Sketches Of Sport

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INDIAN FIELD SPORTS:

Dedication

TO THE HONOURABLE

COURT OP DXRECTO

OF THE

Preface

The wide extent of the British Empire in India, and the great number of Europeans residing there, have contributed to

render that portion of the globe an object of particular interest to the inhabitants of this island. To gratify the natural curiosity respecting so important a part of our dominions, various publications have from time to time issued from the press, giving copious and detailed accounts of the country and its inhabitants, with their Lanners, customs, and habits. These have for the most part been very expensive ; some of them being printed on hotpressed paper, and with a fine type, to enhance the profit of the author or publisher ; while others, by their prolixity, and from combining much matter with various

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VI PREFACE.

political considerations, are rendered dull and uninteresting to the common reader. — I believe I may venture to say, that no cheap publication has yet appeared containing any description of the country with its animal and vegetable productions, or of the customs of this singular people. Under this impression I have undertaken to write this book, (which is of a moderate price,) with the hope of affording some entertainment during a winter's evening to such as have relatives in that part of the world, or who take an interest in field sports.

The inhabitants, their customs, and the whole character of the country, differ so widely from every thing that is seen in Europe, that any true description will necessarily wear the garb of figtion or exaggeration. I should not therefore have ventured to offer this to the public on my own credit, had not others before me published books on similar subjects. All persons who have not been in India would naturally doubt my veracity, and even those who have visited that country only of late years would imagine that my account was exaggerated, in as much as most of the sporting which I have described, I saw about 26 years ago and before that period.

In those days the Prince of Lucknow and all the great Zemeendars of the country were much more opulent than at present. No Zemeendars of consequence, then, ever quitted their houses without a retinue of at least a hundred or more persons riding and running before them ; some carrying silver sticks, spears, guns, &c, and others proclaiming their titles and riches. When I left India in 1809, the same personages often appeared with a single Harcarrah* or Peon,\ carrying an

* Harcarrah is an attendant on a gentleman, or person in office, to go messages, carry letters, &c, and bears a spear, or ornamented stick, f Peon is also a servant to carry messages letters, fee, but

Viii PREFACE.

iron spear, and preceded by a few half naked and ragged slaves or peasants. Such has been the change in a few years, to which hundreds can bear testimony ; and with this change, their pastimes and amusements have fully corresponded. Mr. Wm. Blane, formerly Surgeon to the Nawaub Vizier Asoph-ZJl-Dowlah, of Lucknow, published an account of that Prince's method of sporting, as well as I can recollect, about 27 years ago, which book I then saw, but have not been able to procure since my return to England. Captain T. Williamson has also published a very elegant and expensive work on the Wild Sports of the East, but in this he describes the sports principally as followed by Europeans, which partake of the customs of Europe and India, whereas, my account of sporting is confined to the methods pursued by the natives. To the last menis not so regular in attendance on his master, and does not always bear a badge of office.

tioned author we are also indebted for a Vade Mecum, a work of considerable merit, comprising a perspicuous and detailed description of the native servants in India and their customs ; and is, in proportion to the fund of information which it contains, the cheapest publication of the kind that I am acquainted with: yet the price of this book is now one pound and eight shillings. I have found it necessary to refer frequently to that gentle- Lan's publications, and I have done it with uch gratification, being truly sensible of their great merit.

I

Unaccustomed as I am to composition, I readily admit that the critics may find Luch to censure in the inelegancy of my style, and perhaps in the inaccuracy of my language. I have not the vanity to think that I am capable cff communicating my observations and ideas with perfect correctness ; and while I endeavour to give my narrative in as plain a manner as possible, my only claim from the public

PREFACE.

is their belief in the truth of what I describe. I entertain no vtew of any emoluent whatever from the present publication; on the contrary, all my wish is, that the reader may derive as much amuseent from the perusal of this book as my private friends have expressed themselves to have received from my relation of the anecdotes which it contains.

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PREFACE

TO THE SECOND EDITION.

It was the intention of the Author of " Field Sports,

as followed by the Natives of India," to have had a Second Edition published long since, in consequence of the rapid sale of the former, and from a number of

errors having crept into the first publication, from the singular manner in which it was printed by a wonderfully clever child ; but he was deterred from it, owing to the trouble he then had. Having lately amused himself with writing an account of Hog Hunting, which he trusts will be considered a valuable addition to his former hook, he again offers it to the Public, otherwise considerably improved and enlarged ; yet he cannot flatter himself, that even now it does not contain errors ; and all that he can say in favour of his account of Hunting the Wild Boar, is, that it is a plain, faithful description of the sport, not embellished with any romantic description of the country, extraneous matter, or stories hatched in ima-

XII PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

gination ; and that it is chiefly intended for sportsmen. The language is that of a Hog Hunter, and may contain many inaccuracies, which the Author hopes will be overlooked by all who derive any amusement in the perusal of it. The critics may see much to find fault with ; but as it is not a literary work, the Author has little to fear from their animadversions, trusting that they will act with liberality, and give him credit for endeavouring to amuse others, and of

i

being as plain and perspicuous as his ability and the subject would admit.'

