FOREST LIFE. 141 



venturous Harrison, and attacked him from behind with great 

 ferocity. Jacob turned upon the new foe, and wielded his trusty 

 weapon with sucli energy and success, that in a short time he 

 deprived lier of one of her fore paws by a kicky stroke, and com- 

 pletely disabled her eventually by a desperate cut across the 

 neck, which divided the tendons and severed the spinal vertebrae. 

 Having completed his conquest (in achieving which he found the 

 sword a better weapon than the ax, the animal being unable to 

 knock it from his hand, every attempt to do so being followed by 

 a wound), he had ample time to dispatch the imprisoned cub at 

 leisure. 



" During the time this stirring and dangerous scene we have 

 related was enacting, war was going on in equally bloody and 

 vigorous style at a short distance. Mr. Burke, having discharged 

 his gun at the other old bear, only slightly wounded him ; the 

 enraged Bruin sprang at him with a furious howl. He was met 

 with a blow from the butt-end of the foAvling-piece. At the 

 first stroke the stock flew in pieces, and the next the heavy bar- 

 rel was hurled a distance of twenty feet among the underwood 

 by a side blow from, the dexterous paw of the bear. Mr. Burke 

 then retreated a few feet and placed his back against a large 

 Hemlock, followed the while closely by the bear, but, being ac- 

 quainted with the nature of the animal and his mode of attack, 

 he drew a large hunting-knife from his belt, and, placing his arms 

 by his side, coolly awaited the onset. 



" The maddened brute approached, growling and gnashing his 

 teeth, and with a savage spring encircled the body of the hunter 

 and the tree in his iron gripe. The next moment the flashing 

 blade of the coiUeau cliassc tore his abdomen, and his smoking 

 entrails rolled upon the ground. At this exciting crisis of the 

 struggle, the other man, accompanied by the dog, came up in 

 time to witness the triumphal close of the conflict. 



" Two old bears and a cub were the fruits of this dangerous 



