14 Hunting the Grisly 



run, firing a couple of shots, which brought 

 on another resolute charge. The ground was 

 quite rugged and broken, but his pony was 

 as quick on its feet as a cat, and never stum 

 bled, even when going at full speed to avoid 

 the bear s first mad rushes. It speedily be 

 came so excited, however, as to render it al 

 most impossible for the rider to take aim. 

 Sometimes he would come up close to the 

 bear and wait for it to charge, which it would 

 do, first at a trot, or rather rack, and then at 

 a lumbering but swift gallop; and he would 

 fire one or two shots before being forced to 

 run. At other times, if the bear stood still 

 in a good place, he would run by it, firing 

 as he rode. He spent many cartridges, and 

 though most of them were wasted, occasion 

 ally a bullet went home. The bear fought 

 with the most savage courage, champing its 

 bloody jaws, roaring with rage, and looking 

 the very incarnation of evil fury. For some 

 minutes it made no effort to flee, either charg 

 ing or standing at bay. Then it began to 

 move slowly toward a patch of ash and wild 

 plums in the head of a coulie, some distance 

 off. Its pursuer rode after it, and when close 

 enough would push by it and fire, while the 

 bear would spin quickly round and charge as 



