394 HE OUTMANOEUVRES US. 



in pursuit. Seeing from the first, however, that owing to 

 the very unfavourable state of the snow, there was no chance 

 of overtaking the bear, Elg was directed to follow in his 

 track, whilst I, guided by the challenges of the dogs, endea- 

 voured to cut in upon him ; and the plan in part succeeded, 

 for on one occasion I viewed the beast as he was ascending 

 the face of a rather precipitous hill, and sent a ball after 

 him ; but as the distance was great, and as he neither 

 flinched nor slackened his pace, the presumption is that it 

 went wide of the mark. 



The day was now drawing to a close, and seeing the 

 uselessness of farther pursuit, we directed our steps to a 

 neighbouring cottage ; and as we here found wherewithal 

 to satisfy the cravings of hunger, and a truss of straw on 

 which to stretch our wearied limbs, we passed the night in 

 tolerable comfort. 



We were in hopes that during the night the weather 

 would have changed for the better ; but the reverse was the 

 case, for the following morning was ushered in with a storm 

 of wind and rain. As nothing therefore could be done that 

 day, Elg was instructed to ring the bear chased the preceding 

 afternoon, whilst I struck across the forest on Skidor to 

 Ostanas, the residence of the Chamberlain, M. Croneborg, a 

 distance of three or four miles, where I was most kindly 

 received and entertained. 



In the evening Elg rejoined me, and reported that he had 

 succeeded in ringing the beast at some five or six miles to 

 the north-eastward, and at no very great distance from the 

 other three bears ; but the weather continuing unfavourable 

 during the following day, we kept the house, where a good 

 library and the amenities of civilized life, if they did not 



