224 ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



as though imploring mercy, while the old one came again 

 to his rescue and struck bruin a heavy blow in the back. 



I now began to feel sorry for the grizzly, as he could no 

 longer raise himself upon his haunches, and so I gave the 

 old bull a shot through the heart, just as he was making 

 another charge upon his fallen foe. The bear paid no atten- 

 tion to the shot, but seemed determined to have satisfaction 

 out of his remaining enemy, though the young bull seemed 

 willing to give up the struggle and depart in peace, taking 

 warning perhaps from the fate of his friend. 



Picking himself up as best he could, bruin made another 

 attack, dealing the young buffalo a blow on the top of its 

 head which staggered it. The bear now lay upon his back 

 a mass of gore, evidently dying, and the bull had received 

 a blow from which he could not recover. I then walked 

 up close to them, and out of sympathy shot the bear through 

 the brain. The bull was still standing, throwing his head up 

 and down, the blood pouring from his nose and ears, so I 

 released him from an existence which had certainly become 

 unendurable, and saw him stagger and fall over the body of 

 the bear. 



This was one of the bloodiest battles between animals 

 I have ever witnessed, and was maintained on both sides 

 with equal courage and determination. The combatants had 

 fought with all the strength and ferocity of their savage 

 natures. "He who fights and runs away may live to fight 

 another day." Animals seldom possess this element of cow- 

 ardice when contending for their rights, or when satisfying 

 the demands of appetite. I stood looking upon the remains 

 until my heart grew sick within me, then mounted my faith- 

 ful pony, and was soon flying down the valley. 



At nightfall I drew rein near the spot where Fort Smith 

 used to stand, refreshed myself with a few mouthfuls of sup- 



