506 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



creased number of his pursuers. But, as he is heated by the 

 effort of climbing, and by the fall, though bears from their 

 form and also the nature of their covering, fall with much less 

 injury than any other animals of the same weight, he is much 

 more annoyed by the dogs than before. This makes him 

 take to a tree again for refuge. He then climbs as high as 

 it will bear him, and endeavors to conceal himself among the 

 thick foliage. The hunter now strikes against the trunk of 

 the tree as if he were felling it, which soon puts the bear in 

 motion. He makes his way to the extremity of a long and 

 lofty branch, at which he draws himself partially into the 

 form of a ball, and drops down often from such a height as 

 that he rebounds up again for several feet, as if he were an 

 elastic substance. He rises again from his fall, still uninjured, 

 and seeks safety by flight as before. His exertions are, how- 

 ever, so much greater than those of his pursuers, that, what- 

 ever may be his strength, they in time wear him out, and he 

 is ultimately shot, either when standing up to give battle to 

 the dogs, or when attempting to hide himself behind the trunk 

 of a tree. Such is the mode of bear-hunting where there are 

 trees ; but, in the large open prairies, he runs much farther, 

 and the hunt is one of greater ardor, unless when he is shot 

 at an early stage. But, if the marksman is not skilful, shooting 

 is rather a dangerous matter while the bear is unexhausted, 

 as the pain arouses all his strength, and arms him with the 

 most desperate powers of revenge, so that he would be too 

 much both for dogs and hunter. 



In the neighborhood of the Red river, the grizzly bears are 

 very numerous. The chief of a tribe of Indians was returning 

 home from a general council, and had lingered behind his 

 men. When not very far from his hut, he met a bear and 

 two cubs, and knowing the ferocious nature of the animals, 

 was considerably alarmed. 



They were so close, however, that he could not escape : 

 and having no alternative, he attacked them, thinking that 



