SHIKAR IN THE WURDWAN
4th June. Up the valley, through some beautiful grassy bottoms along
the stream, most likely places for the resort of game. But we got over
some miles of ground, ere any glimpse of an animal was obtained: then
some ibex were seen up the mountain, which before long, scared by some
cause unknown, were seen in rapid career to the inaccessible summits.
We soon moved on: but in the gorge where the ibex were seen a bear was
descried, and the ground being favourable we gained his neighbourhood,
and a shot from the Enfield smote him in the shoulder. He made off, but
after receiving several more shots was brought rolling down.
We continued our course up the valley, still through most promising
coverts, far the prettiest shooting ground I had seen; we saw traces
of bara sing, and numerous of bears, and halted for the day in a clear
space, there to await the evening. Snow fell, and it became bitterly
cold. We took shelter under some firs, and after a time had a fire,
round which we squatted comfortably chatting.
In due time we moved back towards camp--saw a bear, and were about the
right place, when getting our wind he fled amain. Continuing our beat
carefully through the jungle, Subhan dropped to game, and, following
his indicator, I saw a dark coloured animal raise up its head. I said,
"it is a bullock": but no, it was a bear, an unusually large and dark
one, and when he looked up, with his ears pricked up, they looking like
short horns gave him the momentary appearance of some species of 'bos,'
such as the musk ox. But bear, and nothing else, was he.
We stalked, and raising our heads saw him immediately below us, not
half a dozen paces off, in a hollow. I aimed to take him between the
shoulders--off went the gun, and off went the bear, another shot
striking him; then he disappeared. I pursued with Phuttoo--lost all
traces, and turned, when we saw Subhan and Mooktoo in hot chase across
a snowdrift bridging the stream, on which we soon detected the bloody
tracks of the bear. Hopes were raised. The rocky, precipitous mountain
side was difficult to surmount, but I had faith in Subhan, especially
on a bloody trail.
Phuttoo and I, reconnoitring from below, espied the chase high up,
crossing the side of the hill at a slow walk. We hailed the pursuing
hunters, encouraging them in their efforts; saw them emerge, and enter
faithfully on the trail. Then we moved further on, and again I viewed
the chase higher up still, slowly making for a pine-clad crag where,
from its appearance, I judged he would pull up. Anxiety now became
extreme. The ground presented such difficulties, and I had lost sight
of the hunters, who I feared might have given up the chase in despair.
I sat in suspense, gazing upwards, and expressing hopes hardly
entertained to Phuttoo, when crack! went a rifle, the whereabouts
denoted by a small puff of smoke on the top of the crag mentioned. Now
all was serene. I felt sure of victory: when another shot, resounding
from a more distant spot, dimmed my bright hopes, and doubts again
assailed me--another shot, hopes again brightened--an exclamation
from an attendant behind, and the bear was seen clearly defined on
the snow, in a ravine leading down from the crag, evidently dropping.
Suddenly he rolled over, and simultaneously a shot rung out, and smoke
appeared from above him. He slid down the snow: the hunters came in
view following cautiously, and soon after we saw one discharge two
shots at the prostrate, but still formidable brute. Then huge stones
were cast at him, and he was pushed and hustled, till, getting way on,
he came rolling and sliding on the snow to the bottom of the ravine; to
which place we now made our way, and found our prey a monster for these
parts, by far the largest bear I have seen here.
He was riddled with bullets; my first shot had entered between the
shoulders, at the base of the neck, and came out at the belly: the
second struck him well in the middle of the shoulder. Yet he went off
as described, and was nearly lost, as many an one has been before. I
returned very "koosh"--the shikarries, too, proud of this capture, and
their share in it. The bear, they say, turned on them, and put them
to flight. They are great cowards these men, as, I believe, all the
Cashmiries are. Phuttoo, however, is an exception.
5th June. Again, up the valley some distance beyond yesterday's
beat--some most likely places for game. We saw some ibex in an
inaccessible place, and halted for the day.
At 2 P.M. we ascended, and gained a view of a fine stretch of
open grassy slope beyond our halting place, where the valley makes a
bend to the left. Here we stopped a couple of hours: nothing seen but a
bear out of reach. We descended, and wended our way down valley.
