A WOUNDED BEAR 193 



take my chance. Out of five consecutive shots, the 

 fifth at least reached its destination, for the beast, 

 which had remained motionless, as if thunder-stricken 

 by the cracks of the rifle, emitted a loud roar, and 

 pelted downhill to my right into patches of dense 

 brushwood, where we could locate him by the waving 

 of the branches above him, as he forced his way 

 through. Though we found blood on his tracks, he 

 was strong enough to pursue his course through the 

 thicklv entangled scrub, in the midst of which it 

 would be a dangerous matter to tackle a wounded 

 bear. The rifie was of no avail, and the General 

 proposed to abandon a chase which involved such 

 risk. Time being precious. I agreed to this wise 

 suggestion, and reluctantly leaving the animal to its 

 unhappy fate, proceeded to climb a perpendicular 

 slope towards the left ridge of the valley, along 

 which we journeyed to a low saddle, where we settled 

 clown to spy. There mosquitoes again gathered round 

 us in countless numbers ; my companion, who wore no 

 gloves, declined to use the spare Zeiss I had lent him 

 and kept his hands in his pockets. As for myself, I was 

 reduced to an occasional glance at the surrounding 

 corries. I was soon destined, however, to catch my 

 first glimpse of Oz'is nivicoia, for a small grey speck 

 moving among the rocks of one of the lateral spurs 



