A BIRCH-BARK CANOE TRIP 233 



developed. Cowering under the effects of that paralysing blow, 

 the earth seemed powerless to reclothe her nakedness, except in 

 tattered shreds and patches. 



Joe pointed out the site of a lumber camp where seventeen 

 men had been burned in their beds. Uninviting as was this spot for a 

 camping ground, we determined to halt here for a day, as there 

 was a good lake for black duck within reach, and bears were known 

 to be attracted to the neighbouring hills by a prolific growth of 

 blueberries. So our tent poles were erected on a dry bank close 

 to the murmuring river, whence we had a fine opportunity of observ- 

 ing the range of hills on the opposite side, where we expected to 

 see bears. Nor were we disappointed. We had bagged three widgeon 

 and a teal in Red Pine Lake, and were eating some of Joe's rather 

 tough pancakes, when that worthy began to knit his brows and 

 focus his eyesight upon a small black object on a bare hill opposite. 

 After many minutes of close observation we settled it that the 

 object moved, and that it must be a bear. In a few minutes we 

 were across the river and toiling over prostrate trees that had been 

 killed by fire and fallen in inextricable confusion. It took us a good 

 hour to get to the leeward of bruin, where we could plan our attack. 

 A deep ravine, through which a small brook brawled, and nourished 

 with its moisture a tangled growth of hemlock, intervened between 

 us and the summit of a hill from which we felt confident we should 

 get a shot at our game. 



It took us a long time to struggle through this valley and reach 

 the eminence beyond. Slowly we raised our heads above the 

 brow of the hill ; and there, some 150 yards away, was the uncon- 

 scious bear, with head down, biting at the sprays of luscious blue- 

 berries, as he moved leisurely along. My shot did not prove a 

 miss, as was evident from the bear's actions, for suddenly rolling 

 and striking at his side with his forepaw, he started off for a thicket 

 only a few yards away, and was lost to sight. ' Come away,' said 

 Joe, 'I'll skin him to-morrow morning '. The wisdom of this 

 proceeding was made evident on the following morning, when in 

 searching the thicket we found the carcass. The ball had gone 

 through the lungs, and had we disturbed him after he lay down, he 

 might have travelled a long distance and been lost to us. Return- 

 ing to camp with the skin and choice bits of the meat, we 

 were delighted by the hunter-like aspect of things. The bear 

 meat simmered in the pot (the Indians putting in a fork every 

 once in awhile), while the skin was artistically stretched out by 

 Joe to dry on stakes erected for the purpose. 



Of course bear stories were the order of the day. Joe delighted 

 in presenting bruin in comical aspects, telling how once a bear 



