Hunting the Grizzly 57 



base of the mountain. Among the ruins the 

 first thing we saw was the trapper's cache, 

 sticking high above the snow of the shde, in 

 the forks of a tree, as he had built it. At a 

 little distance we found the ruins of the shack, 

 which was built of huge logs; the snow had 

 forced the top from its proper place, and where 

 it stopped with its end wedged between two 

 trees, a vacant space was left underneath. 

 Into this we went out of curiosity, and found 

 there the trapper's old gun hanging on two 

 pins on the log which had been its accustomed 

 place in the roof of the shack. Taking the 

 weapon down for examination, we found it to 

 be an old shot-gun with its hammers and works 

 so rusty as to unfit it for use. My guide re- 

 turned it to its place; then, in response to a 

 suggestion on my part that the trapper, its 

 owner, might be buried in the ruins of the 

 cabin, answered, " Oh, I think not," and 

 walked away. 



We pitched our camp in a position to com- 

 mand a good view of the region of the snow- 

 slides, where we kept up a systematic watch 

 for any appearance of bear. After some 



