SLOTH BEAR 309 



for the injury done to his person. I waited for 

 some time all ready, but he did not appear. 



A bit of rock as high as a table stood about a 

 hundred yards to my right, and, as I calculated, not 

 far from where the bear lay, for I had not heard him 

 move for a minute or so. I pointed it out to my 

 Bheel, and told him to creep up to it, get on the 

 top, and see if he could make out the bear from 

 there ; if so, signal to me and I would follow. Off 

 he went and crept up. As soon as he got there the 

 bear evidently saw him, and started for the rock, 

 yelling as loud as ever. Now I had induced my 

 shikari to leave his gun at home, for I did not want 

 him to loose off indiscriminately, as a Bheel will. 

 I had perforce, therefore, to go to his defence. My 

 only chance was to get on the rock before the bear 

 got there. It was a race between us. Fortunately 

 the bear had farther to go than I had. There was 

 not much time for thought. I got one hand on the 

 top of the rock, which turned out rather higher 

 than I expected, but, hampered with my rifle in the 

 other, I made a mull of it and slipped back. Down 

 I went, fortunately on my feet, in front of the bear. 

 I threw up my rifle, and pulled off right into his 

 face. By the mercy of Providence I hit him fair on 

 the forehead ; so close was he to the muzzle that 

 the flash burnt his hair. He rolled against my 

 shins, nearly upsetting me. My Bheel stood calmly 

 on the top of the rock with his knife out, and did 

 not seem a bit surprised at what had happened. He 

 just slipped down from the rock and said quietly, 



