THE BUFFALO HUNT 49 



night; without doubt it was in answer to my prayer 

 that the Good God has sent me this great happiness." 



Then back at camp, 200 yards away, the old man's 

 tongue was loosed, and he told me how the chiefs in 

 conference, and every one at the Fort, had ridiculed 

 him and his Englishmen — "who thought they could 

 walk up to Buffalo and take their pictures." 



We had not been long in camp when Sousi went off 

 to get some water, but at once came running back, 

 shouting excitedly, "My rifle, my rifle!" Jarvis 

 handed it to him; he rushed off to the woods. I fol- 

 lowed in time to see him shoot an old Bear and two 

 cubs out of a tree. She fell, sobbing like a human 

 being, "Oh! Oh! Oh-h-h-h!" It was too late to stop 

 him, and he finished her as she lay helpless. The little 

 ones were too small to live alone, so shared her fate. 



It seems, as Sousi went to the water hole, he came 

 on an old Bear and her two cubs. She gave a warning 

 "koff, koff." The only enemies they knew about and 

 feared, were Buffalo, Moose, and Wolves; from these a 

 tree was a safe haven. The cubs scrambled up a tall 

 poplar, then the mother followed. Sousi came shouting 

 in apparent fear; I rushed to the place, thinking he 

 was attacked by something, perhaps a Buffalo bull, 

 but too late to stop the tragedy that followed. 



That night he roasted one of the cubs, and as I 

 watched the old cannibal chewing the hands off that 

 little baby Bear it gave me a feeling of disgust for all 

 flesh-eating that lasted for days. Major Jarvis felt 

 much as I did, and old Sousi had exclusive joy in all 

 his bear meat. 



