URSUS HORRIBILIS 107 



of a bank with a sheer drop of perhaps fifteen 

 feet to the bed of a roaring creek below. 

 Both of us dismounted, and the Chief said that 

 Billie had led us to where a trail ought to 

 be, down which we should have reached the 

 bottom, but the roaring flood had washed it 

 away. By feeling, it was found that the 

 ground was soft and free from stones where 

 the descent had to be made, so we concluded 

 to break off a bit of the edge and then, leading 

 Billie up to it, to let him slide down on his 

 four feet. This was done, and when Billie 

 understood w^hat he was expected to do, he 

 reached down with his front feet as far as 

 he could, then, quickly letting himself go, he 

 brought his hind feet up to his forefeet, and 

 in a jiffy was safely down. Charley came 

 next, and he also landed below^ without trou- 

 ble. Next the Chief slid down, and I 

 followed. 



In a short time we emerged from the mouth 

 of this roaring creek into the river bottom. 

 The rumbling of water rushing down the 

 mountain sides and the occasional crashing of 

 blocks of ice from the glacier made a noise 

 that was almost deafening. 



The river, in place of being confined en- 

 tirely to two main streams, had now over- 



