American Big Game in its Haunts 



the bear would probably come down nearer the 

 water in the evening. We watched nearly four 

 hours, and during that time the bear made perhaps 

 150 yards in all, crawling, rolling over, lapping 

 his paws, occasionally trying a somersault, and 

 finally landing in a patch of alders. 



As night was upon us, we decided to chance the 

 situation, and approached along a ridge on one 

 side of the valley until almost above the bear. At 

 this point Tchort, the dog, caught the scent, broke 

 away, and raced down over the bluff out of sight. 

 Almost immediately the bear appeared in the open 

 200 yards away, legging as fast as he could in the 

 snow, and headed for the hillside. Merriam made 

 a good shot behind the shoulder with his fifty. 

 The bear fell, caught his feet again, and was in 

 and over a small brook, leaving a bloody road be- 

 hind him, which Tchort was quick in following. 

 The dog was soon nipping the bear's heels, and giv- 

 ing him a good deal of trouble. Up the side of the 

 hill they raced, Merriam firing when the dog gave 

 him opportunity. The bear, angry and worried, 

 suddenly whipped around and made for the dog, 

 which in the soft snow at such close quarters could 

 not escape. But Tchort, a born fighter, accepted 

 the only chance and closed in. He disappeared 

 completely between the forelegs of the bear, 



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