IN THE WURDWAN. 



and continued our hunt along the base of a range ; and 

 Subhan and a villager, who had gone to reconnoitre, 

 declaring they saw a bear in a spot indicated, we 

 proceeded to make his acquaintance, and after much toil 

 found no trace of living creature, so concluded our 

 informants to have mistaken a stone for a bear, an error 

 the keenest-sighted are liable to. 



24th May. Away in another direction up the valley. 

 We soon saw two bears across the river moving ahead 

 along the slope of the opposite hill. "We crossed the river 

 by a natural bridge of snow. One of the bears crossed the 

 snow drift, up which we were pursuing our way to intercept 

 them, about one hundred and fifty yards ahead of us. 

 We lay still, screened by shrubs : followed on, and saw 

 him grubbing among some bushes. I cocked the rifle, at 

 the click of which the cautious beast became suspicious, 

 and looked up, facing me. Thinking him about to 

 abscond, I fired and away he rushed, disappeared in 

 the bushes, and we saw nothing more of him. I could 

 not account for my failure : the shot was a fair one. 



After remaining some time on the look out without 

 seeing any game, we returned to camp to breakfast ; and 

 by the advice of the shikarries, and in order to satisfy 

 them, I discharged all my weapons at a mark, making 

 fair practice : but decided on reducing the charge of 

 powder. I cheered up the shikarries, saying we would 

 now consign to oblivion our previous failures, and 

 make a fresh start. 



In the afternoon, across the river, retracing the road 

 we came by, we ascended the hill, and all lay down, 

 shikarries together in whispering conversation. 



Suddenly I became aware of the presence of a bear 

 in the jungle some distance off. He appeared con- 

 templating an approach in our direction, but, hesitating, 



