>* SHIKAR 



cover ; so that had Bruin, who shewed his ugly counte- 

 nance, come right on, straight at us, he would have found 

 us unprepared. But, catching a sight of my face, he 

 altered his course, and, sheering off, rushed by us some 

 fifty yards below. I hastily fired at him, but without effect. 



He was a very large bear. It is quite unaccountable, 

 this attack of his. He was close on the shikarries, before 

 they were aware of him. He came up the hill on the 

 top of which their tree grew : they fled precipitately 

 shouting, as I have said, their countenances exhibiting 

 the utmost terror. The brute, also, gave a fierce roar, 

 which certainly would lead one to think him bent on 

 mischief. But there are few instances of their being the 

 aggressors, I believe : so Bruin's intentions must ever re- 

 main a mystery. If, annoyed by the storm, and finding 

 human beings in his way as he rushed blindly on, he 

 instinctively held on his course, and uttered his angry 

 threats, simply to frighten them out of his path, which I 

 think probable, he certainly succeeded to a marvel : for I 

 never saw fellows in a greater funk, helplessly unnerved. 



This ended the first day's hunt in the Wurdwan, when 

 although we saw plenty of game, and three shots were 

 expended, we had the misfortune to be unsuccessful. 



17th May. Full of pleasing anticipations of success 

 to-day from the favourable reports of game being abun- 

 dant. 



We went up the Kuzuznai, a narrow valley with pre- 

 cipitous, inaccessible cliffs on the right-hand, and grassy 

 slopes of a steep pitch running down from the mountains 

 on the left, abundance of snow on either hand. We met 

 a native, whose replies, when interrogated as to game, I 

 judged from what I could gather to be rather discouraging. 

 After having advanced two or three miles from Ofith, we 

 reached a small farm, a couple of log houses all the 



