242 STAG AND BEAR SHOOTING IN KASHMIR 



of the Wardwan valley, and the harder life, I suspect, 

 tend to give this compactness of body, which is more 

 suitable to their surroundings. The first shot that hit 

 was a solid Winchester bullet of soft lead weighing 330 

 grs : it struck him behind the right kidney, which it 

 severed, went through the stomach, and was found under 

 the skin on the left side, having passed through the small 

 ribs ; this was good penetration. The second shot, fired at 

 him on the ground facing me, carried away one of the 

 brow antlers — a great misfortune ; the third, when he was 

 among the birch bushes, broke his back. 



I remained in this valley four days longer, and 

 worked hard for another trophy, but was not successful. 

 Stags were by no means numerous, though I heard a call 

 now and then, and came on tracks frequently ; also their 

 wallows where they had rolled in the mud and torn up 

 the ground round about. Their travels in search of hinds 

 had begun ; they moved about so much that meeting them 

 became a mere chance. I gave up the chase after those four 

 days and went back to Siiknis. 



I left that village next day to cross over into Kashmir. 

 I had ten coolies and a local shikari, who promised me bear 

 on the road, and perhaps a stag on the other side. The 

 path led up straight from the village, and the ascent to the 

 top of the pass was long, and sometimes steep ; the pass 

 itself is a depression leading into the Kassal valley, an 

 extensive one with a considerable stream running down to 

 the village of Basmin. "We camped in a grassy plain, 

 below a large rock, across the stream. I got my first bear 

 on this march. Signs were abundant and fresh after the 

 ascent began, the animals having dug up the pathway in 

 several places in search of roots. All these upper valleys 

 must be good for brown bear, but for a long time Bruin 

 in person did not appear. At eleven o'clock I was break- 