*

Great Torrington, August 6th, 1826.

• • • •

• One of the periodical Reviews contained some unfair remarks on the first publication of this book, by giving to the Annual Obituary credit for the whole account of Asop-ULDowlah, whereas a small part only was taken from that work ; namely, the account of Vizier Ally's Wedding, which was merely inserted to corroborate the Author's

description o| the magnificent style m which the Nawaub lived, and is marked with inverted commas; if he erred in making the extract, it was unconsciously, and with no bad motive. Also, they have not done htm justice, by giving to Dr. James Johnson credit for the description of Indian Customs. If the Reviewer had looked i»o Dr. James Johnson's book, he would have seen that it was supplied by the Author of Indian Field Sports, and his name is there affixed to it

Although the Author is sensible, that all who read his book, and the Reviewer's remarks, will see the un justness of them, and value the criticisms accordingly, he would not in a Second Edition pass over such glaring misinformation unnoticed.

INTRODUCTION. ===========

Although there are very few natives in India who spoil often for amusement, there are a great number whose profession or business is solely to catch or kill animals and game, by which they gain their livelihood : these men (whose forefathers have followed the same profession,) are brought up to

it from their infancy, and, as they pursue no other business through life, they become surprizingly expert. Many of their contrivances are extremely curious, some of which I shall endeavour from recollection to describe. In many parts of India, animals of prey are numerous, and in other j»arts

those only are found which destroy vegetation; wherever either or both kinds are found, it is absolutely necessary that the farmers or villagers should have some contrivance for their destruction, in order to preserve themselves, their cattle,

Introduction

or their grain. In almost every district of India, different methods are used for catching or destroying the same kind of animals, but those which I shall notice will be chiefly such as I have seen used in the Jungle districts of Ramghur, Rogonautpore and Bundbissunpore.

CHAP. I. DESCRIPTION OF THE .TUNC I E TART OF TOE counto* _J -1

TO BENARES PASSES.

To premise a short description of these conn tries, will enable the reader to form a just idea of the sport. — A military road, known by the name of the New Road, was cut through these districts by Captain Charles Rankin, during Mr. Hastings's (jrovernnicnt, by which the distance to Benares from Calcutta is reduced one hundred and fifty, if not two hundred miles; it is cut through parts of (he country which were generally unknown, and considered impassable; the accomplishment of it, therefore, redounds much to the credit both of the projector and executor. This new communication affords very great accommodation to the country at large, and is particularly beneficial to the government, enabling it to forward rom the Presidency to the up[>er countries in a much shorter time, and at a much less expence than could have been done before.

• iCIJI

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4 DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.

All native troops are now sent by this route, but European regiments still go by the old road, which follows the course of the river Ganges, partly in consequence of the great difficulty of procuring supplies for them on the new tract, and partly for the sake of the accommodation afforded to the sick of transporting them by water. This new road, for upwards of two hundred miles, from Bundbissunpore to S heher ghaut ty, continues the whole way through one of the wildest forest countries imaginable. Captain Charles Rankin, and after him his brothers, were allowed by government a sum of money annually for keeping the road in

repair, and also a large sum for cutting down and destroying the jungle, to the distance of fifty yards

on each side of it, without which, it would have been dangerous in the extreme for any small body of people to have traversed that road, the tigers l>eing so numerous. In Bundbissunpvre there are a greater number of villages, and of course more cultivation, than in Rogonautpore, and in

Rogonautpore far more than in Ramghur; the first two countries, in comparison with the latter, have but few hills, and less jungle and uneven ground.

The Ramghur Rajah's country consists almost entirely of hills and dales, covered with jungle :

DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 6

soon after you enter it from Calcutta, you have to ascend the Chittro Ghaut, a wild terrific pass into the mountains, which extend their range on each side at right angles, from the new road, from Monghier on the bank of the Ganges on the right of the road, to small Nagpore on the left ; a distance greater than the jungle part of the new road. By my saying that the country is made up of hill and dale, it must not be understood that they are in continual succession without any plains ; on the summits of many of the hills are plains of many miles in extent, intercepted now and then with small ravines, and hollow ground.

