hunting the grisly and other sketches-第43章

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from　the　head　of　Wisdom　River。　Not　having　had　much　luck；　he　and　his
partner　determined　to　go　up　into　a　particularly　wild　and　lonely　pass
through　which　ran　a　small　stream　said　to　contain　many　beaver。　The　pass
had　an　evil　reputation　because　the　year　before　a　solitary　hunter　who
had　wandered　into　it　was　there　slain；　seemingly　by　a　wild　beast；　the
half…eaten　remains　being　afterwards　found　by　some　mining　prospectors
who　had　passed　his　camp　only　the　night　before。

The　memory　of　this　event；　however；　weighed　very　lightly　with　the　two
trappers；　who　were　as　adventurous　and　hardy　as　others　of　their　kind。
They　took　their　two　lean　mountain　ponies　to　the　foot　of　the　pass；
where　they　left　them　in　an　open　beaver　meadow；　the　rocky　timber…clad
ground　being　from　thence　onwards　impracticable　for　horses。　They　then
struck　out　on　foot　through　the　vast；　gloomy　forest；　and　in　about　four
hours　reached　a　little　open　glade　where　they　concluded　to　camp；　as
signs　of　game　were　plenty。

There　was　still　an　hour　or　two　of　daylight　left；　and　after　building　a
brush　lean…to　and　throwing　down　and　opening　their　packs；　they　started
up　stream。　The　country　was　very　dense　and　hard　to　travel　through；　as
there　was　much　down　timber；　although　here　and　there　the　sombre
woodland　was　broken　by　small　glades　of　mountain　grass。

At　dusk　they　again　reached　camp。　The　glade　in　which　it　was　pitched　was
not　many　yards　wide；　the　tall；　close…set　pines　and　firs　rising　round
it　like　a　wall。　On　one　side　was　a　little　stream；　beyond　which　rose　the
steep　mountain…slopes；　covered　with　the　unbroken　growth　of　the
evergreen　forest。

They　were　surprised　to　find　that　during　their　short　absence　something；
apparently　a　bear；　had　visited　camp；　and　had　rummaged　about　among
their　things；　scattering　the　contents　of　their　packs；　and　in　sheer
wantonness　destroying　their　lean…to。　The　footprints　of　the　beast　were
quite　plain；　but　at　first　they　paid　no　particular　heed　to　them；
busying　themselves　with　rebuilding　the　lean…to；　laying　out　their　beds
and　stores；　and　lighting　the　fire。

While　Bauman　was　making　ready　supper；　it　being　already　dark；　his
companion　began　to　examine　the　tracks　more　closely；　and　soon　took　a
brand　from　the　fire　to　follow　them　up；　where　the　intruder　had　walked
along　a　game　trail　after　leaving　the　camp。　When　the　brand　flickered
out；　he　returned　and　took　another；　repeating　his　inspection　of　the
footprints　very　closely。　Coming　back　to　the　fire；　he　stood　by　it　a
minute　or　two；　peering　out　into　the　darkness；　and　suddenly　remarked：
〃Bauman；　that　bear　has　been　walking　on　two　legs。〃　Bauman　laughed　at
this；　but　his　partner　insisted　that　he　was　right；　and　upon　again
examining　the　tracks　with　a　torch；　they　certainly　did　seem　to　be　made
by　but　two　paws；　or　feet。　However；　it　was　too　dark　to　make　sure。　After
discussing　whether　the　footprints　could　possibly　be　those　of　a　human
being；　and　coming　to　the　conclusion　that　they　could　not　be；　the　two
men　rolled　up　in　their　blankets；　and　went　to　sleep　under　the　lean…to。

At　midnight　Bauman　was　awakened　by　some　noise；　and　sat　up　in　his
blankets。　As　he　did　so　his　nostrils　were　struck　by　a　strong；　wild…
beast　odor；　and　he　caught　the　loom　of　a　great　body　in　the　darkness　at
the　mouth　of　the　lean…to。　Grasping　his　rifle；　he　fired　at　the　vague；
threatening　shadow；　but　must　have　missed；　for　immediately　afterwards
he　heard　the　smashing　of　the　underwood　as　the　thing；　whatever　it　was；
rushed　off　into　the　impenetrable　blackness　of　the　forest　and　the
night。

After　this　the　two　men　slept　but　little；　sitting　up　by　the　rekindled
fire；　but　they　heard　nothing　more。　In　the　morning　they　started　out　to
look　at　the　few　traps　they　had　set　the　previous　evening　and　to　put　out
new　ones。　By　an　unspoken　agreement　they　kept　together　all　day；　and
returned　to　camp　towards　evening。

On　nearing　it　they　saw；　hardly　to　their　astonishment；　that　the　lean…to
had　been　again　torn　down。　The　visitor　of　the　preceding　day　had
returned；　and　in　wanton　malice　had　tossed　about　their　camp　kit　and
bedding；　and　destroyed　the　shanty。　The　ground　was　marked　up　by　its
tracks；　and　on　leaving　the　camp　it　had　gone　along　the　soft　earth　by
the　brook；　where　the　footprints　were　as　plain　as　if　on　snow；　and；
after　a　careful　scrutiny　of　the　trail；　it　certainly　did　seem　as　if；
whatever　the　thing　was；　it　had　walked　off　on　but　two　legs。

