114 The Black Bear 



These conclusions, like all the others scattered 

 through the pages of this book, are founded upon 

 many observations made during many years, not 

 upon any single experience or upon the actions of any 

 one animal ; and I want to lay especial emphasis upon 

 the fact that when I give, as an illustration, the account 

 of any particular happening, it is only cited as an ex- 

 ample of the things that, taken together, have gone to 

 the forming of my belief. For instance, in the summer 

 of 1906 I was camped high up on the continental 

 divide in the mountains of Wyoming with two boys, 

 Tommy and Bill Richards. One day when we were 

 out in the hills we saw a Black Bear go into a thick 

 tangle of underbrush surrounding a big pine tree and 

 lying at the foot of a perpendicular cliff; and we de- 

 termined for the fun of the thing to drive it out so as 

 to get a good look at it. I accordingly made my way 

 to the extreme right of the thicket, Bill stationed 

 himself in front, and Tommy stayed where we were 

 when we first saw the bear. Then at a given signal we 

 all rushed in with loud yells. But instead of trying 

 to escape, the bear went up the pine tree and lodged 

 thirty feet or so from the ground in a clump of foliage. 

 One of the boys had a camera and now wanted to get 

 the beards picture, so I suggested that he could do this 

 by driving the bear further up the tree, and as Tommy 

 said he was not afraid of the animal I cut him a long 

 pole and he climbed up to where he could reach up and 



