418 SHE'S COMING, SIR ! 



and I had not long to wait for the instant the pole touched 

 the beast, and before Elg's exclamation " She's coming, 

 Sir !" was well out of his mouth, she, with the rapidity of 

 thought, stood all but bolt upright before me ; her jaws were 

 distended, and her eyes, which seemed to protrude out of 

 their sockets, shot forth fury and revenge. Had it not been 

 for the embankment, she would at once have made her exit ; 

 but this being only partially removed, she could not clear the 

 impediment at a single bound ; and she had no opportunity 

 of making a second, for at the instant of her appearance a 

 bullet through the back of the head caused her to sink life- 

 less to the ground. 



The old bear was left en cache; but the cubs, three in 

 number, were at once conveyed to Lofskogsasen ; and though 

 at the time of their capture they were only a few days old, 

 we were enabled, by extreme care, to rear two of them. One 

 is now in the possession of Sir Henry Hunloke, at Winger- 

 worth Hall, in Derbyshire ; and owing to good feeding he 

 has grown enormously. With the exception of the bear at 

 the Zoological Gardens, indeed, I much doubt there being a 

 larger in England ; and what is remarkable, he is as tame as 

 ever. On a recent visit to the Baronet, I placed my hand in 

 the beast's mouth, whicfr he slobbered over as affectionately 

 as in olden times. 



