722 
THE BLACK BEAR. 
and discovered that, by climbing over a jutting 
ledge of rock, we should be able to get upon 
a lower and much more extensive plateau of 
rock immediately under the den. We reached 
the platform safely, and, selecting a spot where 
we were sheltered and concealed by bowl- 
ders, we called a halt, and lighted our pipes. 
A slight tap on the shoulder caused me 
to turn around, and, looking in the direc- 
tion indicated by the guide, I saw a large 
bear seated on his haunches and looking 
intently at something. Farther away I saw 
another bear, crossing a chasm on an old pine- 
log that bridged it, and that afterward helped 
us out of our dilemma. Another tap on the 
shoulder, and another surprise in store for me. 
For up the hill-side, above the den, sat another 
bear with his head partly turned to one side, 
and looking in an inquiring manner at the 
two bears below him. By this time the one 
on the log had nearly crossed over, and the 
one sitting on his haunches growled fright- 
fully. We were not fifty yards from him, and 
he might at any moment detect our presence ; 
fortunately, we were well to leeward of him. 
We had been exploring a stream, connecting 
a string of lakes, to examine a v^xy extensive 
and perfect beaver-dam, and, not expecting 
to hunt, had left our rifles at the camp. 
INDIAN HUNTER WAITING FOR A BEAR. 
in width as it descended. While debating 
with myself what to do next, the guide's 
head appeared at the bottom of the 
opening. He called to me to come down. 
Entering in a recumbent position, feet 
foremost, I slipped down and discovered 
that the passage led into another cham- 
ber-like space, with the difference that 
it was in open daylight, the sky being 
visible beyond an overhanging ledge of 
rocks. The rocky platform was strewn 
with bones, and plentifully sprinkled with 
porcupine quills. The information of the 
guide was not needed to convince me 
that we were in the ante-chamber of a 
bear's den, and that the room above was 
the den proper. It seems almost incred- 
ible that the black bear should permit such 
an offensive animal as the porcupine to 
occupy the same den with him, luit there 
is good reason to believe that he some- 
times does so. Although it was too early 
in the season for Bruin to seek jjerma- 
nent winter quarters, I did not feel at all 
certain that he might not pay occasional 
visits to his den, and urged the guide to 
get out of the place as soon as possible. 
As there was likely to be more than one 
entrance to the den, we looked about us 
THK BEAK PASS. 
