THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
287 
both in a wild and tame state, and are all of the same spe- 
cies and appearance. They are fierce and rough, extremely 
obstinate and untractable, with a wild forbidding coun- 
tenance. Even such of them as are trained to the. 
draught, and familiarised to the people, never lose their 
original habits, but are always dangerous to meddle with or 
to meet in the fields. In shape, they are broad before, and 
narrow behind, and their legs are thick and short. They 
always carry their heads low : their horns are black and very 
thick, shooting out backwards to a considerable length, and 
bending towards the shoulders. The buffaloes do not employ 
their horns offensively, in the same manner as our bulls, 
but first run headlong at their object and trample it under 
foot; and after this is accomplished, they get down on their 
knees and endeavour to bring their horns into such a po- 
sition as to gore their victim. It is always dangerous to meet 
with these animals, particularly for an European, to whose 
complexion or dress they have the greatest antipathy. A 
scarlet coat is the chief object of their resentment, and ren- 
ders them perfectly outrageous. This unaccountable aversion 
to red is extremely vexatious to military men. I have my- 
self frequently experienced it, and been obliged to escape as 
fast as I could from their fury : at one time I was saved only 
by the spirit of my horse. Their fierceness surpasses that of 
almost any wild beast, as it can never be totally subdued 
either by gentle usage, or the sense of fear. 
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