422 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



as the sense of hearing and smell of the grizzly beast are 

 very acute. As Martin approached, the animal made a fierce 

 plunge at him ; but he dodged aside and struck it just be- 

 neath the shoulder. Still the victory was doubtful ; for the 

 bear clutched the hunter round the waist, and squeezed him 

 like an iron vice. Groaning with pain, Martin still had 

 enough presence of mind to make several deep stabs in the 

 side of the bear, and in a few seconds the animal fell back 

 upon the rock, dead. 



Martin had fairly earned his prize, although it weighed at 

 least twelve hundred pounds. He was almost exhausted by 

 the conflict. His breast and back were torn by the claws of 

 the bear. In that region, every man must be his own phy- 

 sician and surgeon, and our hunter being accustomed to such 

 wounds, soon had them dressed to his own satisfaction. Then 

 skinning the bear, and cutting off the best portions of the 

 meat, he repacked his mule, and resumed his journey. 



Martin was a very successful hunter. But he got tired of 

 a solitary life in the mountains ; and, at length, returned to 

 the haunts of civilization, settled down in Kentucky. He 

 did not lose his love of sport, however ; for he soon became 

 renowned as a hunter of the opossum and the raccoon. On 

 the frosty autumn nights, Martin would be abroad with guns 

 and dogs, and he had the reputation of never returning with- 

 out plenty of game. The neighbors thought it was wonderful. 

 But he considered opossum hunting mere play. 



