Hunting the Grizzly 59 



was not obtained; and we were obliged to re- 

 turn to camp in complete darkness. Arrived 

 at the water's edge we decided after a consulta- 

 tion that it would be a difficult undertaking 

 to return by way of the sand-bar ; accordingly 

 the guide lifted the canoe on his shoulder, 

 packed it over the bar, and after several un- 

 pleasant experiences over driftwood and 

 bushes, we finally reached the neighborhood of 

 our camp. As we approached, we were at- 

 tracted by a light coming from the direction of 

 the camp's location, and being alarmed we 

 hastened along and found that the camp-fire 

 hastily left had spread considerably and would 

 have consumed our entire outfit if we had not 

 returned in the nick of time. Fighting fire 

 took but a short time, when things were pre- 

 pared for dinner; and after satisfying our 

 ready appetites with fried beaver-tail (a great 

 luxury with the Indians) and " fiddle-top- 

 ferns," the trappers' spring-greens, we retired 

 early to dream of the silver-tip that we did not 

 get. The following evening we had watched 

 the slides for some time, but no quarry ap- 

 peared; and, getting tired, we decided to 



