The Kadiak Bear and his Home 



sunny ravines. We made ourselves at home at the 

 only good anchorage in a small cove with high 

 crags on two sides and a ravine running off toward 

 the east. 



The following morning — April 28 — opened 

 bright and calm, and we were soon viewing the 

 snow slopes with our glasses. Ivan, the new man, 

 was the first to call our attention to a streak on a 

 distant mountain side, and although perhaps lYz 

 miles away, we could make out, even with the 

 naked eye, a deep furrow in the snow running 

 down diagonally into the valley below, undoubtedly 

 a bear road. I took a five-cent piece from my 

 pocket, tossed for choice of shot, and lost to 

 Merriam. 



Once on land, we found the going very bad, and 

 often wallowed in the snow mid-thigh deep. Then 

 was the time for snowshoes, which we had been 

 told were unnecessary. Floundering along in this 

 soft snow began to tell a little on the keenness of 

 the party, when Vacille and Ivan, who were off on 

 one side, suddenly waved, and hurrying on to them 

 we were shown the bear far up the valley in some 

 bushes. As he lay on his side in the snow he looked 

 much like a cord of wood, and very large. The 

 wind came quartering down the valley, and made 

 a stalk difficult, so it was thought best to wait, as 



243 



