Hunting the Grisly. 33 1 



would be found. On rounding the corner of a small 

 washout he almost ran over a bear which was feeding on 

 the carcass of a steer that had died in an alkali hole. 

 After a moment of stunned surprise the bear hurled him-_ 

 self at the intruder with furious impetuosity ; while the 

 cowboy, wheeling his horse on its haunches and dashing 

 in the spurs, carried it just clear of his assailant's headlong 

 rush. After a few springs he reined in and once more 

 wheeled half round, having drawn his revolver, only to 

 find the bear again charging and almost on him. This 

 time he fired into it, near the joining of the neck and 

 shoulder, the bullet going downwards into the chest hol- 

 low ; and again by a quick dash to one side he just avoided 

 the rush of the beast and the sweep of its mighty fore- 

 paw. The bear then halted for a minute, and he rode 

 close by it at a run, firing a couple of shots, which brought 

 on another resolute charge. The ground was somewhat 

 rugged and broken, but his pony was as quick on its feet 

 as a cat, and never stumbled, even when going at full speed 

 to avoid the bear's first mad rushes. It speedily became 

 so excited, however, as to render it almost impossible for 

 the rider to take aim. Sometimes he would come up close 

 to the bear and wait for it to charge, which it would do, 

 first at a trot, or rather rack, and then at a lumbering but 

 swift gallop ; and he would fire one or two shots before 

 being forced to run. At other times, if the bear stood 

 still in a good place, he would run by it, firing as he rode. 

 He spent many cartridges, and though most of them were 

 wasted, occasionally a bullet went home. The bear fought 

 with the most savage courage, champing its bloody jaws, 



