358 THE DOGS DISTANCED. 



Though the bear's Spar was partially obliterated by the 

 recent snow-storm, still with care and attention it was to be 

 made out ; and as we thought there was a probability of our 

 being enabled to steal upon him whilst in his lair, we made 

 the attempt on foot; but though every precaution was 

 adopted, he bolted, unseen by us, before we could reach his 

 bed. 



Resuming the Ski dor, of which we had divested ourselves 

 on entering the Ring, that our movements might be carried 

 on the more silently, we forthwith gave chase. But the 

 snow, which in many places must have been near three 

 feet deep, was, from its looseness, in a very unfavourable 

 state for Skidor, and we had therefore literally to plough our 

 way through it. The dogs were still worse off than our- 

 selves; for instead of being in advance, as they ought to 

 have been, they were usually in our wake, and oftentimes, 

 too, at a most respectable distance. Had the bear, 

 nevertheless, held anything like a straight course, and 

 to the more open parts of the forest, we should pro- 

 bably soon have closed with him; but on the contrary, 

 and as if aware of the advantage it gave him over us, he 

 pursued a most devious course, and kept to the closest 

 thickets. 



More than an hour elapsed, therefore, before we viewed the 

 beast, which was in a rather open part of the forest, and at 

 a distance of eighty to ninety paces. Halting on the instant, 

 and slipping my gun out of its case, I immediately fired 

 both barrels at his hind-quarters the only part exposed 

 and apparently with some effect, as for a few seconds he 

 floundered greatly in the snow; though it is very possible 

 his undulatory motions arose rather from panic than from 



