We were on horseback at break of day, and having forded the river, we rode silently through plain and forest in search of tracks.

We refused every shot at deer, lest we should disturb the country, and scare away the elephants.
We had ridden for some distance upon an elephant path, through a tolerably open forest at the foot of a range of rocky mountains, when Banda, who was some paces in advance, suddenly sprang back again, crying, 'Wallaha! wallaha!' (Bears! bears!) We were off our horses in a moment, but I fell sprawling upon my back, my leg being so powerless and numbed that I could not feel when I touched the ground.

I recovered myself just in time to see a bear waddling along through the jungle, and I pushed after him in pursuit at my best pace.

V.had disappeared in the jungle in pursuit of another bear, and I presently heard two or three shots.

In the meantime my game had slackened speed to a careless kind of swaggering walk; and the underwood being rather thick, I was determined to get close to him before I fired, as I knew that I could not follow him far, and my success would therefore depend upon the first shot.