AN ESCAPE. 803 



tlie hnQters turned out on their best horses, and 

 by riding in a circle, formed a line which enabled 

 them to approach the bear on all sides. They 

 found the animal greedily feasting on the peas, 

 and shot him without his apparently caring for 

 their approach. We need hardly say the bucket 

 was empty. 



The following is taken from Sir John Kichard- 

 son's Fauna Boreali Americana : "A party of 

 voyagers, who had been employed all day in 

 tracking a canoe up the Saskatchewan, had 

 seated themselves in the bright light by a fire, 

 and were busy in preparing their supper, when 

 a large grizzly bear sprung over their canoe, 

 that was placed behind them, and seizing one 

 of the party by the shoulder, carried him off. 

 The rest fled in terror, with the exception of a 

 Metis, named Bourapo, who, grasping his gun, 

 followed the bear as it was retreating leisurely 

 with its prey. He called to his unfortunate 

 comrade that he was afraid of hitting him if he 

 fired at the bear, but the latter entreated him to 

 fire immediately, without hesitation, as the bear 

 was squeezing him to death. On this he took a 

 deliberate aim and discharged the contents of 

 his piece into the body of the bear, which in- 

 stantly dropped its prey to pursue Bourapo. 

 He escaped with difficulty, and the bear ultima- 

 tely retired to a thicket, where it was supposed 



