116 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



of the sport did they become that, presently, they didn't even 

 wait for her to accompany them, but scurried down to the river 

 by themselves and would often have a day's fishing caught and 

 ready for her before she had put in her appearance. 



But a few months later, when the cubs had grown still larger 

 and stronger, they became so boisterous and mischievous that 

 they not only handled the dogs too roughly, but when the old 

 Indian and his wife left camp at any time, they went on the 

 rampage: chasing the dogs about, ransacking the larder, turn- 

 ing the camp topsy-turvy, and scattering everything in con- 

 fusion. So the old couple decided that it was now high time 

 to put their skins upon the skin-stretcher in readiness to sell 

 to the fur-trader. 



The black bear is a good swimmer and an excellent tree 

 climber, and the speed with which he can rush up a hillside is 

 surprising. His diet is a varied one, for he is always ready to 

 eat vegetables, roots, berries, insects, nuts, fish, eggs, meat, 

 fruit, and of course sugar or honey ; furthermore, he is a killer 

 of small game — when he is extra-hungry. The black bear has 

 been given so bad a name by uninformed writers and dishonest 

 story-tellers that most people dread to meet him in the woods; 

 whereas, in truth he is usually more frightened at meeting 

 human beings than they are of meeting him — for man is always 

 his greatest and most dangerous enemy. Though I have seen 

 many bears in the bush — seventeen on one trip — they never 

 caused me any anxiety, and at once took flight. But on one of 

 two rare occasions they did not run, perhaps because they were 

 three in number and all full-grown. 



It happened up on the borderline of Alaska. I was walking 

 alone through the mountains on my way to Stewart, and wish- 

 ing to cross the Marmot River, I took advantage of a great, 

 permanent snowslide that had been annually added to by 

 avalanches from the snow-capped glaciers. The snowslide 

 not only completely blocked the canon, but on either side it 



