iiS BEAR SHOOTING 



birch, in beautiful contrast. Lower still, the slopes fell in 

 green undulations to level meadows, glowing with the hues 

 of a thousand flowers, while sparkling rivulets cut up the 

 plain into variegated parterres. These little streams 

 hasten down the sloping hill to join the roaring monster 

 below, but, frightened by his increasing roar, shrink from 

 the contact, and stray murmuring among the flowers of 

 the meadows. From seven until noon I revelled in the 

 scenery of this valley, and found the time all too short. 

 We reached the village of Phiilwain at last ; it stands on 

 the right bank of the Krishganga, and consists of four 

 log-huts and two fields. 



We had seen no trace of game all the way. Sharafa 

 informed me that this was a good valley for stags when 

 they first begin to call ; I did come across fresh tracks of 

 hinds in the upper portion. Even now, had we spent a 

 week here, wandering along the higher slopes, brown bear 

 could be found, and perhaps ibex among the rocky peaks 

 and ridges that bound the valley on the right ; but I had 

 no time to spare, and, after changing a couple of coolies, 

 we went on again. The path led up the right bank of the 

 river ; it was slow and very fatiguing work, pushing our 

 way through rank vegetation and over the trunks of fallen 

 trees. There was said to be a goat-track, but it was never 

 visible, and we had to feel for it in the thick grass at every 

 step, and were continually losing it. We camped, in the 

 evening, next the stream — a very cramped place, but the 

 only clear and dry spot we could find. The Machhal 

 valley was just across the range in front, and from where 

 I lay I fancied I could see the very spot where I smashed 

 my knee-cap two years before, rushing down hill after a 

 bear that I did not bag. 



We were on the move early in the morning, and found 

 the going as bad as last evening, or worse. This tramp 



