BEAR HUNTING. 
289 
taken from the comb of wild bees, softened by the grease of the 
Beai. This candle has a large wick, and emits a brilliant 
flame. Nothing else is needed but the rifle ; the knife and the 
belt are useless, for if a struggle should ensue that would make 
it available, the foe is too powerful to mind its thrusts before 
the hand using it would be dead. Bearing the candle before 
him, with the rifle in a convenient position, the hunter fearlessly 
enters the cave, he is soon surrounded by darkness, and is totally 
unconscious where his enemy will reveal himself. Having 
fixed the candle on the ground in a firm position, with an appa¬ 
ratus provided, he lights it, and its brilliant flame soon pene¬ 
trates into the recesses of the cavern, its size of course render¬ 
ing the illumination more or less complete. The hunter now 
places himself on his belly, having the candle between the back 
part of the cave, where the Bear is, and himself; in this posi¬ 
tion, with the muzzle of the rifle protruding out in front of him, 
he patiently waits for his victim. A short time only elapses 
before bruin is aroused by the light; the noise made by his 
waking from sleep attracts the hunter, and he soon distinguishes 
the black mass, moving, stretching and yawning, like a person 
awakened from a deep sleep. The hunter moves not, but pre- 
' pares his rifle; the Bear, finally roused, turns his head towards 
the candle, and with slow and waddling steps approaches it. 
Now is the time that tries the nerves of the hunter; too late to 
retreat, his life hangs upon his certain aim and the goodness of 
As powder. The slightest variation in the bullet, or a flashing 
pan, and he is a doomed man. So tenacious of life is the com¬ 
mon Black Bear, that it is frequently wounded in its most vital 
parts, and still will escape, or give terrible battle. But the 
Grizzly Bear seems protected by an infinite greater tenacity of 
life ; his skin, covered by matted hair, and the huge bones of 
his body, protects the heart as if encased in a wall, while the 
brain is buried in a skull compared to which adamant is not 
harder. A bullet striking the Bear’s forehead would flatten if 
it struck squarely on the solid bone, as if fired against a rock ; 
and dangerous indeed would it be, to take the chances of 
vol. it. 19 
