x THE BEAR 219 



upon the ground before his fore-feet. When thus managed, the 

 horse will feed, but he will never move away from his position, and 

 he will wait for hours for the return of his master. 



We rode about four miles without seeing a living creature, 

 except a badger. This animal squatted upon seeing the horses, 

 and lay close to the ground, like a hare in form, until we actually 

 halted within 10 feet of its position. Bob immediately suggested 

 that we should kill it, and secure its skin (his one idea appeared to 

 be a longing to divest everything of its hide) ; but I would not 

 halt, as the day was to be devoted to bears. We at length arrived 

 at a portion of the forest where the young spruce had grown up 

 from a space that had formerly been burnt ; about 50 acres were 

 densely covered with bright green foliage, forming a pleasing con- 

 trast to the sombre hue of the older forest. This was considered 

 by my guide to be a likely retreat for bears ; it was as thick as 

 possible for trees to grow. 



We accordingly dismounted, threw the reins over our horses' 

 heads, and, taking the right direction of the wind, we entered the 

 main forest, which was connected with the younger growth. It 

 was easy to distinguish tracks, as the earth was covered with old 

 half-rotten pine needles, which formed a soft surface, that would 

 receive a deep impression. Nearly all the old trees were more or 

 less barked by the horns of wapiti, showing that immense numbers 

 must visit these woods at the season when the horns are nearly 

 hard, and require rubbing, to clean them from the velvet. We had 

 not strolled more than half a mile through the dark wood when 

 Bob suddenly halted, and, like Eobinson Crusoe, he appeared 

 startled by the signs of a footstep deeply imprinted in the soil. It 

 was uncommonly like a large and peculiarly broad human foot, but 

 there was no doubt it was a most recent track of a bear, and the 

 direction taken would lead towards the dense young spruce that 

 we had already seen. We followed the track, until we at length 

 arrived at the bright green thicket, in which we felt sure the bear 

 must be lying down. 



This was an exceedingly awkward place, and Bob assured me 

 that if he were alone, he should decline to enter such a forest, as 

 it was impossible to see a yard ahead, and a bear might spring 

 upon you before you knew that it was near. As I had a double- 

 barrelled powerful rifle, I of course went first, followed by Bob 

 close behind. As noiselessly as possible, we pushed through the 

 elastic branches, and very slowly followed the track, which was 

 now more difficult to distinguish, owing to the close proximity of 

 the young trees that overshadowed the surface of the ground. 



