A Photographic Expedition 157 



Like the others, they stopped at the string and, still 

 like the others, they then took up my trail and that of 

 the first three bears, and followed it as surely and as 

 silently as the others had done. This time I took the 

 precaution to keep behind the tree, and these three bears 

 actually came up within ten feet of me before they dis- 

 covered my presence. Then, up they went on their hind 

 feet, and for a second there was another great picture 

 before me: their thick, furry coats were magnificent, and 

 the long hair standing out stiffly under their jaws lent a 

 curious expression to their faces. 



But, the second over, they too, after retreating and 

 advancing once or twice, made their way silently into the 

 forest. 



After some waiting, an old she bear with two yearling 

 cubs came along, apparently in a hurry, and acting as 

 though they were late for an engagement. I thought for 

 a moment that they were going through without stopping, 

 but just as she reached the wire, the mother stopped 

 short, took a hurried sniff, and then, apparently thinking 

 it of no consequence, hurried on again. She changed her 

 mind, however, almost instantly, but although the three 

 turned tail and feared up on their hind legs, instead of 

 running away, they appeared to be more curious than 

 frightened; and it was only after rather a thorough ex- 

 amination of the wire and its surroundings, that they 

 retreated up the trail, lingeringly, and with repeated 

 glances over their shoulders. 



I had hardly reset my apparatus when an old fellow 

 came along, so huge of frame that, had he been in good 

 condition instead of gaunt and famished looking, he would 