The　men；　thoroughly　uneasy；　gathered　a　great　heap　of　dead　logs；　and
kept　up　a　roaring　fire　throughout　the　night；　one　or　the　other　sitting
on　guard　most　of　the　time。　About　midnight　the　thing　came　down　through
the　forest　opposite；　across　the　brook；　and　stayed　there　on　the　hill…
side　for　nearly　an　hour。　They　could　hear　the　branches　crackle　as　it
moved　about；　and　several　times　it　uttered　a　harsh；　grating；　long…drawn
moan；　a　peculiarly　sinister　sound。　Yet　it　did　not　venture　near　the
fire。

In　the　morning　the　two　trappers；　after　discussing　the　strange　events
of　the　last　thirty…six　hours；　decided　that　they　would　shoulder　their
packs　and　leave　the　valley　that　afternoon。　They　were　the　more　ready　to
do　this　because　in　spite　of　seeing　a　good　deal　of　game　sign　they　had
caught　very　little　fur。　However；　it　was　necessary　first　to　go　along
the　line　of　their　traps　and　gather　them；　and　this　they　started　out　to
do。

All　the　morning　they　kept　together；　picking　up　trap　after　trap；　each
one　empty。　On　first　leaving　camp　they　had　the　disagreeable　sensation
of　being　followed。　In　the　dense　spruce　thickets　they　occasionally
heard　a　branch　snap　after　they　had　passed；　and　now　and　then　there　were
slight　rustling　noises　among　the　small　pines　to　one　side　of　them。

At　noon　they　were　back　within　a　couple　of　miles　of　camp。　In　the　high；
bright　sunlight　their　fears　seemed　absurd　to　the　two　armed　men；
accustomed　as　they　were；　through　long　years　of　lonely　wandering　in　the
wilderness　to　face　every　kind　of　danger　from　man；　brute；　or　element。
There　were　still　three　beaver　traps　to　collect　from　a　little　pond　in　a
wide　ravine　near　by。　Bauman　volunteered　to　gather　these　and　bring　them
in；　while　his　companion　went　ahead　to　camp　and　make　ready　the　packs。

On　reaching　the　pond　Bauman　found　three　beaver　in　the　traps；　one　of
which　had　been　pulled　loose　and　carried　into　a　beaver　house。　He　took
several　hours　in　securing　and　preparing　the　beaver；　and　when　he
started　homewards　he　marked　with　some　uneasiness　how　low　the　sun　was
getting。　As　he　hurried　towards　camp；　under　the　tall　trees；　the　silence
and　desolation　of　the　forest　weighed　on　him。　His　feet　made　no　sound　on
the　pine　needles；　and　the　slanting　sun　rays；　striking　through　among
the　straight　trunks；　made　a　gray　twilight　in　which　objects　at　a
distance　glimmered　indistinctly。　There　was　nothing　to　break　the
ghostly　stillness　which；　when　there　is　no　breeze；　always　broods　over
these　sombre　primeval　forests。

At　last　he　came　to　the　edge　of　the　little　glade　where　the　camp　lay；
and　shouted　as　he　approached　it；　but　got　no　answer。　The　camp　fire　had
gone　out；　though　the　thin　blue　smoke　was　still　curling　upwards。　Near
it　lay　the　packs；　wrapped　and　arranged。　At　first　Bauman　could　see
nobody；　nor　did　he　receive　an　answer　to　his　call。　Stepping　forward　he
again　shouted；　and　as　he　did　so　his　eye　fell　on　the　body　of　his
friend；　stretched　beside　the　trunk　of　a　great　fallen　spruce。　Rushing
towards　it　the　horrified　trapper　found　that　the　body　was　still　warm；
but　that　the　neck　was　broken；　while　there　were　four　great　fang　marks
in　the　throat。

The　footprints　of　the　unknown　beast…creature；　printed　deep　in　the　soft
soil；　told　the　whole　story。

The　unfortunate　man；　having　finished　his　packing；　had　sat　down　on　the
spruce　log　with　his　face　to　the　fire；　and　his　back　to　the　dense　woods；
to　wait　for　his　companion。　While　thus　waiting；　his　monstrous
assailant；　which　must　have　been　lurking　nearby　in　the　woods；　waiting
for　a　chance　to　catch　one　of　the　adventurers　unprepared；　came　silently
up　from　behind；　walking　with　long；　noiseless　steps；　and　seemingly
still　on　two　legs。　Evidently　unheard；　it　reached　the　man；　and　broke
his　neck　while　it　buried　its　teeth　in　his　throat。　It　had　not　eaten　the
body；　but　apparently　had　romped　and　gambolled　round　it　in　uncouth；
ferocious　glee；　occasionally　rolling　over　a