160 SPORT IN ASIA AND AFRICA 



were in the cover bolted across the rides. I had 

 shot one small black bear, and was having the 

 last beat of the day. A Kashmiri shikari was 

 with me, and he had a shot-gun loaded with 

 ball. I had my '500 black-powder Express. 

 The shikari was looking up the ride, and I was 

 looking down it. I had not told him to shoot, 

 but had not forbidden him to do so. As the 

 beat proceeded the shikari saw what he thought 

 was a pig at the edge of the jungle, and I turned 

 round to have a shot at it. As I turned a fine 

 bear broke from the jungle and crossed the ride 

 at a gallop. I fired when the beast was on my 

 right front about fifty yards from me, and the 

 shikari, who was standing on my right, fired 

 immediately afterwards. The bear reached the 

 cover on the other side of the ride, and there 

 fell dead on his back with his four paws in the 

 air. He had his winter coat, and it was impossible 

 to see any bullet-marks. The shikaris, hoping 

 for a reward, all said that I had killed the bear, 

 but I was by no means sure of this, and the 

 carcase was brought to the rest-house, at which 

 I was staying, to be skinned. When the skin 

 was removed I was informed that there was only 

 one bullet-hole in the bear's body, and that the 

 bullet had passed right through him. I was 

 much disappointed, but fortunately walked over 

 to the fire, where the animal had been skinned, 

 to have a look at the carcase. It was dark, 

 but by the firelight I saw that the hole of exit 

 of the bullet was round and smooth, while the 

 hole of entry had jagged edges. At my direction, 

 a search was made inside the animal, and the 



