98 THE GRIZZLY BEAR

deep hole and on the job being a long one, though
even then our chance of getting within range seemed
slim.

On further examination of the intervening hillside
between us and the bear, a plan presented itself to me
which seemed feasible. The ground in front of us sloped
gradually off down into a small gulch, and on the opposite
hill there was a slight depression that led up to the level
where the bear was. If we could get down into the
gulch in safety we might be able to crawl up the
depression until we were within shot. We decided to
make our stalk this way, and, if it failed, go on after
rams.

I will not give you details of how we got into the gulch,
crawled for the greater part of the way up the depression
and wriggled on our stomachs for the last forty or fifty
yards until we reached a slight rise in the ground, which
was as far as we could go. During the time we were
occupied in doing this the bear had been out of sight,
so that we had no idea whether we were too late or not.
But all was well. Having worked myself into position I
raised my head to take a peep, and there she was still
busily digging. When I glanced back at the Major, who
was lying a few feet behind me, he was gazing at me
with an eager inquiring look in his eyes, and in a state
of agonized fear lest we had been too long. Having
assured him by a slight nod I motioned him to
move up beside me. This he did and made ready to
shoot.

Just as he was about to fire, the bear, who was within
a hundred yards, turned its stern to us, and so we had to
wait.

Probably we lay there for a good five minutes while
the grizzly, quite unconscious of our presence, laboured
most diligently. Doubtless the miserable ground squirrel
crouched in mortal terror as the hole became deeper and
the enemy nearer. That grizzly assuredly did valiant
digging, first with one paw, then with another ; sometimes
shifting one way, then back and over to the other, but