DESPERATE STRUGGLE. 309 



of his wild relation was a counterpart to his ; the 

 expression of either was not highly indicative of 

 brotherly love : the looking aloft certainly did not 

 possess observers with Christian intentions. 



Ten, more probably eight yards intervened be- 

 tween us ; my gun was pointed for his heart ; bang 

 went one barrel, but the foe did not fall ; rapid as 

 lightning the left was put in and the huge creature 

 fell. Stepping a few paces back I hastened to load ; 

 the right bullet went down smoothly, but the left was 

 obstreperous. The temporarily suspended animation 

 in my antagonist was rapidly becoming restored ; 

 the more I hurried the worse I succeeded, and, while 

 making renewed efforts, the bear gained his feet. 

 In an instant he comprehended the situation and 

 sprang at me. The right barrel was fired without my 

 gun being brought to my shoulder; for an instant 

 the assailant staggered, but only for an instant, and 

 I received a blow that knocked me almost out of 

 time, sending my gun from my hands with the 

 rapidity of electricity. However, I avoided for a 

 second the effort that was made to lay hold of me ; 

 the next instant my right hand drew my revolver ; 

 one two shots were fired in rapid succession into 

 the creature's mouth and chest, which was almost 

 within touching distance, when he heeled over, 

 quivered for a moment, gave several convulsive 

 struggles, and what had possessed animation became 

 a corpse. 



My escape was a close one, and I sat down 