A bear was seen: we went after him, and disturbed two bara sing hinds
which were too knowing for us, so to our first attraction, whom we saw
disporting himself on the snow which he cantered across. We were after
him, when Subhan recoiled, saying there was another bear in the same
spot just quitted by the first.
True enough--so after him; and I was crawling to a position about one
hundred and twenty yards from him, when he twigged something wrong, and
looked up. He cocked his ears, when I cocked the rifle, and fearing
his flight I fired hurriedly, but hit him, I believe, well behind the
shoulder. He started, and staggered--then came straight for us. I
waited, prepared to give him second barrel. Passing a few paces above
us on the side of the hill, he gave an angry roar as he cast a passing
glance at us, and I gave him No. 2 somewhere in the ribs, whereat he
winced, but rolled on his course and vanished, Mooktoo on his tracks,
then the rest of us. But, sending Subhan to assist the former, Phuttoo
and I went after the first bear on our homeward route, but saw nothing
of him.
When a couple of miles or so from camp, a breathless villager met us,
and said there was a bara sing down by the river, not far from camp.
Much excited, he started off at a run. I made him walk, but talk, and
that loudly, he would; and when he suddenly pointed out the bara sing
in the valley below, he loudly proclaimed its presence. The animal was
evidently attentive and alarmed; so an attempt we made to approach it
was unsuccessful.
We made the bivouac; and from the prolonged absence of the two hunters
we entertained delusive hopes that they had secured the wounded bear.
But not so: they came in presently, having failed to get near the
brute, which had betaken itself to a steep craggy height. I regret this
loss much: he was a very large bear, of an unusually light colour, hair
very long.
6th June. Off in a direction towards my late bivouac, a sharp frost
and very cold. By the way, the frost was so severe on Monday, that the
water just poured out in a pewter cup to clean my teeth was frozen over
by the time I had washed my hands and face--pretty well for the 4th of
June.
I saw nothing at all; went nearly as far as the bridge, and then
returned to breakfast. Bear skins were laid out to dry--a sudden
thought striking me, I told Mooktoo I would give five rupees
'backsheesh' for the skin of the wounded bear, escaped yesterday. He
and Subhan have accordingly gone to try their luck, and I mean to go
with Phuttoo in the evening to look for the bara sing in the willow
bottom.
We went a short distance, but it did not put in an appearance this time
when wanted. The two hunters returned in the evening reporting the bear
to have gone miles away; but they had killed a female ibex, of which
feat they were very proud, and the camp and the village rejoiced in
the prospect of a feast of flesh; which, however, looked so uninviting
that I declined it, and my servants, Hindoo fashion, would not eat
it, because I would not; so the villagers had the more. I tipped the
shikarries one rupee each; but doubt much if they took up the trail of
the bear.
7th June. Remained in camp: resolved on an attempt on the ibex
to-morrow.
8th June. An early start, and a stiff job climbing the mountain, which
took us nearly two hours, and our toil was unrewarded by the sight of a
single ibex. The hunters carefully reconnoitred the whole neighbourhood
ineffectually.
Whilst at breakfast, they came and reported a bear in view, asleep
under a tree. I descended to the assault over difficult ground; and
Bruin, asleep with one eye open, was distrustful, and hearing the click
of my rifle, when cocking, made off. I fired three shots, all striking
him, and quite disabling him; two shikarries after him, who fired three
shots close by, and after some time I saw the wounded bear crawling
along, a considerable way off: after some time, three or four shots
more, then silence--again, a shot or two. Phuttoo and I remained on
the look out, wondering what the issue was; and thus for two hours, I
think, we waited, once getting a glimpse of the hunters far below us
in some jungle. They did, at length, return, bringing the bear's skin,
upon which some ten bullets were expended, and reporting that they had
wounded a female bara sing.
We remained up all day, though all hopes of ibex had been destroyed by
the noise of the repeated discharges: descended in the afternoon, and
going through some jungle I espied a deer, but could not get Subhan,
who was leading, to acknowledge my low signal which a brawling stream
close by drowned the sound of. I seized a rifle from Mooktoo, and
fired: the animal bounded out of sight. Subhan followed to see the
effect, and stopped, beckoning me on, so I knew the shot had told.
