The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-04-03

that wind through them the fields beyond,
and the distant village, still silent in sleep, all
cool and quiet in the pearly light of breaking
day. Ha! . There lie comes, from the wood
beyond, across the fallow, fine old bear.
And there's another All heading toward
me- eisurey enough, as little dreaming human
eyes are watching. One by one they enter
the thickets near, and now are lost to sight,
but may be heard approaching nearer and
nearer. Suddenly the leaves close by rustic ;
mere bush ntervenes between me and
great broad black head with ears erect, star
ing at me five yards off! Another fraction
of a second will decide whether the brute will
rush at me or retreat to try the rock by some
other approach, but that fraction cannot be
granted Both barrels have been read y while
=" Bhalook' was heedlessly drawing near,
ard hardly has his huge muzzle emerged from
the covert when ball passes through his
brain.
Should the sportsman miss his aim, the bear
may either charge at him, or past him, or
make a small detour; but as the rock is his
refuge for the day, he will assuredly try every
means to break through and gain his asylum,
some deep assure or cave between the stony
walls whence it would be impossible to dis
lodge him. In wild and thinly inhabited coun-
tries the bears remain out till the sun is above
the horizon. In more popuous districts they
are warier, and get into their holes while twl-
| light still fingers At Lodabooro, Singbhoom
in 1888, | one morning shot four bears IN this
manner by a little after sunrise. But these
animals swarm in that country; at least they
| did so at the time Ispeak Of. DuTnSa Oaitue
or "hankwa" in Koochung, near SaraIekeIa
I saw seven bears at one time d&IVen out OF &
small wooded hill called Tansbadoongree
And in the immediate vicinity of seralekela
have, from an elephant, counted five Or SIX
couples of these animals feeding and digging
about the plains of scanty bush jungle which
border that village,
The bitch bear, which is much smaller thar
the male, Filters generally during October ant
November, producing two young, which ARK
born blind and as naked as pigs The pupE
are very small compared with the SIZE oil the
parent but grow rapidly, and in The course o
a fortnight begin to see, and 10 don lhelriu'nr
hairy covering. They are exceedingly Vofa
cious, decorating the mothers teats with theil
sharp claws as they suck her, and so queru
lous that the presence Of a litter is qucky
announced to all who pass near their denS
| When about six weeks old the cubs venture
out with their mother, clinging to the bushy
hair Of her back, whence, as they grow older
they make short excursions, straddllng anC
galloping along in a funny manner, but very
savage withal, and ready TO charge every
conner. have been on two or three occasions
attacked by cubs not bigger than terriers, VIII,
have sailed at me from their mothers bacl
as she lay shot They are generally captured
in blankets at such times. and taken to camp It
be reared, as they often prove most amus'n!
pets.
I had bear at Chybasa, Singbhoom, 70
nearly three years which had been thus cap
tured and brought up. It was male, an
attained apparently its full growth before
parted with it to a friend on leaving the coun
try 1t was perfectly good -natured and full G
frolic; and, though apt to snap and scratc
! suddenly when young, lost all propensity
: violence as it grew big and powerful. It
I great delight was to wreste with any one WIN
q would so indulge it; standing bolt uprlgh
] when its muzzle was about level with man
chin. On such occasions it would never PIT
| forth its great strength, but appear to EMO
=, rolling over on its broad, bushy back. On
= of tie officers of the Ramgurgh battallo
there had rough, stumpy "tangun'" or HI
n pony. between which and the bear slngnIa
s friendship was struck up, and to watch The
! antics together was a frequent source
a amusement with US. The bear would recelY
: the pony standing upright in ursine fashion
4 and, after some mutual snufng and gambo
5 ing about administer toIerabIe whack on tt
IS latters face, which was usually returned D
e vigorous swing of the pony,,s fore boot
II sending the bear head oyer heels oometIm n,
=, this kind of sham fight waxed warm, and Il
squealing and roaring of the combatants pf,
h duced shouts of laughter, even amongst Il
:, staid native servants looking on This be
N lived nearly a year with the gentleman HI
4 oiven it TO, but at last was shot, having go
e mad