TRACKING THE GRISLY BEARS. 215 



decided that perhaps lie had better not meddle with so 

 dangerous a weapon. He contented himself with taking 

 the large axe to bed with him, although it may be 

 doubted whether he would have used it very effec- 

 tually if occasion had required. We were all much 

 excited at The Assiniboine's story, and at once resolved 

 to go in pursuit of the bears at daybreak next morning. 

 As soon as it became light we prepared for the 

 hunt. The woman and boy were to accompany us 

 in order to search for the beaver which Assiniboine 

 had killed the night before, Mr. O'B., to his infinite 

 dismay, being left alone in charge of the camp. He 

 remonstrated strongly, and dilated upon the probability 

 of the bears taking advantage of our absence to attack 

 the undefended position. Finding we were inflexible, 

 " Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi," said Mr. O'B. dis- 

 consolately, and immediately retired within the lodge, 

 let down the door, made up a tremendous fire to scare 

 away the enemy, and remained seated, with the axe by 

 his side, in anxious expectation until our return. We 

 proceeded under the guidance of The Assiniboine to the 

 scene of his adventure the previous evening. There 

 we found every detail of his n^arrative confirmed — the 

 rotten trunks torn asunder, the huge footprints of the 

 bears in the soft soil or long grass, worn into a beaten 

 track where they had so repeatedly charged up to 

 him, his own track as he took the circuitous route to 

 his second position behind the logs ; and leading away 

 from the place, the marks of the three bears going 

 off at speed. It appeared, however, that they had 

 not left the neighbourhood until that morning, for 