Hurrying to him, he pointed to the animal stretched on the ground,
and advised another shot which hitting the back, traversed the body,
coming out at the left shoulder. It was but a kustoora after all, but a
fine specimen, with long teeth protruding from the upper jaw.
9th June. Phuttoo and Mooktoo complaining of head aches, &c., Subhan
came at dawn to my tent, suggesting remaining in camp till evening. I
readily acquiesced, having had a hard day's work yesterday.
I started in the afternoon in a new direction; climbing the steep
fir-clad hill opposite the village, we reached the crest where we hoped
to meet with bara sing, but only saw their fresh tracks, so sat down to
watch.
Subhan ascended higher with the telescope, and returned after some
time reporting a bear as big as a bullock in sight, so we addressed
ourselves to approach him. Descending the hill-side, a splendid and
extensive grassy slope presented itself, along which we wended our way,
and after about a mile's walk came upon the bear, truly a very large
one, and justifying Subhan's comparison. I took my time to gain breath,
and as we were well placed as regards covert and wind did not hurry;
but, shifting position once or twice till satisfied, let drive Enfield,
upon which Bruin turned bewildered, and dashed down hill, partly in our
direction. I discharged the other barrel, also rifle, as he crossed a
snow drift filling the bottom of a ravine. He still held on, and was
commencing the ascent of the opposite hill, when I levelled Whitworth,
and down he came spinning, rolling over and over, to the snow, and then
slipping and sprawling down that, until he lay still, breathing his
last.
The whole party was triumphant: the shikarries got down to him: his
sides still heaved: the coolies came up, and, Subhan having by my order
cut the animal's throat to extinguish the remaining sparks of life,
they proceeded to take off the skin, and had opened it down the belly,
when, to their terror and my horror, the poor beast came to life again,
as it were, and with a violent movement uttered such a growl as sent
his tormenters flying in all directions. I put an end to him by a ball
in the head. This is another proof of their surprising tenacity of life.
He was truly a monstrous bear with huge limbs. This formidable beast,
it was stated, was the terror of the villagers, having devoured many
of their sheep, and put to flight some score of them, who with dogs,
&c. attempted his destruction. There was great rejoicing over his
destruction.
10th June. Sunday. Remained in camp as usual.
11th June. We moved camp this morning, as previously arranged to
Busman, the opposite side of the valley, and I pitched my tent in a
very picturesque spot, overlooking the village.
In the afternoon I went down valley, and killed a large doe bara sing,
which unfortunately was heavy with young. I much regretted this, but
the shikarries had no such scruples. They were delighted at possession
of so much meat, and set to work 'con amore' to break up the carcase,
a messenger being despatched to bring men from camp to carry in the
flesh. I did not feel at all elated at this success; but general
satisfaction pervaded my party.
One of the coolies, who accompanied the sepoy to Sirinuggur, arrived,
bringing nothing whatever with him. He said the sepoy would be detained
some days, until the Maharajah's arrival in the city, to whom he would
make his statement personally. The Baboo, too prudent would not trust
my letters to this coolie, by which I am much inconvenienced and vexed.
The Kardar of Palgham would not either trust him with the rice, &c.,
which had been ordered; and further said he could not supply it, as
there were five sahebs there to provide for. We, therefore, made
arrangements for a man to start early to-morrow to Shanguz, to procure
supplies there.
12th June. Up the valley leading to Bodicote in expectation of finding
ibex. We had a tremendous climb which, though very toilsome, was not
dangerous, but saw not a single ibex; we halted in a suitable spot to
wait until evening, in hopes of game appearing. There was a bear in
sight feeding below us, which, after some discussion, it was decided
ought to be left unmolested, for fear the report of the guns might
disturb ibex within hearing. Subhan went off to reconnoitre.
