BEARS & WATER-HOLE SHOOTING 



One by one they departed into the forest, the master 

 buck remaining till the last for a look round, and with him 

 I experimented a bit. I first whistled, and then waved my 

 hand to him ; and, though he seemed to think there was 

 something wrong, he took no particular notice, apparently 

 not being able to look up as a dog can. Then I took up 

 my white " topee " and waved that, but for some moments 

 even that did not attract his attention, though finally he 

 seemed to think all was not as it should be, and departed 

 at speed. 



After this a tiny red doe came along, but did not drink 

 merely wandered about on the sand, stopping every now 

 and then to listen intently, and stamp its foot in a funny 

 little way. 



About 5 P.M. down came, cautiously, a buck elk with 

 very poor horns, but a fine-bodied animal fully maned, and 

 of a grand dark brown colour. He was accompanied by 

 four does, ungainly-looking animals with their small heads, 

 huge ears, and big bodies, and they were shortly joined 

 by a spotted doe which seemed to be in perfect amity with 

 them. 



After a good drink, varied by the usual false alarms, 

 they all left, and nothing more occurred until just at dusk, 

 when, a few minutes after I had fixed my night-sight, down 

 came a bear from the south side. As he passed over the 

 spot where the other bear had fallen, he stopped instantly 

 and began to sniff around, so I let him have it at once, and 

 down he fell huddled up in a heap, gasping and choking, 

 shot through the lungs and right shoulder, dying in about 

 two minutes. 



Him also we trailed through the water and deposited 

 with the first one under our tree, and after that, as nothing 

 came for some hours, I lay down to sleep, leaving the men 



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