238 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



grievously wounded, and stepping back with my discharged 

 rifle, we stared at each other for a few moments, till he 

 shuffled away with the Santhals in hot pursuit, while I re- 

 loaded as fast as I could with a disabled hand, causing me 

 agonizing pain. As soon as my rifle was reloaded, I ran after 

 the bear and finished him. His skin was a magnificent one, 

 and served me for my only bedding many a night afterwards, 

 when out after game ; or when lying on it beside my camp 

 fire, I smoked the pipe of contemplation, recalling the stirring 

 incidents of my ' shikar ' adventures." 



There is a remarkably pretty little valley in Manbhoom, 

 about five miles north of Chandil, on the Chaibassa road, 

 and a mile or two west of it, which I have never found 

 blank. On the north a high hill, scantily clothed with trees, 

 bushes, and grass, slopes steeply down to the valley, which 

 is hemmed in on the other three sides by low ridges more 

 thickly covered with wood, while a rivulet dry in the hot 

 season winds through its entire length in the midst of a 

 low growth of plum, " karinda," and other bushes. Our usual 

 plan has been to beat up to the summit of the high hill from 

 its northern base, r and down its steep side along the valley 

 to its southern and south-western extremities, where we 

 either stood, or occupied " machans " built upon the growing 

 " sal " trees. 



One afternoon two of us resolved upon driving the above 

 ground for bears, taking up positions on " machans," my 

 companion on the south-west of the valley to stop the flight 

 of any animal over the ridge on that side, and I at the 

 southern extremity, where the valley contracted, and a path 

 led out of it into wooded and cultivated country beyond. 

 Further on to our left was posted a native police officer not 

 far from the inner slope of the high hill, where another path 

 wound out of a deep dell over the ridge westward. Thus 

 placed we commanded every outlet out of the valley, except 

 that on the east, as well as the tracks along the watercourse 

 which bisected it. 



An hour at least passed before the cries of the beaters 



