414 
IVILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA KS’ 
CHAP. 
death will paralyse the spring. I could mention 
numerous cases where lamentable disasters have 
occurred simply through thoughtlessness on the 
part of the hunter, who has been sacrificed 
in consequence of his neglect. One of the 
saddest catastrophes was the death of the late 
Lord Edward St. Maur, son of the Duke of 
Somerset, who died from the effects of amputation 
necessitated by the mangled state of his knee 
from the attack of a bear some years ago in India. 
This unfortunate young sportsman was shooting 
alone, and having wounded a bear, he followed 
up the animal for about a mile. When discovered 
it immediately charged him, and although again 
seriously wounded by his shot, the bear seized 
him by the knee, pulled him to the ground, 
and in the struggle that ensued he was seriously 
mauled. The bear was driven away by his 
attendants, and he was conveyed to camp. There 
was no blame in this instance attached to himself, 
or to any other person. In a most courageous 
' manner he defended himself against the bear 
with his hunting-knife, and the body of the 
animal was recovered after some days by his 
shikari; but this promising young nobleman was 
cut off in the early days of his career, and was 
probably sacrificed through a want of surgical 
experience on the part of the native operator. 
I remember an instance of carelessness, which 
might have had a disastrous result, many years 
ago, when I was hunting in Ceylon. My brother. 
