156 THE WILDERNESS HUNTER, 



a log, Aminal threw the log into the fire, and 

 that was the end of the shrew. 



When this interlude was over we resumed 

 our march, toiling silently onwards through 

 the wild and rugged country. Towards even- 

 ing the valley widened a little, and we were 

 able to walk in the bottoms, which much 

 lightened our labor. The hunter, for greater 

 ease, had tied the thongs of his heavy pack 

 across his breast, so that he could not use his 

 rifle ; but my pack was lighter, and I carried 

 it in a manner that would not interfere with 

 my shooting, lest we should come unawares 

 on game. 



It was well that I did so. An hour or two 

 before sunset we were travelling, as usual, in 

 Indian file, beside the stream, through an 

 open wood of great hemlock trees. There 

 was no breeze, and we made no sound as we 

 marched, for our feet sunk noiselessly into 

 the deep sponge of moss, while the incessant 

 dashing of the torrent, churning among the 

 stones, would have drowned a far louder 

 advance. 



Suddenly the hunter, who was leading, 

 dropped down in his tracks, pointing forward ; 

 and some fifty feet beyond I saw the head 

 and shoulders of a bear as he rose to make a 

 sweep at some berries. He was in a hollow 

 where a tall, rank, prickly plant, with broad 

 leaves, grew luxuriantly ; and he was gather- 

 ing its red berries, rising on his hind legs and 

 sweeping them down into his mouth with his 

 paw, and was much too intent on his work to 

 notice us, for his head was pointed the other 

 way. The moment he rose again I fired, 



