Reminiscences of Jungly pur* 129 



This time a '303 bullet hissed through his long coat, and 

 starred in white powder from the rock behind ; at which he 

 "whoofed" with annoyance, and accelerated his ungainly 

 pace. As he came trundling along over a little-open space, 

 another bullet twanged viciously off the ground just under 

 him. With a roar of rage he started to his hind legs, and 

 made a furious demonstration in the direction of his tor- 

 mentor. Although I was at least 250 yards away, across 

 a deep chasm, it was wonderful to see how correctly lie 

 judged my direction. I now stood up and, letting go 

 another despairing shot as he was rapidly getting away, 

 saw him to my delight throw up his legs, roll over and 

 over, and shoot swiftly out of sight below. 



The tension being relieved I cast myself down, panting 

 from my recent exertions; then, regaining my breath, 

 descended to the watercourse. As I clambered down by the 

 aid of tree trunks and creepers, I could have sworn that I 

 heard a Swiss "yodel" up-stream, so I cheerily replied 

 to it " La-la -la-hi-tu !" and hastened over the rocks. 

 What was my surprise to hear it a second time, and catch 

 sight of the melancholy, upturned visage of my victim, 

 as that mournful ululation welled from his throat for the 

 last time and echoed down the glen. Then his head 

 dropped, and he curled himself up for the last time. 



I have heard other bears chanting their own requiem, but 

 never another that warbled it so weirdly as this. 



One of the tiny bullets alone had struck him, fairly amid- 

 ships, and was found nicely mushroomed against the skin 

 on the far side a solid, soft-nosed Eley's. His feet were 

 badly torn and bleeding, owing to that rough and hurried 

 journey from the spot where I had first disturbed him. 



The men now came up ; the soda-water arrived and was 

 very welcome. The bear's legs were tied together with 



17 



