The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-01-15

that bear had been marked down in a cave
about three miles away. We knew that it
was useless to try for the tiger. as in the
hills they often travelled twenty or more
miles IN night so we decided to get the
bear. Bot ii was voted men, con. that il
was not worth while to go out in the heat
OF the day for a bear, and our excursion was
therefore postponed until the afternoon.
Orders We're given for everything to be ready
at three, and Succaram was sent TO provide
for the due watching of the cave in which
the bear lay, and for his being followed if,
which was unlikely, he should leave it.
The long hot hours in the middle of the
day are always wearisome in India above all
others, but never more so than when nassed
in the jungle, with bat few books. and these
chosen generally for their solid character.
rendering them likely to ''last longer than
anything more amusing. However. the
time went by, partly in sleep, partly in talk,
until ''tifin" arrived, after which a cheroot
carried us on up to three o'clobk, at which
hour we proposed to start.
As punctually to the hour as il is possible
for anything to be in India, our procession
order to that of the morning. Slowly we
proceeded along the valley, which, as usual
In the Ghauts, was cut up into small fields
near the village, but gradually, as we went
farther and farther from the huts. resumed
It's character of open jungle; while the hills
to the right and left were covered with mas
ses of foliage, which obstructcd the view, as
tba
and cane did the passage of the hunter.
After about an hour, we came to the place
where it was judged tha. we should leave
the ponies. Having dism5unted, we crept
carefully in single file along the narrow iun-
gle-path, and up the hill, until at length we
came to the edge of an open piece of ground
which extended to the top of tie hill.
About one hundred and fifty yards from the
edge Of the forest where we stood, we could
see the mouth of a cave, which, however, to
our inexperienced eyes, looked far too small
to allow of the passage of 50 large an animal
as bear. Yet the villages declared that he
was there. SO it remained only to get him out
This was to nc effected 10y means Of what
are in courtesy called 'firevorks,'' though
they but little resemble the brilliant artificial
metcors which in England 90 by that name.
Fireworks consist generally of two kinds
rockets and fower-pots the former, a feeble
imitation of those which we know by the
same name; the latter, merely hollow cases
of clay, which are filed with powder, and
are Intended to explode after having been
thrown into the cave
Our plan was as follows. Knowing that
probably the bear, on being driven out Of his
cave, would strike uphill, for suob i their
almost inva,-ioI,lv course, we three, with our
spare gun-bearerS, were to be posted about
one hundred yards above the mouth Of the
cave; the beaters were ordered to form a
line along the edge OF the wood, but not to
show themselves, unless the bear seemed in
clined to 60 down the hill, in which case
they were, by yelling and screaming, to
drive him up to US. Succaram and one or
two others who proleS>ed to entertain a
thorough contempt for bear, were to throw
in the fireworks, covered by our rifles The
task of Succaram may appear dangerous, but,
as generally carried out, it consisted merely
OF a hurried throwing Of fower-pots and
rocket or two, and an immediate rush in the
opposite direction, without regard to the
probable effect Of the missiles.
We took our post, and the signal was
given to begin. The fiower-pots were lighted
and thrown into the cave, where. one after
another, We heard their dull explosions
Bat nothing came. Slowly tie smoked
curled out of the cave, bat, to our astonish-
ment, it grew thicker and thicker, until at
last tongue Of fame was seen, and then
another, until the dry grass which stood
near the mouth Of the den took fire, and we
began to fear that the whole side of the hill
would soon be ignitcd.
''lf he's there, this must bring him out"
said A.; and almost as he spoke, with q
grunt and grumble. out rolled huge bear
i'll very bad temper at the disturbance of
his sleep. Up he came at us, lounging
along, as bears do, sometimes hidden By the
tufts of grass, at others showing clearly his
white snout and the horseshoe on his chest.
and halting now and then to grunt at the
fire. We lay quietly waiting, for the color
of our clothes 50 exactly matched the dry
grass, that tie bear did not see us until he
came within thirty yards of us then |, in
my excitement, pulled the trigger. and
knocked him over and over down the hill.
Come along" said A.; ''we've got him.
Hes meat" And down we went. restrained
only from running by dread of what the
captain might say. Even he was growing a
little excited, and we came down the hill at
good swinging pace. Men placed in trees
directed Us TO the path which the bear had
taken, and we presently saw him moving
slowly through the trees on the other side
of a nullah, about one hundred yards away.
b. raised his riae, but A. pulled it down.
Silently we crept through the dense under
growth towards where we had seen the bear.
and after crossing the bed of the nullah.
found that the jungle was more open. 50
that in few moments we saw our black
friend sitting under tree, growing hor-
ribly.
"Now, run in at him. if you like - said