Hitnting in the S el kirks. ^zi 



country. Towards evening the valley widened a little, 

 and we were able to walk in the bottoms, which much 

 lightened our labor. The hunter, for greater ease, had 

 tied the thongs of his heavy pack across his breast, so 

 that he could not use his rifle ; but my pack was lighter, 

 and I carried it in a manner that would not interfere with 

 my shooting, lest we should come unawares on game. 



It was well that I did so. An hour or two before 

 sunset we were travelling, as usual, in Indian file, beside 

 the stream, through an open wood of great hemlock trees. 

 There was no breeze, and we made no sound as we 

 marched, for our feet sunk noiselessly into the deep 

 sponge of moss, while the incessant dashing of the tor- 

 rent, churninof amonpf the stones, would have drowned a 

 far louder advance. 



Suddenly the hunter, who was leading, dropped down 

 in his tracks, pointing forward ; and some fifty feet be- 

 yond I saw the head and shoulders of a bear as he rose 

 to make a sweep at some berries. He was in a hollow 

 where a tall, rank, prickly plant, with broad leaves, grew 

 luxuriantly ; and he was gathering its red berries, rising 

 on his hind legs and sweeping them down into his mouth 

 with his paw, and was much too intent on his work to 

 notice us, for his head was pointed the other way. The 

 moment he rose again I fired, meaning to shoot through 

 the shoulders, but instead, in the hurry, taking him in the 

 neck. Down he went, but whether hurt or not we could 

 not see, for the second he was on all fours he was no 

 longer visible. Rather to my surprise he uttered no 

 sound — for bear when hit or when charofinsf often make 



