210 TRUE BEAR STORIES. 



chain and put into the trap between twc. 

 of the logs, and when the bear stepped his 

 forepaw into the noose it was drawn taut 

 and held by four men outside. Despite the 

 strain upon the chain the bear easily threw 

 the noose off with his other paw, letting 

 the men fall backwards in a heap on the 

 ground. Again and again the trick was 

 tried but the noose would not hold. 



Then the method of working the chain 

 was changed and the noose let down 

 through the top of the trap, and after many 

 failures it was drawn sharply up round his 

 arm near the shoulder, where it held. Ten 

 hours were consumed in the effort to secure 

 one leg and the Monarch fought furiously 

 every minute of the time, biting the chain, 

 seizing it with his paws and charging 

 about in his prison as though he were 

 crazy. He was utterly reckless of conse- 

 quences to himself, and he bit the iron SQ 

 savagely that he splintered his teeth and 

 wholly destroyed his longer tushes. 



Having secured one leg, it was compar- 



