ENCOUNTEE WITH A GEIZZLY. 14B 



called, however humble its appurtenances I came to a 

 place where the grizzly had halted and scratched up the 

 wild cranberries, which through all low-lying lands, in this 

 portion of the country, are abundant; but it was evident 

 that they were not sufficiently numerous or attractive to 

 detain him long. Again striking the trail, I persistently 

 followed it till I reached some thick timber, much covered 

 with windfalls. Through such obstacles progress is na- 

 turally slow, and difficulties to your advance numerous. 

 Moreover, in such a place one has to be doubly guarded, 

 for on every side, in front, in rear, the upturned roots or 

 labyrinth of semi-decayed limbs can be formed into an 

 ambuscade. But Bruin was not a rifleman, and did not 

 avail himself of these natural lurking-places, so I reached 

 the further side of the belt of timber without seeing a foe, 

 for which I was heartily thankful ; but as I straddled the 

 last log which intervened between me and the open land, 

 not twenty yards to my front I perceived the object of my 

 search reared up to full length against a dead tree, as if 

 endeavouring to ascertain how high he could reach. I had 

 not a clear shot, for, although my quarry was facing me, 

 the trunk of the deceased monarch of the woodlands was 

 between me and him. From my foe's manner I felt con- 

 vinced that he was unaware of my presence; this I could 

 have turned to advantage had a vital part been exposed. 

 Long I stood in my awkward position, hoping that he 

 would slue himself round; but such a movement seemed 

 foreign to his intention. At length the grizzly lowered his 

 hold of the tree till his fore-paws were beneath the level of 

 his head, when, turning to the left, he rested the jaw upon 



