WATCHING FOR BRUIN 223 



out any extra clothing whatever, and suffered very 

 much in consequence. 



About five o'clock in the evening several strong 

 currents of hot air passed down the valley of the river, 

 but they were followed by currents of very cold air 

 from the snow-capped mountains. 



At six o'clock a slight rain-storm varied the monotony 

 of the vigil. A fish-hawk alighted upon a tree to our 

 right, and his shrill cries kept up until darkness en- 

 shrouded us all. A bald eagle slowly flew from a tall 

 dead fir across the river, and alighted on the top of a 

 big spruce, where he must have passed the night, as 

 we saw him fly from the same tree the next morning. 



The night was cloudy, and at times completely shut 

 out all of the stars which up here are most wonderfully 

 bright and appear much larger than in the East. 

 Venus gave out very nearly as much light as the 

 moon, which, when she finally made her appearance 

 through the fleeting shadowy clouds, was but at half 

 her full size. 



Before entering the brush at the side of our tryst, 

 the guide had pointed out to us marks upon a tree 

 made by a monster grizzly, who, standing upon his 

 hind feet, had with his claws scratched his sign manual 

 on the bark. The marks were so high above our heads 

 that they gave us a better idea of the stature to which 

 these big brutes attain than anything else could have 

 done. 



