A EACE FOE LIFE. 255 



me, and lying on my back, and letting my 

 feet go, was soon sliding down the smooth 

 snow, at a much quicker rate, than a bear 

 has ever yet gallopped. Having shot down 

 about a lumdred yards, I was brought up 

 by the snow in a larger ravine, which was 

 on a gentler incline, and on looking up, saw 

 my pursuer standing at the edge of the 

 ravine, where I had slid down from, hesi- 

 tating, and looking alternately at me and 

 her cubs, which had been left up above. 

 She seemed half inclined to come down after 

 me, but fortunately thovight better of it, and 

 turned back to meet her young ones. 



I shall never forget that race. I must 

 have run at least sixty yards, and slid down 

 the snow a hundred, yet I fancy the whole 

 did not occupy many seconds. Both bear 

 and cubs got away unscathed, for they were 

 far out of reach, before I could reload the 

 gun, as I had left the powder-flask on the 

 ground, behmd the ridge, where I had put 

 fresh powder in the nipple. 



On one occasion I was saved a mangling 



