io6 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



of grass, or friendly screen of bushes, where they 

 eat their prey, and soon return in quest of others. 

 One salmon of ten pounds by no means suffices these 

 monsters for a single meal. 



Then the question arose as to how best we should 

 make an approach and get within shooting distance of 

 the bear. The whole ground lying between us was 

 destitute of cover, save for the high grass growing on 

 the river banks, and the only thing to do appeared to 

 be to follow the water course. Quickly then we clam- 

 bered down, and hastened at our best pace up along 

 the river side. Fortunately the stream was very low, 

 and had receded from the banks, leaving on either 

 side a miniature beach of sand and pebbles, over 

 which the travelling was easy. Thanks to the wind- 

 ing course, the river bed was securely screened from 

 the spot where Bruin fished. And fish he did, for 

 not even Agnes with her boat-hook was as certain 

 as this beast whenever he essayed a strike. During 

 our stalk, which lasted barely twenty minutes, we 

 observed the bear make a raid three successive times, 

 and each time he returned triumphant with a salmon 

 to his feeding spot upon the bank. So intent was 

 he on his fishing operations that I think we might 

 have crawled to within a few yards of his lair if an 

 unforeseen contretemps had not arisen. 



Agnes and I had called a temporary halt behind 

 some tall overhanging grasses, to regain breath ere 

 making the final advance nearer to the spot at which 

 the bear came down each time to a shallow place, 

 and close by which we knew he was still devouring 



