300 A PANIC OF TERROR. 



periencecl a panic of terror, but preserved sufficient 

 presence of mind to keep up a huge fire. Our cattle 

 showed such violent alarm that they nearly planted them- 

 selves in the flames ; and it was, of course, the brilliancy 

 of the blazing pile which prevented the Grislys from 

 attacking them. 



"I now abandoned all hope of bringing down one of these 

 animals ; yet I was unwilling to regain the encampment 

 without securing some game to compensate me and my 

 men for our dreary and fruitless watch. We had already 

 crossed a ravine which separated us from the camp, when 

 a herd of deer darted past us through the thorny bushes ; 

 they ran and leaped as if under the influence of violent 

 terror. 



" Without thinking of what might have caused this 

 excess of alarm, I discharged my two barrels into the 

 midst of the troop, and brought down one of the largest ; 

 but scarcely had I removed the butt end of my gun from 

 my shoulder, when an enormous Grisly, issuing from the 

 underwood, marched slowly towards us. He was not 

 above a hundred yards off, so that I had no time to re- 

 load my rifle. 



" I was so overcome, I confess, with terror that, for a 

 few seconds, I remained completely motionless and un- 

 certain what I ought to do ; but I soon perceived that 

 there remained but one means of extricating ourselves 

 from this unpleasant position. 



" When the Redskins make an attack, with knife and 

 gun, upon the Grislys, they are accustomed to seat them- 

 selves, side by side, on the approach of the enemy. If the 

 animal be in an aggressive humour, he singles out one of 

 them, and pounces upon him. It does sometimes happen 



