462 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



we both proceeded to trace the track with great eagerness, 

 yet with caution. My cousin was not an experienced hunter, 

 but he was a good shot, and had a reputation for courage. I 

 did not doubt that he would prove an efficient aid in case of 

 a contest. 



" We had not long to follow the foot-marks. They led up 

 the mountain over some jagged and frightful masses of ice. 

 Suddenly, as we came to a clump of pines, by the side of se- 

 veral peaks of snow, we were in full view of a full-grown black 

 bear, one of the largest and fiercest-looking I had ever seen. 

 He was standing on his hind legs, and snapping at the limb 

 of a pine, near the edge of a precipice, which seemed to be 

 about fifty feet, nearly perpendicularly down. I fired, taking 

 a quick aim, and was surprised to see the bear making rapidly 

 towards me. There were two of us, and to run would have 

 been cowardly. I clubbed my carbine, and as the bear came 

 near me, aimed a tremendous blow at his head ; but he dodged, 

 the carbine was twisted out of my hands, and before I could 

 grasp my knife, the ferocious animal caught me by the shoul- 

 ders. Meanwhile Nino, upon whom I now relied, was seized 

 with a panic, unaccountable to me. He stood aghast. He 

 clasped his knife in one hand, but let his carbine drop. I 

 called out to him, to fire or stab, and save my life ; but he 

 made no movement to comply. I then struggled to get my 

 knife from its sheath. The bear growled fiercely and sank 

 its sharp claws deeper into my flesh. We fell and rolled over 

 and over until we came near the edge of the precipice. I 

 shrieked to my cousin for aid. He turned and fled down the 

 mountain ! I now considered that my end was near, and ceasing 

 to shout, I strove to get loose from the bear or clasp my knife. 

 We were on the very edge of the precipice. The cold drops 

 came on my v brow. Thank God ! I clasped the knife free of 

 its sheath, and drove it into the shoulder of my foe. He 

 growled more horribly, but clasped me convulsively, and 

 we fell ! I know not how long I remained unconscious. When 



