102 
THREE BEARS MARKED DOWN. 
morning three bears were reported to be marked down, so 
as soon as we had despatched our breakfast we started off. 
Our first visit was to a she bear and her three-parts-grown 
cub ; they had been marked down into a large bush, but had 
afterwards moved into a cave, to the mouth of wliich we 
quietly crept, having taken off our boots to make less noise. 
The village man with us made signs that he could see the 
bear ; I peered in and there she was about ten yards from 
the entrance of the cave, and as I whispered to my com- 
panion, I can see her, shall I fire ? " out she came, full tilt 
at me ; I fired, and my companion followed suit immediately, 
which turned her a little, and as she passed me, I gave her 
the other barrel, when she only ran a short distance and laid 
down under a rock, and as she rose I shot her through the 
head. We then heard the beaters crying out that there 
was another bear afoot. My companion got the start of me 
as I had to load, and when I came up to him 1 found he 
had wounded the bear, so I left it to him, and after a long 
chase over very rocky ground, he killed it. We were 
pretty well blown, and 1 felt uncommonly sore about the 
feet, and on looking down I perceived that I had no boots 
on. My stockings were all in rags and my feet a good deal 
cut, but in the excitement I had forgotten all about my 
boots. 
After a rest, we started for number three, and on the way 
met one of our shikaries, who told us two more bears were 
marked down— all dog bears/and all in different places. Five 
i bears in one day would be grand. 1 was, to use an old school 
phrase, a little bit ''too cocky" at having stopped the first bear, 
and I expressed a hope that No. 3 would be a good fighter; 
my wish was fulfilled more to the letter than I an uci paled. 
