128 THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



operation repeated with crackers ; but all of no 

 avail in inducing the beast to show. 



As a last resource, it was determined to try and 

 smoke him out. A heap of dead leaves and dry 

 wood was soon collected, pushed in some distance, 

 and then lighted. But the escape of the smoke 

 through various crevices showed, too surely, that 

 enough would not reach the beast to force him to 

 make a bolt of it. And as no growl had even been 

 heard, he probably lay far out of reach of all that 

 could be done from the mouth of the cave. After 

 ineffectually trying every device which occurred to 

 them, and spending much time, the hunters were at 

 last obliged to confess that all attempts to dislodge 

 the wary animal were useless. So as the case was 

 hopeless they reluctantly desisted from all further 

 efforts. Sunset, too, was drawing on, and as they 

 had yet a considerable distance to traverse ere they 

 could satisfy Mackenzie's great craving for " mug," 

 they all prepared to descend the hill. 



But before doing so, Norman, who had a keen 

 eye for the picturesque, called the attention of his 

 companions to the wild but somewhat monotonous 

 character of the scenery, which their elevated 

 position gave them good means of viewing to 

 advantage. 



Looking in the direction they were about to ride 



