CARNARIA. CARNIVORA. 53 



and upon coming to the spot saw two monstrous 

 Grizzly Bears up in the tree- tops, and one on the 

 ground, besides one which was looking out of a cave 

 in the rocks. Concealing themselves by a small 

 eminence, they were able to approach within forty 

 paces unperceived. Two of the hunters fired at the 

 nearest, and killed him. One man ascended the 

 eminence, and fired at one of the large bears in the 

 tree, and broke his shoulder ; but this did not pre- 

 vent his jumping down and giving him chase. The 

 hunter sprang instantly behind a tree, and just had 

 time to reload, when the animal came up to him, 

 gnashing his teeth, and walking erect, standing as 

 high as his head. He levelled his gun at the crea- 

 ture, actually within reach of the muzzle, and put 

 a ball through its heart, but in its dying agonies the 

 hunter got badly wounded. 



" Another man ascended the lower branch of a 

 gigantic sycamore, but before he had time to level 

 his piece the bear sprang from the top on to him, 

 and with one blow of his paw killed him. Both 

 came to the ground together ; the bear sprang up 

 and ran furiously with open mouth upon two of the 

 hunters who had not fired. They fired instantly 

 and ran. He gained upon them so fast that they 

 threw aside their guns and pouches, and jumped 

 from a perpendicular bank twenty feet high, into 

 the river, and the bear after them. He was very 

 near the hindmost man, when one of the hunters 

 on the bank shot him through the head. After re- 

 loading and procuring axes, the party again pro- 



