214 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



domestic fowl, and, when young, there is nothing better. The 

 old birds are not only tough, but they taste too strongly of sage, 

 from subsisting upon the buds and young shoots of the wild plant. 

 They were very numerous in certain localities, having much the 

 same habits as the black game of North Britain, therefore we knew 

 at once where to seek them. 



Our camp was within a few feet of the little stream, just within 

 the forest at the bottom of the valley ; the dense mass of spruce 

 firs extended for 8 or 10 miles along the slopes, only broken at 

 intervals by gaps a few hundred yards wide, which divided the 

 forest from top to base, and formed admirable places for ascending 

 to the great plateau on the summit. This plateau extended for 

 several miles, and was nearly level, the surface being liberally 

 strewed with stones about 2 feet in length, but exceedingly flat, 

 as though prepared for roofing slates ; these had been turned over 

 incessantly by the bears, in search for what Bob Stewart called 

 " bugs " the general and comprehensive American name for every 

 insect. 



We found a number of sage-hens upon this plateau, and I picked 

 out the young ones with my rabbit rifle, as they ran upon the 

 sage-covered ground. Texas Bill was soon loaded with game, and 

 discarding the old birds that had been killed by mistake, we de- 

 scended the grass-covered gap between the forests, and returned 

 direct to camp. Little Henry had now a change of materials for 

 our dinner. 



It was nearly dusk, and I went into the small tent to have a 

 hot bath after the day's work. I was just drying myself, after the 

 operation of washing, when I heard an excited voice shout " Bears ! 

 bears ! " It was useless for me to ask questions through the 

 canvas, therefore I hurried on my clothes and ran out. 



Texas Bill was gone. It appeared that two large bears had 

 been seen as they came along the glen, and turned up the open 

 slope, by which we had descended after shooting the sage-hens. 

 My best horse had not been unsaddled, as the evening was chilly ; 

 therefore Texas Bill had immediately jumped into the saddle, and 

 was off in full pursuit. 



"What rifle did he take?" I inquired of little Henry. "He 

 didn't take any rifle, but he's got his six-shooter, which is much 

 better in his hands, as he knows it," was the reply. 



There was very little light remaining, and with the long start 

 which the bears obtained, I could not think that Bill would have 

 the slightest chance of overhauling them before they reached the 

 forest ; this they would assuredly attempt, the instant they saw 



