294 



RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



if some animal were breaking through. I thought it was 

 one of the beaters, when suddenly, as much to his astonish- 

 ment as mine, a large black bear came out, so close that I 

 could almost have touched him. The beaters were making 

 a hideous noise not fifty yards behind, and, seeing me in front 

 of him, the bear evidently thought his retreat was cut off. 

 He stopped for just one second, half raised himself on his 



CULUiNEL WYLLIES CAMP. 



hind legs, and at the same time received a "500 solid bullet 

 in the centre of the white horseshoe on his chest. That 

 second was his last. He never moved again, and seemed to 

 sink clown as if his legs had suddenly been cut off. Apji, 

 who was scrambling down the tree, did not know what had 

 happened until he dropped on the ground, and saw the bear 

 lying dead almost at his feet. 



