174 OUR NATIONAL PARKS 



tion, " b'ar meat is the best meat in the moun- 

 tains ; their skins make the best beds, and their 

 grease the best butter. Biscuit shortened with 

 b'ar grease goes as far as beans; a man will 

 walk all day on a couple of them biscuit." 



In my first interview with a Sierra bear we 

 were frightened and embarrassed, both of us, 

 but the bear's behavior was better than mine. 

 When I discovered him, he was standing in a 

 narrow strip of meadow, and I was concealed be- 

 hind a tree on the side of it. After studying his 

 appearance as he stood at rest, I rushed toward 

 him to frighten him, that I might study his gait 

 in running. But, contrary to all I had heard 

 about the shyness of bears, he did not run at all ; 

 and when I stopped short within a few steps of 

 him, as he held his ground in a fighting attitude, 

 my mistake was monstrously plain. I was then 

 put on my good behavior, and never afterward 

 forgot the right manners of the wilderness. 



This happened on my first Sierra excursion in 

 the forest to the north of Yosemite Valley. I 

 was eager to meet the animals, and many of them 

 came to me as if willing to show themselves and 

 make my acquaintance ; but the bears kept out 

 of my way. 



An old mountaineer, in reply to my questions, 

 told me that bears were very shy, all save grim 

 old grizzlies, and that I might travel the moun- 

 tains for years without seeing one, unless I gave 



