My First Summer 



while, and I have learned something about 

 these noble bears. Their tracks are very 

 telling, and so are their breakfasts. Scarce 

 a trace of clouds to-day, and of course our 

 ordinary mid-day thunder is wanting. 



August 6. Enjoyed the grand illumi- 

 nation of the camp grove, last night, from 

 the fire we made to frighten the bears, 

 compensation for loss of sleep and sheep. 

 The noble pillars of verdure, vividly aglow, 

 seemed to shoot into the sky like the flames 

 that lighted them. Nevertheless, one of the 

 bears paid us another visit, as if more at- 

 tracted than repelled by the fire, climbed 

 into the corral, killed a sheep and made 

 off with it without being seen, while still 

 another was lost by trampling and suffo- 

 cation against the side of the corral. Now 

 that our mutton has been tasted, I sup- 

 pose it will be difficult to put a stop to 

 the ravages of these freebooters. 



The Don arrived to-day from the low- 

 lands with provisions and a letter. On learn- 



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