70 THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



wreaking vengeance on the hollow sounding artiele. 

 Doubtless many a marriage and other native cere- 

 mony had been enlivened with the banging of that 

 most cherished instrument ; but never again, alas ! 

 was it destined to delight and charm the native ear. 

 The enraged bear seized it with his claws ; bit at 

 it ; and very soon reduced it to a state quite in- 

 compatible with any future drumming. However, 

 the bear's attention being thus distracted, and his 

 fury spent in the demolition of the tim-tim, its 

 owner was enabled to make good use of his long 

 legs, and effected his escape ; while the beast, appa- 

 rently satisfied with the destruction he had accom- 

 plished, lumbered away, and disappeared in the 

 jungle. 



" The other bear had fixed his special attention on 

 a little fellow, who declined to place his speed in 

 competition with that of his antagonist, at least 

 he only ran for about a dozen yards, and then 

 scrambled with amazing rapidity into one of the 

 small trees. It was hardly sufficient to bear his 

 weight, but he managed to fix one foot in a cleft, 

 and the other widely separate on a different branch, 

 and as high above the ground as he could get. It 

 was only about six or seven feet though, and the 

 bear dashed up to the foot of the tree, evidently 

 thinking he had secured his victim. 



o 



