420 The Hunting Grounds 



at noonday. As we were descending a steep ravine 

 of this kind, Abdulla pointed out to me an enormous 

 bear scrambling, hand over hand, up the stumps and 

 bush on the other side ; and, jumping off my horse, 

 I made use of a slab of rock as a rest, and gave him 

 both barrels simultaneously. Although the distance 

 was nearly five hundred yards, my shots evidently 

 took effect, for he rolled over several times before he 

 could regain his legs, when he looked fiercely round 

 and growled most savagely. I hastily reloaded, but 

 he had in the meantime given leg-bail, so I directed 

 two of the gang to remain where we were to mark 

 the place and direct me in case I should not be able 

 to make straight for it, and then gave chase. It was 

 no easy work to scramble up the rocky slope ; but 

 at last we got upon his trail, and soon found gouts 

 of blood which, although not sufficient to lead me to 

 suppose that he was mortally wounded, proved that 

 my shots, even at that long range, had taken effect. 

 As the trail diverged considerably from our route, 

 we gave up the pursuit ; and, after halting a short 

 time to cook a meal by a beautiful stream gushing 

 out of the live rock, the water of which was so 

 cold that it gave me a violent toothache, again 

 pushed forward. 



After a weary march and much slipping and 

 scrambling over most difficult ground, we ascended 

 from a ravine to an elevated ridge covered with 



