KASHMIR VALLEYS 227 



neighbours to the villagers, who never fail to warn you 

 against them if wandering out alone in the vicinity of 

 fruit trees or crops after sundown. They are particularly 

 fond of mulberries, and apparently the cloying sweet- 

 ness of this fruit does not pall on their palates. They 

 are not large, as a rule, though, I believe, some have been 

 shot over six feet in length, and are not really dajigerous 

 except when attacked. Like some so-called wild beasts, 

 they are always far more anxious to avoid than to attract 

 notice, and are chiefly annoying to the natives from their 

 ample capacity for fruits and grains. The natives are 

 fond of attributing to them human attributes rather, 

 vices ; this may account partly for their fear of them ! 



I was told of a strange and terrible encounter betwee.1 

 one of these, who had killed a native hunter, and an 

 English sportsman, an exceptionally powerful fellow. 

 He had fired, hitting, but not stopping the bear, who 

 came on him so suddenly and fiercely that the rifle was 

 knocked from his hands, and escape was impossible. He 

 grappled with his fearful antagonist, attempting to 

 strangle him, while the bear clawed his arm. Aided by 

 the bear's weakened condition, the powerful fingers 

 effectually choked the life out of the creature, and the 

 officer was victorious at the cost of a mauled face and 

 shattered arm. He escaped blood poisoning, an unusual 

 thing, for a bear's claws are even more poisonous than 

 a tiger's, only to lose his life a little later on an unknown 

 South African battlefield. He was " missing," and never 

 heard of again. 



The red bear is far more uncommon, remaining high 

 up, and killing cattle that feed near the snows. When 

 in good condition it makes a splendid trophy, being of 

 great size, and the pelt very thick and handsome. 



