108 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



my affair with the bear. lie smiled, and translated 

 my account to the others, who also showed interest in 

 my adventure. 



The chief then told me that it was highly dangerous 

 for any one unused to these encounters to risk such a 

 fight, and that it was necessary to spring quickly hack 

 after the thrust, the dying hear having sometimes suc- 

 ceeded in killing his enemy. lie took particular notice 

 of my double-barrelled gun and hunting-knife, and said 

 that he had never before seen two barrels joined to- 

 gether, lie spoke English better than I did, and, 

 what was very agreeable, he spoke slowly. 



The Indians belonged to the Choctaw tribe, and 

 were come out of Arkansas in search of game. As 

 night came on, fires were burning all around us, and 

 the women, among whom were some beautiful figures, 

 cooked the suppers, while the men quietly smoked 

 their pipes. Finding the Indian fashion of staring at 

 the fire rather tedious, I made several attempts to en- 

 gage the chief in conversation, but only received short 

 answers, so that at last there was nothing left for it but 

 to play the Indian, and maintain a dignified silence. 



At length we retired to rest. I slept on a bear-skin 

 beside the fire, in front of the chief's tent. Before 

 sunrise, I was awakened by the noise and songs of (lie 

 Indians, who were preparing for a shooting excursion. 

 I jumped up, and was getting ready to join them, but 

 soon remembered that, with my ragged coat, 1 could 

 not venture among the thorns; 1 .-hotild have been 

 caught every moment. I showed it to one of the 

 young men. he immediately ran oil', and soon re- 

 turned with a sort of coat, or rather hunting-shirt, 



