144 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 
skull, compared to which, adamant is not harder. A 
bullet, striking the bear’s forehead, would flatten, if it 
struck squarely on the solid bone, as if fired against a 
rock; and dangerous indeed would it be to take the 
chance of reaching the animal’s heart. 
With these fearful odds against the hunter, the bear 
approaches the candle, growing every moment more sen- 
sible of some uncommon intrusion. He reaches the 
blaze, and raises his paw to strike it, or lifts his nose to 
scent it,—either of which will extinguish it, and leave the 
hunter and the bear in total darkness. 
This dreadful moment is taken advantage of—the 
loud report of the rifle fills the cave with stunning noise 
—and as the light disappears, the ball, if successfully 
fired, penetrates the eye of the huge animal—the only 
place where it would find a passage to the brain ; and 
this not only gives the death-wound, but instantly par- 
alyzes, that no temporary resistance may be made. 
On such fearful chances the American hunter perils 
his life, and often thoughtlessly, courts the danger. 
