THE Rocky BLUFF. S 
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and spoiled for his taste, the roots in the ground which he 
loves, and the beech nuts as well, are buried beneath the 
snow, he from force of circumstances, as well as from his 
love of sleep perhaps, bethinks him of a warm nest for a long 
rest of winter quiet, to hibernate, as it is their nature so to 
do, to pass the winter in close quarters and seclusion, there 
to sleep until the snow ceases for the season, and the warm 
rains take its place, followed py the bright sun warming all 
to new life, when once more he can trot about and find his 
food. So if nothing has disturbed his sunny cave where he 
snoozed away the most of the bright days in the Indian sum- 
mer time, he retires to it, and prepares it for his den. 
He strips the small dead cedar trees of their dry bark, 
making it fine with tooth and nail as he tears it off them, and 
with this and the leaves and mosses, beneath and around him, 
makes a warm nest for his long winter of quiet rest, stopping 
the entire entrance except a very small breathing hole, with 
branches, twigs and mosses, after his last outing for the 
season. Here he lies warm and dry, sleeping away the winter 
months, in his fat content. His breathing hole always kept 
open by his own warmth, unmindful of the wolf, or Indian 
devil, that at midnight may sit upon his roof-top and howl at 
the moon. But, should the watchful hunter while snow-shoe- 
ing past his den, chance to see that small cloud of warm 
steaming air coming through the snow from out his breathing 
hole, his fate is sealed. 
But our great interest in the bluff was its being situated in 
the line of travel of the caribou, as in their wanderings to the 
north, from the south streams and barrens, or back again, 
they often wound around the foot of the rocky spur, it being 
a landmark for them, a bright sunny spot, and often a friendly 
