144 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



skull, compared to wliich, adamant is not harder. . A 

 bullet, striking the bear's forehead, would flatten, if it 

 struck squarely on the solid bone, as if fired against a 

 rock : and dangerous indeed would it be to take the 

 chartpe of reaching the animal's heart. 



With these fearful odds against the hunter, the bear 

 approaches the caudle, growing every moment more sen- 

 sible of some uncommon intrusion. He reaches the 

 blaze, and raises his paw to strike it, or lifts his nose to 

 scent it, — either of which will extinguish it, and leave the 

 hunter and the bear in total darkness. 



This dreadful moment is taken advantage of — the 

 loud report of the rifle fills the cave with stunning noise 

 — and as the light disappears, the ball, if successfully 

 fired, penetrates the eye of the huge animal — the only 

 place where it would find a passage to the brain ; and 

 this not only gives the death-wound, but instantly par- 

 alyzes, that no temporary resistance may be made. 



On such fearful chances the American hunter perils 

 his life, and often thoughtlessly, courts the danger. 