After breakfast I sat watching the bear which, having finished his
meal, came in our direction, and on to the snow in the ravine below
us, where, to my astonishment, he stretched himself out composedly
to snooze, apparently approving of cool applications to a distended
stomach. Subhan returned, and reported that he could see no ibex in any
direction, but had seen their tracks with those of dogs in pursuit; so,
auguring ill for our chance of those animals, we resolved to attack our
unconscious neighbour below, and descended for that purpose, but could
not get within a hundred yards of him; at which distance, aiming at his
head, I despatched an Enfield, which just missed him, and off he went
down the snow in the utmost amazement, and came nigh to breaking his
neck, but pulled up, ploughing deep into the snow with his long claws,
and sliding some distance--a most ridiculous object.
Having gained some three hundred yards thus, he stopped and looked all
round. We remained quite still, concealed by a rock. He then slowly
descended the rocks on our side, and, choosing a good site, there he
seated himself, looking anxiously from side to side. We waited, hoping
for an opportunity of quitting our position undiscovered: and so we
remained for half an hour at least, when Subhan, thinking we could
withdraw backwards out of sight, tried if it would do, and beckoning us
we stealthily followed, and, having gained a screen, turned and again
tried to renew our acquaintance with Bruin, who from the nature of the
ground could not now be seen.
We continued to descend the rocks towards his supposed position,
and had got close upon it without discovering him. Mooktoo, from
behind, made signals of seeing him, but Subhan and I could not catch
a glimpse of him, until we gained the projecting rock under which he
was sleeping, again thinking himself secure. The wind lifting his long
hair betrayed him. He was lying with his head towards us, not four
yards off, his head concealed by the rock, so I struck him between the
shoulders, when he dropped backwards, and away he rolled over and over,
in a most surprising manner. I saw him at one time high in mid air, as
he bounded from a projecting rock, as though he had been discharged
from a mortar: and he went rolling down the precipitous ravine for, I
should think, three quarters of a mile, much to the disgust of those
who had to descend and skin him,--a very fine large skin, with long
yellowish fur. We saw other bears as we descended in the evening, but
out of reach, so we got nothing more. It was a very hard day's work. We
had to cross a snowdrift over the river, in which was a large fissure,
which, however, only required nerve to cross safely.
13th June. Off to the place where I killed the doe bara sing. After
some time we saw a bear apparently in retreat up hill. Thinking it
useless pursuing, I turned towards camp; but Subhan pointed out the
bear stopping on the precise spot on which the bara sing had been cut
up, probably picking up the refuse. I resolved to try for him, so we
ascended, and, having gained our point, thought him clean gone, when I
saw something move in the bushes--again thought I was deceived, when
the shikarries twigged him in some bushes across the ravine--a long
shot. I struck him with an Enfield, evidently a severe wound, bringing
him down, and fired other guns at him, as after deceiving us, making
as though he were going to die on the spot, he went off in the jungle.
I sent the shikarries in pursuit, and ere long they appeared with
the dead bear, drawing him down the snow--a small brute riddled with
bullets.
On our way to camp we saw a fox with a splendid brush. I got within
some eighty yards of him, and levelled Whitworth, steadying him on a
rock--bang! and away went renard. Asking where the ball struck, the
shikarries said, high up above the fox. I thought this very odd, and
accused Phuttoo of putting in too much powder, who declared he had only
put in the regular charge. Meantime, the fox was running up and down,
and round and round, in an absurd manner, Mooktoo laughing at him, who
sung out he had dropped dead, and ran off to secure him. Phuttoo and
I, looking on, saw, as we thought, the animal betaking himself to the
hills at a good pace, and called out to Mooktoo to come back, saying
it was of no use. But on he went, not heeding us, and was soon seen
striking something, and then held up the dead fox, another having run
off, and deceived Phuttoo and me. The victim was shot right through
behind the shoulders.
14th June. A rainy morning, with every appearance of a continuance--so,
not unwillingly, I betook myself again to the comfortable warmth of my
blankets.
In the afternoon I went in the same direction as yesterday, and
seeing a bear high up on a hill, attempted to get at him--but in vain;
scrambled about the heights, but, seeing nothing more, gave up and
returned to bivouac.
15th June. Up ere dawn, a long day in prospect, it having been
determined to shift camp to a village on the opposite side of the
valley, and we hunters to climb a mountain, from which we should
descend to the bridge leading to our new quarters in the afternoon.
