BEAR-HUNTING 



proach. Then, as though by some premonition, I 

 saw the great gray lump that had lain on the snow, 

 move, rise to its feet, take a pace or so, and then lie 

 down! The old bear was not dead. How large, 

 how very large, she looked. I say I have never felt 

 fear of a bear, perhaps because I have mostly been 

 too tired to feel anything but fatigue when after 

 bear. But now, two miles away, I felt something 

 like buck ague, the first time in my life. I thrilled. 

 I shivered. I wondered if the men could do their 

 work wished and wished that I were with them 

 now. I had taken too much for granted. The old 

 bear was not dead at all! 



Now the two younger bears began to move slowly 

 a little way on in the snow, but soon they stopped. 

 Slowly, catlike, a little at a time, I saw the hunters 

 approach the hunted things. My blood never much 

 leaped before in any hunting, but now it leaped. 

 It was not sport but tragedy I was to witness. I 

 did not like to look, but could not cease to gaze. 



I saw the two hunters appear at the rim of the 

 little pocket where the bears lay; saw them crouch, 

 and aim and aim. Then came a spurt of blue, the 

 smoke of CzarofFs rifle. Then followed shot after 

 shot from both rifles. The giant grizzly flung her- 

 self once more to her feet, and stood at bay on the 

 snow, which I saw redden under her. 



235 



