There was a beaver dam above the picnic camp, and before we came to it
I happened to get near the bank, where I saw in the mud the impression
of a huge paw. It was larger than a tea plate, and was so fresh one
could easily see where the nails had been. I asked General Stanley to
look at it, but he said, "That? oh, that is only the paw of a cub--he
has been down after fish." At once I discovered that the middle of the
stream was most attractive, and there I went, and carefully remained
there the rest of the way down. If the paw of a mere "cub" could be
that enormous size, what might not be the size of an ordinary grown-up
bear, paws included! Mrs. Ord declared that she rather liked little
bears--they were so cunning and playful--but I noticed she avoided the
banks, also.
We had left dry clothing at the small camp, and when we returned we
found nice little retreats all ready for us, made of cloaks and
things, in among the boulders and bushes. There were cups of delicious
hot tea, too; but we were not cold, and the most astonishing thing
about that whole grand day is, we did not feel stiff or the slightest
discomfort in any form after it. The tramp was long and the water
cold, and my own baths many. I might have saved myself, sometimes,
from going all the way down had I not been afraid of breaking my rod,
which I always held high when I fell.
Pages:
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412