368 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
moment I heard the report of a revolver and shouts 
in high excitement—“ The bear! the bear !” Before 
I had time to dismount in the awkward position 
among the rocks, I saw a large bear within two yards 
of me, as he had run at full speed up the steep bank 
from the bottom of the ravine without having ob¬ 
served me, owing to the rocks ; he therefore passed 
close to my horse upon the other side, only separated 
from us by the large rock between. In an instant 
the bear, having seen the horse, turned to the left, 
and dashed down hill into the smaller ravine which 
I had just crossed. I jumped ofT my horse, and ran 
along the edge, ready to take a shot the moment 
that I could obtain a clear view of the bear, which 
I could see indistinctly as it ran along the bottom 
of the channel, in which was the trickling stream. 
As I followed, always keeping the animal within 
view, I felt certain that it would presently forsake 
this narrow gully, and would cut across the open to 
regain the large ravine from which it had been 
dislodged. I therefore raised the 150 yards sight as 
I ran along the edge, to be in readiness should it 
try the open. The bear kept me running at my 
best to keep it in sight, and I was just beginning to 
think it advisable to fire through the intervening 
bushes, when, as I had expected, it suddenly turned 
to the left, ran up the bank with extreme activity, 
and appeared upon the steep open grass-land, with 
the intention of cutting across to the larger hiding- 
place. This was a splendid chance, as the dark 
colour of the bear looked well upon the yellow 
