172 HAPPY HUNTING-GROUNDS 



there a long time, probably a month or more, the 

 skin was useless, and the only available trophies 

 were the teeth and claws. The natives had not had 

 sufficient faith in their contrivance to take the trouble 

 to pay periodical visits to the spot. 



This was the only occasion upon which any of my 

 party encountered a bear in the flesh, dead or alive. 

 Lort Phillips, however, has often described to me an 

 occasion when, accompanied by a friend who has since 

 earned a great reputation as a big game shot, he got 

 quite close to a very fine specimen ; but as they were 

 only out to visit the glacier above Leding Pool they were 

 unarmed. He was accompanied by two black spaniels 

 which had just been chasing sheep. He h ad called them 

 to heel and rated them, when they broke from him again. 

 Following them over the sky-line he came upon a 

 spectacle which he has never forgotten. On the edge 

 of the glacier, set off by the glistening ice and snow, an 

 enormous bear stood erect, the dogs baying him ; and 

 he was so occupied with his tormentors that he allowed 

 the two spectators to approach within twenty yards. 

 The wind was right, and bears are very short-sighted, 

 so it was not until Lort Phillips whistled, afraid that 

 his dogs might be injured, that the bear took alarm, 

 and dropping on all-fours proceeded in an easy lolloping 

 gallop up the steep snow-slope on the face of the 

 opposite hill. His companion was so impressed with 

 the sight that he insisted on returning to fetch rifles ; 

 but although the party did the ascent and descent 

 in record time, and returned to the glacier utterly 

 exhausted, they saw nothing more of the bear, which 

 had doubtless put ten or fifteen miles between himself 

 and his pursuers during the interval. 



