BRUIN AMONG THE PLUM-TREES. 257 



in using, in a small-bore rifle, such uncertain jimcracks 

 against large game, will, I think, be demonstrated hereafter, 

 not, however, in any sensational account (I mention this at 

 once, lest such might be anticipated) of an encounter with a 

 savage wild beast. 



An opportunity for testing the powers of these missiles 

 soon presented itself in the shape of a big black bear, in 

 whose hairy carcass I planted one of them as he shuffled 

 past me among the bushes. His behaviour on being fired 

 at was not such as is customary with Bruin on being hurt, 

 for he went off without deigning to make the slightest reply 

 to the shot. There was no doubt, however, about his having 

 been hit, and sorely too, for he was broadside on, and cer- 

 tainly not more than twenty-five yards distant. As we 

 could find no blood on his trail, and my old guide said we 

 were certain to see other bears, our stroll among the plum- 

 trees was continued. We had not gone far when we came 

 upon what must have been a party of two, if not more, judg- 

 ing from the way in which we heard the fruit branches being 

 broken. An occasional glimpse showed them to be black 

 bears, but owing to the denseness of the thicket they were 

 in, none of them offered a fair chance for a satisfactory 

 experiment with the shell before they got wind of us and 

 decamped. Another bear was also heard moving among the 

 bushes close by us on our way back to the tents, just before 

 nightfall probably a brown one, for brown bears, from not 

 being such good climbers as black ones, are often found feed- 

 ing on fallen fruit, or what they can reach from the ground. 



Next evening, on visiting the same locality, nothing was 

 met with until dusk. We were skirting along a tangled 

 thicket on our return to camp, when we became aware, from 

 the sounds which issued from it, that a bear was taking his 

 supper there. Owing to the uncertain light and the thick- 

 ness of the underwood, from nowhere could we catch a sight 

 of the brute. We therefore concealed ourselves among the 



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