Chapter 19 Chapter 3 Weizha Village
The tragic death of the unfortunate man has made a strong impression on us, especially on the occasion just now.However, as long as you are bitten by a rattlesnake, one of the most venomous snake species in the Indian Peninsula, you will definitely not survive. .
It is said--I think it's a joke--that there were no snakes in the past, but that the British brought them there on purpose when they had to give the island to the French.The French did not use this act of retaliation when they relinquished control of India.One is of no help, and the other is that nature has been very generous in this respect.
The body of the Indian was rapidly decomposing under the action of the venom.It must be buried immediately.So his companions dug a hole and put the dead body in, and dug the hole very deep, lest wild beasts dig the dead body out again.
When the tragic ceremony was over, Marcia van Giet invited us to join us in the village of Waisha—an invitation he was compelled to accept with impatience.In South Africa, settlers are especially fond of using this term.
It took us only half an hour to arrive at the animal dealer's residence.This place just confirms the good name of "Waizha Village".
It was a large rectangular enclosure in the middle of a large clearing in the deepest part of the forest.Marcia van Geet planned and laid out his work completely according to the needs of his profession.I saw a row of tall tree fences forming a circle, and the fence gate was wide enough for four-wheeled carts to pass through.In the innermost part of the enclosure, there is a long row of shabby houses made of tree trunks and planks, which serve as the only residence for all residents in the village.There are six other huts, each divided into several partitions, with four wheels installed on the bottom, standing at right angles to the sliding board house at the left end of the village.Judging from the roar coming from inside, there is no shortage of owners in the house.On the right side of the village, there are twelve buffaloes sleeping in the open air with lush green grass piled up in front of them.They are the most commonly used animal power in mobile zoos.Six coachmen and 10 Indians who are full-time hunters constitute all the hired labor in Weizha Village.
The hired coachman can only contribute when staying in the mountains.Their job is to drive cage carts between hunting places.Then drive the car to the nearest train station.From there the wagons were loaded onto trains for a quick journey to Bombay or Calcutta via Allahabad.
The hunters are all purebred Indians, and their profession is called "hikari".Its task is to find the traces of the beasts, drive them out of hiding and capture them.
These are the hired workers of Weizha Village.Marcia Van Kit lived with these men for several months.They were not only in danger of being attacked by wild animals, but also by the various fevers that raged especially in Taliani.The dampness at night, the evaporation of harmful toxins on the ground, and the hot air that grows under the shade of the jungle where the sun can only penetrate into fragments... all make the foothills of the Himalayas an unhealthy area.
However, the animal suppliers and those Indians are well adapted to the environment here, and neither malaria, tigers nor other "regular visitors" of Taliani have caused harm to them.If it were us, it would be impossible for us to live in Weizha Village safe and sound, not to mention that this would not be in line with Captain Ord's plan.Therefore, except for a few nights of lurking for hunting, we still have to sleep in "steam houses", staying in the upper mountains where the water vapor of the plains cannot rise.
They all approached Marcia Van Kit's camp.The gate was wide open to welcome us in.
Marcia van Kitt seemed very excited about our visit.He said to everyone:
"Gentlemen, allow me now to salute you on behalf of Waishi Village. Although this building meets all my demanding needs, in fact, it is nothing more than a large thatched hut, as the hunters in the peninsula call it."
As he said that, the animal supplier opened the doors of the wooden house he shared with his fellows.The furnishings inside couldn't be more rudimentary.The first room belonged to the "village chief", the second housed the "Shikari", the third was allocated to the coachmen, and there was only one piece of furniture in the room: a camp bed, and the fourth room was a little bigger. Double as kitchen and dining room.It can be seen that Marcia Van Giet's residence is still in a primitive state, just worthy of the title of "Udi".The animal supplier is just a hunter hiding in a temporary ambush, nothing more.
After visiting the houses of these "two-handed first-class mammals", we were invited to see the houses of "four-legged animals" nearby.
This is the interesting place in Weizha Village.Compared with a zoo with comfortable facilities, it is more reminiscent of a circus with simple equipment from a foreign land.All that's missing are these posters made of water gel paint: hanging high on an open-air stage, painted in colorful colors, an animal trainer in a rose red smock and velvet dress stands among a group of wild animals with teeth and claws. Bleeding from the corners of the mouth, cracking claws, and being forced to succumb to the whip of the heroic Bidel or Pesson!Of course, other than that, there were no crowds to watch.
