^J^wo old prospectors, Sullivan and Jason, once 

 ^^ took me in for the night, and after supper 

 they related a number of interesting experiences. 

 Among these tales was one of the best bear-stories 

 I have ever heard. The story was told in the 

 graphic, earnest, realistic style so often possessed 

 by those who have lived strong, stirring lives 

 among crags and pines. Although twenty years 

 had gone by, these prospectors still had a vivid 

 recollection of that lively night when they were 

 besieged by three bears, and in recounting the ex- 

 perience they mingled many good word-pictures 

 of bear behavior with their exciting and amusing 

 story. " This happened to us," said Sullivan, " in 

 spite of the fact that we were minding our own 

 business and had never hunted bears." 



The siege occurred at their log cabin during 

 the spring of 1884. They were prospecting in 

 Geneva Park, where they had been all winter, 



driving a tunnel. They were so nearly out of sup- 



217 



