A BEAR IN THE WATER. 217 



of our large canoe; the men also were not in a 

 talking mood, being tired and hungry. I was 

 sitting on the side next the river and noticed a 

 black object which at first I mistook for a stone, 

 partly out of the water ; but with a second, and 

 more searching look, I made it out to be a bear 

 coming straight toward the canoe. 



I gave warning to the man in the bow, who 

 stood a few feet in front of me, and he imme- 

 diately gave a sharp tug on the tow line, which 

 checked the men ashore. The bear by this time 

 was about five or six yards from the canoe, and 

 just opposite me. I saw that nothing would 

 now stop him from climbing into and across the 

 canoe. Before he could place his paw on the 

 side of the bark the man in the bow made a 

 savage lunge at him with his pike pole, but be- 

 fore he could give a second blow the bear was 

 in on my side and out on the other, right across 

 our legs. Our men of the tow had run back, the 

 man in the stern being too far off to be of any 

 use, had the presence of mind to throw an arm- 

 ful of paddles, which being of maple, made for- 

 midable weapons. When the bear got out on the 

 shore side they rained blows upon blows with 

 the sharp blades of the paddles upon his head 

 and body as they could get a chance. The bow 

 man sprang ashore and lent his assistance with 

 his formidable pole, but marvelous as it may 



