308 HUNTING IN THE JUNGLE. 



at once I became conscious of the presence of another 

 hunter after the same game, — a black bear, lying along 

 a huge limb that overhung the favorite jdooI. He lay 

 there so still that I should never have noticed him, had 

 not my own attention been concentrated on the same 

 spot. 



" Two magnificent buffaloes strayed away from the herd 

 browsing far out on the plain, and came slowly down the 

 wind toward ns, — I say us, for the bear and I evidently 

 had the same object in view in coming there. I resolved 

 to see the thing out, and, if possible, bag two birds at 

 the same shot. The buffaloes waded into the pool, and 

 when directly under him, and not till then, the bear 

 dropped heavily down upon the male like a hawk on its 

 prey. The great ruminant was utterly helpless, and his 

 companion tried in vain to assist him by vigorous blows 

 from his stout horns, which fell quite as frequently upon 

 friend as upon foe. In spite of them both the bear hung 

 firm, his claws deep buried in his victim's neck, while 

 the latter charged madly up the bank, where he fell 

 crushed by the weight and strangled by the embrace of 

 the bear. 



" Now was my turn, I thought ; and, while he was 

 putting the finishing touches to his prospective meal, I 

 sent an explosive bullet into his skull, and he fell upon 

 the buffalo as dead as he." 



I found the American a delightful companion ; and his 

 stories of Australia — where he had spent years — induced 



