CHAPTER XXVIII. 



A BEAR IN THE WATER. 



The bear has one trait especially that is 

 most dangerous to the uneducated hunter, and 

 that is when found swimming a lake or river 

 he invariably goes in a straight line from where 

 he left the shore. Any obstacle in the way hj 

 clambers over, be it a log, boat or canoe. 



Should the place where he reaches the fur- 

 ther shore be a high rocky bluff, he climbs this, 

 rather than turn from his direct course. This 

 may be pigheadedness or stupidity; be it as it 

 may, he will not turn to a low-shelving beach a 

 few yards at one side, but it never enters his 

 head to take the easier landing. 



I once saw a bear swimming across near the 

 discharge of a lake. There was a string of booms 

 hanging down stream near the other shore and 

 at right angles to where he was heading. He 

 simply clambered over the boom logs and took 

 the water again on the other side, instead of 

 trotting along the boom to the shore. 



I was acquainted with an old Indian, who, 

 knowing this trait of bears to land where they 



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