122 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTEIl. 



whoop followed, that made our blood run cold. The la- 

 dies present turned pale, and the commanding officer 

 who had charge of the Indians, somewhat astonished, left 

 the cabin. 



A momentary alarm seized upon us all. Could the 

 old warrior's death-song have incited mutiny !— Crack ! 

 went another rifle outside, — and another shout; — we 

 could stand it no longer, but rushed on deck. 



What a scene ! Not an Indian that was able, but 

 was upon his feet, his eyes sparkling with fire, and his 

 form looking as active as a panther's. The sluggards 

 of yesterday were sleek and nervous as horses at the 

 starting post, so perfectly h|d a little excitement altered 

 them. Their rifles, however, thank Heaven, were not 

 turned upon the white man — their enemy was between 

 the boat and the shore — in the water — in the form of a 

 very large black bear. 



It was a beautiful sight to see the savage springing 

 with a graceful bound, on some high place in the boat ; 

 and raise his rifle to his eye, ; — before the report was 

 heard you could mark a red furrow on the head of the 

 bear, where it was struck by the ball as it passed its 

 way through the skin and flesh without entering the 

 bone, while the bear, at these assaults, would throw him- 

 self half out of the water, brush over the smarting 

 wound with his huge paw, and then dash on for life. 

 Another shot, and another yell brought the bear on the 

 defensive, and showed that ho wa^; dangerously wounded. 



