WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 37 



chirp caused me to turn. Near me a little chick- 

 adee was working away at a hole in a dead snag 

 and was just in the act of spitting out a mouthful 

 of dead wood. Here was another nest builder. 



Once a black bear came along and stopped under 

 the pines on a knoll not far from me. Here he 

 rolled over an old ant-filled log. Out rushed 

 ferociously about a million ants, which the bear 

 licked up rapidly, with a pleased expression. Pres- 

 ently he came a little closer to me and dug out a 

 mouse. Then he flushed a number of grasshop- 

 pers; but in leaping into the air and striking at one 

 of these on the wing he scented me and at once beat 

 a retreat. 



One day I left my old watching place and climbed 

 the heights. As usual I moved quietly and slowly, 

 and once on the skyline I paused to look around. 

 Lying near a spring in the centre of the terrace was 

 a deer. As I watched her, nibbling at the plants 

 around her, from the position of one of her legs I 

 judged that it was broken, probably by a bullet. 

 Suddenly the wind warned her that a deadly enemy 

 was near. Instantly she leaped up, forgetful of 

 her broken bones. She stood and smelled, but 

 without discovering me. Watching my chance I 

 slipped away. I had not gone far before darkness 

 advised stopping and I spent the night by a fire 

 without bedding. 



Next morning, advancing in the breeze, I climbed 

 up to watch the doe. She lay still nearly all day. 



