A hunter's life. 16t 



when presently a middle-sized bear also took the track 

 behind the dog and the wolves. 



I saw they were all drawn there by the smell of the 

 blood, and I was afraid that, among them, they would ki'J 

 my dog. But in a little while the dog returned to me ; 

 when I directed my steps homeward, as evening was com- 

 ing on. I pushed for the camp on the same track by 

 which I had gone out, and found that the bear had just 

 preceded me. But I cared not, as I was too tired to fol- 

 low him. I kept on, and he left the track. In a short 

 time I saw the bear's tracks again ; and they were so fresli, 

 that I determined to try him at all hazards. On I went, 

 after his tracks, and in a little time the dog winded him to 

 my left. I looked that way, and saw the bear sneaking 

 along as if he was afraid of something, and thought he 

 was aware of my presence. As soon as I saw a spot be- 

 tween the pine-trees big enough to shoot through, I made 

 a slight noise ; when he stopped between two trees, I fired, 

 and off he went. I followed, in a sort of run ; and going 

 by where he stood at the time I shot, I saw a great deal 

 more blood on the ground than I knew could have come 

 from him. But I passed on till I came to his track ; and 

 seeing quantities of blood after him, I followed carefully 

 on. A large hemlock-tree, having a great many limbs, had 

 fallen in such a manner that it did not come to the ground 

 by two or three feet ; and, the bear having gone under it 

 near the butt-end, the snow had so completely covered all 

 over that I could see nothing of him. I walked round 

 the whole tree, and found that he had not come out after 

 entering ; when I sent the dog in, and hearing him pull- 

 ing at the bear, I crawled under and dragged him oti^. 

 Taking out his ent''ails, I left him for another day, and 

 started for the camp. But when I arrived there, I found 

 neither man nor fire. 



This was very trying to me, as I was tired, hungry, and 