The villages throughout the greater pail of the country are from six to twelve miles distant from each other ; the land around them being cultivated only for a small space in proportion to the number of inhabitants : in the line of the road the villages are inhabited chiefly by persons who supply provisions to travellers, and the cultivation there does not extend above a quarter, or half a mile. AH the intermediate parts arc covered with foresttrees and underwood, in some places quite impervious, and into which the eye cannot penetrate even for a few yards. In other parts the trees are smaller and more scattered, and the underwood

•

DESCRIPTION OF THE

TRY.

thinner : near the foot of the hills the trees are largest, and the underwood thickest. The country is here and there intersected by deep ravines, caused by the heavy rains rushing down from the mountains towards the rivers, the channels of which are for the most part dry in the hot and cold seasons, but in the rainy season are generally full, and the streams run with great rapidity. The ravines often cross the road, and afFord excellent shelter to animals of prey . It is generally near them that they commit their depredations, and particularly at the foot of every ghaut, where the ravines are of a tremendous size. Sometimes the road w inds about in a serpentine direction, and the traveller is astonished and delighted by the great variety of picturesque views around him. On either side are seen detached clusters of Seeso* (Delbergia,) and Saul (Shorea Robusta,) trees, tall, straight and handsome in their growth, looking like artificial plantations, with other large spreading trees

—

* A small species of Delbergia, uf a dark colour with reddish veins, exceedingly brittle, are common in these hills. It is a singular circumstance that most of the trees contain large stones in their centre or heart, and there is not the least appearance of the bark haying been injured ; therefore these stones must be generated in the trees.

DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY. 7

scattered amongst them, the whole presenting the beautiful appearance of a gentleman's pleasure grounds. In the month of April, nearly all the shrubs, and many of the large trees, are covered with blosoms of various tints, delightful to the eye, whilst the organ of smelling is not less gratified by the fragrant perfume which impregnates the whole atmosphere, and is often too powerful to be pleasant. At other times, a straight road may be seen for many miles, with a thick wood on' each side, cut down to the distance of fifty yards, forming a most magnificent and regular avenue.

Sometimes you pass through hollows, dreary and dismal, exciting in the traveller sensations not the most pleasing. The idea immediately occurs of their being the haunts of tigers, the prints, of whose feet he will actually see in the sand, yet rarely have a view of the animals themselves, as they are remarkably wary, and, on hearing the least noise, skulk into the thick cover, or behind some bush or rock, where, being themselves con cealed, they see every thing which passes, and, from this their hiding place, often rush unexpectedly on the weary traveller.

At every village near the ghauts are stationed

8 DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY

Ghautwars, who accompany travellers through the ghauts. They have a strange appearance, being generally covered with the skin of a tiger, leopard, or some other animal, and carry with them a bow and arrows, ornamented with peacock's feathers, or a cow's tail, a large shield also ornamented, a spear or a match-lock gun and sword. These people give the travellers confidence, but very little protection ; and although they have land for nothing, as well as an allowance from the Rajah y they get much more by presents from people passing on the road. There are four ghauts to be passed ; first the Chittro y then the Dungy e, both of which you ascend : the next are the Kutkumsany and Kendy ; by them you descend into the low country. The distance from each is nearly the same, and the average, to the best of my recollection, is about twenty-two miles. From this delineation of the features of the country, we may clearly judge how great is the improbability that the race of tigers should ever be annihilated.

To pass the different rivers on the new road

from Calcutta to Sheherghautty, there are no boats at any of the ferries, excepting at the Damoodah river. AH the other rivers are dry in the

METHOD OF PASSING RIVERS. 9

hot and cold seasons, and any boat would be destroyed from one rainy season to another by the heat of the weather.

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To convey travellers across the rivers, they have a curious contrivance. A lattice- work is composed of split bamboos, through which the necks of about thirty earthen pots (each of them capable of containing about a gallon and a half) are inserted and fastened ; they are then nearly half filled with sand, and mats are fixed over them. This raft they call a gurrara, which two men with a pole, and sometimes with their bare hands and feet, conduct across those rapid streams, often carrying on it a paJan^unand ten or twelve men. Merchandise is also transported in the same manner. Over rivers that are very narrow the raft of pots is pulled from side to side by ropes. The men who conduct them are excellent swimmers, and to an European who had never seen such people, they would almost appear amphibious.

