TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 139 



men of Ursus dalli gyas ; but, alas ! it was not thus 

 to be. Kindness killed him. Or indigestion. The 

 crew, though forbidden to do so, would feed the 

 cub, and one morning we were greeted with the 

 sad intelligence that our Kitchener lay dead. But 

 I anticipate, as the novelists say. 



Our man had by this time joined us, and we were 

 faced with the stupendous task of skinning the two 

 great bears. First we had lunch, which we badly 

 needed, and sitting beside the brown carcases, I am 

 bound to say that one by one my qualms vanished, 

 and in their place raged the fierce exultant joy of the 

 chase which can only be understood by those who 

 have experienced it. I should not have been human, 

 and a huntress, if the sight of those magnificent 

 beasts had not deepened in my heart the lust of sport. 



" Fill the cup, and in the fire of Spring 

 The winter garment of repentance fling." 



The Leader owned a ridiculous pocket compactum 

 knife and fork, which, when opened and unfolded, 

 worked all right, and made lunch away from camp 

 quite civilized. Of course he always had to offer 

 it to me, and use his fingers himself. The thing 

 was no use unless its proprietor was at hand to undo 

 it, its mechanism defied the ordinary brain, which 

 curtailed its usefulness somewhat. 



' Well, I will always touch the spring for you," 

 the Leader said, when I complained of the limitations 

 of the combination cutlery. It was rather like the reply 

 of the young man to some one who inquired whether 



