ree; and
at the first report he commenced ascending. Almost as rapidly as a cat
he swarmed upward; and for a moment the chances of losing him appeared
as two to one. But Alexis, who had been watching the restless movements
of his brother, had prepared himself for such an issue; and, waiting
till the bruang made a pause just under the branches, he fired his rifle
with deadlier aim. The bear, in clutching to one of the limbs, had
extended his body outward, and this gave the rifleman the chance of
aiming at his head. The bullet must have told: for the bear, instead of
ascending higher, was seen hanging down from the limb, as if he was
clinging to it with enfeebled strength.

At this moment the cannon-like report of Pouchskin's fusil filled the
woods with its booming echoes; and Bruin, suddenly relaxing his grasp,
came bump down among the hunters--missing Pouchskin by about the eighth
part of an inch! Lucky for the old grenadier there was even this much
of a miss. It was as good as a mile to him. Had the bear's body
descended upon his shoulders, falling from such a height, it would have
flattened him out as dead as the bear was himself; and Pouchskin,
perceiving the danger from which he had so narrowly escaped, looked as
perplexed and miserable as if some great misfortune had actually
befallen him!

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT.

THE CABBAGE-EATER.

Our heroes now, having accomplished their mission to Borneo, were about
to cross over to the island of Sumatra; in which--as well as in Java, or
upon the mainland of Malacca--they would find the other sun-bear, known
as the _ursus malayanus_; but previous to their departure from Sambos,
they obtained information that led them to believe that this species
also inhabited the island of Borneo. It was more rarely met with than
the orange-breasted variety; but the natives, generally better guides
than the anatomists in the matter of specific distinctions, stoutly
maintained that there were two kinds; and the Dyak bee-hunter--whose
interest had been secured by the ample reward already bestowed upon
him--promised them, that if they would go with him to a certain district
of country, he would show them the larger species of bruang. From the
man's description of it Alexis easily recognised the _ursus malayanus_--
the species they had killed being the _ursus euryspilus_.

Indeed, had there been any doubt about this matter, it would have been
set at rest, by what our travellers s