It is astonishing how very few accidents occur, particularly when it is considered that were the raft to meet with any hard substance in its passage, to which it is very liable from the number of rocks in the beds of the rivere, and trees and

10 ■ METHOD OF PASSING RIVERS.

roots floating down them, or even were it to strike against a sand-bank, it would be dashed to pieces : breaking a few of the pots, when laden, would put it off its equilibrium, and cause the others to fill with water and sink the raft.*

Many travellers, and also cattle, are lost every year in crossing these rivers when nearly dry; they fall suddenly, and become beds of quick-sand; it then sometimes happens that travellers and cattle are stuck in them ; at the time they fill again, which is often so rapid that the people have no warning or time to escape, it has very much the appearance of the bore of the tide coming into a river- A great number of people, chiefly pilgrims are destroyed on this road in the hot season, *br want of water to allay their thirst. It is much to be lamented that more wells are not dug and reservoirs formed near this road through the jungles. I am satisfied that our Indian Government is not aware of the necessity

* When the rivers are partly full aud are fordable, before attempting to cross them, it is a necessary precaution to ascertain if they are filling rapidly, which may be done by sticking a twig into the bank ; if they are rising, it would be imprudent to venture into them.

METHOD OF PASSING RIVERS. 11

which exists for them, or they would cause some to be made, which might be done at a small expence. It might induce people to settle and establish villages near them, which would be very beneficial to the government and the country.

Chap. II

DESCRIPTION OF A HUNQUAH, * OR THE ANNUAL DRIVING OF ANIMALS OF THE FOREST INTO NETS.

This sport was formerly carried on with considerable spirit in the countries of Ramghur, Rogonautpore, Bissunpore, commonly called Bundbissunpore,^ to distinguish it from other places of the same name, and by some of the minor Rajahs and Zemeendars, whose territories abound with jungle J and animals.

Of late years it has seldom been followed, except by the Rajah of Bundbissunpore, and

♦ The word Hunquah is derived from the verb hunkna, to drive.

f Bund signifies heavy cover ; but this word is seldom used, unless the cover is very extensive.

J Jungle signifies thick cover, either of large trees, underwood, grass, rhur (a species of vetch), &c. &c, and the name of one or more of them being added to jungle, forms the distinguishing appellation, as grass jungle, rhur jungle, &c. &c.

DESCRIPTION OF A HUNQUAH.

by him on a reduced scale. The other Rajahs^

although they have not adopted it as an amusement, have sometimes had recourse to it, in order part of the underwood becomes dry, and water every where scarce, it was the custom to set the jungles on fire* for the sake of new grass, and to drive off animals of prey from the neighbourhood

* Many an evening 1 have been amused for hours with looking at these fires, burning in every direction ; sometimes most furiously, at other times the flames proceeding calmly over the lowlands for miles in extent, whilst the mountains were burning with rage and violence: the whole producing one of the grandest sights imaginable, rendering the air throughout that country intolerably hot. Sometimes, when the wind is high, the jungle on the hills takes fire spontaneously, in consequence of the friction produced by two bamboos crossing, and rubbing one against the other, the fire from which falling on the grass, then dry, like tinder, soon kindles into a flame and spreads rapidly on all sides.

of their villages, into the impenetrable covers on the mountains, or into the ravines bordering on large riven. Without this precaution, it would have been almost impossible for any one to have lived in many parts of those countries.

When the Rajah purposed to have a Hunquah, s intention was made known to the inhabitants sometime before, and no fires were kindled within his Zemeendary, or Rajahship, until within a day of the appointed time.

• *

A jungle having been selected into which the animals were to be driven, the fires were then all lighted together for the distance of from ten to twenty miles around it, in every direction where there were rivers or plains to intercept the progress of the fire and prevent its immediate com-

* —

iiinication with the reserved cover; the consequence was, that nearly all the animals in the

neighbourhood were compelled to take shelter in the reserved jungle.

The day before the hunt or driving commenced, several hundred people were sent to the leeward*

* The wiud at that season seldom varies.

exmemity of the reserved cover, where they fixeci on a proper place, and set the nets, which extended about a mile, not in continuation, but at intervals. They required four or five elephants and twenty or thirty bullocks to carry them. Each net was about forty feet long, and seven feet high ; the cords being of the size of a man's little finger, lightly twisted, with meshes about eight inches square, made without any knot whatever, simply by twisting the cords into one another, by which they were rendered more elastic, less visible to the animals, and not so cumbersome and heavy, as if made with knots. Sometimes three or four nets were placed in succession touching or overlapping one another, but more frequently they were intersected by jungle, which was made almost impenetrable by stakes driven down in the midst of it, and thorns twisted between them.

