358 Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

had fucked his blood. It is a fmall buffalo that weighs not above 500 lb. weight, andfome weigh 1200.

I once was in the woods with my fuzee, to try if I could kill a deer, but a fmallrain happened to fall that damped my powder, which was only wrapped up in paper; andmy gun being ufelefs, I was making towards the plain where our factory Hands, andfalling on a foot-path from the mountains towards the plain, I kept in that road, andhad not gone far, till I efpied a tiger of the largeff fize Handing in the fame path,with his face towards me. As foon as he faw me, he fquatted his belly to the ground,and wagged his tail, crawling flowly towards me. I thought it would be in vainto flee, fo I Hepped leifurely forward, till I came within ten yards of him ; I thenclubbed my fuzee, and made what noife I could to frighten him, and he out ofcivility, rulhed in amongff a thicket of bullies, and left me the road, which I did notthink fit to accept of, but got in among the bulhes on the oppofite fide to him (Idare fay) much more frightened than he was. And, before I got to the plain, I fawa wild bull and a cow grazing. The bull grew angry, and fnorted, but the cow onlygazed on me; but I foon got out of their fight, and got fafe to the factory; but neverwent into the woods again but with a numerous company.

. The chief of the Englilh factory is held in very great efieem in this country,and when he goes a hunting, is generally accompanied with molt part of the peopleof difiin&ion in the vicinage, who bring their vaffals and fervants with them, armedwith fire-arms and other weapons, both miflive and defenfive, with trumpets,hautboys and drums. The fire men place themfelves at convenient diflances,along the Ikirts of an hill or a wood, except fome that are fent in to guard thofewho are fent with their loud mufick to rouze the game. The drums, trumpetsand hautboys Jpread themfelves fometimes for a mile or two, and on a fignal given,flrike up at once, and march towards the lkirt where the fire men are placed. Thewild inhabitants being aflonilhed with the unufual noife, betake themfelves totheir heels, and fall in the ambufcade, and many of them are killed and woundedin their flight. I faw, in one of thefe huntings, above a dozen of deer killed, twowild cows with their calves, who would not leave their dead parents, though theyhad done fucking; alfo four or five fows, who had above a dozen of pigs followingthem, and were all killed, with fome piffays; and all in lefs than two hours fpace.The hunters made good cheer of what they liked befi, and what remained was fent tothe faftory; and the chief foon following after, was conduced home by the wholecompany, and at the factory gate, made him a compliment, and departed. Atthis time, which was in anno 1692, the factory had about a fcore of good dogs forgame, of Englilh brood, and the Company allowed each of them about two pounds ofboiled rice daily, but now they are better hulbands of their money, and have dis-charged all their dogs and other fuperfluities, except one good old cuHom of treatingHrangers that come there from Europe , with pretty black female dancers, who arevery active in their dancing, and free in their converfation, where lhame is quite outof falhion.

The woods produce great quantities of good teak timber, ufeful in building bothihips and houfes. It is more durable than oak. And there is good poon mafis,ffronger, but heavier than fir. There is a Ihrub grows in the woods, that has a leafbigger than that of the fig-tree ; N and the dew that falls on that leaf being carefullygathered, and fet in the fun a day or two, becomes the pleafanteff and flrongeff acidthat ever I taffed.

Before