Hunting American Big Game 



along the ridge before the blast, and were 

 soon brought up by a drift. However, 

 here is luck for once ! We saw the print 

 of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift. 

 All thoughts of the storm were lost in our 

 delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign 

 was very fresh. Alas, though ! we lost 

 them after crossing the drift, and it was 

 impossible to find them again upon the 

 rugged soil of these ridges where the wind 

 had blown the snow off. We circled 

 round and round, studying every patch of 

 snow ; and my companion, Woody, looked 

 and spoke doubtfully. At last I caught 

 the trail again. Only a half-dozen tracks, 

 but enough to show the right direction ; 

 and as we ascended the ridge the tracks 

 were on, I saw the two rascals across the 

 gulch on an enormous snowdrift, tear- 

 ing and chewing at something, I couldn't 

 make out what. 



It was still snowing hard, but it was 

 only a squall, and nearly over. The wind 

 was wrong ; it unfortunately blew toward 

 the bears, and the only direction in which 

 we could stalk them. Still an attempt 

 had to be made. We took the bridles 

 from our horses, and let down our hacka- 

 mores, to let them feed comfortably and 

 out of sight, while we crawled up the 



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