descriptio;

of fixing their nets, I am indebted to Captai

Williamson's book of Wild Sports, p. 32. -Holes " being dug about a foot deep in the ground, " two small cavities are made in the sides, near 4 c its bottom and opposite to each other. A strong pin, to the middle of which the rope is fastened, is then buried in the hole, having each end in

C4

" one of the burrows, thus lying horizontally and " at right angles with the point where the rope

" is to be drawn tight. The earth being return - " ed to the excavation, renders it utterly impos- " sible to force up the pin even in loose soil. The

•II UN II or ground-line of the net, is drawn as u tight as several men can strain it, but the " upper rope is left somewhat slacker; it being " required to deviate considerably from its right M line, by the height to which it is raised by the distending poles, which should be as few as possible. These are all fixed on that side of " the net which is next the game. The sudden " jerk occasioned by an animal rushing at speed " against the toil, gives a spring to the upper " line, and relieves the poles sufficiently to allow " the net to fall to the ground, where the upper " and lower ropes collapse, and prevent the game " from retreating. Such as attempt to run along M the net become more and more entangled, espe- " cially deer with horns, which are necessarily " more straightened than others."

When the nets were all set, platforms were raised near each extremity of them, in the following manner : — Four poles, of about twenty three feet long, were firmly fixed in the ground, at each corner of a square of five or six feet; on the top of them was formed with mats a small house; to which one or two persons ascended by notches cut in one of the poles, and there sat : the height of the houses not allowing them to stand erect.

These houses are sometimes made on trees ; and not unfrequently, the sportsmen remain in holes dug in the ground, somewhat like a grave, but wider, and just deep enough for a man to look out of.

Two bamboos are placed lengthwise, one on each side within the pit, a little below the surface, and have their points inserted into the ground at each extremity; strong thorns are then bent transversely over the pit, with their ends fixed in the earth, and are fastened on the inside to the bamboos, by slips of bark or cord. A small opening is left, through which the person or persons enter, and at this part the thorns, being fixed at one end only, are drawn down by the person within, and afterwards fastened as the others. The thorns are both long and sharp, and are so firmly bound, that it is impossible for any animal to remove them. Loop holes are made for shooting through.

In these places, and sometimes on elephants (but not often, as it requires very well-trained animals to remain quiet at such times), the Rajah and his friends station themselves.

At the time I was out, they were on platforms and on an elephant to see the sport, and to shoot at the animals which either passed on the outside of the nets, got through them, or leaped over them ; and although it was not right, many were fired at as they approached.

The night before the sport commenced, the Nagarrah* was beaten at the Rajah's residence, and from ten to twenty thousand people assembled before morning at the spot appointed.

At day break, about a hundred were sent off to set fire to the sides of the reserved jungle ; and

* Nagarrah is a large drum, usually made of baked clay, with a skin at each end ; — they are raised on the highest trees, and then beaten, and are heard at a considerable distance.

DESCRIPTION OF A HUNQCAH. 19 the main body, consisting of men, women, and children, many of them carrying all sorts of noisy instruments, match-lock guns, bows and arrows, spears, fire-works, &c, proceeded to the extremity of it, where they ranged themselves in a line of some

miles in extent. They then raised a most hideous noise, continuing it as they advanced towards the nets, which they tried to do as well as they could in the form of a crescent, but it was impossible to

proceed regularly, on account of the unevenness of the ground, and the thickness of the cover in many parts. Numbers were left far behind, and yet none of them were injured. It seldom happens that any are killed or taken away by tigers on such occasions ; the animals are all too much alarmed to think of any thing but their own safety, and naturally run from the noise ; the only part where there is danger, is near the nets ; the tigers seeing them, and not knowing which way to escape, become enraged, and sometimes a poor fellow in their way feels the effects of their fury.

When they had arrived within about a mile or a mile and a half of the nets, which occupied many hours to accomplish, they increased their pace and noise, and were then joined by the party sent to set fire to the sides of the jungle, who constantly let off

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I u J u o u u u

DESCRIPTION OF A HUNQUAH.

fire- works and guns, which assisted them much in urging the animals on towards the nets. Wl they approached, such confusion arose as is past description. Balls and arrows were flying in all directions ; some of the party were screaming, others shouting, drums and other noisy instruments beating ; many animals were caught in the nets, but a far greater number escaped, either by leaping over them, or not becoming entangled, and so passing over them after they had fallen.

Unfortunately, the day on which I was out, no very large animals, or animals of prey, were taken. The Rajah was very angry, and attributed this ill success to their neglecting to keep their line properly, so that the game had escaped by retreating to the rear. I was given to understand that had a tiger been caught, he would have drawn all the attention of the Rajah and his friends, and that the Rajah most certainly would have given him his death wound.