104 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



fired, and rolled him over, with a ball in the hind 

 quarters ; but giving vent to his indignation by a 

 savage roar, he instantly recovered his legs, anA 

 came straight at us. Being perceived by some of 

 the rest, a straggling volley was directed against 

 him, and he disappeared, having fallen, as we 

 thought, killed, although, from the broken nature 

 of the ground, he remained hidden from our view. 

 Then there was a general rush to secure the prize, 

 and on we all pressed in a body up the gully, 

 clambering over the loose rocks and boulders in no 

 little confusion, when suddenly a tremendous roar 

 was heard in the front, and most unexpectedly a 

 huge mass of black fur came rolhng amongst us, 

 capsizing three or four in its course. I was a little 

 behind, and could not fire on account of those in 

 front, some of whom, appalled by the awful noise, 

 fairly turned tail ; but Fred, who was directly in 

 the line of the charge, let drive right and left 

 almost simultaneously from the hip, for the bear 

 being almost upon him, he had not time to raise 

 his rifle to the shoulder, and both shots taking 

 efi'ect in the chest, with a noise between a grunt 



