The travellers had halted for lunch, and tied their horses to the trees.
While Pouchskin was spreading out the comestibles, and Alexis engaged
in noting down in his journal the events of the day, Ivan--attracted by
a beautiful bird--had taken up his fowling-piece, and followed the bird
through the jungle--in hopes of getting a shot at it. We go along with
Ivan, for it was he who started the "mountebank" bear, that came near
mounting him on the moment of their meeting it.
Ivan was walking cautiously along a bank, that rose to about the height
of his head; but which in places was undermined, as if by the action of
running water--though there was no water to be seen. The ground,
however, upon which he trod was covered with pebbles and coarse gravel--
showing that at some period water must have flowed over it; and, indeed,
it was evidently the bed of a stream that had been full during the rainy
season, but was now completely dried up.
Ivan was not thinking of this; but of the beautiful bird which was
flitting about among the trees--still keeping out of the range of his
gun. He was in a bent attitude, crouching along under the bank--which
he was using as a cover, to enable him to approach the tantalising game.
All at once, a singular noise fell upon his ear. It was a sort of
monotonous purring, like that made by a spinning-machine, or a very
large tom-cat; and like the latter, it was prolonged and continuous.
The sound was not exactly pleasant to Ivan's ear, for it denoted the
proximity of some animal; and, although it was not loud, there was
something about the tone that told him the animal giving utterance to it
was a creature to be feared. In fact, it fell upon Ivan's ear in the
character of a warning; and caused him to desist from his pursuit of the
bird, come suddenly to a stand, and listen with great attention.
For some moments he was unable to make out whence the sound proceeded.
It seemed to fill the space all around him--as if it came out of the air
itself--for the purring sound kept the atmosphere constantly vibrating;
and, as there was no definite concussion, it was all the more difficult
to trace it to its source.
The thought that had entered into Ivan's mind was that it might be the
purring of a tiger he heard; and yet it seemed scarcely so harsh as
that--for he knew the peculiar rattle which frequently proceeds from the
thorax of the royal Bengalese cat.
He quickly reflected, however, that whether it was tiger or not, it
would neither be safe for him to raise an alarm, nor start to rush back
to the bivouac--though this was not twenty yards from the spot. By
making an attempt to retreat, he might draw the animal after him, or
stumble upon it--not knowing its direction. It was to ascertain its
whereabouts that he had stopped and stood listening. That once known,
he might keep his place, or lake to flight--as circumstances should
dictate.
Nearly a minute remained he in this irresolute attitude--looking around
on every side, and over the bank into the contiguous jungle; but he
could see no living thing of any kind--for even the bird had long since
taken its departure from the place. Still the purring continued; and
once or twice the sound increased in volume--till it almost assumed the
character of a "growl."
All at once, however, it came to an end; and was succeeded by a quick
sharp "sniff," several times repeated. This was a more definite sound;
and guided Ivan's eyes in a direction in which he had not before thought
of looking. He had hitherto been reconnoitring around him and _over_
the bank. He had not thought of looking _under_ it.
In this direction were his eyes now turned; and, stooping his body, he
peered into the dark subterraneous excavation which the water had caused
in the alluvial earth. There, to his surprise, he beheld the author of
the baritone performance that had been puzzling him.
At first he saw only a countenance of a dirty-whitish colour, with a
pair of ugly glancing eyes; but, in looking more attentively, this
countenance was seen to protrude out of an immense surrounding of black
shaggy hair, which could be the covering of no other animal than a
bear--and a sloth bear at that?
On making this discovery, Ivan did not know whether to be merry or sad.
He would have been glad enough, had he seen the bear at a distance; but,
situated as he was--with the great brute near enough to reach him at a
single spring,--in fact, almost between his legs--he had little cause to
congratulate himself upon the "find." Nor did he. On the contrary, he
was seized with a quick perception of danger, and only thought of making
his escape. He would have turned upon the instant and fled; but it
occurred to him, that by doing so he would draw the bear after him; and
he knew that, notwithstanding the uncouth shuffle which a bear makes in
running,--and the sloth bear is the greatest "shuffler" of the family,--
he can still go too fast for a man. Should he turn his face, the bear
might spring upon his back, and thus have him at his mercy.
