Page:McCosh, John - Advice to Officers in India (1856).djvu/200

 unless by hunters who go into their haunts in search of them. They only frequent heavy jungles abounding in deer, wild hogs, buffaloes, &c., on which they prey. When hard pressed by hunger, they occasionally carry off a cow from a village herd, and when old and unfit to live by hunting, they take to the roads, and now and then carry off a human being. Even when surprised in their own jungles they will sneak off if they can, but when wounded and brought to bay, they fight desperately, and numerous hair breadth escapes and casualties occur. In Bengal, no man is foolish enough to hunt them on foot, though this is done both in Madras and Bombay, but their accidents show the impropriety of the practice.

Elephants are equally shy in coming near civilized society, and unless provoked rarely indeed injure any one.

Leopards are much more daring, and prowl around houses at night, ready to pounce upon any dog or cat, sheep, goat, or calf that they can get within reach of, but I have not known them attack man.

Bears are comparatively harmless, and unless wounded,rarely injure any one; but if they once get a man in their hug his life is not worth much.

Wolves, when they abound, as they do in the Punjaub, are very fierce, and destructive to human