278 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



^ 



These Himalayan bears, if caught young, are easily 

 tamed, but afterwards, like the leopards, they are not 

 to be trusted. I once had two given me. One of them 

 was still half a cub, the other nearly full grown. They 

 were very tame and very amusing. I used often to 

 have them brought into the house and let them play 

 about the garden. They were especially fond of climb- 

 ing the trees, and once up, it was a great business to 

 get them down again. They were perfectly quiet, and 

 never attempted to bite, not even the dogs who some- 

 times used to run after them ; they were never, however, 

 allowed to go altogether loose. When brought into the 

 house or let play in the garden, the man who looked 

 after them always accompanied them. The largest of 

 the two he also generally led, except, of course, when 

 it was permitted to climb a tree. I had these two 

 bears for nearly a year, then I was transferred to a 

 distant station, and as I could not very well take the 

 bears with me, I presented them to a native landowner, 

 who had often expressed his desire to possess them. 



After discussing these grander creatures, the bear and 

 the tiger, it may seem superfluous to speak of the 

 wolves. I do so, however, on account of a curious 

 superstition, or rather belief, which prevails in India 

 regarding them. I shall presently mention it. There 

 are wolves in the Doon and in the neighbouring wastes 

 and forests ; but in comparison with the other larger 

 and fiercer wild animals they attract but little attention. 

 In the plains it is different. The wolves there are nearly 

 the only beasts of prey, and in the parts where they 

 are numerous they are regarded with great terror. 



