82 AN AMERICAN HUNTER 



ered with a growth of pinyon never a close-grow- 

 ing tree its precipitous flanks broken by ledges and 

 scored by gullies and ravines. It was hard to follow the 

 scent across such a mountain-side, and the dogs speedily 

 became much scattered. We could hear them plainly, 

 and now and then could see them, looking like ants as 

 they ran up and down hill and along the ledges. Finally 

 we heard some of them barking bayed. The volume of 

 sound increased steadily as the straggling dogs joined 

 those which had first reached the hunted animal. At 

 about this time, to our astonishment, Badge, usually a 

 stanch fighter, rejoined us, followed by one or two other 

 hounds, who seemed to have had enough of the matter. 

 Immediately afterward we saw the bear, half-way up the 

 opposite mountain-side. The hounds were all around 

 him, and occasionally bit at his hind quarters; but he had 

 evidently no intention of climbing a tree. When we first 

 saw him he was sitting up on a point of rock surrounded 

 by the pack, his black fur showing to fine advantage. 

 Then he moved off, threatening the dogs, and making 

 what in Mississippi is called a walking bay. He was a 

 sullen, powerful beast, and his leisurely gait showed how 

 little he feared the pack, and how confident he was in his 

 own burly strength. By this time the dogs had been after 

 him for a couple of hours, and as there was no water on 

 the mountain-side we feared they might be getting ex- 

 hausted, and rode toward them as rapidly as we could. 

 It was a hard climb up to where they were, and we had 

 to lead the horses. Just as we came in sight of him, across 

 a deep gully which ran down the sheer mountain-side, 



