304 THE SECOND DAT. 



about a dozen paces or so to the rear, 

 omitting to put the second rifle, which he 

 carried, into my hand. Bruin, luckily for 

 me, satisfied with his reception, went on 

 to the forest, and before I could get 

 another shot, was out of sight. It was 

 then getting dark, and we had only just 

 time to ascertain that he bled. Wilson now 

 came up, and after due consultation, we 

 agreed to go home, and try again for our 

 friend next morning. 



The evening was passed as usual ; dinner, 

 whisky-punch, a cheeroot, and bed. 



A bear had also been woimcled by Colls, 

 and, accompanied by Jye Sing, our best 

 shikarie, he started early, just after day- 

 break, in pursuit ; and Wilson and I went 

 straight to the scene of yesterday's en- 

 counter. We found no great difiiculty, in 

 tracking the animal for a considerable dis- 

 tance, until we arrived at a stream, or rather 

 a river covered over with snow, where we 

 found that at an unfrozen spot, a little way 

 down, the bear had taken his drink. Here 



