RENEWED CHASE OF THE BEAR. 395 



compensate for extreme ill-luck, enabled me, at all events, to 

 pass the time very pleasantly. 



On the succeeding morning, however, there was a degree 

 or two of cold, and knowing that the Skidor could now he 

 used to some advantage, we therefore started off in a sledge 

 at the first break of day. 



As during the last Chasse we had seen the impossibility 

 of circumventing the bear by stealth, it was determined that 

 on this occasion we should attempt to run him fairly down. 

 Soon after reaching the Ring, therefore, the dogs were 

 uncoupled, and presently opened in grand chorus. 



The beast was started near to the foot of a rather preci- 

 pitous and closely wooded hill ; and as he at first faced up the 

 acclivity, Elg and 1 for a time lost ground; but when he 

 arrived near to the summit of the hill, where the surface was 

 more level, we, in our turn, gained on him apace. For a 

 while he threaded the one dense brake after the other, where 

 the difficulty of following him was considerable. At length, 

 however, he made somewhat down the declivity, with the 

 dogs in full cry at his heels, for a sort of vista leading to 

 the valley below. The ground being now greatly in our 

 favour, we were not slow in following, so that by the time 

 the beast emerged from the thicket into the opening, we 

 were not at more than thirty to forty paces' distance. As 

 Elg, who was just in advance of me, had his gun in per- 

 fect readiness, whilst mine on the contrary was only partially 

 uncased, I directed him to fire, which he attempted, though 

 unsuccessfully. On hearing the click of the lock, the 

 beast, who was previously in the act of retreating, wheeled 

 about, but whether with the intention of charging, as 

 Elg supposed, or not, is hard to say. By this time, 





