BEARS & WATER-HOLE SHOOTING 



have dug little holes, finding water at about 2 feet deep. 

 In other places I have at times actually seen holes dug to a 

 depth of 5 or 6 feet by animals in search of water, the 

 bears being the best and most indefatigable workers. 



Shortly after taking our places on the stage I saw some 

 spotted deer cross the river-bed a little below us, but they 

 did not come to drink. 



Towards sundown the place was simply alive with birds, 

 twittering and flying about here, there, and everywhere, 

 descending in batches to drink at the tiny puddles at the 

 bottom of the holes. Later the pigeons began to arrive in 

 great numbers, principally bronze-wings, a few imperial 

 green pigeons, and common spotted doves. 



A mongoose came along in a very business-like manner, 

 and, after a glance round, dropped into a hole and dug for 

 water for himself with great energy, neglecting a hole near 

 him which already contained water. After his departure I 

 saw a huge boar on the opposite bank amongst the trees, 

 but it did not come to the water and I did not try a shot 

 at it. 



Before dusk finally settled down we heard a cracking of 

 sticks and a rustling in the jungle on the opposite bank, 

 and out came a she-bear carrying a young cub on her back 

 my first sight of a bear. She began to descend the bank, 

 and when half-way down I fired at her shoulder just in 

 front of the young one, and at the shot she merely gave a 

 grunt, turned round, and disappeared up the bank again, 

 the cub apparently unmoved by the event, but as later on 

 we heard the young one crying at intervals, we knew the old 

 one was done for. After this there was an interval of about 

 twenty minutes, during which night set in and I fixed my 

 night-sight in the shape of a white sleeve on the muzzle- 

 end of my double-barrelled "Paradox," and this formed an 



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