GRIZZLIES SELDOM DANGEROUS 93

sojourn in this country I have met hundreds of bears of
all sorts, and they were usually most inoffensive animals.
It is doubtful if the percentage of ill-tempered grizzlies
is any greater than that of cross cows or vicious dogs,
while it is infinitely less than that of savage bulls. So
it seems to me that the chance of anybody getting hurt
by a bear while out in the mountains is not any greater
than when taking an ordinary walk in the country, nor
are all the risks a man takes when out in the mountains
anything to compare with those one takes every day in
a big city. Anyway, such is my experience, as after
travelling for over thirty years in all sorts of rough, wild
country, the only serious accident I ever had was while
walking down the streets of Vancouver, when part of an
old building collapsed and nearly killed me as well as
several other people.

I have frequently been told that the grizzly is not as
fierce or dangerous as he used to be, because he has
become educated to the killing power of the modern rifle.
It is argued that fish soon become wise to certain methods
of angling; that the ruffed grouse no longer flies into
the nearest tree when flushed, but is now wild and often
difficult to get within range of; and that the same thing
occurs in the case of other species of game. My answer
is that these things only apply to where man has made
his presence felt for a considerable time. Go off the
beaten track, and the fish are just as ready to take any
bait, and ruffed grouse still fly into trees in the same silly
way. Moreover, the grizzly bear in the most remote
districts is as little dangerous as he is when nearer to
civilization. I would go even farther, and say that the
black bear, at any rate, becomes bolder when he gets
used to living anywhere near the habitation of man.

But I was going to tell you about accidents from bears.
Of all the hundreds of yarns I have been told of attacks
made by bears there are but few that I can positively
eredit. The only authentic cases that I can call to mind
are those of a Chinaman who was killed by a black bear
in a trap; a trapper nearly killed by a grizzly, also in a