THE SUDDEN ONSLAUGHT. 301 



that the unfortunate individual is killed with the first 

 blow of the Grisly's paw, but generally he escapes with a 

 few more or less severe wounds. His companions then 

 make a simultaneous rush on the formidable animal : some 

 seize him by the hind-paws and lift him up, which pre- 

 vents him from turning round, while the others stab him 

 with their knives. Frequently they kill him, and not 

 one of their number is seriously injured ; but occasionally 

 the Grisly proves victorious : he tears in pieces two or 

 three of the hunters, and the rest take flight. 



" It seemed to me possible to adopt the same strata- 

 gem. By all seating ourselves, and presenting to the 

 ferocious beast a resolute front, we should, perhaps, in- 

 timidate him, and prevent him from attacking us before 

 I had reloaded my weapon. 



" ' Seat yourselves ! seat yourselves ! ' I cried with all 

 my might, while I bent one knee to the ground, and pre- 

 pared to reload in case I should get an opportunity ; but 

 a swift glance around me showed that my men had all 

 saved themselves the moment they caught sight of 

 the Grisly, and had already climbed half up the hill 

 which separated us from the camp. Narcissus had 

 accompanied them in their flight, from a belief, as he 

 afterwards told me, that I should also run ; but I could 

 not have followed them, without losing ground, owning to 

 my want of agility. As he dared not turn his head to 

 look behind, poor Narcissus only discovered his mistake 

 when he had reached the encampment. 



" Thus, then, I alone remained to face the bear. 



" And not only was my gun unloaded, but more, while 

 digging out the trench I had handed to Narcissus my 

 hunting-knife, because it embarrassed me. I was, there- 



