160 CAMP-FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 



come to pass. September is not a good month in which 

 to find a bear of any species on those summits; nor is a 

 short hunting-trip conducive to the development of bear- 

 episodes, anywhere. In spite of Charlie's hopefulness, 

 I did not take the prospect seriously, even though in the 

 Michel store Mack had called for twine with which to 

 stretch bear-hides! But in bear-hunting, " it is better to 

 be born lucky than rich." 



When Charlie came in on the evening of the i9th of 

 September and reported a bear at the carcass of my first 

 goat, it really seemed time to hope for at least a distant 

 view of Old Ephraim. Believing that one good way to 

 reveal certain phases of wild-animal life is in showing 

 how animals are actually found in their haunts, I am 

 tempted to set forth a statement of the events of Sep- 

 tember 2Oth. It may be that others wonder, as I often 

 have, just how it feels to hunt a grizzly bear, the most 

 dangerous American animal and find him, at timber- 

 line. The really bold hunters may scoff at the courage 

 and ferocity of the grizzly as he is to-day; but Charlie 

 Smith openly declares that the one particular thing 

 which he never does, and never will do, is to fire his last 

 cartridge when away from camp. 



It was the third day of Mr. Phillips's hunt for moun- 

 tain sheep, and he was still absent. Charlie and I took 

 two saddle-horses and set out before sunrise, intending 

 to visit all the goat carcasses before returning. We 

 pushed briskly up to the head of Avalanche Creek, 

 climbed to the top of the pass, then dropped down into 

 the basin on the north. I dreaded a long climb on foot 



