202 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SHIKAR 



a dark thick bush, we roused from sleep a big bear, 

 only a few yards from us. He sprang out at us with 

 a fearful roar. Old Mahadu fled with the rifle and 

 the bear made a start to go after him. Then he 

 saw me and pulled up, making nasty, angry noises 

 and demonstrating; we both wondered what we 

 should do next, and it seemed to be a question 

 whether he should bolt or I should; we stood and 

 looked at each other, then the bear did. I fancy 

 if I had not stood firm he would have come on. 

 Before I could get my rifle from the trembling Mahadu 

 the bear had disappeared in the bushes : such a fine 

 bear too I 



There was no tiger kill that day, but Abdulla 

 had given orders for beaters anyhow; if there was 

 no kill we intended to beat a hill where they said a 

 tiger and a bear had been driven out before. 



On our way out we passed a village where we should 

 have found coolies ready for us, but very few had 

 assembled. At this place there was a gipsy encamp- 

 ment and the police sepai called for some of them to 

 come. It was amusing to see how quickly they came. 

 The gipsy chief came out of his ragged tent and beat 

 a tom-tom to summon all his troop, and at once they 

 came flocking in from all quarters. 



The hill we were to beat was a longish one, but 

 not extensive crosswise. The machan was fixed up 

 in a tree at one end of it, on the level. Abdulla 

 took the men to the far end and started them off. 

 By and by a hyena came. I gave a soft whistle to 

 see what effect it might have on him ; he stopped and 

 looked about him and quietly continued on his way. 



