THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 181 
they enjoyed that strong coffee can only be known by those that have 
gone through a similar experience. After they had enjoyed their 
supper they filled their pipes and settled down to enjoy a good 
smoke, and decided what they should do in the hunting line, as 
business was not as good as expected, and they were beginning to 
feel a little strain of discouragement coming through their veins. 
After debating the question, they decided to decamp the next morning 
bright and early for Beel’s place. Mr. Tyrell promised to hand their 
camping outfit down for them, as he had to go to Underwood. Shoul- 
dering their small arsenal next morning, which consisted of a 303 
Savage, two 30-30’s and one 32-40, they started out to see which 
could outwalk the other. The dogs were allowed to run loose and 
you could hear the deep bay of Bradford’s old hound Puppins, inter- 
mixed with the more silvery tones of the younger dogs, as they would 
start through the woods after rabbits or squirrels, bespeaking the 
fact that though as yet they had not had a tryout with a bear, they 
were willing to fill in the time with smaller game. Now and then 
you could hear the report of one of the rifles, as a pheasant or grouse 
would get itself in too good a shot to be passed up even by a bear 
hunter. After passing Mr. Walter’s place they were met by Mr. Seely, 
with his shotgun on his shoulder, who told them that he thought the 
dogs were after a bear, but it proved another rabbit. He told them 
where a bear had been feeding in an orchard north of his place. They 
promised to come back in the afternoon and investigate, so on they 
went down the road. After they had walked about 200 yards from 
where they had been talking, one of the dogs gave a yelp and all the 
dogs started over the hill toward the river. Cecil Holman and A. 
Archer being in the lead, and Cecil knowing that it meant big game, 
started in pursuit. A. Archer stopped at the top of the hill, but Cecil 
kept on down, knowing. the only way to get the game was to go 
after it. After going down about fifty yards, he saw where two bears 
. had gone on down and the dogs fast on the trail. Letting a yell out 
of him like a Comanche Indian, he bent his head like a bloodhound 
and, hig heart twice its normal size, he followed the trail of the bears 
with the dogs pushing after them, but soon he came upon the dogs 
smelling around trying to pick up the scent, as they had lost their 
quarry. Knowing the bears were in the vicinity, he began to look 
over the bluff. His quick eye soon detected a cave, so, working his 
way up to it, he found to his great joy that he had the game corraled, 
and calling the dogs up to him, he induced Watch to goin. So, with a 
deep bay, in he went, only to come out with a gash in his nose, show- 
ing he had got in too close proximity with the big Bruin, but he was 
game, and back he went, cheered on by Cecil, who was devoting his 
time to encouraging the dogs and seeing how loudly he could yell 
for the rest. He was soon joined by Bill Currans, who had gone 
toward the east, expecting the dogs to force the game that way. Cecil 
was then left on guard while he went back and got the boys and rags 
and oil to make a torch out of, as it was necessary to go into the 
cave if they were to get their game. He was gone about one and 
one-half hours, and when he came back he found Cecil enjoying him- 
self by sending all the dogs in at once, but the pups didn’t enjoy that 
part and would soon come out. After fixing a torch on a stick, they 
began to ponder the question on who should go into the cave, and 
Cecil again showed his magnanimous disposition by proposing that 
the boys from Michigan, who had never seen a wild bear, should have 
the honor of going in, so A, Archer declared himself willing to go in. 
Lighting the torch, he threw himself down on all fours and started, 
but, like the puppies, being new at the business, a start was all that 
