GRIZZLY BEAR-HUNTING. 141 
two, the cave is never entered. The size of the bear is 
also thus known, and the time since he was last in search 
of food. | 
The way that this knowledge is obtained, from indi- 
cations so slight, or unseen to an ordinary eye, is one 
of the greatest mysteries of the woods. 
Placing ourselves at the mouth of the cave contain- 
ing a grizzly bear, to our untutored senses, there would 
be nothing to distinguish it from one that is unoccupied ; 
but let some Diana of the forest touch our eyes, and 
give us the instinct of sight possessed by the hunter, 
and we would argue thus: 
‘Fyrom all the marks about the mouth of the cave, 
the occupant has not been out for a great length of time, 
for the grass and the earth have not been lately dis- 
turbed. 
“The bear is in the cave, for the last tracks made 
are with the toe-marks towards it. 
“ There is but’ one bear, because the tracks are reg- 
ular and of the same size. 
“ He is a large animal; the length of the step and 
the size of the paw indicate this. 
‘‘ And he is fat, because his hind feet do not step in 
the impressions made by the fore ones, as is always the 
case with a lean bear.” 
Such are the signs and arguments that present them- 
selves to the hunter; and mysterious as they seem, 
when not understood, when once explained, they strike 
