242 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



sently both the man and the beai* were hidden from 

 sight by a chimp of large oaks, and in a moment 

 afterwards I heard a double shot from the Virgi- 

 nian's gun. 



Unwilling to miss my share of the sport, and 

 determined to come up "with the bear, I gave my 

 horse his head, and drove my spurs into his sides. 

 The brute shot off like an arrow, and in a few 

 seconds I found myself on the other side of the 

 clump of oaks face to face with the bear, whose ribs 

 had been broken by the shots of my companion. 

 The animal was writhing in agony and bellowing 

 like a mad creature, grinding his teeth with rage, 

 and displaying the red interior of as formidable 

 a pair of jaws as ever I saw. 



This spectacle seemed to change my horse to 

 marble, as if fright had paralysed him completely. 

 His body instantaneously broke out into a cold 

 sweat that dropped off him like rain; his nostrils 

 were distended, and his eyes grew wild and fixed. 

 The shock of the sudden stoppage was terrible, but 

 I managed to keep on, and endeavoured with whip 

 and spur to make the creature move. It was all 

 in vain ; there he stood motionless, and a slight 

 tremor of the muscles was the onl}^ recognition 

 of the punishment which I could get from him. 

 Fui'ious at his obstinacy, I struck him over the 

 head with my rifle, but it was of not the slightest 

 use. 



