392 WOUNDING HIM. 



although we exerted ourselves to the utmost, he had again 

 plunged into thick cover before we had approached suffi- 

 ciently near to make it an object to fire. 



The beast was apparently distressed, and had he held to 

 the more open part of the forest, and that the dogs had 

 constantly kept with him, the chase would soon have been 

 ended ; but as, on the contrary, he doubled to and fro in the 

 thickest brakes, and as the dogs were not always in their 

 place, we were unable to come to close quarters. This being 

 the case, Elg and I, in the hope of intercepting him, 

 separated and took different courses; and the plan so far 

 succeeded, that both of us subsequently got transient views 

 of the beast Elg, indeed, fired at and wounded him, as 

 was shown by a few drops of blood visible on the snow. 

 But the ball having taken effect in his hind-quarters, the 

 wound did not seem materially to retard his progress. 



At times together, and at others separated, Elg and I 

 for several hours thus dodged the bear; but all our en- 

 deavours to close with him proved ineffectual. Finding, 

 at length, he was gaining upon us (a beaten path that he 

 had for a time pursued having given him the advantage), 

 and as evening was now approaching, we deemed it best 

 to discontinue the pursuit, and to turn our steps home- 

 wards, where, wearied and dispirited, we arrived long after 

 dark. 



The following day turned out very wet and stormy, and 

 as nothing could then be done with the bears, I left Elg 

 to look after them, and returned to Brunnsholm, then my 

 temporary quarters, which was distant nearly twenty miles. 



Two days subsequently word was brought me, that 

 Elg had succeeded in ringing all the four beasts the 