When rather more than half-way up a bear was descried, to which we
approached with due caution, but owing to the formation of the ground
could not get nearer than some hundred and fifty yards; so that I fired
at that distance, and struck him well in the middle of the shoulder.
Recoiling from the blow, he then made straight for our position, and
gained a rising ground just over us, when seeing us he paused, looking
very ugly, then turned, when trying my other barrel, it missed fire,
the cap being bad. We pursued and soon sighted the chase, in pursuit
of which Subhan and Mooktoo continued, Phuttoo and I looking on--the
mountain side, up which Bruin held his limping course, being spread out
plainly before us; and we had the unsatisfactory view of the abortive
efforts made to secure the wounded animal. The two hunters, not being
able to see the wounded bear as we did, made slow progress, expecting
to meet their foe at every step behind some rock; so Bruin, though
slowly dragging along, and occasionally pausing to look back, made two
paces to their one, and so disappeared over the crest of the mountain.
Whereupon, Phuttoo and I set off to climb up and rejoin the others.
And sharp work we had; but finally reached our two companions who, not
sighting the game, had given up the chase in despair.
We again set forward to gain a favourable spot to pass the day in,
where I proceeded to breakfast, the others retiring somewhere out of
sight. Rain and sleet driven by a furious wind now set in, with thunder
roaring majestically immediately above us. I screened myself as well
as I could under a fir tree, and passed the chill hours, some two or
three, reading.
A hind is seen coming forth to graze down below us; and the rain now
ceasing we descended in chase, but could not get near the wary creature
which, winding us, I imagine, from afar, was seen cantering smartly
away, ere we were within long shot of it.
On reaching camp we found the man, despatched on the 12th for
provisions, returned, having made a rapid journey. He had met
the sepoy who had been detained at Sirinuggur, and they had made
arrangements for the supplies required, now difficult to obtain from
some unexplained cause. They had, therefore, to be collected from
different villages, and the sepoy remained to convoy the bulk, Kamal,
a trusty quiet-mannered fellow, bringing three coolies laden with him,
also a complimentary note and presents from Ahmet Shah--some cherries
and cakes--and from my stout friend of Eish Mackahm some of his bread
cakes, before commended. By the way, he sent me a pair of gloves and
socks by the coolie last coming.
16th June. Much rain during the night, but a fair fresh morning which I
enjoyed much, reading. In the afternoon, forth to hunt.
Two hinds, young ones apparently, were seen descending the mountain.
We tried to intercept them; but a ravine divided us. Lying concealed,
we watched them gamboling beyond our savage hand's reach. They finally
ascended the hill, and gradually retired from our sight. A plan
was then formed to follow them, which took us up the mountain in a
direction to cut their route. A stiff and smart climb landed us on the
top; Subhan and Mooktoo went off to scout, Phuttoo and I lying in wait.
Two bears came in sight. Phuttoo and I, taking the rifles, moved
towards them. The others joined us, having seen nothing: but not having
yet examined the ground where the two deer must have passed, or might
yet be, I ordered it to be reconnoitred 'en route' after the bears,
and there was seen one deer lying down, its head and ridge of back
only shewing--distance about eighty yards. I paused for breath behind
a rise, the deer looking towards me; prepared rifle, and advanced a
little on my knees to get a firmer footing: the deer rose, and standing
erect presented its dun side full before me. Taking deadly aim I pulled
trigger, when--horror and disgust--the cap only exploded. Away bounded
the deer, and also the other--till now unseen, but lying still nearer
to us. I fired the other barrel as they gently moved up hill, but
ineffectually I believe. Away they went.
The guns had been kept all night in the covers which they were in
during yesterday's rain. I had directed the shikarries always to take
the leathern covers in the day time, and to put the woollen ones on
at night, and had for some time enforced compliance. But of late they
had departed from this rule. Finding the woollen covers more easily
disposed about their persons, they had carried them in the day, and
left them on at night. I think a strong impression was made upon them
by to-day's mishap, as thereby they lose a good supply of meat, which
is to them a great disappointment.
The two bears of course fled. And other game, both deer and bears, on
the side from which we had come up, seen while in the ascent, had also
vanished.
