XXI II TRACKING THE BLACK BEAR 4^1 



getting less and less, and at last, when we reached the 

 place where the beast had apparently spent the night, it 

 ceased altoofether. The hollow in which the bear had 

 lain showed hardly any blood, and I could see none 

 around on any of the twigs. While we were searching 

 and talking in whispers, we noticed some scratches 

 leading down the slope, for the spot we were at was 

 a hillside. Abdulla followed them down some 3 or 4 

 yards, and then began gesticulating violently, indicating 

 that I was to go to him. I slipped after him, but 

 looking downwards to where he pointed, could see 

 nothing. I, however, heard a rustling in the jungle 

 below, as of some animal going towards the left. I at 

 once went in that direction, keeping parallel to the sound 

 and above it, and the next moment caught sight of the 

 bear's hind-quarters about 7 or 8 yards off 



The report of the Paradox was followed by a yell, 

 and the bear dashed off Why he did not come at me I 

 cannot imagine, for as I saw him plainly he must have 

 seen me. Slipping in another cartridge, I followed as 

 fast as the undergrowth would let me, but was astonished 

 to find no fresh blood. "You have missed him," said 

 the shikari. " Then why did he yell ?" said I. " There is 

 no fresh blood," said the shikari, a fact I could not deny. 

 It was difficult to understand, and I thought I had lost 

 the beast after getting as good a chance as was possible. 

 Small traces of blood, evidently, from the colour and 

 position on the twigs, due to the previous night's wound, 

 enabled us to follow, and in a few minutes, while stand- 

 ing in an open spot looking about, we caught sight of 

 the bear in some jungle beyond. Walking up to its 



