286 DEATH OF THE BEAR. 



following his Spar, or track, and at others completely at fault. 

 At length, however, and when on the slope of a steep hill, 

 where there was reason to suppose he had harboured, the 

 dogs were distinctly heard to challenge at some distance 

 above us. Leaving my companion, I hastened to the spot, 

 and found, as I had suspected, that they had fallen in with 

 the bear of which we were in search. The beast was lying in 

 a small and deeply- wooded ravine, and its attention so much 

 taken up with the dogs, which were baying around its lair, 

 that it did not observe me until within a few paces, when 

 just as it was about retreating, I put a bullet through its 

 head. 



It proved a female; and in the temporary bed she had 

 formed, we found, to our surprise, three cubs, born apparently 

 the previous night. During the chase of the few preceding 

 days, we had thought it singular that when roused, this 

 bear had never gone any considerable distance; but this 

 sudden increase of her family explained the matter. 



Aided by a peasant, who happened to be near the spot, we 

 dragged the beast a few paces to the brow of a pretty lofty 

 and abrupt declivity, when, giving her a lift with my foot, 

 she rolled over and over down the slope, on to the frozen 

 surface of the lake beneath. It was injudiciously done, 

 however; for though time and labour were saved, the 

 carcase, viewed as food, must, from its weight and the 

 velocity of its descent, have suffered no little injury. 



Later in the day, the old bear was conveyed in a sledge to 

 Radane ; but the cubs I at once took with me to Ronnum, 

 where, by means of a quill, they were nourished with milk, 

 &c. ; but though they lived for some days, they at length all 

 pined away and died. 



