show itself in 

 the neighbourhood, without the country being up in pursuit. In the 

 quail season, when the " d'han" is cut, every herdsman tending his 

 cattle has his hawk on his fist, besides large parties of youngsters from 

 the villages, who keep close ahead of the cattle, and the instant 

 a quail or partridge rises, the nearest " Reechee" or ''Chikra" cuts 

 short his existence. I have frequently, returning home with an empty 

 bag, met parties of them with provoking bunches of dead quail in their 

 hands. On these occasions they would laugh heartily at the success of 

 their system over mine, but generally end by offering me half of their 

 spoils. My retaliation used to be in the snipe (khets.) These birds, 

 they confessed, their hawks could not overtake, and a successful right 

 and left shot would restore the credit of the " Boondookoo." 



From the burning of the grass till the new crop becomes too 

 high, i.e., between January and June, they scour the jungles in 

 large parties, and at uncertain periods, for wilder game, surrounding 

 and driving to a centre the deer and other animals. But the grand 

 meeting is in May, about the " Cheyt Purub," when people of all sects 

 and classes repair to the hills north of Singbhoom. The prelimi- 

 naries of the " Hankwa" are arranged by ambassadors and emissaries 

 from Singbhoom, the Kolehan, and the Jungle Mehals, and vast 

 multitudes draw in from every quarter, from Sikrbhoom, from near 

 Bankoorah, and Medneepoor, on the east, and from the borders of 

 Chota Nagpoor on the west. On the given day, these crowds, extended 

 in lines, draw towards a common centre, sweeping the Jankeebooroo 

 hills and other ranges which reach from Chota Nagpoor to the Soobern- 

 rekha river, separating Tamar from Singbhoom; as the lines approach 

 each other, the slaughter commences. The uproar is difiicult to des- 

 cribe, and the scene the wildest imagination can picture. Those deep 



