This was evident to all. Bruin had climbed the tree, and was now snugly
ensconced in the great nest of the vulture-eagles, though not a hair of
his shaggy hide could be visible from below.
The hunters had no doubt about his being there. The _chasseur_ was too
confident in the instinct of his well-trained dogs to doubt them for a
moment, and his companions had no reason to question a fact so very
probable. Had there been any doubt, it would soon have been set aside,
by an incident that occurred the moment after their arrival under the
tree. As they stood looking upward, two great birds were seen upon the
wing, rapidly swooping downward from on high. They were _lammergeyers_,
and evidently the owners of the invaded nest. That the intruder was not
welcome there, became apparent in the next moment; for both the birds
were seen shooting in quick curves around the top branches of the tree,
flapping their wings over the nest, and screaming with all the
concentrated rage of creatures in the act of being plundered. Whether
Bruin, in addition to his unwelcome presence, had also committed
burglary, and robbed the eagles of their eggs or young, could not be
told. If he had done so, he could not have received greater objurgation
from the infuriated birds, that continued their noisy demonstrations,
until a shot fired from below admonished them of the presence of that
biped enemy far more dreaded than the bear. Then did they only widen
the circle of their flight, still continuing to swoop down over the nest
at intervals, and uttering their mingled cries of rage and lamentation.
The shot was from the gun of the izzard-hunter; but it was not till
after he had been some time upon the ground that he had fired it. All
four had previously dismounted and fastened their animals to the
surrounding trees. They knew that the bear was in the nest; but
although his retreat was now cut off, it was still not so certain that
they should succeed in making a capture. Had the bear taken refuge in a
fork, or even among thick branches, where their bullets might have
reached him, it would have been a very different thing. They might then
have brought him down at their pleasure, for if killed, or severely
wounded, he must have fallen to the ground; but now--ah, now! what was
to be done? The broad platform of the nest not only gave him a surface
on which he could recline at his ease, but its thick mass formed a
rampart through which not even a bullet would be likely to penetrate to
his body!
How were they to reach him with their bullets? That was the next
question that came under consideration. The odd shot had been fired as
an experiment. It was fired in the hope that it might startle the bear,
and cause him to shift his quarters--if only a little--so that some part
of his body might be exposed; and while the izzard-hunter was
discharging his piece, the others had stood watching for a chance. None
was given to them, however. The bullet was heard striking the sticks,
and caused the dust to puff out, but it produced no further effect--not
a move was made by the occupant of that elevated eyrie.
Two or three more shots were fired with like effect; and the fusil of
Pouchskin was next called into requisition, and brought to bear upon the
nest. The large bullet crashed up among the dry sticks, scattering the
fragments on all sides, and raising a cloud of dust that enveloped the
whole top of the tree. But not a sign came from Bruin, to tell that it
had disturbed him; not even a growl, to reward Pouchskin for the
expenditure of his powder and lead. It was evident that this mode of
proceeding could be of no service; and the firing was at once
discontinued--in order that they might take into consideration some
other plan of attack.
At first there appeared to be no way by which the bear might be ousted
from his secure quarters. They might fire away until they should empty
both their powder-horns and pouches, and all to no purpose. They might
just as well fire their shots into the air. So far as their bullets
were concerned, the bear might bid them defiance--a cannon shot alone
could have gone through his strong rampart of sticks.
What could they do to get at him? To climb up and assail him where he
lay was not to be thought of--even could they have climbed into the
nest. On the firm ground, none of them would have liked to risk an
encounter with the enemy, much less upon such insecure footing as a nest
of rotten sticks. But they could not have got into the nest, however
bent upon such a thing. Its wide rim extended far beyond the supporting
branches; and only a monkey, or the bear himself, could have clambered
over its edge. To a human being, ascent to the nest would have been not
only difficult, but impossible; and no doubt the instinct of the eagles
guided them to this while they were constructing it. Not for a moment,
then, did our hunters think of climbing up to their eyrie.
What, then, were they to do? The only thing they could think of was to
cut down the tree. It would be a great undertaking: for the trunk was
several feet in diameter; and as they had only one axe, and that not a
very sharp one, it would be a work of time. They might be days in
felling that gigantic pine; and even when down, the bear might still
escape from them--for it did not follow that the fall of the tree would
result in the consummation of his capture. It might swing over
gradually and easily, or, striking against others, let the bear down
without doing him the slightest damage; and in the confusion consequent
on its fall, he would have a good chance of getting off.
These considerations caused them to hesitate about cutting down the
tree, and reflect whether there might not be some easier and more
effective method for securing the skin of the bear.