AN AMERICAN'S ADVENTURES. 281) 



beyond its usually very gentle pitch. They felt like the 

 avenging Greeks, and that their honor as fathers and 

 husbands was at stake. We beat all the bushes, hunted 

 all the caves, and scaled all the ledges, without stirring 

 a mouse. The dogs trotted along in front with their 

 ears down, as if no game were within a hundred miles ; 

 and the relatives of the stolen girl had begun to calculate 

 how nearly their relative could, by that time, have been 

 eaten, when one of our scouts ran in to say he had seen 

 the bear. Under his guidance we soon reached the spot, 

 and the dogs were let loose upon him without further 

 delay. He stood upon his hind legs, and dropped heavily 

 upon the dogs when they came within his reach, crush- 

 ing and strangling several. But one or two caught him 

 by the throat and stomach, and were only shaken off 

 after they had drawn blood in no stinted streams. 



'' The bear uttered angry growls and advanced slowly 

 upon us. Meanwhile the natives had set up crotches in 

 the ground on which to rest their light guns, in which 

 I took little stock, and were preparing to open fire on 

 liim when T interfered. My own heavier arm was loaded 

 with ball, and, after waiting till he had come within 

 modest range, I aimed over a crotch and fired, killing 

 him instantly. The dogs rushed upon him, and we had 

 to beat them off with our guns in order to get the body, 

 which was carried in state to the village, and a regular 

 feast inaugurated. The husband of the lost girl insisted 

 on an immediate autopsy ; but not a particle of his better 



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