TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 125 



did not care to make further investigations. Assisted by 

 the boys, we packed our game to camp and busied ourselves 

 in drying it for future use. We were afterward very thank- 

 ful that we had made this provision. 



We had killed a deer the day before and left it hanging 

 upon a tree. We thought it time to be looking after it, and 

 went to the spot. Our deer was not here ! The tracks of a 

 large bear were visible, which explained matters, and, while 

 the boys were gathering in the game, I took a turn after the 

 thief. The deer was a large black-tail buck, and, as he was 

 dragged along, he made a broad trail,, which was easy to fol- 

 low. It led me over brush and sandbeds for a long distance, 

 but just as I was beginning to feel tired, I ran against my 

 deer in a thick clump of willows. He was torn to pieces 

 and covered over with earth and leaves, looking as though 

 he had been placed there to remain. I waited patiently for 

 a long time, expecting a visit from Bruin, but he did not 

 make his appearance, so, after a thorough search of the sur- 

 rounding thickets, I went to camp with the determination 

 to visit the spot again before sunset, when he was sure to 

 come back to feast off the deer. As the sun neared the 

 horizon I cleaned my rifle, filled my cartridge-belt, put on 

 a pair of Indian moccasins and started out alone. I always 

 like to be alone when hunting bears, as there should be as 

 little noise as possible. I approached, not a little anxious 

 for my own safety. The grave-like mound had not been 

 touched, and I knew that so far the coast was clear. After 

 cutting a small opening through the bushes, I sat down by 

 a cottonwood tree, with low spreading branches. A few of 

 the thickest of these I cut off in case I should be forced to 

 climb the tree. 



I had been waiting what appeared to me a long time, 

 when I heard a rustling behind me ; I turned, and, not forty 



