A BEAR STORY 187 



ing at a respectful distance. 1 tried a couple of shots, 

 but overrated the distance, and the bullets went over 

 the bear's head. I then told Schei to go and shoot it 

 whilst I looked on at the further development of the 

 drama. The bear's position was a first-rate one. It 

 had taken its stand on a little plateau high up on a 

 mountain crag ; this little ledge was reached by a 

 bridge not more than a good yard in width, and there 

 stood the bear, like Sven Dufva, ready with his sledge- 

 hammer to fell the first being that should venture 

 across. His majesty was not visible to Schei until he 

 came within a few feet of him, but then it was not 

 long before a shot was heard. The bear sank to- 

 gether, and a few seconds afterwards all the dogs had 

 thrown themselves on to it. They tugged and pulled 

 at the bear's coat, tearing tufts of hair out of it, and 

 before we knew what they were doing, had dragged 

 the body to the edge of the plateau, where it shot out 

 over the precipice. The dogs stood amazed, gazing 

 down into the depths where the bear was falling swiftly 

 through the air but not alone, for on it as large as 

 life were two dogs which had clung so fast to its hair, 

 that they now stood planted head to head, and bit 

 themselves still faster to it in order to keep their 

 balance. I was breathless as I watched this unexpected 

 journey through the air. The next moment the bear 

 in its perpendicular fall would reach the projecting 

 point of rock, arid my poor dogs ! it was a cruel 

 revenge the bear was taking on them. I should now 

 have only three dogs left in my team. The bear's 

 body dashed violently against the rock, turned a 

 somersault out from the mountain wall and fell still 



