X 
THE BEAR 
373 
from subsisting upon the buds and young shoots 
of the wild plant. They were very numerous in 
certain localities, having much the same habits as 
the black game of North Britain, therefore we knew 
at once where to seek them. 
Our camp was within a few feet of the little 
stream, just within the forest at the bottom of the 
valley; the dense mass of spruce firs extended 
for 8 or lo miles along the slopes, only broken at 
intervals by gaps a few hundred yards wide, which 
divided the forest from top to base, and formed 
admirable places for ascending to the great plateau 
on the summit. This plateau extended for several 
miles, and was nearly level, the surface being 
liberally strewed with stones about 2 feet in length, 
but exceedingly flat, as though prepared for roofing 
slates ; these had been turned over incessantly by 
the bears, in search for what Bob Stewart called 
‘‘bugs”—the general and comprehensive American 
name for every insect. 
We found a number of sage-hens upon this 
plateau, and I picked out the young ones with my 
rabbit rifle, as they ran upon the sage-covered 
ground. Texas Bill was soon loaded with game, 
and discarding the old birds that had been killed 
by mistake, we descended the grass-covered gap 
between the forests, and returned direct to camp. 
Little Henry had now a change of materials for our 
dinner. 
It was nearly dusk, and I went into the small 
tent to have a hot bath after the day’s work. I was 
