MY COMPANION LEAVES ME. 153 



to run up to the cave and administer a 

 strong dose of brandy. At noon the snow 

 ceased, and Wilson and I strolled out with 

 oiu' rifles, but had to content ourselves with 

 seeing the track of a bear. 



Three days' journey, through a thinly- 

 wooded coimtry, brought us down to Chit- 

 hool. As far as shooting was concerned we 

 were unfortunate in this valley, for we only 

 saw two bears on the opposite bank of the 

 river, and a few burrell on our side. It is 

 a famous resort of bears in July, but not 

 earlier in the year. From hence we passed 

 into the valley of the Sutlej, and crossed 

 that river by a Jula bridge to Chenee, where 

 Clapcott determined to leave us and go into 

 Simla. On the 9th of July we parted com- 

 pany, and he never regretted his decision 

 but once, and that was the whole time he 

 spent at Simla. I do not mean to insinuate 

 that Simla is not a pleasant hospitable place, 

 but he liked my life in the interior better, 

 although when he left me he did not 

 know it. 



