102 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



through the thick shrubbery; and judging from its size 

 that it was the animal whose life I sought, I raised my 

 rifle, pointed it as steadily as my palpitation would permit, 

 and banged away. When the echo of the report ceased 

 I heard a crashing of the bushes, and this was followed by 

 a painful, vicious growl. Moving forward cautiously, and 

 peering closely into the shrubbery, I saw the lover of ber- 

 ries stretched on its side and gasping violently, as if in 

 the throes of mortal dissolution. This induced me to lay 

 down my rifle, and seizing the fallen limb of a tree, which 

 was large, crooked, and unwieldy, I gave Bruin a tremen- 

 dous whack with it on the occipital region; but no sooner 

 was the blow given than the animal sprung up and charged 

 me. I raised the club to give it a second blow on the 

 head ; but the animal not only parried it with its paw, but 

 broke it short in my hand. Being unarmed, I concluded 

 to retreat; and I flatter myself that I did it in admirable 

 style, for I clambered rapidly over felled trees of large di- 

 mensions, leaped the smaller ones, and tore through the 

 thick undergrowth, which lashed my face with incisive 

 sharpness, until, in a short time, I reached a clump of the 

 many-trunked vine-maple, and up one of these I clambered 

 with a speed of which I afterward felt proud. 



The bear followed close on my track, and from its growls 

 I expected to be in its embraces every moment; but the 

 wound affected its coursing powers, and I was safe in my 

 perch before it reached the foot. I felt perfectly safe 

 where I was, as the trunk was too small for a bear to 

 climb; and the protruding tongue and deep gasps of my 

 pursuer proved that my leaden pill had sapped the vigor 

 of its frame. Had I been a hero of the chivalric school I 

 might have descended and ended the contest by a hand-to- 

 hand encounter ; but having scruples about risking my per- 

 son or my clothes, I was content to remain where I was, 

 and to shout for aid by yelling "hoo-oo-pee-ee," which the 

 woods re-echoed many times. In a few minutes — though 

 it seemed a long while to me — I heard an answering call, 

 and, in a short time after, the yelping of the curs. Bruin, 



