Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-06-14
The Malay Bisons.

His Highness the Sultan of Pahang, 10 the
Malay Peninsula, can claim TO have intro
duced decidedly novel feature Into Orient
al sport since he has just brought mis- great
bison krasl to a successful i sue. The bisou
Of the Malay Peninsula, called s'!adang by
the MalayG, corresponds almost exactly with
the Indian gaur, but it has never been decid.
ed by natUrelists whether it is the true CAV
nvus gaurus or not, as 1t is seldom shot or
caught, and the few trophies existing are
imperfect, and DO not afford conclusive evil
dence They are magnificent beasts of
great size, but shy in the extreme, and ex
cessively fierce they usually go about in
be. Is OF fror1 half dozen to score, some
times siDgly, and occasionally in couples, in
the steep, densely wooded hills, and rare.
Iy issuing ION their seclusion except at
night
The Sultan, who usually resides at Pekan,
the capital OF Pahang, removed TO Pu'an
Tawer in the end of February, accompanied
by about l,C00 men, and immediately set
them to work TO erect q strong fence along
the edge Of the river, 40 as TO enclose the
entire promontOry, except that part in co.,
nection with the manland which was TO be
left undisturbed until the herd was f und
to have entered of their own accord
which they were expected to do about
the end of April However, there was con-
eternation and confusion in the camp when
at daybresk on April it WAS discovered
that large herd of bisons had found their
| way on to the promontcry during the night,
and still remained there. OOly about mile
of the barricade had been completed, and
there remained another mile and half to
be done before the beasts could be sur.
rounded
The whole force OF men, which had been
steadily increasing in numbers, and now
amounted to over 500, were Immediately
put on to complete the fence, which they
succeeded in doing by nightfall, to the sur.
prise of every one, including themselves.
The bison were now safe inside. La one
corner of the krsa, some fifty yards from
the river, and we'll above it, smaller en-
closure about twenty yards square was con-
structed, and into this after considerable
difficulty, the entire herd. numbering twen.
ty four bead was driven.
Terrified by the noise oil the bealers, and
wild with fear, the great creatures app Jared
almost mad and rushed about attacking
each other with ndescribabe .dry. They
continued TO charge and fight like demons,
amid the yel5 and cheers Of the excited
crowd until at nightfal ten of the noble
beasts lay dead or dying Two more sue
cumbed during the night and it was pitia-
BILE sight next morning to see the twelve
survivors all iaded and gory-utterly ex
hausted but still vicious and game" Four of
the slain-two bulls and two cows-measured
eighteen hands and over in height at the DOR
sal ridge. One huge bull, the largest of all
who is still living, must measure eighteen
hands three inches. Large covered bamboo
RATS were constructed, and some of the
bisons have been driven on board these and
sent down to Pekan, distance of l50 miles;
the others will follow in due course. At
the time of writing, large COW and two
smaller ones are at Pekap. The large COW,
| which was presented to the Resident, has
been generously offered to the Singapore
| Museum, and is now being skinned and
prepared prior to being set up there. Anoth-
| er has been presented to the Governor, and
is now on Its way to: Singapore alive. The
large COW measures IS hands inch at the
dorsal ridge and 16 hands inches in height
at the shoulder. It is 10 be hoped that the
bison will now be identified, 80 as to definite.
| ly settle the vexed question as to whether
the Malay bison and Indian gaur are the
came species. Two tigers were caught in
the krasl, but both made their escape; sew.
eral deer and pigs, however, were success
fully captured. 1t was intended to send one
or two of the live bisons to England, if pos
aible, as one has never been seen there. How
ever there is but little chance of their either
living in captivity or standing the voyage.
This is believed TO be the first large bison
kraa on record.-London Field.
|
rTe;I;,, :, oEoo+s o1,yors raI;ob1a nura ond