MILITAR Y AD VENTURES. 269 



and conversation among them for the rest 

 of the day. 



I had not gone much further, before a 

 large bear jumped up with a loud surprised 

 snort out of some thick bushes ; he had 

 reason to be more surprised, when I 

 planted a bullet at the back of his ear as 

 he had the impudence to stop and look 

 round. He dropped like a stone and lay 

 there perfectly motionless, so much so, that 

 I was afraid to approach him for a time, 

 thinking it was but a trap to catch us, 

 many sportsmen having lost their lives by 

 running up to wounded animals, who, in 

 the mean time, partially recover, and then 

 their rage is fearful, and they shew no 

 mercy ; so we advanced very cautiously 

 on our friend bruin. I directed some of 

 the beaters to throw stones at him, when, 

 as he did not stir, I went up to him slowly 



