THE BLACK BEAR. 93 



rather pleased with myself, as it was my first actual contest 

 with the plantigrade, and I had come off better than I could 

 expect. True, I had every advantage over the slain ; but 

 one forgets that in his pleasure at having killed a danger- 

 ous wild animal that has caused him any injury. 



Before leaving the spot I commenced shouting for help, 

 and in about fifteen minutes a young brave came up. I ex- 

 plained to him what had occurred, but he was content with 

 saying " masatchee itsoot" which might be translated that 

 it was either a bad or a dangerous bear. 



As I wished to return to camp at once, I told him to 

 have the animal brought in when his party returned home; 

 but he objected to my walking to the village, and said he 

 would take me down in a canoe which was concealed in the 

 bushes below the jam of logs in the river. I accepted his 

 proposal gladly, and was soon dashing down the stream at a 

 headlong pace; but my misfortunes for the day were not 

 over, for, in passing under a huge fir which stretched across 

 the river, I did not stoop low enongh, and received, as a 

 consequence, a fearful bump in the forehead which almost 

 threw me backward, and made me see a greater variety of 

 van-colored stars than are to be found in the firmament. 



What with my arm and splitting headache, I was in any- 

 thing but a pleasant mood; hence the wild and luxuriant 

 forest scenery which was everywhere visible was lost to me. 

 I was glad, indeed, when I reached the village, and had an 

 opportunity of changing my garments and taking a stretch 

 on the humble pallet of straw in my small tent. The young 

 fellow who was so kind to me returned to his companions 

 when I stepped ashore, but, before going, he told one of the 

 women that I was wounded, and she gave me a glance in 

 which there was more of curiosity than sympathy. 



After resting for an hour or more, I went out to get 

 some water with which to bathe my arm, as it was painful 

 and very stiff; and while on my way to the river I met an 

 old chief, and in response to his queries as to what ailed 

 me, I told him, in a few words, in Chinook. He asked me 

 to accompany him to his cabin and he would attend to the 



