REPOETED DEAD. 239 



state, or had other reasons to suppose that 

 the bear was dead, he was to send me word. 

 I returned home to my own quarters. 



At the expiration of four days, the villager 

 made his appearance to report that he had 

 been to the cave, and found everything just 

 as we had left it ; from which we concluded 

 that the bear had died inside. Happening at 

 the time to be very busy stuffing some birds, 

 and not having at that period any one com- 

 petent to assist me in such work, I did not 

 wish to leave my employment, so sent my 

 Sliikaree, giving him the double gun, at his 

 own particular request ; although I laughed 

 at the idea of his having to use it, and told 

 him to go and drag the dead bear out of the 

 cave, and bring me the skin and fat. Back 

 he came the same evening without either skin 

 or grease, but with a terrible tale of having 

 been nearly devoured by the supposed dead 

 bear, which he averred was well enough to 

 eat our whole establishment. 



His story ran thus. He had just gone to 

 the village and procured a bundle of pine- 



