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C. W. ODLING^ C.S.I., M.INST.C.B., ON ORISSA : 



state that if the women were provided, free of cost, with an 

 outfit of clothes, those clothes as they wore out should be 

 replaced, and leaves as a mode of dress abandoned. The 

 first arraying of these ladies in strange garments was made the 

 occasion of a state function. The women were paraded before 

 my friend in their clothing of leaves and received their new 

 raiments in his presence. They then retired to the jangle, 

 clothed themselves in their novel dresses, and again passed 

 before him in single line. As they came by their noses were 

 smeared with red paint, and they were received into Hindu and 

 civilised society. The men are armed with bows and arrows 

 and matchlocks which, on more than one occasion, they have 

 used with great pertinacity against the native soldiers of the 

 Indian Army. They are at times a good deal harassed by the 

 Hindu officials and traders, but there is a well-understood line 

 which, if passed, is sure to lead to armed resistance. In 1869 

 I was living on the borders of one of these states when a small 

 rising occurred, and from the account given to me some time 

 afterwards by the brother of the Prime Minister, if I may so 

 call him, I formed a very distinct opinion that my informant's 

 brother, who was killed, had brought his fate on himself. At 

 the same time I am bound to say that the general opinion is 

 that the inhabitants of the native states are quite as well off as 

 their brethren in British territory ; there arc occasionally cases 

 of real and severe oppression, bat the taxation is less rigid and 

 if oppressive, it is both resented and evaded ; the jungle is near 

 and it is very easy to be " not at home " when the tax-gatherer 

 calls. 



Wild beasts exist in plenty. There are tigers, leopards, deer 

 of several kinds, wolves, hyenas, an occasional bison and herds 

 of elephants. I had the chance of witnessing an elephant 

 catch conducted by my friend who ruled the Keonjhur State. 

 For some reason or other, it was difficult for me to leave my 

 post, and it remains one of my lost opportunities. The elephants 

 were enticed into an enclosure by decoys — trained female 

 elephants — then secured to trees, and a montli after my friend 

 appeared at my head([uarters, which was fifty miles distant 

 from the Keddah, with his catch of twenty-five elephants. I 

 may here say that, with the exception of the elephant, the bison 

 and some of the varieties of deer, the animals mentioned exist in 

 less abundance on the plains. There are, besides, antelopes and 

 buffalo; the latter has, however, I am informed, nearly disappeared. 

 In the early days of the seventies they were numerous, as the 

 sea coast was approached, and my own experience of big game 



