I90 A SHOOTING TRIP TO KAMCHATKA 



comparative rest as we rode through the woods and 

 entered a fresh valley. The sky was perfectly clear, 

 promising- a fine day. Leaving the horses below the 

 zone of scrub, we found a long, steep ravine, filled with 

 hardened snow, which greatly facilitated our ascent. 

 We could distinguish at the head of the valley rows 

 of volcanic pinnacles, some 5,000 feet high, with pre- 

 cipitous snow-slides shooting down the gullies between 

 them. They ran westward of the main peak, and 

 appeared to be first-rate ground for sheep. 



A distance of about six miles as yet intervened, and 

 it took us at least three hours before we reached the 

 more abrupt slopes of the towering crags. As we 

 were preparing for the last scramble I spied a large 

 bear some lour hundred yards above us. As I 

 watched him through the glass, digging the earth 

 and slowly advancing at right angles from us, his 

 coat seemed unusually light in colour, almost white. 

 As he was on our way, I suggested a stalk, and, hiding 

 from view, followed a lateral ravine in his direction. 

 Unfortunately, on reaching the commanding ridge, 

 alder bushes, on which we counted for concealment, 

 had l)ecome scarce, and further advance in the open 

 would have involved certain failure. Ihuin was now 

 two hundred and fifty yards off, and as he appeared 

 to have no intention of comino- anv nearer, I had to 