I determined to try another entire day on the same mountain on Monday,
and then to move forward by the Sooroo Pass towards Ladâk, supposing
the sepoy to arrive to-morrow. With him I expect a bullet mould for
the Whitworth, having sent in one of the smooth cylindrical bolts as
a pattern, the easiest of the two to manufacture, and which Phuttoo
and the others assure me can be easily made in the city; so I left
the matter in their hands. I did not bring a mould, thinking I had
bolts enough with me for that weapon, but had not calculated on the
astonishing vitality of the bears.
17th June. Sunday. A walk in the morning; and a delightful one it
proved. On returning, the long absent sepoy and some coolies were in
sight on the opposite side of the river, and in due time arrived with
letters, newspapers, supplies, &c.
18th June. We made a very early start to carry out a plan arranged on
Saturday night, to hunt a mountain on which we had seen bara sing.
But, from some whimsical notion or other, the shikarries had altered
their minds, and, passing by this spot, went on to where we stalked the
deer on Saturday, attended by such bad luck. They are queer fellows,
possessed of remarkably odd notions on hunting, quite at variance with
the true science of the chase. They trust so much to luck, to 'kizmet.'
I suppose, being Mahomedans, and hence fatalists, influences them on
these points. I cannot say there is any charm in the character of
these men, such as one might, perhaps, be disposed to attribute to the
hunters of the Cashmere mountains. They are too strongly imbued with
the duplicity and covetousness of their race, and they are deficient
in those characteristics one loves to ascribe to the mountaineer and
hunter--courage, truth, and candour. They do not ever like to exert
themselves over much, and have a great regard for the comforts of a
house, so that it is difficult to get them well away from the inhabited
districts. They are, moreover, constantly begging for something; and,
though one may give them double what they are entitled to, they will
scheme to dupe you into giving them more, quoting fabulous experiences
of the generosity and munificence of saheb so and so. Nor do I consider
them by any means good hunters, their talents being confined to a
knowledge of the country, and a quick sharp eye. They possess none
of that pertinacity and resource which enable hunters to find game
when scarce and wild, and to capture it with certainty when severely
wounded. They are but poor trackers, and quickly give up all efforts at
the pursuit of a wounded animal, if they think it may have gone far.
How often I have longed for one or two of my old Australian native
hunters! _They_ were the fellows to run a tangled trail through bush
or over bare rock, like hounds with the chase in view. Of my three
shikarries, Phuttoo, Mooktoo, and Subhan, the latter is far the best
and more attractive in character. He is young and willing, and is not
yet spoiled, not having hitherto acquired all the wiles and tricks of
such men as the other two, who are old allies, and work together for
their mutual advantage. It is a great drawback to my pleasure in this
excursion, not being able to repose confidence in these associates.
We went over a deal of ground, but arrived at the end of our beat
without seeing anything; then pulled up for the day. Just as I was
finishing breakfast, the hunters came, and informed me there was a
bear in sight. I got up and accompanied them a short way up hill.
Puffing and blowing, distended with tea and dough cakes, I made heavy
way, and, having ascertained the bear to be a long way off in rough
and difficult ground, I declined going after him, but sanctioned the
attempt on the part of Subhan and Mooktoo, Phuttoo and I taking up a
good position to see the fun. After a time we heard three shots in
rapid succession; then saw the bear coming towards us. He sheered
off, and went best pace up hill, evidently unscathed. Soon after, the
hunters appeared, Mooktoo as usual shirking the hard work, and Subhan
climbing the heights manfully, as though he intended to catch Bruin. At
last they rejoined us.
In the evening we retraced our steps, and at length saw an old and a
young bear far ahead of us. Having reached their whereabouts at dusk, I
doubted whether to go after them; but, Subhan catching sight of them,
I buckled to, and climbed the steep. We found our game, the young one
only being visible at first, right under us: then the old one was
detected also, and I fired down on her, aiming at and striking her
between the shoulders, knocking her over: then, aiming at the young
one, the gun did not go off, the cap, I fancy, having fallen off.
