A BEAR HUNT. 157 



mained alone. To my relief I found no bear was in 

 pursuit, so, placing my rod against a stalwart hemlock, 

 I ascended its branches to take a survey of the situa- 

 tion ; for a long time I could not discover Bruin, but 

 at. length detected a large mass of black fur, accom- 

 panied by two smaller ones, busily employed feeding. 

 They had quitted the wet ground and were on the edge 

 of an acclivit} T , where the mother was most indus- 

 triously drawing the broken fragments of shattered 

 logs on one side, while her hopeful progeny feasted 

 upon the beetles and ants thus exposed. The old lady 

 had neither winded nor heard us, and she remained 

 sedulously pursuing her avocation, perfectly ignorant 

 that her industry and strength were forming a subject 

 of admiration to a son of Adam. At length their 

 search for insects took them out of sight, and I 

 descended to join my companions. 



The day by this time was far spent, and neither of 

 us having arms suitable for an assault upon the happy 

 family, we determined to seek the settlement and re- 

 visit the scene on the morrow. Next day, at an early 

 hour, with quite a reinforcement, all armed with most 

 formidable firearms, from the Spencer rifle to the old 

 smooth-bore, and accompanied by a well-tried bear 

 dog, we sallied forth ; for miles we tracked Madam 

 Bruin, by the broken fragments of decayed limber and 

 the numerous logs she had disturbed from their original 

 resting place. Finally, we thought she could not be 

 far distant, and the dog was untied ; off he went like a 

 thunderbolt, and in a quarter of an hour we heard him 

 baying vociferously. Guns were looked to, the men 

 most energetic previously now dropped behind, doubt- 

 less to examine their trusty rifles and see that the 



