hunting the grisly and other sketches-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


bear　are　digging　roots；　or　otherwise　procuring　their　food　on　the　bare
hill　sides　and　table…lands；　it　is　of　course　comparatively　easy　to　see
them；　and　it　is　under　such　circumstances　that　this　kind　of　hunting　is
most　successful。　Once　seen；　the　actual　stalk　may　take　two　or　three
hours；　the　nature　of　the　ground　and　the　direction　of　the　wind　often
necessitating　a　long　circuit；　perhaps　a　gully；　a　rock；　or　a　fallen　log
offers　a　chance　for　an　approach　to　within　two　hundred　yards；　and
although　the　hunter　will；　if　possible；　get　much　closer　than　this；　yet
even　at　such　a　distance　a　bear　is　a　large　enough　mark　to　warrant
taking　a　shot。

Usually　the　berry　grounds　do　not　offer　such　favorable　opportunities；
as　they　often　lie　in　thick　timber；　or　are　covered　so　densely　with
bushes　as　to　obstruct　the　view；　and　they　are　rarely　commanded　by　a
favorable　spot　from　which　to　spy。　On　the　other　hand；　as　already　said；
bears　occasionally　forget　all　their　watchfulness　while　devouring
fruit；　and　make　such　a　noise　rending　and　tearing　the　bushes　that；　if
once　found；　a　man　can　creep　upon　them　unobserved。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HUNTING　THE　GRISLY。

If　out　in　the　late　fall　or　early　spring；　it　is　often　possible　to
follow　a　bear's　trail　in　the　snow；　having　come　upon　it　either　by
chance　or　hard　hunting；　or　else　having　found　where　it　leads　from　some
carcass　on　which　the　beast　has　been　feeding。　In　the　pursuit　one　must
exercise　great　caution；　as　at　such　times　the　hunter　is　easily　seen　a
long　way　off；　and　game　is　always　especially　watchful　for　any　foe　that
may　follow　its　trail。

Once　I　killed　a　grisly　in　this　manner。　It　was　early　in　the　fall；　but
snow　lay　on　the　ground；　while　the　gray　weather　boded　a　storm。　My　camp
was　in　a　bleak；　wind…swept　valley；　high　among　the　mountains　which　form
the　divide　between　the　head…waters　of　the　Salmon　and　Clarke's　Fork　of
the　Columbia。　All　night　I　had　lain　in　my　buffalo…bag；　under　the　lea　of
a　windbreak　of　branches；　in　the　clump　of　fir…trees；　where　I　had　halted
the　preceding　evening。　At　my　feet　ran　a　rapid　mountain　torrent；　its
bed　choked　with　ice…covered　rocks；　I　had　been　lulled　to　sleep　by　the
stream's　splashing　murmur；　and　the　loud　moaning　of　the　wind　along　the
naked　cliffs。　At　dawn　I　rose　and　shook　myself　free　of　the　buffalo
robe；　coated　with　hoar…frost。　The　ashes　of　the　fire　were　lifeless；　in
the　dim　morning　the　air　was　bitter　cold。　I　did　not　linger　a　moment；
but　snatched　up　my　rifle；　pulled　on　my　fur　cap　and　gloves；　and　strode
off　up　a　side　ravine；　as　I　walked　I　ate　some　mouthfuls　of　venison；
left　over　from　supper。

Two　hours　of　toil　up　the　steep　mountain　brought　me　to　the　top　of　a
spur。　The　sun　had　risen；　but　was　hidden　behind　a　bank　of　sullen
clouds。　On　the　divide　I　halted；　and　gazed　out　over　a　vast　landscape；
inconceivably　wild　and　dismal。　Around　me　towered　the　stupendous
mountain　masses　which　make　up　the　backbone　of　the　Rockies。　From　my
feet；　as　far　as　I　could　see；　stretched　a　rugged　and　barren　chaos　of
ridges　and　detached　rock　masses。　Behind　me；　far　below；　the　stream
wound　like　a　silver　ribbon；　fringed　with　dark　conifers　and　the
changing；　dying　foliage　of　poplar　and　quaking　aspen。　In　front　the
bottoms　of　the　valleys　were　filled　with　the　sombre　evergreen　forest；
dotted　here　and　there　with　black；　ice…skimmed　tarns；　and　the　dark
spruces　clustered　also　in　the　higher　gorges；　and　were　scattered　thinly
along　the　mountain　sides。　The　snow　which　had　fallen　lay　in　drifts　and
streaks；　while；　where　the　wind　had　scope　it　was　blown　off；　and　the
ground　left　bare。

For　two　hours　I　walked　onwards　across　the　ridges　and　valleys。　Then
among　some　scattered　spruces；　where　the　snow　lay　to　the　depth　of　half
a　foot；　I　suddenly　came　on　the　fresh；　broad　trail　of　a　grisly。　The
brute　was　evidently　roaming　restlessly　about　in　search　of　a　winter
den；　but　willing；　in　passing；　to　pick　up　any　food　that　lay　handy。　At
once　I　took　the　trail；　travelling　above　and　to　one　side；　and　keeping　a
sharp　look…out　ahead。　The　bear　was　going　across　wind；　and　this　made　my
task　easy。　I　walked　rapidly；　though　cautiously；　and　it　was　only　in
crossing　the　large　patches　of　bare　ground　that　I　had　to　fear　making　a
noise。　Elsewhere　the　snow　muffled　my　footsteps；　and　made　the　trail　so
plain　that　I　scarcely　had　to　waste　a　glance　upon　it；　bending　my　eyes
always　to　the　front。

