300 WANDEKINGS OF A 



and long ferns, with no better result than the satisfaction of 

 finding out hy the bloody trail that I had not missed my 

 mark. Both species of bears commence to shed their winter 

 coats in June, which are not again attained until the middle 

 of October. 



Although the weather was very unsettled and rainy, we 

 determined to push up the valley ; so, on the 26th of August, 

 having left Pilgam, we proceeded northwards, over hUls and 

 down grassy slopes, through belts of forest or clumps of birch, 

 where I saw several flocks of my orange-coloured bullfinch 

 and many fresh trails of deer. The ground was likewise 

 ploughed up in many places by bears, one of which was 

 killed by Young, who procured a considerable quantity of 

 grease. The external fat is always preferred to that of the 

 internal parts. I noticed the fat from the region of the kid- 

 neys had a strong smell of urine, which our shickarees said 

 no refining will remove. 



Being desirous of securing good deer-shooting at any price, 

 we left the direction of our movements entirely to the 

 shickarees, who shifted our encamping-ground as they thought 

 fit. But all was in vain ; although up before daylight, and 

 hunting late at night, not a single head of deer was visible. 

 Thinking they might be found at the little ponds or springs 

 at dusk or early morn, we repaired to the situations, and lay 

 in wait, in anxious expectation of meeting with a herd when 

 they came to drink. Even on moonlight nights we would 

 wander through the copses and by the sides of the forest, but 

 to no purpose. Every morning disclosed fresh footprints, 

 and even sometimes close to our encampment. Nor were we 

 more successful in the forest ; for although we waded up to 

 the middle in tall bracken, and sought the deepest solitudes, 

 not a sound was heard or a stag visible. It is notable that. 



