18 BEARS. 



his tormentors, who were again worsted and routed 

 ignominiously. 



I then despatched a cooly to ask them to return to 

 tackle the panther,'* but Poulton had met with some 

 untelope, and was stalking them. Manley, however, 

 arrived after an hour, and the afternoon's proceedings are 

 detailed in the chapter devoted to panthers. 



The following morning Poulton and I went out early 

 to look for bears, in a small rocky hill about four miles 

 from camp. 



We found on arrival that there was only room for one 

 rifle, so we tossed up for first shot, which Poulton won. 

 In a short time a bear suddenly appeared within twenty 

 yards. Poulton fired and rolled her over, whereupon a 

 young one, which we had not hitherto seen, jumped off 

 her back, and commenced running round in a circle, giving 

 vent to the most heartrending shrieks. The old bear rose 

 again, but speedily got a quietus. A most exciting chase 

 then commenced after the cub, which would not let any- 

 body go near him; the little beggar charged us furiously, 

 and at first we bolted, although he was not much larger 

 than a spaniel. 



At length we found that the best way to collar him 

 was to let him charge close up to our legs, then stooping 

 down, to lift him smartly into the air, by the hair of his 

 back, so that he could not bite thus, with the aid of a 

 cumbley (blanket), we secured and took him to camp, 

 where a small cage was made for his residence. 



We were encamped near the village, in a mango tope, 

 of which some of the trees bore very good fruit not the 

 turpentiney abominations generally found in the jungle, 



>T The shikaries had discovered him in an adjacent cave while 

 the bear tournament was in progress. 



