FAMILIAR SCENES ON THE MISSISIPPI. 123 
While this firing was going on, some Indians, armed 
only with knives, launched a canoe that lay among their 
movables, and paddled hurriedly out to the bear. No 
sooner was the canoe within the bear’s reach than he put 
his huge paws on its side, and in spite of the thrusts aimed 
at his head, turned his enemies with a somerset into the 
water. Loud shouts of laughter greeted this accident; 
the little ‘ papooses”” and women fairly danced with joy, 
while the crew yelled and shouted at the sport, as much 
as the savages themselves. 
The bear turned from the boat and looked for his 
victims, but. they were not to be seen; precipitated so 
suddenly into the water, they sank below the surface 
like the duck when much alarmed, and then thrust out 
their shining polls far from the friendly hug of the 
bear. 
Laying their plans of attack at once (for the firing 
of rifles was suspended), one of the Indians attracted 
the bear’s attention, and made towards him; they met, 
the floating canoe only between them, and while thus skir- 
mishing, an unoccupied Indian came up behind the bear, 
raised his knife, and drove it deeply into his side, and 
then disappeared beneath the surface. The bear turned 
in the direction of this new attack, snapped and clawed 
in the water in the greatest agony. Another stab was 
given in the same way, and as the Indian again disap- 
peared, a“ white hunter,’’ who had been heretofore an 
uninterested spectator, sprang upon the guards of the | 
