298 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



up a tree, but Alau found lie could see better and farther on 

 the ground, and decided to stand at the foot of his tree. It 

 was lucky he did, otherwise they would have lost the first 

 bear. Apji Sahib posted himself in a tree about fifty yards 

 off, and the beat had hardly commenced when he fired a 

 shot ; at what, it was impossible to see. But directly after- 

 wards Rahman caught a glimpse of a bear which had 

 evidently passed Apji, and was slowly cantering through the 

 jungle behind. There was an open space in the direction in 

 which it was eoinff, and Alan set off to run towards it, in 

 the hope of cutting the bear off. Just as he reached the 

 open ground it was entering the thick jungle beyond, and 

 about a hundred and fifty yards away. Alan had only time 

 to fire a snap-shot, but by good luck the bear dropped in his 

 tracks. They went up and flung stones, but it never moved 

 and was quite dead. 



When they examined the animal, they found three bullet 

 wounds, which could not be accounted for, as only two shots 

 were fired, one of which (Apji's) had missed. On taking 

 the skin off the riddle was solved ; and they found that 

 Alan had made a very curious shot, and that only his one 

 bullet had hit the bear. The ball had first struck behind, 

 gone out at the thigh, and then entered the bear's 

 body again, traversing it and lodging at the back of the 

 skull. 



The next beat, they stood on a rock in a defile by the 



