TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 141 



during the modus operandi of the dismemberment 

 of his parents. His little eyes were dimmed with 

 a great wonder, but he fell to licking my fingers 

 with a rough tongue, and soon the little creature 

 curled itself up to sleep, trustfully and peacefully, 

 just as a St. Bernard puppy might do. 



Steve, being a practised hand, finished his bear 

 first, and then helped the Leader, who was nearly 

 eaten alive by mosquitoes. At last the messy busi- 

 ness was over, and laying the skins casually upon 

 the ground we put the tape over them, and quite 

 unstretched, the pelt of the she-bear, from head to 

 tail, came out at six feet five inches, and that of the 

 male just seven feet. 



Bald-headed eagles gathered in the blue ether, 

 sailing round and round, swooping low to earth, then 

 rising high to the heavens again, scenting from afar 

 the mighty banquet. 



The carrying of the rolled skins, with skulls and 

 feet, was a heavy and daunting affair. I took no 

 hand in it; but I consider that I did not shirk hard 

 work also, considering that it fell to my lot to con- 

 vey Kitchener in my arms to the river, and he must 

 have scaled twenty pounds or more. We had to make 

 two or three journeys over, having but the one 

 bidarka, and I did pray, as I stepped into the hatch- 

 way of the frail craft, that the small bear had his fur 

 parted directly in the middle, and that he would 

 refrain from struggling and kicking out. He was 

 very good, and every one, and everything, got over 

 serenely. 



