IN THE WURDWAN. 81 



me also letters and newspapers, a very seasonable supply ; 

 for in this solitary mode of life these links, which 

 connect one with absent friends and keep one * au fait ' 

 of passing occurrences, are invaluable. 



In the evening we went down valley and across the 

 river after a bear on the opposite hill. We were cut off 

 from him, when in sight, by a deep hollow which we 

 could not cross without exposing ourselves, and the brute 

 was even now uneasy, looking up, and sticking up his 

 ugly snout in the air to catch any objectionable savour. 

 We drew back, and made a long detour, and arrived to 

 find Bruin's place void. 



We went on through some jungle, and suddenly started 

 a bear to the surprise of both parties. He scuttled 

 off in their usual clumsy style, and pulled up on the hill 

 behind a large tree whose branches protected him. 

 With studious care I endeavoured to open his position, 

 and at last got sight of his forehand ; he was from one 

 hundred and fifty to two hundred yards off. I rested the 

 Enfield, and, taking steady aim, fired, and evidently hit. 

 He scrambled up the rocks, I firing my other barrels at 

 him, apparently striking him again, but not stopping him. 



I sent Subhan after him, and then moved slowly 

 on, much dejected at such repeated failures, the more 

 vexatious from the animals being badly wounded. After 

 some time we heard a shot, and congratulated ourselves 

 on Subhan's having retrieved the bear: but when he, 

 after a long time, rejoined us, we found that he had 

 fired at a ' kustoora/ and had not seen the bear. 



Back to camp : Subhan and Mooktoo remaining un- 

 usually late at the fire, I went out, and they told me 

 they had a proposal to make, viz. to leave me and Phut- 

 too to cast bullets in the morning, while they tried to find 

 the wounded bear. I accepted readily this suggestion. 



