230 A Bear Hunt in the Adzrondacks. 



From Rift hill be pursued the bear to tbe summit of 

 Burnt mountain, and round and round it, till at length, 

 utterly fatigued and discouraged and night closing in, 

 he abandoned the chase for the time. 



On hearing his narrative, I formed a plau for the hunt 

 of the following day. It was, that keeping together 

 we should follow the trail, and that the instant he com- 

 menced circling a mountain top, as he had previously 

 done, Sturgis should continue in pursuit while I would 

 await the approach of the bear, who, finding a man follow- 

 ing would not expect another waiting on the trail for his 

 return. If this worked as I expected, it would put 

 bruin between two fires; but, if he did not circle a moun- 

 tain summit the hound, which we could put upon his track 

 on the morrow, would with his voice tell as the course he 

 was running, when I could cut across on the hypothenuse 

 of the angle, and perhaps head him off and get a shot at 

 him. Sturgis would meanwhile follow up — after the 

 dog — and do his best to come within range and end 

 bruin's career. 



This plan met with the warm approval of Mr. Sturgis. 



That evening we were the butt of the trappers, who 

 lounged into the hotel to inquire our success. We hail 

 " attempted a thing impossible," it was a " wild goose 

 chase," "a bear could not be hunted down so." We 

 determined to prove the contrary. 



After mending snow shoes, cleaning rifles and preparing 

 every thing for the morrow, we retired, thankful that the 

 chase had brought us home to warm suppera and comforta- 

 ble beds. 



Aroused before daylight, I again took breakfast by the 

 light of the candle, and as soon as we could see to follow 

 the trail, we sallied. Sturgis led his hound " Patsey," and 

 carried on his back a knapsack containing provisions for 

 one week — a minimum — and a hatchet for shantying, 



