ROUGH NOTES OF TRAVEL AND SPORT. 117 



hastening towards the place to drive the bear away. We pushed 

 on, having to make a detour to cross two bridges, when suddenly 

 a general cry from the village of " he's killing the man" made us 

 tear along as hard as we could go — I leading, and the two shikaries 

 scuttling after with the rifles. When we got to the shepherd — a 

 boy of sixteen — we found him unhurt, as the bear only charged past 

 him, but so confused that he could not tell us which way the bear 

 had gone. We reconnoitred the hillside for a long distance, but in 

 vain, and while scrambling up the slopes in chaplies (for my supply 

 of grass-shoes had run out) I slipped and twisted my ankle, and again 

 gave it a second and worse twist when descending. The pain was 

 most acute, and now ibex are out of the question. 



After four days in bed I could walk a few steps, so June 2Qth, I 

 hired the lambardar's pony to take me up the nullah on khubber of 

 a bear. Foot very tender still, but I can bear the pain if I can also 

 pain the bear! Started at 1 o'clock on the pony, taking the *500 

 Express only. After going about two miles up, came to a little 

 branch nullah where I pulled up, and sent the pony down to the 

 river to wait for me. I waited till 6, but only a fox turned up about 

 3 o'clock, barking several times, and then coming down to within 

 sixty yards to inspect me and show himself off — a handsome fellow, 

 with very bushy white-tipped tail, pale rusty face, and creamy yellow 

 fur — his winter coat. As there was no sign of the bear, I rode 

 further up the valley to look for another bear that was supposed to 

 be there. He too was not at home. Turning round at sunset I 

 began to ride homeward. We had gone about a mile, when the 

 village-boy, who was with the pony, pointed to the opposite side of 

 the valley, and ejaculated " Harpat I" I was off the pony in an in- 

 stant and made the boy sit down and stop gesticulating. There was 

 the bear, about quarter of a mile off. Leaving the pony behind 

 some willows, I told the boy to wait there, and with my glasses J 

 soon made out a second, and then a third bear, and found that it 

 was a family party of mother and two cubs, all coming down to the 

 river to drink. There were trees scattered about, and the wind wa s 

 the right way, so when the men came up with the rifle, I had no 

 difficulty (bar the lameness) in getting to the river bank unperceiv- 

 ed. The old bear suspected nothing, but fed here and there, his 

 silvery gray coat glistening beautifully in the ruddy glow of sunset. 

 Between us was the torrent, the bear about 25 yards away in a 

 thicket. I lay down on the bank behind some shrubs, and waited. 



