American Big Game in its Haunts 



night before, and reported that he had seen three 

 bears on the marsh. He said he had watched them 

 all the evening, and that the next morning two 

 more had made their appearance. He could no 

 longer withstand this temptation, and just before 

 we had arrived had shot a small black bear with an 

 excellent skin. 



Two days after, a bear was reported in the 

 meadow, and as it was my friend's turn to shoot, 

 he started with his hunter to make the stalk. It 

 was raining at the time, and I was almost tempted 

 to lie among my blankets; but my love of sport 

 was too strong, and, armed with powerful glasses, 

 I joined the men on the rocks to watch the 

 hunters. 



The bear had fed well out into the meadow not 

 far from a small clump of trees. In order to 

 reach this clump of trees, Blake and Ivan were 

 obliged to wade quite a deep stream, and had re- 

 moved their clothes. Unfortunately my friend 

 carelessly left his coat, in the pocket of which were 

 all the extra cartridges for his and Ivan's rifles. 



I saw them reach the clump of trees, and then 

 turned the glasses on the bear. At the first shot 

 he sprang back in surprise, while Blake's bullet 

 went high. The bear now located the shot, and 

 began a quick retreat to the woods, when one of 



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