196 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



lu the evening, just as we were going to sit down 

 to dinner, one of our people, who had been bathing 

 in the stream a short distance below our camp, came 

 running in with the information that he had seen 

 two bears drinking, close to. We immediately sal- 

 lied forth in pursuit, and B had the luck to fall 



in with them, killing one outright with the first shot, 

 and disabling the other, which Chineah despatched. 

 After this little episode we dined, and sat round the 

 camp-fire discussing the events of the day until a 

 late hour, when we turned in, highly satisfied with 

 our sport, for slaying a bull-nilghau single-handed 

 with the spear is not an everyday occurrence, even 

 in an Indian sportsman's career. 



The next day we moved on to Eaupoor, distance 

 nine miles, where we pitched our tents, having heard 

 that a herd of elephants had been seen by some 

 Mulchers a few days before ; but after a couple of 

 days' search, during which we found no fresh trails, 

 we advanced to Dewara, where, as we were beating 

 a very thick and likely cover, a black panther started 

 up from a cleft in the ground close under my feet, 

 and I had the good fortune to roll him over with a 

 single ball, which took effect just behind the ear. 

 The skin was magnificent, the spots being distinctly 

 visible when held up to the light, appearing of a 

 deeper black than the rest. The gang declared that 

 the black panther was a much more dangerous animal 

 than the ordinary species ; and as I had on a previ- 

 ous occasion seen one, that Walter M had 



