68 SHIKAR 



its work upon him, and gathered to the harvest one of 

 the dearest associates of my youthful days : but there is 

 another youth to come, an everlasting youth, to he 

 enjoyed in an eternal spring Oh ! may we he there 

 reunited, this humble follower, and all to whom my heart 

 tenderly yearns ! 



I made up some accounts, and paid sundry monies, 

 wrote instructions to the Baboo, and despatched a mes- 

 senger therewith, and, in the afternoon, went forth to 

 hunt. A hear was in sight high up on the mountain 

 which shelters the small cluster of huts constituting the 

 village. He was reported to be a continual visitor to the 

 same green spot. The climb was anything but inviting 

 to a limping cripple ; and the place looked so bare and 

 unapproachable, that I felt convinced we should not 

 succeed, and so assured the shikarries. But still we 

 made the attempt, and, after a very fatiguing hour's 

 ascent, had the poor reward of seeing the wary Bruin 

 making off. But, uncertain as to the quarter whence the 

 suspected danger threatened, he paused on the hill 

 opposite to us, and we lay a long time hoping he would 

 again descend to feed ; which at last we thought he 

 really had done, and so cautiously crawled to a shooting- 

 position. But Bruin had only concealed himself in order 

 to unmask his enemies, as it would appear ; for he 

 displayed his person in the same place, and then sat 

 partially concealed by boughs. At last, seeing no probable 

 change in our relative positions, I fired Whitworth, the bolt 

 passing close beneath his stomach, also the other rifle with- 

 out effect, the distance some three hundred yards. Bruin 

 losing patience at this repeated annoyance, quietly jogged 

 off up hill, and disappeared over the summit. 



We descended much more rapidly than we came up. 

 Getting upon a snow drift, we ran and slid down merrily, 



