A DANGEROUS ANTAGONIST. 289 



entrance to his den, I am sure that he has not emerged 

 from it for the last three months. Observe : the herbage 

 is not bent or trodden down there are no imprints on 

 the soil. I am persuaded that the bear is in his retreat, 

 for the marks of his paws all point towards it. He is 

 alone, because these marks are regular, and alike in all 

 points ; from the size of his feet he must be of a great 

 size ; and I am sure he is very fat, because his hind-paws 

 do not join the imprints of his fore-paws, as is always the 

 case with a lean bear." 



Such are the judicious remarks of a genuine hunter; 

 and mysterious as they seem when one does not under- 

 stand them, no sooner are they explained than one sees 

 with what skilfulness Nature has taught her children. 



Why the reader, perhaps, will inquire why is the 

 grisly bear so formidable to a company of hunters en- 

 countering him in the heart of a wood, if, when he is 

 lurking in his den, he is so little to be feared that a 

 single hunter will attack and slay him *? 



I reply that in the latter case the hunter goes in search 

 of his quarry, in the darkness, at an epoch when the bear 

 is rendered lethargic by the cold, and consequently he is 

 easily surprised. Certain indispensable precautions must 

 be observed to insure a successful issue of the enterprise; 

 and if these are neglected, neither rapidity of eye, nor cool- 

 ness, nor skill, can for a single moment protect the daring 

 adventurer who disturbs the grisly bear in his hiding-place. 



As soon as the trapper has acquainted himself with the 

 locality of the bear's retreat, he provides himself with a 

 candle made of common wax mixed with fat, whoso wick 



(411) 19 



