ought it advisable at all costs to keep the coolies in a proper
state of subjection. Thus, when on a certain occasion a coolie of mine
raised his kodalie (hoe) to strike me I had to give him a very severe
thrashing. Another time a man appeared somewhat insolent in his talk to
me and I unfortunately hit him a blow on the body, from the effects of
which he died next day. Some of these people suffer from enlarged
spleens and even a slight jar on that part of their anatomy may prove
fatal.

A few more notes. Among the Sontals in Bengal the snake stone, found
within the head of the Adjutant-bird, is applied to a snake bite exactly
in the same way and with the same supposed results as the Texas
madstone, an accretion found, it is said, in the system of a white stag.
Many natives of India die from purely imaginary snake bites.

In Oude there have been many instances verified, or at least impossible
of contradiction, of so-called wolf-children, infants stolen by wolves
and suckled by them, that go on all fours, eat only raw meat, and, of
course, speak no language.

The Nagas, a hill tribe and not very desirable neighbours, practise the
refined custom of starving a dog, then supplying it with an enormous
feed of rice; and when the stomach is properly distended, killing it,
the half-digested mess forming the _bonne-bouche_ of the tribal feast.

Snake stories are always effective. I have none to tell. My bungalow
roof, the thatch, was at all times infested by snakes, some quite large.
At night one frequently heard them gliding between the bamboos and
grass, chasing mice, beetles, or perhaps lizards, and sometimes falling
on the top of the mosquito bar, or even on the dinner-table; but these
were probably harmless creatures, as most snakes are. The cobra was not
common in Cachar. It may be said here that a snake's mouth opens
crossways as well as vertically, and each side has the power of working
independently, the teeth being re-curved backwards. Prey once in the
jaws cannot escape, and the snake itself can only dispose of it in one
way--downwards.

At Scottpore I employed an elephant for certain work, such as hauling
heavy posts out of the jungle. Sometimes his "little Mary" would trouble
him, when a dose of castor oil would be effectively administered.
Unfortunately, he misbehaved, ran amok, and tried to kill his mahout,
and so that hatthi (elephant) had to be disposed of.

When clearing jungle for a tea-garden the workmen