296 HUNTING IN THE JUNGLE. 



" ' Oh yes, but far from here, and livhig among rocks 

 and forests, that, alone, you could never penetrate ; and 

 even if you did, with such a pop-gun you could do little 

 more than tickle a bear ; ' and off he went laughing to 

 himself. 



'' I must confess I felt rather crestfallen at his evident 

 disrespect for my plans and arms, but I resolved to show 

 him how he had misjudged both, by bringing back a bear 

 to put him out of countenance. 



"With this laudable object in view, I continued my 

 route for some miles, when suddenly, joy and delight ! 

 I saw a veritable bear in the middle of the road, on 

 his hind legs, and with a heavy stick in his fore-paws. 

 I could hardly believe my own good fortune, and my 

 hands trembled with excitement as I raised my gun 

 and aimed at his shoulder, as I had heard one should. 

 Bano; ! banu; I went both barrels ; and when the smoke 

 cleared away, I looked expecting to find him dead as 

 a door-nail, instead of which he was merely scratching 

 his back as though a mosquito had bitten him ; while 

 I heard loud shouts of ' Murder ! don't fire, it is my 

 bear I ' from behind a neighboring rock, whence issued 

 an irate wandering minstrel, whose sole stock in trade, 

 beside his instrument, was the brute in question ! 



•' I became the laughing-stock of the country, and after 

 p.Lcifying my injured friend by the payment of ample 

 damages, I was glad to leave the Tyrol until the matter 

 should blow over. 