The old bear scrambled up close to us, uttering fierce growls; then
turned and made off. I fired two shots, one breaking a hind leg. Subhan
pursued. The young one, a queer looking little brute, sat eyeing us
from a height opposite, and I would not allow Mooktoo to fire at him.
We followed the chase, and found the bear had fallen down hill into the
jungle close by the river. It was too late and too dark to look for her
then, so we took the route to camp, all feeling sure of finding her
dead in the morning.
19th June. Off to retrieve the wounded bear. We got on its tracks,
there being much blood on the trail, and tracked through a bit of
jungle into some wet bushy ground, where the shikarries, no longer
finding blood to guide them, gave up the chase, and, without examining
the neighbouring bushes, turned back towards camp. Aware of the utter
uselessness, from former experience, of endeavouring to incline them to
continue the search, I went silently back.
20th June. We made an early start towards Shugkenuz. Mooktoo espied
two bears in the old place where three were seen on our first coming
this way, and on that evening I wounded two. We resolved to try for
them, and, continuing our route on towards the bridge, I discovered
another high up on our right. We started up, a long and tiresome climb
before us; when, getting near the place where we had seen the bear, we
found it had moved to the opposite side of the ravine. Our side was
very difficult to move on, having a very steep and smooth surface, but
bushes to screen us. The bear was wonderfully 'cute of hearing, turning
at every snap of a dry twig. I made sure it would be off, but advanced
with every caution to a spot where some slight noise was unavoidable,
and could not get nearer without being exposed to view. Here Bruin,
having looked up and reconnoitred repeatedly, moved upwards; then
across the ravine, heading towards us. Mooktoo, excited, declared it
to be coming towards us, so I took up as comfortable a position as I
could, and prepared rifle. Sure enough Bruin's head appeared over a
ridge, coming right for us. He halted, and scrutinized our locality,
then advanced and paused; when--crack!--and over and over it rolled
down the ravine.
It was a female. And the hunters account for its strange approach to
us, by its having from the sound imagined its male friend to be at
hand, which individual I had the honour to represent, so little to the
satisfaction of the expectant fair one.
Leaving Phuttoo and Kamal to take the spoils, we continued our way,
and, crossing the ridge, went in search of the bears first seen. Their
place was vacant: no signs of them. But Subhan, having gone ahead,
signalled us, and we found he had discovered a bear on the other
side the stream which tumbled down this valley. Its movements were
eccentric, and again ascribed to its being under the influence of the
tender passion. However that may be, the lone one came down to the edge
of the stream, there pausing awhile amid the bushes; when an Enfield
ball took effect on its shoulder, and ere it recovered its surprise
another followed. It was then discovered lying apparently dying under
some bushes. Mooktoo went in pursuit, and shortly fired two shots. I
then sent Subhan across to help, knowing Mr. Mooktoo to entertain the
utmost reverence for a wounded bear, always preserving a respectful
distance. Subhan crossed the stream, disappearing in the bushes, which
were seen much agitated, bending to and fro, here and there,--a rush
and the thwack of sticks being audible even above the roar of the
torrent. Then all was still. Next, Subhan appeared at my side; he had
settled the bear, with the result of which he was much pleased. It was
but a small animal, but a very vicious young female.
We proceeded on to Shugkenuz: in the evening visited the same spot, but
saw nothing.
21st June. I had determined yesterday to remain a day here, in order
to make complete arrangements for coolies and supplies, as no village
is met with between this and Sooroo; and we propose stopping to hunt
midway some days, there being good ground for ibex there. I also expect
the coolies back from Sirinuggur, a matter of consequence as lead is
again running short, those tough bears causing such a consumption of
that precious metal.
I started in the morning to hunt a valley across the river, and had
proceeded far up the valley, when I perceived the back of a bear
shewing above some high rank herbage up the hill-side. Up we went, and
came on our prey, and a shot, entering just behind the shoulder, sent
him rolling head over heels down hill: but I had to put a ball through
his head to finish him.
Mooktoo had not accompanied us, having been lame the last two days
from a boil. It is surprising how absurdly ignorant they are of the
simplest principles of curative measures and remedies. His were wet
gunpowder--because it was an European production, I imagine--and a
bandage of woollen stuff. All ready for a move on the morrow.