60 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



to pleasurable emotion. What wonder of civilization 

 can compare with the mysterious fascination of the 

 wild ? The weird enchantment, the silence, the space, 

 the intangible something of everything. Ah, it is 

 living indeed. 



Steve and Ned commenced with delighted ejacula- 

 tions to skin our treasure, answering our myriad ques- 

 tions the while. For we would know how old he 

 was, and hear how great a weight it was surmised our 

 bear would be. It was an astonishing sight as the 

 skin was stripped to see the great layers of fat cover- 

 ing the carcase. One would imagine that after the 

 long hibernation the bears would emerge thin and 

 poor. This one was none the worse for his long fast. 

 Just before " holing up " for the winter they are roll- 

 ing in fat, and put it on all through the summer at a 

 great pace. The splendid pelt was a biggish load 

 to pack back to camp, and when we weighed it the 

 scale turned at sixty-eight pounds. From the nose 

 to the end of the tail Bruin measured ten feet two 

 inches, and this result was arrived at very fairly, with 

 the skin laid casually upon the ground before pegging 

 out. 



We spent the rest of the afternoon watching Steve 

 clean the green skin. This he was most careful and 

 particular over. All Aleuts are past masters at pre- 

 paring furs. 



The cooking in our small camp was absolutely hap- 

 hazard, any one who was idle cooked. Ptarmigan 

 stew occurred with clockwork regularity and our men 

 drank quarts of tea. 



