104 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



how got entangled in the rope, so that when the disciple of 

 Esculapius rose to the surface he found himself clinging to 

 one end of the cord and the bear to the other, and both 

 pulling in opposite directions. The scene was so ludicrous 

 that even the stoical gondolier laughed heartily, and shout- 

 ed, " Closh doctol; hyas closh " well done, doctor ; very 

 well done. As the current was carrying them down the 

 stream, and the doctor was puffing loudly, and the bear 

 hoarsely screaming, we took the former aboard for fear of 

 any accident though not without some danger of getting 

 a spill ourselves, owing to the lightness of the canoe and, 

 paddling toward the shore, we dragged the captive after 

 us. Before landing, we found that it was too large to be 

 made a pet of, so we killed it by shooting it through the 

 head with our pocket revolvers, and gave the carcass to 

 the Indian, who was delighted to have it. The doctor 

 dried his clothes at an Indian hut before going to the res- 

 ervation on which he was stationed ; and, on reaching 

 there, he took very good care not to mention a word about 

 his accident, for fear of being made a target for ridicule. 



I was out on another occasion after grouse with a public 

 singer, and he, being unused to walking, stopped to rest in 

 the woods while I trudged on in search of game. I had 

 not been two minutes away before I saw him running to- 

 ward me at his best pace, and shouting ray name. Think- 

 ing he was being pursued by some drunken Indians, I 

 cocked my gun and awaited developments. On reaching 

 me, he said that a bear had jumped out of a burned tree- 

 stump close by him, and had frightened him badly. I 

 went back to the stump, but, although it was hollow, I 

 could see no indications that a bear had inhabited it at any 

 time, and I told him so. Assuming that he had been some- 

 what rash in his fright, and fearing the result if the tale 

 were told to his acquaintances, he promised to sing all the 

 way into town if I would not "peach" on him. I prom- 

 ised to comply on this condition, and the result was that he 

 sung all the popular songs the entire distance. When we 

 reached the outskirts of the town he wished to cease ; but 



