BRUIN IN HIS NEST, 151 



very sharp ; a few strokes proved the fact. Luckily for 

 us it was hollow, and we set-to with a will. 



After hacking at it for three hours, the tree began to 

 crack. We seized our rifles, called the dogs, and has- 

 tened towards the direction in which the tree must fall, 

 to be ready to receive him. A couple of small splinters 

 broke first ; then a large one ; then the top began to 

 bend slowly down the hill ; then with a loud crash, and 

 smashing its branches in the fall, the tree measured its 

 length on the ground. No bear appeared ; the nest was 

 empty, though there could be no doubt it had lately been 

 tenanted, for the sides were beautifully smooth and clean. 

 There was a bough about five feet below the hole, where 

 the bear went in and out, on which an Indian must for- 

 merly have stood, and tried to make an opening with his 

 tomahawk, but without success ; probably the bear, dis- 

 turbed by the blows, had made his way out in time. 

 Judging by the bark, this must have occurred about four 

 or five years ago. 



While we were looking at it, Conwell asked what the 

 dogs were about ; they appeared to be very eagerly lick- 

 ing up something from the ground, and we found that, 

 accidentally, we had cut down a tree with honey in it. 

 The bees were all torpid with the cold, and the dogs were 

 enjoying the honey, which the breaking boughs had 

 brought to light. Our plans were soon arranged ; Con- 

 well went to look for a deer ; I took my tomahawk to 

 cut a trough, and was soon busy about the upper part of 

 the trunk, which was sound enough. As it was freezing, 

 and the honey would not run, there was no occasion to 

 make the trough very deep ; so it was soon finished, and 