At　last；　peering　cautiously　over　a　ridge　crowned　with　broken　rocks；　I
saw　my　quarry；　a　big；　burly　bear；　with　silvered　fur。　He　had　halted　on
an　open　hillside；　and　was　busily　digging　up　the　caches　of　some　rock
gophers　or　squirrels。　He　seemed　absorbed　in　his　work；　and　the　stalk
was　easy。　Slipping　quietly　back；　I　ran　towards　the　end　of　the　spur；
and　in　ten　minutes　struck　a　ravine；　of　which　one　branch　ran　past
within　seventy　yards　of　where　the　bear　was　working。　In　this　ravine　was
a　rather　close　growth　of　stunted　evergreens；　affording　good　cover；
although　in　one　or　two　places　I　had　to　lie　down　and　crawl　through　the
snow。　When　I　reached　the　point　for　which　I　was　aiming；　the　bear　had
just　finished　rooting；　and　was　starting　off。　A　slight　whistle　brought
him　to　a　standstill；　and　I　drew　a　bead　behind　his　shoulder；　and　low
down；　resting　the　rifle　across　the　crooked　branch　of　a　dwarf　spruce。
At　the　crack　he　ran　off　at　speed；　making　no　sound；　but　the　thick
spatter　of　blood　splashes；　showing　clear　on　the　white　snow；　betrayed
the　mortal　nature　of　the　wound。　For　some　minutes　I　followed　the　trail；
and　then；　topping　a　ridge；　I　saw　the　dark　bulk　lying　motionless　in　a
snow　drift　at　the　foot　of　a　low　rock…wall；　from　which　he　had　tumbled。

The　usual　practice　of　the　still…hunter　who　is　after　grisly　is　to　toll
it　to　baits。　The　hunter　either　lies　in　ambush　near　the　carcass；　or
approaches　it　stealthily　when　he　thinks　the　bear　is　at　its　meal。

One　day　while　camped　near　the　Bitter　Root　Mountains　in　Montana　I　found
that　a　bear　had　been　feeding　on　the　carcass　of　a　moose　which　lay　some
five　miles　from　the　little　open　glade　in　which　my　tent　was　pitched；
and　I　made　up　my　mind　to　try　to　get　a　shot　at　it　that　afternoon。　I
stayed　in　camp　till　about　three　o'clock；　lying　lazily　back　on　the　bed
of　sweet…smelling　evergreen　boughs；　watching　the　pack　ponies　as　they
stood　under　the　pines　on　the　edge　of　the　open；　stamping　now　and　then；
and　switching　their　tails。　The　air　was　still；　the　sky　a　glorious　blue；
at　that　hour　in　the　afternoon　even　the　September　sun　was　hot。　The
smoke　from　the　smouldering　logs　of　the　camp　fire　curled　thinly
upwards。　Little　chipmunks　scuttled　out　from　their　holes　to　the　packs；
which　lay　in　a　heap　on　the　ground；　and　then　scuttled　madly　back　again。
A　couple　of　drab…colored　whisky…jacks；　with　bold　mien　and　fearless
bright　eyes；　hopped　and　fluttered　round；　picking　up　the　scraps；　and
uttering　an　extraordinary　variety　of　notes；　mostly　discordant；　so　tame
were　they　that　one　of　them　lit　on　my　outstretched　arm　as　I　half　dozed；
basking　in　the　sunshine。

When　the　shadows　began　to　lengthen；　I　shouldered　my　rifle　and　plunged
into　the　woods。　At　first　my　route　lay　along　a　mountain　side；　then　for
half　a　mile　over　a　windfall；　the　dead　timber　piled　about　in　crazy
confusion。　After　that　I　went　up　the　bottom　of　a　valley　by　a　little
brook；　the　ground　being　carpeted　with　a　sponge　of　soaked　moss。　At　the
head　of　this　brook　was　a　pond　covered　with　water…lilies；　and　a
scramble　through　a　rocky　pass　took　me　into　a　high；　wet　valley；　where
the　thick　growth　of　spruce　was　broken　by　occasional　strips　of　meadow。
In　this　valley　the　moose　carcass　lay；　well　at　the　upper　end。

In　moccasined　feet　I　trod　softly　through　the　soundless　woods。　Under
the　dark　branches　it　was　already　dusk；　and　the　air　had　the　cool　chill
of　evening。　As　I　neared　the　clump　where　the　body　lay；　I　walked　with
redoubled　caution；　watching　and　listening　with　strained　alertness。
Then　I　heard　a　twig　snap；　and　my　blood　leaped；　for　I　knew　the　bear　was
at　his　supper。　In　another　moment　I　saw　his　shaggy；　brown　form。　He　was
working　with　all　his　awkward　giant　strength；　trying　to　bury　the
carcass；　twisting　it　to　one　side　and　the　other　with　wonderful　ease。
Once　he　got　angry　and　suddenly　gave　it　a　tremendous　cuff　with　his　paw；
in　his　bearing　he　had