256 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



rounded by high grass ; but we got a good view of the bear 

 as it came out, and dropped it. Eecovering itself, it got 

 into a small narrow ravine leading down to the Mhye. We 

 had crossed the river dryshod about an hour before ; but 

 rain had fallen near the source of the stream, and it was 

 now coming down in a turbid flood, sixty yards in width. 

 The bear at once^swam across ; and after some delay we fol- 

 lowed on an elephant, and our men took up the track. They 

 picked out the footprints with great sagacity, and after nearly 

 two miles we came up with the bear and slew it. We had 

 good prospects of game in this neighbourhood ; but we both 

 had work elsewhere, and next morning we parted company. 



The last-detailed bear-hunt had been witnessed with much 

 interest by Eamla, a Bheel freebooter, who had given a good 

 deal of trouble in his time, and had lately broken out of the 

 jail at Mundlaisir. The thakoor of Dhotreea, a chief who was 

 well acquainted with his movements, had assured me that he 

 had fled from the country, and pretended to be much hurt at 

 my ill-disguised incredulity. Some time after I sent for 

 Earnla, who came in on safe conduct. He conversed plea- 

 santly on the subject of his numerous misdeeds, and informed 

 me that, seated on the hill-side, he had watched our pursuit 

 of the bear from find to finish. 



On my way back to Sirdarpore a Bheel was brought into 

 my camp minus a hand and a foot. He stated that he had 

 been thus mutilated by order of a petty chief in the Dhar 

 state, who, suspecting him of robbery, had directed his limbs 

 to be hewn off. The operation had been performed with an 

 adze, and the stumps had been dipped in hot oil, to check the 

 bleeding. I reported the matter to the agent of the Viceroy, 

 who ordered the chief to pay the man for life, through my 

 office, a monthly pension of ten rupees. I sent for both 



