TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 131 



to possess myself of my weapon I needs must show 

 myself very much in full view. 



By the time I had crossed the sleugh, and grasped 

 my rifle Reynard had a good start, running low. 

 Ten to one I miss him ! I fired, but the bullet went 

 wide, and I saw the sand spurt up in a little jet. 

 Raising the three hundred yards' sight, and taking 

 in plenty of foresight, I had another try. The fox 

 sat down as suddenly as though he were a mechanical 

 toy worked by a string. Running nearer, I got in 

 a shot which somewhat damaged the beautiful coat, 

 but put the beast out of pain. Steve soon ha'd the pelt 

 drying before the atom of fire, and the ravens and 

 kites made short work of the remains. 



We had Steve carry the bidarka to a river which 

 ran between ugly mud banks down into a wide 

 estuary. From early dawn the Leader and I paddleH 

 energetically up stream, hoping that the lure of the 

 salmon would call out the bears to the banks. We 

 took it in turns to paddle, and when one of us got 

 cramped up with the awkward attitude necessitated, 

 we landed, and gingerly changing places set off 

 again. We worked so hard that although a Strong 

 current ran against us, we covered some miles of 

 river, and actually discovered a belt of dwarf alders, 

 which were almost as scarce hereabouts as the bears. 

 Getting ashore we spoored this way and that, with 

 poor results. A bear trail was discernible, but it 

 was very ancient, and not, I think, of our season. 



Ptarmigan were very plentiful and very tame. 

 Throwing stones would not dislodge a bird which 



