CHAPTER YIII 



BEAR SHOOTING — {continued) 



The beautiful Phulwain valley— Good for stags in the season— A dangerous 

 pathway— Reach Bagtour— Beautiful Krishganga valley— Anti^cipating 

 a bofjus thunderstorm— Waiting for an unpunetual bear— Sharafa's 

 imaghiary ailments— Shoot a musk-deer— Tremendous power of Henry's 

 •450° Express— Musk-deer numerous— How they are slaughtered— The 

 Hant valley— Nanga Parbat— Legends about it— How the "naked 

 mountain" was named— The nomenclature of Himalayan peaks— Ibex 

 not at home— A snow-cock's family— The power of maternal love- 

 Delude a coolie— Waiting for a bear- A friendly hill-crow turns him 

 out of cover— A painful stalk— Ends in failure— Wounded bear escapes 

 —Two graceful hinds— Little flies cause great irritation— Hill -crows 

 drive a musk-deer over me— A bear's bed-chamber— He is out— My 

 shooting-trip comes to an end— The last notes in my journal— Return 

 journey. 



There was rain towards morning, but the large rock under 

 which my blankets were spread kept me dry. We went 

 up a side valley, but saw nothing, and came back to try 

 the main valley, which opened out with lovely views on 

 every side. It was impossible to go ten steps without 

 stopping to enjoy the scenery : such a change from the bare 

 rocks and precipices I had been contemplating for the last 

 two months ! I wanted to camp and rest in every pleasant 

 spot I passed, and progress in consequence was very slow 

 indeed. Far away, on the sky-line, rocky peaks pierced 

 the sky, their bases muffled in fresh green grass ; below, 

 on the steep hillsides, hung forests of dark pine and light 



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