FAMILIAR SCtlNES OX THE MlSSlsim. l'^3 



While this firing was going on, some Indians, armed 

 only with knives, hiunehcd a canoe that lay among their 

 movables, and paddled hurriedly out to the bear. No 

 sooner was the canoe^ within the bear's reach than he put 

 his huge paws on its side, and in spite of the thrusts aimed 

 at his head, turned his enemies with a somerset into the 

 water. Loud shouts of laughter greeted this accident ; 

 the little " papooses " and women fairly danced with joy, 

 while the crew yelled and shouted at the sport, as much 

 as the savages themselves. 



The bear turned from the boat and looked for his 

 victims, but they were not to be seen ; precipitated so 

 suddenly into the water, they sank below the surface 

 like the duck when much alarmed, and then thrust out 

 their shining polls ftir from the friendly hug of the 

 bear. 



Laying their plans of attack at once (for the firing 

 of rifles was suspended), one of the Indians attracted 

 the bear's attention, and made towards him ; they met, 

 the floating canoe only between them, and while thus skir- 

 mishing, an unoccupied Indian came up behind the bear, 

 raised his knife, and drove it deeply into his side, and 

 thcji disappeared beneath the surface. The bear turned 

 in the direction of this new attack, snapped and clawed 

 in the water in the greatest agony. Another stab was 

 given in the same way, and as the Indian again disap- 

 peared, a " white hunter,'' who had been heretofore an 

 uninterested spectator, sprang upon the guards of the 



