837.] or Gauri Gau of the Indian forests. 749 



spread, of necessity, in order to feed, but in moving to and from their 

 pastures, they advance in single file, along the narrow beats made by 

 themselves, by elephants, rusas, and other large tenants of this 

 solitary and seemingly impenetrable wilderness. 



On an elephant and in the day time you may, if you show yourself 

 distinctly, approach the herd with facility, and I have seen the males 

 stand with a careless indifference within a few paces : probably be- 

 cause they fear not the wild elephant, and are never molested by 

 sportsmen with the aid of the tame one, the sastras having decreed 

 that the " Gauri is like unto Bos." No gentleman of the country 

 will attempt to kill the Gauri ; and plebeians, if they have less tender 

 consciences, have ordinarily no adequate appliances for the work. 



Men of low caste, who have pursued the animal to death, with the 

 aid of good guns, describe the chase as very exciting. You must 

 plunge into the deepest part of the forest ; eschew all cooking, because 

 of the odours exhaled ; and all dress, because of its unusual colors. 



Three or four men, provided only with water and parched grain for 

 food, proceed to the vicinity of the known haunt of a herd, and, taking 

 up their abode in a tree (for fear of tigers) thence descend daily to 

 ' stalk' the animals, on their feeding ground. The quarry found, the 

 huntsmen spread, under cover of the jangal, and surround the little 

 grazing plot. In doing so, they carefully avoid getting ' between the 

 wind and the nobility' of the Gauri, for he has an exquisite sense of 

 smell ; and, should a keen eye be hesitatingly directed on the moving 

 huntsman, he must instantly stand like a stock, till the suspicion fade 

 away. In this manner the approaches are made, and many times 

 without success, owing to the vigilance of the herd which the least 

 unusual symptom causes to retire into the thick jangal, and often with 

 astonishing speed considering the bulk of the animals. In such case 

 the hopes of that day are blighted wholly : but, should no suspicion 

 be excited, and the party, or some member of it, be able to creep 

 within 30 or 40 paces, with a tree at hand to retreat upon, the fire is 

 given, and the tree instantly climbed, if the point of assault have been 

 perceived by the wounded animal. Otherwise, the cover is kept, and 

 the fire repeated ; for, it is seldom fatal at once, and the whole 

 indignant herd, possibly, but, more probably, the wounded individual 

 of it, will scorn retreat, seeking only to discover the injurer. Woe 

 betide him if he be discovered and cannot climb his tree ; for the 

 sufferer will exact a fearful vengeance, and, not satisfied with death, 

 will gore and trample the corpse to pieces. If the tree be gained, a 

 signal proof of the indomitable spirit of the Gauri is afforded, and this 

 whether the climber have succeeded in taking up his gun with him, or 



