I GO MYSELF. 241 



himself, and had sent m the man totally 

 unarmed, and it was he, who had heard 

 the bear growling inside. The Shikaree 

 excused himself, by saying, he thought the 

 bear was dead, and that the man could 

 ascertain, as well as himself, whether it 

 were possible to get it out, or to skin 

 it inside. He moreover represented, that 

 now we were aware of its being still alive, 

 it was madness, attempting to enter such 

 a den, where we could not even use our 

 limbs. 



Determined however to see for myself, I 

 tied a bundle of the split pine to the 

 end of the spear, and as soon as it burnt 

 brightly, I held it in front, and with 

 the double gun in the other hand, crawled, 

 as well as I could, into the hole. A more 

 appropriate habitation for a wild beast, 

 could scarcely be conceived. For ten yards 

 or more, the entrance was so narrow and 

 low, it was impossible, even when on hands 

 and knees, to hold one's head upright, 

 and equally impossible to turn round. 



