THIRTY YEARS A IICNTER. 131 



there. I was just beginning to think of retreating, 

 when I thonght I would throw one more ; picking 

 up a large stone, 1 threw it and hit him on the fore- 

 head. He raised himself on his hind feet, uttered a 

 savage growl and rushed furiously towards me. 1 

 ran to the logs, caught up my axe and sprang upon a 

 pair of timber wheels, which were eleven feet high. 

 Before springing upon the wheels I looked around 

 and saw him close at my heels. I raised my axe, in- 

 tending to plunge it into his brain ; but in the excite- 

 ment missed my aim, and the handle struck his feet, 

 which caused him to give another cry of pain. I was 

 now on the wheels, and took off my hat and shook it 

 at him, causing him to step back a little. I saw 

 death staring me in the face. I knew their nature so 

 well, and knew that if he got hold of me, he would 

 not relinquish his hold until I was dead ; but soon he 

 began to move slowly off, looking around every few 

 steps to observe my movements. When he had gone 

 about two rods I started the oxen, which were hitched 

 to the timber wheels, with a log loaded. As soon as 

 I saw the bear strike the trail I got off and hastened 

 to my brother's house, where I lived, to procure a 

 gun. lie had frightened me worse than I ever was 

 before or since, and I wanted to take revenge. The 

 house was a little more than half a mile distant, and 

 1 reached it in a very short time. When I arrived 

 there, my sister inquired why I looked so pale, and 

 if I was sick? 1 told her ; and taking my gun, toma- 

 hawk, and a hunting knife, started in a direction to 

 strike the trail about half a mile from the river, in 



