1839.] Journal of a trip through Kunawur. 915 



Some are said to store their dens with grass and herbs, in which 

 they keep themselves warm during the prevalence of the snows ; 

 others select the hollow trunk of some large decaying tree in which 

 they form a similar warm bed. This however I look upon as a fable. 

 There are not many about Cheenee and Punggee, and above those 

 places they are not founded ; the greatest numbers therefore inhabit 

 the lower parts of Kunawur. 



During the winter in those parts where the Emoo, the Gooral, and 

 the Ther are found, it is the custom when the snow has fallen some- 

 what deeply, so that the animals cannot avail themselves of their na- 

 tural speed, for parties of eight and ten men to assemble with their 

 matchlocks and sally forth to the chace, guarding their legs from the 

 snow by two pairs of woollen trowsers, and a warm thick pair of 

 woollen shoes. He who is lucky enough to get first shot at the quarry 

 is entitled by the rules of the Kunawur sporting clubs, provided he 

 has fired with effect, to the skin of the animal, and the rest of the party 

 share equally of the flesh, whether they have had a shot or not. The 

 skin is the most valuable part of the prize, and out of it many useful 

 articles are made, such as soles for their shoes, bags to carry grain and 

 flour, and belts, &c. so that to get the first shot at the game is not only 

 as much a point of honour as getting the brush in a fox hunt at 

 home, but is also a source of profit to the lucky sportsman. 



The bear is not held in much dread by the people of Kunawur, for in 

 the season when they have young ones parties go forth to the chace 

 with a few dogs and armed only with heavy sticks. When a bear 

 with cubs is unkennelled by the dogs she at first makes off in great 

 alarm, but as the dogs soon overtake and keep the cubs at bay until 

 the huntsmen come up, she retraces her steps and wages war in 

 defence of her young. Some skill and agility are now required by the 

 hunters to avoid a hug, and at the same time to administer some 

 weighty blows over the animal's head and snout, until having received 

 a hearty cudgelling from the party, she once more makes off after 

 her cubs, who have profited by the delay to get well ahead. The 

 dogs however again overtake them, and again and again the poor 

 mother returns to defend them, and receives a thrashing, until tired 

 and exhausted she secures her own escape and leaves her offspring 

 in the hunter's hands. Bears and leopards are somtimes killed by 

 constructing an immense bow, charged with one or more arrows. 

 A bait is placed to entice the animals, and connected with the bow 

 string in such a manner that when seized the arrows are dischar- 

 ged into the animal's body, and with such force as often to pierce 



