Chamba into Kashmir 123 



known to himself, as he could neither have seen nor 

 smelt them. S., who was very keen, foolishly fired 

 at him as he was moving fast ; the bullet hit, but 

 apparently too high, for the bhalu went steadily on. 



Meanwhile, the other bear was still feeding con- 

 tentedly down by the stream, the noise of which had 

 probably prevented him from hearing the shot. It 

 was not easy to get within range of him ; but after 

 some circumvention, on looking over a rock, S. saw 

 him digging up roots about thirty yards below him. 

 A bullet behind his shoulder tumbled him over, and 

 he rolled down the bank, roaring and howling con- 

 siderably, on to the very water's edge, where he seized 

 hold of a branch in his teeth and hung on for a few 

 moments. 



S. rushed down the hill and was about to fire again, 

 when the bear dropped into the water and was carried 

 a little distance down stream, where he contrived 

 to slip from behind rock to rock, and finally escape 

 altogether in a dense patch of cover which skirted the 

 actual forests. 



Much disappointed, S. and the shikaris climbed the 

 hill and began searching for traces of the first bear. 

 They walked a good distance with no result, and 

 finally sat down about midday, waiting in hopes of 

 something coming out to feed in the afternoon. It 

 was cold work ; but about three o'clock a very light- 

 coloured bear emerged from the forest and began 

 feeding. A deep ravine separated him from S., and 

 he took a deliberate aim ; but though the bear rolled 



