CHAPTER XIII. 



Bears and Bear-shooting Character and Habits Three Varieties 

 Shooting by Moonlight on Foot Shooting by Day on Foot 

 A Malignant Old Manslayer Beating out Bears from Dens 

 Driving Bears A Eemarkably Bad Shot Small and Big Drives 

 Circular Beats Disappointments G-ood Sport Abundance of 

 Game in the Camp Kitchen. 



IF the wild boar be among wild animals the gallant knight, 

 the bear is certainly the country gentleman, with his retired 

 and regular habits, his critical appreciation of the crops, 

 whether wild figs and plums, or the mango, the sugar-cane, 

 and the " mowah," on all of whiph he casts an observant and 

 calculating eye while they are ripening for his benefit. Mean- 

 while he digs for roots and white ants, passing a life of 

 domestic happiness with his consort and offspring, playing 

 his rubber, and voting in the Liberal -Conservative interest, as 

 opposed to those Tories, the tiger and the panther on the one 

 part, and the advanced Radicals, the wolf and the jackal, on 

 the other. If unmolested and allowed his own way, the bear 

 is generally peaceable and moderately good-natured ; but being 

 of a quick temper and easily moved by real or fancied insults, 

 he becomes at times unreasonably irascible and aggressive, 

 and in such moods is a most dangerous and determined 

 enemy. 



Should an unarmed wayfarer meet Master Bruin engaged 

 in looking over his orchards, or sauntering over his domain, 

 let him step aside silently lest he have his scalp drawn over 

 his face, or his features so altered as to be unrecognisable by 

 his most intimate friends. I have failed to detect any appre- 