A few steps away are the domesticated buffaloes. Their territory is on the right side of Weizha Village, and they have to be fed with enough grass every day.But putting these animals on adjacent natural pastures is not feasible.Marcia van Geet put it beautifully: "The freedom of grazing permitted in Commonwealth territories is incompatible with the dangers lurking in the Himalayan forests."
The "zoo" consists of six animal cages, each with four wheels underneath, and iron fences on the front, and each is divided into three compartments.According to needs during use, the valves that can move up and down between the partitions can be opened, to be precise, the partitions; the animals are driven from one grid to another grid.Now, there are a total of seven tigers, two lions, three black panthers and two leopards in the cage.
Marcia Van Geet told us that he still needs to capture two leopards, three tigers and a lion to complete the task, and then he will leave this place, go to the nearest railway station, and head towards Mumbai city.
The beast in the cage is convenient for people to observe carefully, it is both majestic and ferocious.Because they have been captured for too short a time, they are still unable to adapt to this kind of prison life-from their terrifying roars, sudden leaps between the partitions, and their powerful claws suddenly stretched out, breaking the iron bars in many places. It can be seen in the bending action.
When we stood in front of the animal cage, the "cage owners" became even more animalistic, but Marcia van Giet seemed indifferent.
"Poor beasts!" Captain Ord sympathized.
"Poor beast!" Fox added.
"Do you think they are more pitiful than the animals you killed?" The animal dealer's tone was very blunt.
"Willing to be caught should be blamed rather than sympathized!" Captain Ord replied tit for tat.
While in places such as the African continent, carnivores sometimes suffer from starvation for days because the only source of food is fewer ruminants, the situation in the Taliani region is completely different.Maned plows, buffaloes, zebues, wild boars, and antelopes can be seen everywhere here, and lions, tigers, and leopards can catch prey at any time.Moreover, goats and sheep flocks, not counting their guards, provide a steady and easy feast for the beasts of prey.Therefore, in the forests of the Himalayas, carnivores can easily fill their stomachs.And their indelible wildness is even more irrefutable.
Animal suppliers mainly feed the owners of the zoo with the meat of mane and zebu, and the "Shikari" are naturally responsible for regular meat supplies.
It would be a mistake to think that this type of hunting is not dangerous.Actually quite the opposite.Even tigers are terrified of bison, because the animal is extremely ferocious once injured.Many hunters have seen bison break a tree with its horns while running away.Of course, I also heard that the eyeballs of ruminants are a kind of real magnifying glass, and the volume of external objects projected into it will be enlarged by three times.And some people say that the walking upright human body can make the beast feel scared, so standing up is more beneficial than squatting or lying down.
I don't know what is true in these statements, but one thing I can be sure of is that no matter how straight and tall a man stands, he will not have the slightest intimidating effect on the bison. If he loses his weapon again, it will almost It is certain death.
This is the case with the Indian bison. This kind of bison has a flat and square head, slender and curved horns, and a raised back—similar to the American bison—and the part below the knee is pure white. If measured from the base of the tail to The nose at the front end can sometimes reach four meters in length.If they are considered docile when they graze in groups in the tall grass of the plains, they pose a serious threat to the hunter Mane who dares to attack him.
These are the ruminants that are used exclusively for the carnivorous animals at the Van Goet Zoo.Therefore, in order to be able to catch them more safely and with little risk, "Shikari" prefers to try to catch bison in traps, so that they are seriously injured or dead when they are released.
The animal supplier is an expert and knows how to feed the wild animals in moderation.Just throw them four to five pounds of meat every day at noon, just once.Even let them be hungry from Saturday to Monday—isn't it just the motive of "domestication"?But also really miserable weekend dieting!Therefore, after 48 hours, when a small amount of food finally arrived, the wild beasts could no longer restrain their rage. Risk of tipping over.
Yes, a group of "poor beasts"!I'm going to repeat what Captain Ord said.But Marcia van Kitt is not without reason.Because wild animals in cages have to eat abstinence so as not to suffer from skin diseases, thus increasing their prices in the European market.
