1837.] An Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies. 81 



servoirs were excavated in the rocky summits of the hills, where the 

 appearance indicated the presence of water ; in these excavations, it 

 frequently becomes necessary to form a portion of the rock into pillars, 

 to support the roof of the tank. 



It is to be noticed, that the acclivity, on the western side of the 

 Syhadry range, is always abrupt and very steep. Here, especially, as 

 well as among some of the other groups of hills, there are many grand 

 chasms, with rocky walls, several hundred feet in depth. In these im- 

 mense ravines, on the summits of the hills, and puthars, or plateaux, 

 there are numerous plants, shrubs and beautiful trees. In many places, 

 in hollows, and on the puthars, there are dense and extensive patches 

 of lofty jungle and forest timber, with thickets of impervious brush- 

 wood, particularly south-west of Joonere and around Ambygoun. A 

 variety of wild animals inhabit these jungles. Tigers, cheetahs, 

 hyeenas, bears, wild cats, hogs, kollussnahs (wild dogs),* jackalls, 

 gowahs (bison), samburs, neelgaie, spotted deer, antelope, bhekkur, 



* The animal, termed by us the wild dog, is known to the natives by the name of 

 kollussnah, kollusra and kollussa. It is common in the Kotool district, and all along the 

 range of western ghauts. It is about the size of a panther, with very powerful fore quar- 

 ters, narrow tapering loins, black and pointed muzzle, and small erect ears. The tail is 

 long, and at the extremity there is a bunch of hair several inches in length. The kol- 

 lussnah is of a darkish red colour, possesses great speed and hunts in packs of five, eight, 

 fifteen, and even to the number of twenty-five ; is extremely active, artful, and cunning 

 in mastering his prey. It is during the night time they move about in search of food, 

 but, should an animal approach near them, an hour or two after sunrise, or a short time 

 before sunset, tl*ey will attack it — all animals seem instinctively to dread thern. During 

 the daytime they remain quiet in their hiding places. When the kollussnah discovers 

 an animal worthy of being captured, the circumstance is announced to the pack by 

 a barking, whistling noise ; the others are on the alert, advance rapidly and post them- 

 selves slyly round the spot, and gradually close in on the animal. Upon seeing one 

 or two of the kollussnahs he gets frightened, but much more so when, running away 

 at speed, he encounters one of his enemies in whichever direction he attempts to escape. 

 The consequence is, that he stands quite amazed--some of the kollussnahs run in 

 close to him, and shed water on their bushy tails, which they swing about and jerk into his 

 eyes ; he is successively saluted in the same manner, when he approaches them, or they 

 run in on him. The unlucky beast is soon blinded by the peculiar escharotic quality of 

 the application ; for he begins to stagger and run round and round, and is now beset by 

 all the kollussnahs who make a loud barking and snapping noise while they pull the 

 animal down and tear him to pieces. When few in number, they have been known to 

 gratify their hunger before the poor animal fell down or expired, each of them tearing 

 away a mouthful w*hile the animal remained standing. There are very few instances of 

 their ever having attacked the villagers' cattle, but they will kill stiay calves if they fall 

 in with them. The Kolies never molest the kollussnah, in fact they are glad to see 

 them in their neighbourhood, being aware of the enmity that exists between them and 

 the tiger, for they kill that animal occasionally ; and in consequence they are considered 

 by the people as the protectors of their cattle and their fields, for neither sambur. deer, 

 or hog, seem disposed to approach places much frequented by the kollussnah. They hunt 

 and kill the sambur, neelgaie, hyesna, deer, jackalls, hares, hogs, bears, porcupines 

 and quails. They killed a tiger, in June, last year, in the Teloongun jungles. 



