162 THE HUNTING GKOUNDS, ETC. 



prepared people who knew their haunts to accom- 

 pany us. 



We assembled all our people in a circle, distri- 

 buted the usual allowance of grog and tobacco, and 

 afterwards heard all they had to say about the game 

 to be found in the country, and the most effective 

 manner of pursuing it. After I heard all their 

 opinions, I made up my mind to start an hour 

 before the first appearance of dawn for the hill 

 where the bears were said to be, which was about a 

 coss, or two miles, from the village, and to await 

 their returning to their caves ; as in this part of 

 the country, during the hot weather, bears roam 

 about the jungle in search of food all the night and 

 return to their caves in the morning, where they 

 remain during the intense heat of the day, issuing 

 forth again at sunset. They live chiefly upon the 

 wild fruits of the jungle and white ants, which 

 latter insect they devour in thousands, by scraping 

 a hole with their claws, and sucking them out of 

 their nests. They are also passionately fond of 

 honey, and show themselves wonderfully sharp in 

 finding out wild bees' nests, climbing lofty trees in 

 search of them. 



