American Big Game in its Haunts 



rect, for he came out into the open three hours 

 later, when Nikolai and I with Stereke made the 

 stalk. We circled well to leeward, fording the 

 many rapid streams with great difficulty. The 

 rain had melted the snow on the hills, and we fre- 

 quently had to wade almost up to our shoulders in 

 this icy water. 



In crossing one of the lagoons Stereke was car- 

 ried under some fallen trees, and for a while I very 

 much feared that my dog would be drowned. The 

 same thing almost happened to myself, for the 

 swift current twice carried me off my feet. 



The bear had fed well into the open, and it was 

 impossible, even by the most careful stalking, to 

 get nearer than a small patch of tall grass about 

 175 yards away. I put up my rifle to shoot, but 

 found that the front sight was most unsteady, for 

 I was wet to the skin and shaking all over with 

 cold. Half expecting to miss, I pressed the trig- 

 ger, and was not greatly surprised to see my bullet 

 splash in the marsh just over the bear's head. He 

 saw the bullet strike on the other side, and now 

 came in our direction, but Stereke, breaking loose 

 from Nikolai, turned him. He now raced across 

 our front at about 125 yards, with the dog in close 

 pursuit. This gave me an excellent chance, and I 

 fired three more shots. At my last, I saw the bear 



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