BEARS & WATER-HOLE SHOOTING 



which I have already given in my chapter on leopards. It 

 was now very dark, the moon being far down, but soon 

 after this out came another bear at the dagoba end, but, 

 getting on the track of the dead bear, went along it and 

 disappeared, unshot at. A moment after, however, we 

 heard a " wuff" at Tom's side of the forest, and a small 

 black object appeared running towards my pool, straight 

 across the rock. I fired, and it dropped with a yell, which 

 was answered by such a chorus of yells and grunts from the 

 jungle that I knew I had slaughtered a young bear and 

 " mama " was aroused. 



Out she came, yelling " blue murder," and both Tom 

 and I let fly at her, which forced her to retreat, though we 

 missed clean, both of us. Out she came once more, how- 

 ever, and again we banged at her, missing clean as before, 

 and this time she bolted with grievous yells, grunts, and 

 snorts, whilst " baby " incontinently died. I was rather 

 sick at shooting the poor little beast, but the light was dim, 

 and I was not certain at first what it was. This was our 

 last visitant that night, except a porcupine, which Tom 

 shot, and the next day we returned to my forest hole, where 

 Tom watched one night, whilst I watched at a mud puddle 

 about half a mile away. A bear came to my puddle just 

 after nightfall and kicked up the most ridiculous antics, 

 capering about, yelling and howling, but fell at once to my 

 shot. I felt rather pleased with myself at this, but suddenly 

 the apparently dead bear scrambled to its feet and bolted 

 at speed, in spite of a hasty shot sent after it which merely 

 elicited a few extra yells. An hour afterwards exactly the 

 same thing occurred a bear came along, I shot and dropped 

 it, neglecting to give it my second barrel until too late, for 

 it also got up and departed at speed. I was by this time 

 rather sorry for myself. Nothing further happened that 



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