Readers can easily imagine that Marcia van Giet never stopped talking when he showed us his animal reserves, more like a natural scientist than a zoo explainer.He talks and talks and describes, and since Taliani's beasts are the chief subject of his lengthy use, they still interest us to some extent.But it seems that it is impossible for us to leave Weizha Village before he has finished telling all the secrets of the fauna in the Himalayas.
"Mr. Van Gyet, can you tell me that the profits of this profession are worth the risk?" asked Bonkers.
"Sir, it used to be a very profitable business. But I have to admit that the price of beasts has been falling in recent years. You can see some clues in the recent market conditions. Our main sales The target is Anville Zoo. However, the taste of the public seems to have changed now, and the price of animals has dropped below the cost! Recently, a male ostrich was only sold for 1,100 francs and a female ostrich was only 800 francs. A black panther was called 1,600 francs To find a buyer, a tigress in Java sells for 2,400 francs, while a litter of lions - father, mother, an uncle, two promising cubs - fetches a total of 7,000 francs!"
"It's too low!" Bonkers said.
"As for the 'proboscis' . . . " continued Marcia van Giet.
"'Proboscis'?" interposed Captain Ord.
"We use this research term specifically for pachyderms that are born with a long snout."
"That's an elephant!"
"Yes, it refers to elephants from the Quaternary and mastodons from the prehistoric period..."
"Thank you." Captain Ord interrupted him.
"As for the 'proboscis,'" continued Marcia van Giet, "there is no need to capture them, except for their ivory, since the demand for ivory has not abated. Since poor playwrights have Having managed to introduce elephants into the work, the troupe masters took them from city to city, and these elephants, traveling with traveling circuses to the country provinces, satisfied the curiosity of the nation. , so there are fewer orders for elephants than before."
"But, do you only provide samples of these Indian animals to European zoos?" I asked the veterinarian.
"I beg your pardon, sir, but before I answer you, I would like to take the liberty of asking you a simple question," said Van Giet.
I bowed slightly in agreement.
"Sir, you must be French. Not only from your accent, but also from your features - you are a handsome mixture of Gallo-Romans and Celts. However, as Frenchman, you don't like to travel very much, you must have never traveled around the world, have you?"
Speaking of this, Marcia Van Geet made a big circle with his hands to represent the earth.
"I've never experienced this kind of fun!"
"Since you are already in India, sir, I won't ask you if you have been here, but I want to ask if you know this peninsula very well?" the animal dealer continued.
"Not enough," I replied, "but I have visited Bombay, Calcutta, Benares, Allahabad, and the Ganges Valley. I have admired the monuments of these cities, and I have admired..."
"Hey! What's this, sir, what's this!" interrupted Marcia Van Kitt, turning his head away and waving his hands in the most contemptuous manner.
Then, the animal dealer turned into a vivid and vivid description, vividly:
"Yes, what is all this if you have visited the private zoos of the illustrious Indian maharajas who have always worshiped the exotic animals that India's sacred land prides itself on! Sir, take yours again! Traveler's scepter! Go to Jigovar to meet the King of Baroda! Take a look at his animal exhibits, most of which are provided by me, including Kativar's lion, bear, black panther, Lynx, Tiger! Come to the king's wedding of 60,000 pigeons, which is held every year in a luxurious way! Watch his 500 'boob' birds, the nightingales on this island are educated, As if enjoying the treatment of the heir to the throne! Visit the elephants he raises: one of them has dedicated himself to political career and has become an executioner who crushes the heads of criminals on the execution stone! Then, please leave for the palace of King Maisur , he is the richest monarch of Asia! Come and see his palace where hundreds of rhinos, elephants, tigers and other higher animals belonging to India's 'animal nobility'! Only after seeing these, Sir, perhaps you will not be accused of being ignorant of the wonders of this incomparable kingdom!"
I can only nod in favor of Marcia van Geet's opinion, his way of vehemently commenting on things obviously does not allow for any justification and debate.
Captain Ord asked him more directly about the peculiar fauna of the Taliani region.
