The Bullocks Are Then Secured Round
The Tent To Long Poles, Which Are Thrown Upon The Ground And
Pinned Down By Crooked Pegs.
These people have an intimate knowledge of the country, and are
thoroughly acquainted with the habits of the animals and the most
likely spots for game.
Buffaloes, pigs and deer are
indiscriminately shot, and the flesh being cut in strips from the
bones is smoked over a green-wood fire, then thoroughly dried in
the sun and packed up for sale. The deer skins are also
carefully dried and rolled up, and the buffaloes' and deer horns
are slung to the packs.
Many castes of natives will not eat buffalo meat, others will not
eat pork, but all are particularly fond of venison. This the
Moorman fully understands, and overcomes all scruples by a
general mixture of the different meats, all of which he sells as
venison. Thus no animal is spared whose flesh can be passed off
for deer. Fortunately, their guns are so common that they will
not shoot with accuracy beyond ten or fifteen paces, or there
would be no game left within a few years. How these common guns
stand the heavy charges of powder is a puzzle. A native thinks
nothing of putting four drachms down a gun that I should be sorry
to fire off at any rate. It is this heavy charge which enables
such tools to kill elephants which would otherwise be
impossible. These natives look upon a first-class English rifle
with a sort of veneration.
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