The moment we had finished our hurried meal we set out. Sandy, in case
we should be benighted, had procured a number of pine torches, which he
strapped on his back; and Uncle Donald directed Corney and Pierre who
came in as we were starting, to follow, keeping to the right by the side
of the torrent, in case Hugh should have taken that direction.
Whiskey, Pilot, Muskymote followed closely at our heels--faithful
animals, ready to drag our sleighs in winter, or, as now, to assist us
in our search. We walked on at a rapid rate, and were soon in a wild
region of forests, rugged hills, and foaming streams. As we went along
we shouted out Hugh's name, and searched about for any signs of his
having passed that way. At length we discovered in some soft ground a
foot-print, which there could be no doubt was his, the toe pointing in
the direction we were going.
"Now we have found the laddie's trail we must take care not to lose it,"
observed Uncle Donald. "It leads towards the very spot where I saw the
grizzly this morning."
On and on we went. Soon another foot-print, and then a mark on some
fallen leaves, and here and there a twig bent or broken off, showed that
we were on Hugh's trail.
But the sun had now sunk beneath the western range of mountains, and the
gloom of evening coming on would prevent us from tracing our young
companion much further. Still, as we should have met him had he turned
back, we followed the only track he was likely to have taken.
We were approaching the spot where Uncle Donald had seen the bear, near
a clump of trees with a thick undergrowth, a rugged hill riding beyond.
We were somewhat scattered, hunting about for any traces the waning
light would enable us to discover. I half feared that I should come
upon his mangled remains, or some part of his dress which might show his
fate. I had my rifle, but was encumbered with no other weight, and in
my eagerness, I ran on faster than my companions. I was making my way
among some fallen timber blown down by a storm, when suddenly I saw rise
up, just before me, a huge form. I stopped, having, fortunately, the
presence of mind not to run away, for I at once recognised the animal as
a huge grizzly, which had been engaged in tearing open a rotten trunk in
search of insects. I remembered that Uncle Donald had told me, should I
ever find myself face to face with a grizzly, to throw up my arms and
stand stock still.
The savage brute, desisting from its employment, came towards me,
growling terribly, and displaying its huge teeth and enormous mouth.
I was afraid to shout, lest it might excite the animal's rage; but I
acted as Uncle Donald had advised me. As I lifted up my rifle and
flourished it over my head, the creature stopped for a moment and got up
on its hind legs.
Now or never was my time to fire, for I could not expect to have a
better opportunity, and bringing my rifle, into which I had put a
bullet, to my shoulder, I took a steady aim and pulled the trigger. To
my dismay, the cap snapped. It had never before played me such a trick.
Still the bear kept looking at me, apparently wondering what I was
about. Mastering all my nerve, and still keeping my eye fixed on the
shaggy monster in front of me, I lowered my rifle, took out another cap,
and placed it on the nipple. I well knew that should I only wound the
bear my fate would be sealed, for it would be upon me in an instant. I
felt doubly anxious to hill it, under the belief that it had destroyed
my friend Hugh; but still it was sufficiently far off to make it
possible for me to miss, should my nerves for a moment fail me. As long
as it remained motionless I was unwilling to fire, in the hope that
before I did so Uncle Donald and Sandy might come to my assistance.
Having re-capped my rifle, I again lifted it to my shoulder. At that
moment Bruin, who had grown tired of watching me, went down on all
fours. The favourable opportunity was lost; for although I might still
lodge a bullet in its head, I might not kill it at once, and I should
probably be torn to pieces. I stood steady as before, though sorely
tempted to run. Instead, however, of coming towards me, to my surprise,
the bear returned to the log, and recommenced its occupation of
scratching for insects.
Had it been broad daylight I might have had a fair chance of shooting
it; but in the obscurity, as it scratched away among the fallen timber,
from which several gnarled and twisted limbs projected upwards, I was
uncertain as to the exact position of its head. Under the
circumstances, I considered that discretion was the better part of
valour; and feeling sure that Uncle Donald and Sandy would soon come up
and settle the bear more effectually than I should, I began slowly to
retreat, hoping to get away unperceived. I stepped back very
cautiously, scarcely more than a foot at a time, then stopped. As I did
so I observed a movement a little distance off beyond the big bear, and
presently, as I again retreated, two other bears came up, growling, to
the big one, and, to my horror, all three moved towards me.
Though smaller than their mother, each bear was large enough to kill me
with a pat of its paw; and should I even shoot her they would probably
be upon me. Again, however, they stopped, unwilling apparently to leave
their dainty feast.
How earnestly I prayed for the arrival of Uncle Donald and Sandy! I had
time, too, to think of poor Hugh, and felt more convinced than ever that
he had fallen a victim to the ferocious grizzlies. I still dared not
cry out, but seeing them again turn to the logs, I began, as before, to
step back, hoping at length to get to such a distance that I might take
to my heels without the risk of being pursued. In doing as I proposed I
very nearly tumbled over a log, but recovering myself, I got round it.
When I stopped to see what the bears were about they were still feeding,
having apparently forgotten me. I accordingly turned round and ran as
fast as I could venture to go among the trees and fallen trunks, till at
length I made out the indistinct figures of Uncle Donald and Sandy, with
the dogs, coming towards me.
"I have just seen three bears," I shouted. "Come on quickly, and we may
be in time to kill them!"
"It's a mercy they did not catch you, laddie," said Uncle Donald, when
he got up to me. "With the help of the dogs we'll try to kill them,
however. Can you find the spot where you saw them?"
"I have no doubt about that," I answered.
"Well, then, before we go further we'll just look to our rifles, and
make sure that there's no chance of their missing fire."
Doing as he suggested, we moved on, he in the centre and somewhat in
advance, Sandy and I on either side of him, the dogs following and
waiting for the word of command to rush forward.
The bears did not discover us until we were within twenty yards of them,
when Uncle Donald shouted to make them show themselves.
I fancied that directly afterwards I heard a cry, but it might only have
been the echo of Uncle Donald's voice. Presently a loud growl from the
rotten log showed us that the bears were still there, and we soon saw
all three sitting up and looking about them.
"Sandy, do you take the small bear on the right; I will aim at the big
fellow, and leave the other to you, Archie; but do not fire until you
are sure of your aim," said Uncle Donald. "Now, are you ready?"
We all fired at the same moment. Sandy's bear dropped immediately, but
the big one, with a savage growl, sprang over the logs and came towards
us, followed by the one at which I had fired.
Uncle Donald now ordered the dogs, which had been barking loudly, to
advance to the fight; but before they reached the larger bear she fell
over on her side, and giving some convulsive struggles, lay apparently
dead. The dogs, on this, attacked the other bear, which, made furious
by its wound, was coming towards us, growling loudly. On seeing the
dogs, however, the brute stopped, and sat up on its hind legs, ready
with its huge paws to defend itself from their attacks. We all three,
meantime, were rapidly reloading, and just as the bear had knocked over
Whiskey and seized Muskymote in its paws, Uncle Donald and Sandy again
fired and brought it to the ground, enabling Muskymote, sorely mauled,
to escape from its deadly embrace.
I instinctively gave a shout, and was running on, when Uncle Donald
stopped me.
"Stay!" he said; "those brutes play `possum' sometimes, and are not to
be trusted. If they are not shamming, they may suddenly revive and try
to avenge themselves."
"We'll soon settle that," said Sandy, and quickly reloading, he fired
his rifle into the head of the fallen bear.
"Have you killed them all?" I heard a voice exclaim, which seemed to
come from the branches of a tree some little distance off.