Instead of facing away, therefore, Ivan kept his front to the bank; and
with his eyes fixed upon the animal, commenced gliding backward, slowly
but silently. At the same time he had cautiously raised his gun to the
level--with no intention, however, of firing, but merely to be ready in
case the bear should become the assailant. Otherwise, Ivan was
perfectly agreeable to making it a "draw" between them.
Bruin, however, had no idea of thus giving up the game; for the fierce
growl which just at that moment escaped him, signified anything but
assent. On the contrary, it was the prelude to the play; and declared
his intention of beginning it. Almost simultaneous with the growl, he
was seen starting to his feet; and before Ivan could pull trigger, or
even raise his gun to a proper elevation, a huge mass of black shaggy
hair, like a bundle of sooty rags, came whisking through the air
directly towards him. Men talk of the sudden spring of the tiger, and
the quick, rushing charge of the lion; but strange as it may seem,
neither one nor other of these animals can charge forward on their
intended victim with more celerity than a bear--clumsy and uncouth as
Bruin may appear. His capacity of raising himself erect gives him this
advantage; and from his great plantigrade posterior paws, combined with
his powerful muscular legs, he can pitch forward with a velocity
surprising as it is unexpected. This the regular bear-hunter well
knows; and the knowledge renders him cautious about coming too close to
a _couchant_ bear. Ivan himself knew it; and it was for this very
reason he was endeavouring to widen the distance between himself and
Bruin, before he should turn to run.
Unfortunately he had not succeeded in gaining sufficient ground. He was
still within charging distance of the animal as it rose to its feet; but
another step backward as the bear launched forth, carried him clear of
the spring; and Bruin leaped short. In another instant, however, he
erected himself, and again sprang forward; but this time the impetus
given to his body was not so great; and, although he succeeded in
closing with the young hunter, the latter was enabled to keep his feet
and grapple with him in an erect attitude. Had he fallen to the ground,
the bear would have made short work with him.
Ivan had dropped his gun: for, not having time to raise it or take aim,
the weapon was of no use. His hands were therefore free; and as the
bear pitched up against him, he stretched out his arms, grasped the long
hair that hung over the frontlet of the animal, and with all his might
held back the monster's head with his threatening jaws.
The bear had thrown both his paws around the body of the young hunter;
but a broad thick belt which the latter chanced to have on, protected
his skin from the animal's claws. So long as he could hold back that
open mouth, with its double rows of white sharp teeth, he had not so
much to fear; but his strength could not last long against such a
powerful wrestler. His only hope was that the cries which he was
raising would bring the others to his assistance; and of this he had no
doubt: as he already heard both Pouchskin and Alexis hurrying up towards
the spot.
It was a perilous moment. The extended jaws of the bear were within
twelve inches of the young hunter's face; he could feel the hot breath
steaming against his cheeks, and the long extensile tongue almost
touched his forehead, vibrating about in rapid sweeps, as if the animal
by that means hoped to bring his head within reach!
The struggle was not protracted. It lasted till Alexis and Pouchskin
came upon the ground; but not six seconds longer. The first thing that
Pouchskin did was to grasp the protruding tongue of the bear in his left
hand--making a half curl of it round his fingers--while with his right
he plunged his long knife right between the ribs of the animal. Alexis,
on the other side, dealt a blow in similar fashion; and, before either
of them could draw his blade out of its hair-covered sheath, the huge
mountebank relaxed his hold, and rolled over among the pebbles. There,
after a few grotesque contortions his limbs lay extended and motionless,
making it evident beyond a doubt, that _his_ "dancing days were over."