20 BEARS. 



support and Poulton was detached to the off side of the 

 valley, wherein the janwars were reclining, but before we 

 began our stalk the bear got his wind, and came slowly up 

 the hill towards us. Directly Manley caught sight of him 

 he fired an ineffective snap-shot, and the bear, dashing 

 through the scrub jungle, some forty yards off, charged a 

 squad of beaters towards our left rear. I gave him two- 

 barrels, and turned him with the second the bullet, 

 striking his forepaw, inflicted a trifling wound. He then 

 recrossed the valley towards Poulton, whose rifle we soon 

 heard, and shortly afterwards, seeing the bear heading 

 back for a range of hills in our rear, I mounted and 

 pursued him, but could not get within spearing distance, 

 owing to the rocky nature of the ground. He gained the 

 hill, and was finally marked down into a nullah, thickly 

 fringed with kino, jamun, and Indian beech ; here we came 

 upon him later in the day, and, after a spirited encounter,, 

 finished him a very fine male bear. 



It will be evident, from these stories, that a great deal 

 of lead was frequently expended on bears without much 

 apparent result, the fact being that unless the brain, spine, 

 or heart are hit, bullets have little or no effect, indeed^ 

 merely act as stimulants. 



Before approaching a bear that appears to be dead r 

 load both barrels, and be ready for instant action ; they 

 have an awkward trick of shamming dead, and when you 

 come within range, may make a desperate attempt to 

 embrace you a bear in articulo mortis becomes quite 

 revivified if he catches your eye, and we had some narrow 

 escapes in consequence before we discovered this peculiarity. 

 The exploits of the late Colonel Nightingale with rifle 

 and spear were well known in the Deccan and about 

 bear spearing, in particular, there were many anecdotes- 



