Year: 1875

1Itn VIC eu4n 4nru OeA tesss-tAwstSa w w
fishing. The stream aboanded in
crooks and bends, with deep holes
under the banks which were well
stocked with speckled trout. Grass
hoppers served for bait, and We were
not long pulling out as many as we
thought We should use that night
Ned caught one that would have
weighed nearly two pounds. That
was certainly one of the best places
for hunting and fishing that ever was
found. The locality we chose for our
camp was well up the valley A
great rock of many tons weight had
some time rolled down from the
mountain, and stopped few yards
from the bank. Here We built an
open shed-camp, between this big
stone and the stream. First We put
up some poles on crotched stakes,
then covered them with fiat hazel
boughs and long dry grass.


Our fire was placed in front Of this
ashed," between two stones, and close
to the water. We began 10 get our
supper by four in the afternoon; for
we had had no dinner, andwerc hun
CRY as bears.


It takes sometime to dress and
cook partridgcs, and fry trout Night
too, comes on early the last Of octc-
Der. So it was dusk before We had
our stew half done. The camp fire
frightened, and the light cleaned in
a ruddy streak across the stream
Criekets sang and chirruped in the
dry grass, and the many wild sounds
of the forest came to ourears from the
mountains on, either side. Here an
owl was hoosin saraccoon
gave its quavering alto Cry.


Presently Rover ygrowled and dash
ed off down the bank amongst the
hazels. Then We heard him barking
excitedly.


There's something round herc.n'
said Tom, setting the spider of trout
off the fire, and getting up to look
about.


Ned was splitting wood afew steps
away. He stopped and came up to
the fire.


ats bear" said he; sand VIC
haven't a grain of powder"


We were not much afraid that
bears would come very near our fire.
But as We stood there We heard the
twigs snap, and saw Rover running
towards US, barking and growing
furiously. Tom caught up The crow
bar, and at the same momentl heard
q queer snuffling noise, suchas avid
animal makes when eating fresh
meat, and saw, not three rods of, q
large dark colorcd creature stealing
up towards US through the bushes and
grass.


1t would be false to deny that we
were badly scared. Rover, in his
excitement, fairly backed into the
fire. Al three of us jumped to the
other side of the blaze.


The animal was cyouching close to
the earth, and crept forward as if
about to spring. 1t then raised it
self quickly, and seizing the stringof
partridges, which Tom had hung on
a bush a little back from the fire,
turned and ran ofwith them. That
was evieently what it wanted-wc
thought it surely meant to jump at
us.


We had never seen any creature
like it before. Though as large as a
very large dog, it did not look in the
least like a bear. Besides, it had
white on the under parts Of its body,
as We had all three seen when it
reared itself up. 1t twas much larger
than an otter or lynx, both Of which
animals We had frequently seen. 1t
did not look like the description we
had heard of the catamount, and. fear
cd it might be one.


AS quick as the animal ran away,
Rover darted after it. Wccould hear
him barking in the bushes at a
little distance, and concluded that
the creature had stopped to eat part
ridges. 1t did not seem to trouble
itself much for for the dog; and Rover
clearly did not dare to spring upon
it.


We did not eat much sumner after