Hunting at High Altitudes 



outside the willows was covered with rose bushes 

 and buck brush about as high as the horse's belly, 

 and this made it difficult for a horse to turn quickly. 

 The bear was evidently wounded. All we could 

 hear was his breathing. We approached the edge 

 of the willows as close as we dared, and by shoot- 

 ing at the sound of his breathing, kept his vicinity 

 pretty warm. The bear watched his opportunity, 

 crept to the edge of the thicket on my side and 

 rushed out at me. I fired, but over-shot him, for 

 he came on and was close to my horse's heels be- 

 fore he could turn. I stood not on the order of my 

 going, but went as fast as spurs could persuade the 

 horse. In the scrimmage I lost my hat, and be- 

 fore the horse could be controlled for he was 

 thoroughly frightened and another shot deliv- 

 ered, the bear had returned to his place of conceal- 

 ment. Still guided by the sound of his breathing, 

 we continued the bombardment and induced him 

 to move. In the course of half an hour he crept 

 along the bed of the little creek to the edge of the 

 thicket near the point where I was stationed, and 

 watching his opportunity charged out at me the 

 second time. As he approached, I again made a 

 shot in the chest with a solid ball, which dropped 

 him in his tracks, and in such a fashion that I 

 shouted, "I have got him !" but it was not so, for 



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