ii6 SPORT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF KASHMIR chap. 



concluded that the wound was in one of the left feet, 

 probably the left hind foot. In one place the tracks 

 went into a cave, and we thought we had him, but 

 further on we saw them again, and knew that the bear 

 had come out and gone on. 



We were following like this, searching carefully for 

 the scratches on the ground and the marks of blood 

 which made up the trail, when the shikari, who was 

 leading, on coming to a small rise in the ground suddenly 

 dropped as if shot. I instantly concluded he had seen 

 the bear, and crouching low I ran towards him, to be 

 told when I reached him that a herd of ibex was in 

 front. Looking cautiously over the edge, I found that 

 a deep gully running up to the left into the mountains 

 was below us, and in this I saw a herd of eight ibex, 

 with one good male. The herd was moving about 

 uneasily, and had evidently been disturbed by something, 

 possibly by the wounded bear, whose track appeared to 

 lead down to and across the gully in which the goats 

 were. The descent to where they stood was very 

 precipitous, and in some places looked impossible. But 

 we should no doubt have found a way down, only that 

 doinof so would have been useless, as we should have been 

 in full view the whole time. 



The question then arose as to whether we should 

 follow the bear and let the ibex go, or give up the bear 

 and make arrangements for tackling the ibex. I wanted 

 to do the former, feeling sure we should see ibex again, 

 and not liking to lose the wounded bear. But the 

 shikari said that the bear would be recovered later on 

 if we sent villagers after him, and that it was a pity 



