Memories of a Bear Hunter 



moreover, I expected that he would come closer. 

 Suddenly he dropped on all fours, gave a snort, 

 turned and moved rapidly back on his trail and 

 disappeared in the pine thicket. 



An inspection next morning showed that, as 

 anticipated, the bear had returned, had stood up 

 by the carcass of the other bear, and instead of 

 cutting the rope, had cut through the bear's ham- 

 string, by which it had been tied, thus freeing the 

 carcass, and had dragged it about a hundred yards 

 further into the timber. There he took a meal 

 and then covered up the carcass, as, if the soil is 

 not too rocky, bears always do. 



It was now my business to circumvent this bear. 

 I at once arranged a place on a limb of the nearest 

 pine, talking care, however, that the foliage should 

 protect me from view from the trail by which the 

 bear was expected. That evening I was on hand, 

 securely hidden on my new perch. The bear ap- 

 peared before dark, approaching very cautiously 

 and in my full view. When within seventy-five 

 yards he stopped, sat up and gazed long and 

 earnestly, but his attention seemed to be directed 

 to the position that I had occupied in the tree the 

 evening before. As he stood in full view he 

 seemed the embodiment of savage fury, and was 

 evidently spoiling for a scrimmage. Looking 



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