"How about some advice," he begged, "about the predators I have come here to look for. Though I am a hunter, I repeat, Mr. Van Giet, that I have no competition with you. I'd be more than happy to oblige if I were to help catch a few tigers that are missing from your shipment, but you won't mind if I shoot them for my own amusement once the shipment is complete!"
Marcia Van Kit gave the expression of being forced to accept something that he disapproved of but could not prevent.But he also admits that sacrificing pests, which are plentiful in the Taliani region and often seldom needed in European markets, is okay for him.
"I can agree to killing wild boars," said the animal dealer. "Even though these thick-skinned and fat guys don't eat meat for a living..."
"Meat for a living?" Captain Ord asked.
"I mean they are herbivores; but they are so wild that the hunter who dares to attack wild boars must risk his life at the utmost risk!"
"Where are the wolves?"
"There are wolves in large numbers all over the peninsula, and it would be terrible if they came together in packs to attack a remote farm. These Indian wolves are a bit like the wild wolf of Poland, and I see them as related to jackals or wild dogs. They belong to the same class. It cannot be denied that they are evil and very harmful, and since the wolf has no commercial value and does not deserve to be included in the Higher Zoology, I also leave them to you, Captain Ord. "
"And the bear?" I asked again.
"Bears have some merit, sir," said the dealer, nodding approvingly. "Although Indian bears are not as in short supply as their ursine counterparts, they are still of commercial value and attract the attention of discerning shoppers. The more popular ones are found mainly in various parts of Kashmir and in the Re Mahale region. Two species of Indian bears. All in all, except during hibernation, this animal is so harmless that it does not seem to me to excite the interest of a true hunter like Captain Ord."
The captain bowed deeply, and the meaningful expression on his face showed that he would only act according to his own wishes, with or without Marcia van Giet's permission.
"Besides, these bears are just herbivores..." the animal supplier added.
"Herbivore?" the captain asked again.
"Yes, they feed only on plants, and bear no resemblance to those beasts of which the peninsula of India is really proud," replied Marcia van Geet.
"Do you count the leopard among these beasts?" Captain Ord asked next.
"Undoubtedly, sir. This big cat is bold and agile, full of courage, and can climb trees. For this alone, he is sometimes more terrifying than a tiger..."
"Oh?" Captain Ord said.
"Sir," said Marcia van Kitt stiffly, "you know, when a hunter can't find a safe hiding place in a tree, it's his turn to be the hunted!"
"What about the Black Panther?" Captain Ord asked quickly, eager to end the debate.
"Excellent," marcia van Kitt couldn't help but praise. "Look, gentlemen, I have here some pretty good panthers, but it is absurd, or to borrow a less used term - 'paralogic', that such animals could be trained to help hunt, It's amazing! Indeed, gentlemen, especially in the Jikovar region, the princes use black panthers for this kind of noble game! They are carried in palanquins, like the Nordic kestrel or the merlin Covered head—it is indeed a falcon with four claws! As soon as the hunters see the herd of antelope, they remove the hood of the black panther, and the beast rushes at the docile animals. No matter how flexible the antelope's limbs, it cannot escape it. Claws! Yes, sir Captain, yes! You will find panthers in Taliani! Maybe more than you expect, but I would like to remind you that these panthers are not domesticated !"
"I hope so!" replied Captain Ord.
"Lions are equally fierce." The animal supplier was very annoyed by the captain's answer, and added.
"Hey! Lion! You talk about lions again!" said Captain Ord.
"Very well, sir," agreed Marcia Van Kitt. "In my opinion, these so-called kings of beasts are not as good as their counterparts in ancient Libya. Indian male lions don't have the mane that is unique to African lions, just some! Moreover, they are almost extinct in Central India, only hiding in the Kazakhstan. Siawar, Deje Desert, Taliani, etc. These degenerated cats now live as solitary hermits, unable to gather themselves up and forage as actively as their counterparts in other regions. Therefore, I do not Put them first among the quadrupeds. In fact, gentlemen, it is possible to survive, but to escape from the tiger, it is impossible!"
"Ah! Tiger!" cried Ord.
"Yes! And tigers!" Fox repeated.
