WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



At once I got the skipper of the launch to put me 

 ashore with my camera, and proceeded to look out for 

 a hiding-place, hoping, of course, that the elk would 

 come within range. Luck, however, seemed to be 

 against me. First, in crossing a small stream, I 

 managed to slip and landed in the middle, getting 

 almost up to my armpits in water ; then, when I 

 had found what appeared to be good cover, all the elk 

 cleared off in the opposite direction. They may have 

 got my wind, or more likely the sight of the launch 

 out on the lake frightened them. Anyway, they never 

 came back, and all I could do was to rejoin the launch, 

 feeHng much disappointed. It was bitterly cold, the 

 mountains round the lake being covered with snow ; 

 consequently, in my wet clothes I had anything but 

 a pleasant time. As soon as I had got back to camp 

 and had had something to eat, I decided that the best 

 place for me was between the blankets. But I was 

 fated not to have much rest after all. 



It was those wretched bears again. They are all 

 right in a book, on a film, dancing on the end of a long 

 chain beside an Itahan organ-grinder, or amusing 

 children by swallowing indigestible buns in a Zoo ; 

 but they are far from pleasant when they claw your 

 tent down upon you in the middle of the night with the 

 object of stealing your provisions. They are pampered 

 bears, those of the Yellowstone Park — insolent bears, 

 overfed bears. Their cheek is overpowering. They 



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