272 BIG GAME OF NORTH AMERICA. 



or the Colonel and I would have killed the Bear while 

 crossing here. It will never stop, nor return here, unless 

 all noise ceases. I will follow the dogs, and endeavor to 

 head the Bear from running up the Little Missouri. Par- 

 son, you and Howell take down the Ouachita, and if you 

 hear the dogs fighting close, make for the dogs; but, for 

 God's sake, do no more yelling. And you, Colonel, stay 

 back, and if you hear the dogs returning, dash back to this 

 place. The Bear will cross back, if it is not shot." 



With these injunctions, he was soon lost to view, and I 

 shouted to the Parson and Howell to "hold on for a 

 moment." Pulling out my canteen, I said, " If there ever 

 was a time in your lives that you needed spiritual revival, 

 it is now; " and I handed it to them. A deep swig by both, 

 and soon they were out of sight, while I rode slowly down 

 the road. It was only a few miles down to the junction of 

 the two rivers, which was almost inaccessible, on account 

 of the bluff banks below. 



Half an hour elapsed, with the roar of the pack all the 

 time ringing in my ears, and if any man thinks it was easy 

 for me to sit there and listen to it, he has never ridden to 

 hounds when they were in red-hot pursuit of a big, hungry 

 Bear. After awhile the sound died away, and I could hear 

 nothing of dogs or hunters. It was growing fearfully cold; 

 tlie snow was at least three inches deep, and the woods were 

 fast becoming an iceberg. A more disagreeable day a lot 

 of hunters never endured. 



It recalled to my mind the memorable time in the life 

 of the immortal Davy Crockett, when he had to climb a tall 

 sapling, on the banks of the Obion River of Tennessee, and 

 slide down it all night, to let the friction warm him to the 

 point of not freezing. 



Late in the afternoon, I thought I heard the sound of a 

 gun, and after some time the notes of old Kate could be 

 distinguished. The Bear was evidently making back. 



Then I heard nothing more for an hour, when another 

 gun broke the blast of the storm. Soon old Kate's note 

 came plainly, followed by those of the whole pack. These 



