American Big Game in its Haunts 



descend, and I almost despaired of her making the 

 attempt, but without a pause she wound in and out, 

 seemingly traversing the steepest and most difficult 

 places in the easiest manner, and headed for the 

 valley below. When the bull reached this cliff we 

 lost sight of him; nor could we locate him again 

 with even the most careful use of the glasses. He 

 had evidently chosen this secure retreat to lie up in 

 for the rest of the day. If I could have killed the 

 female without alarming him, and then waited on 

 her trail, I should undoubtedly have got another 

 shot, as he followed her after his rest. 



It was 8 o'clock when we first located the bears, 

 and for nearly three hours I had a chance to watch 

 one or both of them through powerful glasses. 

 The sun had come up clear and strong, melting 

 the crust upon the snow, so that as soon as the 

 female bear reached the steep mountain side her 

 downward path was not an easy one. At each step 

 she would sink up to her belly, and at times would 

 slip and fall, turning somersault after somersault; 

 now and again she would be buried in the snow 

 so deep that it seemed impossible for her to go 

 either ahead or backward. Then she would roll 

 over on her back, and, loosening her hold on the 

 steep hillside, would come tumbling and slipping 

 down, turning over and over, sideways and end- 



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