Marcia van Giet was even more delighted:
"Tiger, the laurels of 'King of Beasts' should be given to him! People here say 'Tiger King' instead of 'Lion King', indeed! All India belongs to it, and it epitomizes India! Doesn't it Was it the first to occupy this territory? Has it no right to regard as invaders the representatives of the Anglo-Saxon race and the descendants of other white races? Isn't it the only one that deserves the title of Alcavarda? The true favorites of a sacred land? Today, these admirable animals are scattered all over the island, from Cape Comoran to the Himalayas, not giving up an inch of their ancestors!"
After Marcia van Kitt had traced the southern promontory with one arm, he extended it to the north to indicate the rolling ridge.
"Sunderbund is home to tigers! They are the rulers there, and anyone who tries to compete with them will suffer! They roam like wild cats in packs in Nierge."
"Then you will understand why these beautiful big cats sell well in all markets in Europe and why they are the pride of game breeders! What is the greatest attraction in public and private zoos? Tigers! When you want Worrying for the life of the trainer? When he got into the tiger cage! What kind of animal did the dignitaries of India spend a lot of money to decorate their royal gardens? It was a tiger! Who in the markets of London, Antwerp, Hamburg Top of the list of animal prices? Still tigers! What kind of animals are Indian hunters, officers of the British Royal Army or Native Forces famous for hunting? Still tigers! Do you gentlemen know how those monarchs of India after independence kept their dignitaries Amusement? They ordered someone to bring a caged "Tiger King" and put the cage in the middle of a large open field. Then the prince and his guests, officers, guards, etc. were equipped with spears, revolvers and carbines, Most also mount strong 'peridacted hooves'..."
"What's a 'peridacted hoof'?" Captain Ord asked.
"If you want to use a more colloquial name, 'perissus hoofed animals' means their 'horses'. Often when these mounts get close to the big cat, they smell its wild smell and see the lightning in its eyes. The knights were frightened at first, and the knights had to use all their strengths to restrain them. Suddenly, the door of the cage opened! The monster rushed out, rushed towards the scattered crowd like lightning, biting furiously! Although sometimes It can break through the encirclement of iron and fire, but that is only a one-in-100 ratio, and most of them die tragically under the gun! However, its death is so heroic, it has already avenged itself!"
"Brilliant! Mr. Marcia Van Kitt," cried Captain Ord, excited in his turn. "Ah, yes! What a spectacular scene! Yes! The tiger is the king of beasts!"
"Its kingship despises all coups!" added the animal dealer.
"Mr. Van Giet, although you have captured the tiger, I have also killed the king of beasts, and I hope that I will never leave Taliani until the 50th tiger falls under my gun." Captain Ord Then he said.
"Captain, I have already given you the wild boar, wolf, black bear, and mane! Are these not enough to fill your anger as a hunter?" The animal supplier frowned.
Obviously, while participating in the collective defense, the Indian did not relax his attention to Mr. Edward Morrow.Judging from his behavior of swearing allegiance to the colonel, it seems that Kalani believes that the colonel is the first one among us to keep.
I see that our Mr. Odd, like Marcia van Giet, is about to lose his temper on this crucial point.
Which one did the two catch more tigers or killed more tigers? —What kind of debate material!Is hunting better or worse than shooting? ——What a controversial topic again!
The captain and the supplier of animals have been arguing with each other. In the end, the two said their own things and refused to give in to each other.
Bonkers intervened in good time to say:
"Gentlemen, there is no doubt that tigers are sovereigns of nature, but I would like to add that they are also extremely brutal rulers over their subjects. In 1862, if I remember correctly, these Excellent fellow devoured all the telegraph delivery men at the Thankel Island Railway Station. I heard that one tigress ate no less than 118 people in three years, and the other swallowed more in the same period of time. 127 lives were lost. Too much, even for the 'queen'! In the three years since the Indian soldiers surrendered, the total number of victims who died at the mouth of the tiger has reached 12,554."
"However, sir, you seem to have forgotten where these animals belong," interposed Marcia van Kitt.
"'Raw meat'?" asked Captain Ord.
"It's just big chunks of animals that eat raw meat, and even the Indians say that once these tigers have tasted human flesh, they don't want to eat anything else!"
"What do you mean, sir?" asked Bonkers.
"Sir, I mean they just follow their own nature! . . . They have to eat too!" replied Marcia Van Kitt, laughing.
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