388 TEETOTALERS. 



the bold front assumed by Elg, who brandished the Skidor- 

 stick his only weapon in her face, and the spirited attacks 

 of the dogs, she thought better of the matter, and presently 

 beat a retreat. Had it so happened that the man had 

 actually fired, and only wounded her, it is probable, from the 

 determination she displayed on the somewhat slight provo- 

 cation received, he would hardly have escaped a broken head. 

 Whilst in this very disagreeable position, Elg, as he told me, 

 was momentarily expecting assistance from me ; and it cer- 

 tainly was not from the want of inclination that I was not 

 by his side in the emergency. 



The shot I had heard was fired by Elg, almost immediately 

 after he had been attacked by the old bear, at one of the cubs 

 which he described as being nearly of the size of its dam 

 whilst they were all retreating in company ; but the distance, 

 he said, was so considerable, that he doubted if his bullet 

 took effect. * 



It was now night, and consultation was held as to what 

 was to be done. To bivouac in the forest would have been 

 unpleasant ; for we had no axe, and without one it would 

 have been impossible to prepare a proper watch-fire. To 

 proceed to Hallsby, the hamlet spoken of as the rendezvous 

 for the following morning, was the only other course open 

 to us ; but from thence we were seven or eight miles distant, 

 and for the great part of the way we had to traverse a track- 

 less and tangled forest. Nevertheless, as the minor evil, we 

 decided on its adoption. 



After taking a dram which, let teetotalers say what they 

 will, was, in our wearied and dispirited condition, most 

 beneficial we started forward. But considerable difficulty 

 was experienced in groping our way amongst the prostrate 



