Hunting in the Selkirks 163 



file, beside the stream, through an open wood of 

 great hemlock trees. There was no breeze, and we 

 made no sound as we marched, for our feet sunk 

 noiselessly into the deep spong e of moss, while the 

 incessant dashing of the torrent, churning among 

 the stones, would have drowned a far louder ad 

 vance. 



Suddenly the hunter, who was leading, dropped 

 down in his tracks, pointing forward; and some 

 fifty feet beyond I saw the head and shoulders of 

 a bear as he rose to make a sweep at some berries. 

 He was in a hollow where a tall, rank, prickly plant, 

 with broad leaves, grew luxuriantly; and he was 

 gathering its red berries, rising on his hind legs and 

 sweeping them down into his mouth with his paw, 

 and was much too intent on his work to notice us, 

 for his head was pointed the other way. The mo 

 ment he rose again I fired, meaning to shoot through 

 the shoulders, but instead, in the hurry, taking him 

 in the neck. Down he went, but whether hurt or 

 not we could not see, for the second he was on all 

 fours he was no longer visible. Rather to my sur 

 prise he uttered no sound for bear when hit or 

 when charging often make a great noise so I raced 

 forward to the edge of the hollow, the hunter close 

 behind me, while Ammal danced about in the rear, 

 very much excited, as Indians always are in the 

 presence of big game. The instant we reached the 

 hollow and looked down into it from the low bank 



