340 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



below, amongst the broken masses of rock, they might 

 be near without being heard, while on the mountain 

 tops they are audible at a great distance. 



It may have been about two in the afternoon, and 

 we had hitherto seen nothing, when Bcarsgrease raised 

 his nose in the air, remained for an instant or two in a 

 fixed position, then giving a short smothered howl, 

 dashed down the mountain side. Listening attentively, 

 we heard the chase coming down the Hurricane river. 

 Erskine called out triumphantly, " We shall have plenty 

 of bear this evening," and dashed after the dog. I 

 was soon by his side. I must observe, by the way, 

 that we were both very hungry. Presently a bear 

 broke through the bushes ; a projecting rock stopped 

 him for an instant, when Erskine saluted him with a 

 ball : he received mine as he rushed past, and dis- 

 appeared. The dogs, encouraged to greater efforts by 

 our shots and the stronger scent, followed him out, 

 Bearsgrcase, who was quite fresh, leading the van. 

 They soon came up with him, and stopped him. We 

 rushed to the spot without waiting to reload, and 

 arrived in time to see the beast, excited to the greatest 

 fury, kill four of our best dogs with as many blows of 

 his paws ; but the others only threw themselves on 

 him with the greater animosity, and if our rifles had 

 been loaded we could not have used them. Just as a 

 large powerful brown dog which had furiously attacked 

 the bear was knocked over bleeding and howling, 

 Erskine called out, "Oh, save the dogs," threw down 

 his rifle, and rushed on witli his knife among the 

 furious group; I followed on the instant. When the 

 bear saw us coining, he exerted still more force to beat 



