98 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



narrow escape of sticking fast. The swamp was quite 

 impassable. 



The bear continually elevated his muzzle and sniffed 

 the air, and I thought that he winded two or three ducks 

 which I had recently killed. I therefore took them from 

 my belt and threw them down, hoping to gain time ; and 

 as I retired I drew the shot from my gun, and substi- 

 tuted two bullets in each barrel, with six drams of powder 

 behind them. The bullets I fortunately made it a habit 

 to always carry with me in case I should meet with deer. 



I saw the bear stop to maul the ducks, and congratu- 

 lating myself on the ruse which had succeeded in delaying 

 him, I hastened to get round the swamp. The bear must 

 have caught sight of me, for suddenly he came after me 

 with surprising nimbleness. I cannot say what my feel- 

 ings were, but a sort of furious fear took possession of 

 me, and stimulated me to strive to save my life. I fired 

 full at the bear's chest when he was about twenty paces 

 distant. He fell, but got up again, as I have noticed 

 that animals often do when merely shot through the 

 lungs, and blood was dripping from his mouth. I 

 suppose I realised, on the spur of the moment, that 

 nothing but coolness could make my last poor chance a 

 whining one. I know that fear (I may as well confess it) 

 made my aim a desperately sure one. The head of the 

 bear was not six feet from the muzzle of the gun when I 

 fired the second barrel, and it killed him instantly. In 

 fact the head was shattered, and part of the brain 

 blown out. What a sigh of relief I gave ! I think I 

 realised the feeling of a bird when it escapes the trap ; 

 of a fly when it breaks from the web just in the nick of 

 time to escape the rushing spider. 



I hope I shall be excused for giving such a minute 

 account of this combat. It was my first serious adven- 

 ture with a formidable animal, and I was boyishly proud 

 of my success, and of the astonished praise of my com- 

 panions. 



