IDENTIFYING A BEAR 



animosity he displayed towards the animal, Jackson was 

 now satisfied that the man was either temporarily insane 

 or had some special motive for acting as he did and, inclined 

 to take the latter view, he determined by judicious question- 

 ing to ascertain the truth. 



Ignoring for the time his disobedience of orders as 

 to the gun, he asked him why, when armed with this 

 deadlier weapon, he had not shot the animal outright 

 instead of endangering his own life by attacking it with 

 an axe ? 



The man looked at him sullenly, without replying ; but 

 on the question being repeated, this sullen mood seemed 

 suddenly to leave him and, placing the palms of his hands 

 together, as is the manner of natives when desirous of 

 showing their submission and respect, he cried out, " If 

 the sahib will free his bonds his slave will tell him 

 all." 



This sudden change in his demeanour might have 

 seemed suspicious but for his being so evidently in earnest, 

 and Jackson, eager to hear the promised story, was not 

 disposed to be too cautious. Stooping down he undid the 

 fastenings round his wrists, and no sooner had he done so 

 than the man tore off his " pugri," and unwinding the 

 strappings round his face, pointed to it exclaiming, " This, 

 sahib, is the reason why I asked the ' Huzoor ' for a gun, 

 and why I did not kill the bear outright, for it was he who 

 made me what I am, a terror to all beholders, and I had 

 vowed to be revenged." 



Jackson started back in horrified amazement, for never 

 had he seen a human face so terribly transformed. There 

 was not a feature left on it. The nose was gone entirely, 

 two holes alone indicating its position, while the mouth 

 was but a shapeless opening displaying most of the teeth ; 

 nothing in fact remained as nature had created them 

 except the eyes which had fortunately escaped the general 

 demolition. 



" But how do you know it was this particular animal, 

 for bears are plentiful in the forest ? " asked Jackson, 

 after he had, to some extent, recovered from the shock. 



" Protector of the poor, if there were a thousand I 

 would know him ! for he bears a mark not easy to mistake 



117 



