258 
THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
for two days. Then a light flurry of snow had covered 
all marks, and he soon found himself lost in a region of 
ice and snow. He had struggled on, in what he believed 
to be the right direction, until he came to a high cliff, 
which completely blocked his way. At the foot of this 
precipice he had picked up his specimens of cinnabar. 
Almost fainting from cold, exhaustion, and want of 
food, he had made his way down to the line of vegetation. 
There he managed to knock over a partridge, and ate it 
raw. This gave him strength to travel for a day or two 
longer, in what direction he knew not. While wandering 
about aimlessly, he came upon an enormous track in the 
moss, sunk to the depth of several inches, and bigger over 
than a barrel. 
" Whew ! " whistled Dick, incredulously, under his 
breath. " I guess our friend was a little out of his 
head ! " 
Peeschee paid no attention to the whisper, or the 
glances that were exchanged over his head, but continued 
gravely. 
On the fifth day after leaving the glacial regions, he 
averred that he actually caught sight of the creature that 
had left the strange tracks. Peeschee heard the animal 
crashing through the bushes, and presently there came 
into view a gigantic quadruped, covered with long hairs, 
with fearful curving tusks of a yellowish, shiny appear- 
ance, a mouth big enough to swallow a man at one 
gulp. He was larger than a post-trader's store, said 
