Hunting in Many Lands 



to 30 degrees, even in the valleys, at night, so 

 that everything would freeze, and then would 

 go up to no in the day, and when the snow 

 melted the streams would come down in a per- 

 fect torrent. Not two miles beyond the river 

 I saw three bears on the side of a hill, a she 

 and two two-year-old cubs. My shikari made 

 a splendid stalk and brought me within forty 

 yards, and I got all three with a shot apiece. 

 The delight of my camp followers was amus- 

 ing. I then left the tents, and, taking only my 

 blankets and a lunch basket with me, started 

 off again. At midday I slept, and at 2 o'clock 

 started up the nullah, seeing a number of 

 bears. One of them I got within fifty yards, 

 and two others, right and left, at 100 yards. 

 The skinning took a long time, and the stream 

 which I had to cross was up with the evening 

 flood, so that I didn't get back to camp until 

 10 o'clock. I had shot unusually well, I had 

 been happy and was all tired out, and it is 

 needless to say how I slept. 



Soon after this I began to suffer from fever, 

 and I had to work very hard indeed, as I was 

 now on the ibex ground. For several days, 

 though I saw ibex, I was unable to get near 

 them. Finally, on June 9th, I got my first 



118 



