A Popular Account of the Manners and Customs of IndiaAcland, Charles
History
A Popular Account of the Manners and Customs of India
Acland, Charles
India -- Description and travel; India -- Social life and customs
At last off we started along the regular path to Chogga. The change
was most extraordinary; the fog had already cleared away; we were
walking along a narrow winding path cut through the jungle. On each
side of us extended as far as the eye could reach a vast plain
covered with laurels and shrubs of a bright green, interspersed here
and there with large flowers of a brilliant crimson or scarlet, and
more rarely with trees of a stunted growth, on which numbers of
little tiny doves were cooing their greeting to the sun. The bushes,
which we call low jungle, grow to four or five feet in height, and
so thickly that it is impossible to pass through them, except where
a path has been cut, or where a natural glade or opening occurs.
We walked on looking out anxiously for some opening, as we knew we
should find nothing worth firing at in the open plain. Suddenly,
on turning an angle in the path, we saw at the distance of about a
quarter of a mile on the right a clear space with a few large trees
in it. Amid the branches sat fifteen or twenty pea-fowl, and on the
open glade were as many more feeding. Shortly afterwards we came to a
smaller one, which enabled us to separate, so that we might approach
the pea-fowl in different directions; however we could not get within
shot, which we much regretted.
But I own I was not quite so eager in pushing through the jungle as
I should have been the next day; it was quite novel to me, and I
could not help thinking every now and then of the dreaded cobra or
the scarcely less dreaded tiger. Indeed, of the last I had a fearful
reminder before I rejoined Mr. L.
In a small space of clear ground I came suddenly upon the skeleton
of a man, evidently lately killed, for much of the flesh was still
adhering to the bones. Probably it was the poor driver of whom we
had heard. I had quite lost sight of Mr. L., but presently heard
him shout from some distance behind me. I made my way towards him,
and soon reached a small paddy-field (rice-field). Here was a small
bull of a very dark colour, who did not seem at all pleased with our
intrusion: he looked at us for a minute, and then came galloping
towards us, shaking his head and tail in his anger. My two servants
called out that it was a wild cow, and crouched down behind me.
I felt a little nervous, but faced the animal, and drew a pistol
from my belt; however, as he came near, I saw a small piece of
cord fastened to one of his horns, and therefore knew it was not
an "unner" or wild cow. I desired the men to shout, and myself did
the same, running towards the animal and waving my hat. He stopped
a moment hesitating, and then, as I rushed forward, he threw up his
tail in the air and scampered off, very much to my relief.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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