158 HUNTING WITH DOGS. 



the thicket for nearly ten minutes, expecting every 

 moment to run up against a bear, who was at the 

 same time just as anxious not to come into col- 

 lision probably as I was. 



Tired and happy after a good day's sport, during 

 which the fun of racing after the dogs had been 

 a pleasant change from the ordinary silent stalk- 

 ing, we wended our way home, the dogs at last 

 keeping fairly close to our heels. When we were 

 down in the flat by our old enemy, the snow-fed 

 Golovinsk, the moon came up hazy and dim, and 

 the owls began their weird hootings ; then with 

 a sudden rush the dogs left our heels, and were 

 once more wakening the echoes with a nocturnal 

 chorus worthy of the Demon Hunter's infernal pack. 

 In the patch-work of moonlight we caught a 

 glimpse of something scudding away before the 

 dogs, and joined heartily in the chase, forgetting 

 our fatigue in the excitement. After ten minutes' 

 slow hunting in the briars they bayed him in a 

 dense clump, where some larger trees shut out the 

 silver moonshine and made midnight of the place. 

 This wood being a favourite resort of bears at 

 night, on account of the roseberries with which 

 the place abounded, and of which they are fond, we 

 went somewhat cautiously to work, and as we 

 pushed out of the moonlight into the darkness we 

 went shoulder to shoulder, literally feeling our way 

 with our rifles. The dogs were right at our feet, 



