A BEAR ON FIRE. 19 



other side dozens of long black and brown 

 outreaching noses. Elk! 



They had come noiselessly, they stood 

 motionless. They did not look back or 

 aside, only straight ahead. We could al 

 most have touched the nearest one. They 

 were large and fat, almost as fat as cows; 

 certainly larger than the ordinary Jersey. 

 The peculiar thing about them was the 

 way, the level way, in which they held their 

 small, long heads straight out; the huge 

 horns of the males lying far back on their 

 shoulders. And then for the first time I 

 could make out what these horns are for 

 to part the brush with as they lead 

 through the thicket, and thus save their 

 coarse coats of hair, which is very rotten, 

 and could be torn off in a little time if not 

 thus protected. They are never used to 

 fight with, never; the elk uses only his 

 feet. If on the defense, however, the male 

 lk will throw his nose close to the ground 

 and receive the enemy on his horns. 



Suddenly and all together, and perhaps 



