x THE BEAR 211 



men rode down the steep sides of the ravine, and we recommenced 

 our beat. 



Nothing moved for some time, and I mounted my horse as we 

 were approaching the junction of the smaller ravine on my left, 

 which formed the letter Y- I was about 100 yards ahead of my 

 two men, and I descended into the stony depression, crossed the 

 little stream, and ascended the opposite side with some little 

 difficulty, as it was extremely steep, and, together with my 12 Ib. 

 rifle, cartridges, and a 26 Ib. Mexican saddle, I rode about 18 

 stone. We reached the top, from which I could look down into 

 the larger ravine on my right, and the lesser on my left, but a 

 number of large rocks, 3 or 4 feet in height, and others of smaller 

 size, made it difficult for my horse to thread his way. Just at this 

 moment I heard the report of a revolver and shouts in high 

 excitement "The bear! the bear!" Before I had time to 

 dismount in the awkward position among the rocks, I saw a large 

 bear within two yards of me, as he had run at full speed up the 

 steep bank from the bottom of the ravine without having observed 

 me, owing to the rocks; he therefore passed close to my horse 

 upon the other side, only separated from us by the large rock 

 between. In an instant the bear, having seen the horse, turned to 

 the left, and dashed down hill into the smaller ravine which I had 

 just crossed. I jumped off my horse, and ran along the edge, 

 ready to take a shot the moment that I could obtain a clear view 

 of the bear, which I could see indistinctly as it ran along the 

 bottom of the channel, in which was the trickling stream. As I 

 followed, always keeping the animal within view, I felt certain 

 that it would presently forsake this narrow gully, and would cut 

 across the open to regain the large ravine from which it had been 

 dislodged. I therefore raised the 150 yards sight as I ran along 

 the edge, to be in readiness should it try the open. The bear kept 

 me running at my best to keep it in sight, and I was just beginning 

 to think it advisable to fire through the intervening bushes, when, 

 as I had expected, it suddenly turned to the left, ran up the bank 

 with extreme activity, and appeared upon the steep open grass-laud, 

 with the intention of cutting across to the larger hiding-place. 

 This was a splendid chance, as the dark colour of the bear looked 

 well upon the yellow grass. I made a most satisfactory shot with 

 the '577 at 150 yards, the bullet passing through the kidneys, 

 and the bear rolled over and over the whole way down the steep 

 grassy hill, until stopped by the thick bushes, which alone prevented 

 it from rolling into the streamlet at the bottom. 



My two men came galloping up, and shortly dismounted, and 



