Bears (Asiatic]. 225 



up close to him and sent a two-ounce ball through, 

 him. He rushed on and was met by Meer Saib, who 

 fired and missed. This turned the beast back towards 

 me, when I greeted him with another bullet. Not- 

 withstanding this severe punishment he reached his 

 den, where he afterwards gave up the ghost. 



" 30th. Went out early this morning, and posted 

 the markers as usual on the rocks. A couple of 

 hyaenas were seen, and as it was then broad day- 

 light, thinking there was no chance of any nobler 

 game, I gave chase to one of them. Suddenly, 

 however, hearing a cry from my shikaries, I returned 

 and found three bears running towards the rocks. 

 This proved to be a well-known family, that had been 

 here for the last five years and together had de- 

 stroyed two men (at least so the villagers said) 

 during that interval. I cut them off from the rocks, 

 on which they made for some hills about half a mile 

 distant. The ground here was most ( break-neck/ 

 there being large sloping slabs of stone, with loose 

 rocks upon them. However, I managed to drive 

 them over this, but at one place they turned and 

 roared at me, as if about to attack. In another half 

 mile or so, I caught them up in tolerably open 

 ground, and riding in upon them gave the rearmost 

 one a severe wound. The whole three then charged 

 me, but the handiness of my horse ' Dicky ' saved 

 me, and giving the wounded beast a spear through 

 the lungs which proved mortal very soon, I made 

 off, pursued by all three, roaring furiously. The 

 wounded animal soon lagged behind, and my shikaries 

 kept throwing stones and mobbing him, until he fell 

 over and expired from loss of blood. On coming to 



Q 



