Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-09-25
MAULED BY A BEAR.

IcItlApa Tie uiOSt OL us dSSOCtaCe tuo
idea of bear with the grizzly of the
Rockies or the fierce denizen Of Polar
regions. All the same, the Indian speci-
men, as the following will show, Is by
no means to be despised.
He is of two kinds-one the red brown
bear of Cashmere, native Of the Hima-
layas, living chiefly about the snow line,
which in that range lies at an altitude
Of $4,000 feet; the other is the black
bear. found on lower slopes, where he
haunts walnut and apricot trees, and is
partial to honey. He is found also in the
table land Of southern India. in the jun
gles
Both kinds sometimes measure as
much as six feet from the tip of his nose
to the end of the stump of his short tail.
The black bear is adorned with a queer,
horseshoe shaped white mark on the
chest, good place at which to aim at
him.
The strength Of bears is enormous
One constantly comes across natives
who have been brushed out of the way
by rude push with the paw of bear,
with the result of losing limb or part
Of their jaw.
One of the great dangers of the sport
of bear shooting is that Of getting below
the animal who may then charge down
upon his antagonist.
But. owing to their bad sight--they
have queer. small eyes, deep sunk in
their heads-and their greediness, which
absorbs them in their feeding, a bear is
by no means difficult to stalk, and far
easier prey than an ibex or deer or tiger.
My largest bag was once four bears in
one day. It was in Cashmere; we had
marched ten days across the hills to a
valley high up in the mountains, where
we had pitched our tent. was alone,
accompanied only by two shikaris, or
native hunters.
Il was the month of April, the best
season for bear shooting, for Bruin, thin,
hungry and full furred, had only just
emerged from his winter Information.
Rising about 8 a. M, and leaving the
srnoldering camp fire, we climed, under
bright moon. steep. pull up neigh
boring peak.
It was essential to reach our point Of
vantage before the sun was up, as after
sunrise the wind blew down the noun
tain, and would be between us and our
quarry.
With field glasses TO our eyes we
scanned the panorama, bounded to the
north by the sharp cut peaks of snow
standing out clearly in the growing day
light The bears were then returning
from the nights pr0wI, and on lucky
day have seen as many as seventeen
within q radius Of four or FIVE miles.
When a likely beast Is spotted, hard
at work. unearthing some root or inves-
tigating bees nest, the stalk follows.
Il may be over difficult ground, and
mean steady hard work.
At last we reached 70 within q hun
dred yards Of where the bear was last
seen. and. with a doubled up figure and
cat like steps. peered over the point Of
rock, with. cartridge put ii and rifle
| pointed.
/: If was all right. Within thirty yards
was bear, unconsciously feeding. But,
ahl he suspected something, for he rose
on his hind legs and snuffed the air.
fired. aiming at his chest. Bruin tumbled
over and rolled down the Hill, dead.
So much for number one.
| Leaving the second shikari to take the
skin. We made for point above us, to
look for more sport. On turning corner,
however, we saw q little above Us bear
coming toward us.
To retire hastily out Of sight and to
struggle mp the hill, 50 as to get On better
terms with the animal. was the first
Thought Then. with rifle fun cock,
peeped cautiously over theedge oE . rock
to get : view Of my friend. when was
| + possibles-I found myself almost face
% face with Bruin Our heads nearly
4 touchedl
4 But 10 was THE more surprised IL the
two. fof he bad % notion / wns auv.