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ground, but much of the surrounding forest. For a time, 

 however, our search proved unsuccessful, for we neither 

 found the hear, nor saw any marks leading us to suppose he 

 might be lying in the vicinity ; but this was the less to be 

 wondered at, for ths snow was in many places full four feet 

 deep, and the trees besides smothered with it. 



At length one morning, when several miles to the east- 

 ward of the Shealing, and whilst traversing an exceedingly 

 desolate part of the forest, Elg suddenly halted and drew 

 my attention to a pine growing on a little knoll hard by, 

 the stem of which was scored in every direction. These 

 scores proved, on closer inspection, to be the handiwork of 

 a bear ; and as they did not date longer back than the past 

 autumn, we inferred that the beast was not far distant. 



Near to the foot of this tree was a small aperture in 

 the snow, but so blocked up as hardly to be perceptible 

 at a little distance. Having enlarged this aperture with 

 our Skidor sticks, we quickly became convinced a bear was 

 the excavator ; but as on probing it to the bottom (and it 

 was deep), nothing stirred, we were sceptical as to its being 

 tenanted. On this point, however, our doubts were pre- 

 sently removed, for the dogs, which had been ranging at a 

 distance, coming up, commenced baying furiously, 



We immediately prepared for action. Both Elg and I 

 laid aside our Skidor, when stationing myself in the rear of 

 the aperture, armed not only with my own gun but Elg's, 

 I directed the man to procure a long stake, with which to 

 stir up the bear from his passing sound repose. But the 

 beast having ensconced himself in an inner chamber, of 

 which, in the first instance, we were not aware, Elg's efforts 

 to dislodge him (standing as he did, for his personal security, 



