382 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA VS 
CHAP. 
We rode about four miles without seeing a living 
creature, except a badger. This animal squatted 
upon seeing the horses, and lay close to the ground, 
like a hare in form, until we actually halted within lo 
feet of its position. Bob immediately suggested 
that we should kill it, and secure its skin (his one 
idea appeared to be a longing to divest everything 
of its hide); but I would not halt, as the day was to 
be devoted to bears. We at length arrived at a 
portion of the forest where the young spruce had 
grown up from a space that had formerly been 
burnt; about 50 acres were densely covered with 
bright green foliage, forming a pleasing contrast 
to the sombre hue of the older forest. This was 
considered by my guide to be a likely retreat for 
bears; it was as thick as possible for trees to 
grow. 
We accordingly dismounted, threw the reins 
over our horses’ heads, and, taking the right 
direction of the wind, we entered the main forest, 
which was connected with the younger growth. It 
was easy to distinguish tracks, as the earth was 
covered with old half-rotten pine needles, which 
formed a soft surface, that would receive a deep 
impression. Nearly all the old trees were more or 
less barked by the horns of wapiti, showing that 
immense numbers must visit these woods at the 
season when the horns are nearly hard, and require 
rubbing, to clean them from the velvet. We had 
not strolled more than half a mile through the dark 
wood when Bob suddenly halted, and, like Robinson 
