94 HUNTING THE GRISLY. 



that the keenest zest in sport comes from its 

 presence, and from the consequent exercise 

 of the qualities necessary to overcome it. 

 The most thrilling moments of an American 

 hunter's life are those in which, with every 

 sense on the alert, and with nerves strung to 

 the highest point, he is following alone into 

 the heart of its forest fastness the fresh and 

 bloody footprints of an angered grisly ; and 

 no other triumph of American hunting can 

 compare with the victory to be thus gained. 



These big bears will not ordinarily charge 

 from a distance of over a hundred yards ; but 

 there are exceptions to this rule. In the fall 

 of 1890 my friend Archibald Rogers was hunt- 

 ing in Wyoming, south of the Yellowstone 

 Park, and killed seven bears. One, an old 

 he, was out on a bare table-land, grubbing for 

 roots, when he was spied. It was early in the 

 afternoon, and the hunters, who were on a 

 high mountain slope, examined him for some 

 time through their powerful glasses before 

 making him out to be a bear. They then 

 stalked up to the edge of the wood which 

 fringed the table-land on one side, but could 

 get no nearer than about three hundred yards, 

 the plains being barren of all cover. After 

 waiting for a couple of hours Rogers risked 

 the shot, in despair of getting nearer, and 

 wounded the bear, though not very seriously. 

 The animal made off, almost broadside to, 

 and Rogers ran forward to intercept it. As 

 soon as it saw him it turned and rushed 

 straight for him, not heeding his second shot, 



