Bear Hunting on Kadiak Island 



ways, until she caught herself by spreading out all 

 four legs. In this way she came with each step 

 and turn nearer and nearer. Finally she reached 

 an open patch on the hillside, where she began to 

 feed, digging up the roots of the salmon-berry 

 bushes at the edge of the snow. If now I lost sight 

 of her for a short time, it was very difficult 

 to pick her up again even with the glasses, so per- 

 fectly did the light tawny yellows and browns of 

 her coat blend in with the dead grass of the place 

 on which she was feeding. 



The wind had been blowing in our favor all the 

 morning, and for once continued true and steady. 

 But how closely we watched the clouds, to see that 

 no change in its direction threatened us. 



We waited until the bear had left the snow and 

 was quietly feeding before we made a move, and 

 then we slowly worked ahead and downward, 

 taking up a new position on a small ridge which 

 was well to leeward, but still on the opposite side 

 of the valley from the bear. She seemed in an ex- 

 cellent position for a stalk, and had I been alone 

 I should have tried it. But the Aleut mode of 

 hunting is to study the direction in which your 

 game is working, and then take up a position which 

 it will naturally approach. 



Taking our stand, we waited, watching with 

 123 



