X 
THE BEAR 
363 
about a mile and a half from the summit by a 
smaller ravine, also springing from the drainage of 
the highest ridge, and at the point of junction the 
two formed a letter Y, the tail continuing, widened 
by the increased flow of water. There was at this 
season a very slight stream about an inch in depth, 
which resulted from the melting of the small amount 
of snow upon the heights. 
There could not be a more likely place for bears, 
and I instructed my two men to ride to the bottom 
of the ravine, and to force their horses through 
the thornless thicket, making no other noise, but 
occasionally to tap the stems of trees with the 
handles of their whips. 
I dismounted, and my well-trained horse followed 
close behind me down the steep hillside, exactly on 
the border of the ravine. ^ This was not more than 
80 yards across ; thus I could command both sides 
should a bear break covert, when disturbed by 
my two beaters ; there could not have been a more 
favourable locality. 
My men were thoroughly experienced, and the 
noise made by the horses in struggling over stones 
and in rustling through the cotton-wood trees was 
quite sufficient to disturb any animals that might 
have been there; accordingly they seldom tapped 
the tree-stems. 
Black-tail deer were very plentiful; these were 
about the size of an ordinary fallow-deer, and they 
were extremely fat and delicious venison ; but their 
horns were still in velvet, and would not be clean 
