MY LAST HUNT ON THE KINZUA. 83 



under or lost, as there was nearly a foot of snow on the ground, 

 and the trap would make a broad trail in the snow, which was 

 quite easily followed. The next day, as intended, we put in a 

 full day attending the traps and got some fur, but I do not re- 

 member just what. We started out on the trail of Bruin with a 

 three days' ration of the usual lunch, boiled venison, ham, dough- 

 nuts and biscuits. 



After following the trail about two hours from the place 

 where I had left it, we came onto a man's track that had taken 

 the trail of our bear. This roiled the temper of the Vermonter 

 somewhat, and if I did not say anything, I had a mighty think on. 

 But we had no cause for alarm at this time. The man after fol- 

 lowing the trail for a mile or two gave up the chase as a bad job, 

 I guess. He stood and stamped about for some time (we judged 

 by the tracks he had made) and then started back nearly in the 

 same course that he had come. 



We followed on until dark when we came to a wagon road. 

 Apparently several persons had seen the bear trail, for there was a 

 beaten path for a few yards on either side of the road. We knew 

 nothing about the road or where it went, but finally concluded to 

 take the road leading south for a little ways. If we saw no signs 

 of habitation then we would camp, as that was what we expected 

 to be compelled to do when starting from camp and each had 

 taken a blanket for the purpose. 



We had not gone far when a man with a sleigh overtook us, 

 and we learned that we were about one and a half miles from 

 what was called Bunker Hill. The man gave us a ride. We went 

 to a boarding house and stayed over night, rather than camping 

 on Bruin's trail, though we got plenty of camping on the trail of 

 Bruin before this hunt was at an end. 



The next morning we were out early and had breakfast at 6 

 o'clock and started for the trail which we reached before day- 

 light. We had gone a little way when we heard voices coming 

 along the road. We listened a moment and saw that it was a party 

 of three men who had come to take the bear's trail. We waited 

 until they came up to us and one man said, "What in blazes are 

 you fellows doing on this bear's track?" Bill replied rather sharp, 



