xi THE BEAR 233 



The Ursus Idbiatus being one of the most vicious animals, I 

 have seen it upon two occasions attack an elephant, one of which 

 was quite unprovoked. 



We had been driving jungle for sambur deer in the Balaghat 

 district, and instead of posting myself upon a mucharn, or occupy- 

 ing any fixed position, I remained upon my elephant Hurri Ram. 

 This was a tusker that had been lent to me by the Government 

 upon two occasions, and he was so good-tempered, and active in 

 making his way over bad ground in steep forests, that I determined 

 to try him as a shooting elephant. I took my stand upon the open 

 grass-land, which was beautifully undulating, and would have made 

 a handsome park. Standing behind a bush we were partially con- 

 cealed, and I waited in expectation that some animals might break 

 covert in my direction. Presently I saw a dark object running 

 through the low bushes upon the margin of the sal forest on my 

 right, and a large bear emerged about 100 yards from my position. 

 It stood upon the open for a few seconds, evidently taking a close 

 scrutiny of the surroundings, prior to a run across the country, 

 where no chance would be afforded for concealment. It suddenly 

 espied the elephant, and, apparently without a moment's hesitation, 

 it charged from the great distance of 100 yards at full speed 

 directly upon the nervous Hurri Ram. I had not long to wait, 

 but just as I pulled the trigger, when the bear was within 10 

 yards, the elephant whisked round and bolted down hill across the 

 open, towards the portion of the jungle that was about 250 yards 

 upon my left. Nothing would stop the runaway brute, but for- 

 tunately I had stationed a police constable at the very spot for 

 which the elephant was making, and he, seeing the state of affairs, 

 ran forward, shouting at the top of his voice and flourishing his 

 rifle ; this had the effect of turning the runaway, just as it was 

 about to enter the forest, where we should in all probability have 

 been smashed. 



The bear had in the meantime gone across country, and although 

 we hunted it for more than a mile, we never saw it again. This 

 was a purely unprovoked attack, and it would have been interest- 

 ing to have seen the result had the elephant not bolted. I imagine 

 that the bear would have seized it by the leg, and afterwards 

 would have attempted a retreat. 



Upon another occasion, at a place called Soondah in the same 

 district, I was upon Hurri Ram ; I had been working through the 

 high grass in the first-class reserves throughout the day, having 

 killed a splendid stag sambur, when we were attracted by the 

 peculiar short roar or moan made by a tigress calling either for her 



