ADVENTUKES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 191 



idle with her formidable claws, with which she tore open my 

 clothes, and gave me an ugly score across the ribs. At that 

 moment Bappoo rushed in and shot her through the body. 

 She dropped on all fours, but retained her hold on my hand 

 with her teeth, tugging furiously to get me down. As we 

 struggled, a young bear which she carried on her back, and 

 which had been struck by my shot, fell dead at our feet ; and 

 the old lady's temper was evidently not improved by the 

 bereavement. 



Bappoo behaved admirably. He again rushed to the front, 

 and, raising his rifle, watched his opportunity for another 

 shot. I called to him not to blow my hand off ; and at that 

 instant he fired, and the bear relaxed her grip and fell back 

 with a ragged hole through her head. All this was the work 

 of a few seconds. 



I had now time to examine my hurts. My left wrist was 

 nearly bitten through, both bones were smashed, and the hand 

 twisted round. I was, moreover, cut across the ribs by the 

 bear's claws. Holding up the wounded limb in a hanging 

 position, I turned the hand round into its place, and supported 

 it on the other arm, till Hunt, who had now come up, had 

 cut some slips of bamboo, and bound the whole up with a 

 turban. I was astonished at the utter absence of pain, for 

 the wound was gruesome to behold. 



The rage of the bear had evidently been kindled by her 

 offspring being wounded. They generally bring out their 

 young in some cave, or mass of rocks ; and, as soon as they 

 can run about, the young bears travel over the country on the 

 backs of their mothers, burying themselves in the long hair, 

 to which they cling with great tenacity, holding their position 

 at any speed, and over the roughest ground. While feeding 

 or undisturbed they descend and run about, scrambling up 



