A HUNTKR'S LIFE. 91 



have the wind of the thicket, and sent the oldest dog into 

 the swamp to raise the game. In he went ; but he was 

 scarcely out of my sight, when I heard the fight begin. 

 Then off went the young dog and the best one also. I 

 found the old dog had not stopped the bear, but as soon 

 as the young fellow closed in, I found there was hard 

 fighting going on, and therefore I ran as fast as I could ii 

 the direction of the battle. When I came up, I saw the 

 fellow on a small tree, just out of reach of the dogs. The 

 noise I made in rushing through the bushes attracted his 

 attention ; and, as he saw me coming, he let go his hold, 

 and dropped down, when the dogs immediately attacked 

 him. I ran the muzzle of my gun against him, and sent 

 a ball whizzing through the middle of his body, but too 

 far back to save a hard fight. As the gun fired, the dogs 

 closed on him, and the fight became desperate, first one 

 dog crying out and then the other. 



I had lost my gun in the weeds, and I had no means of 

 defending my dogs, except with a large knife in my belt, 

 which I drew, but not till I vainly tried to find a club. 

 My dogs were getting the worst of the battle ; and while 

 he had one of them on the ground, and was biting him 

 badly, I ran up and made a lunge at him, but, like my 

 shot, it struck him too far back, and only entered his liver. 

 Still, he fought on, though my stroke released the dog, 

 who rose and went at him again ; but as the bear attempted 

 to go under a log that was raised a little off the ground, 

 the sound dog caught him by the nose, while the other 

 seized him by the ham. Both held fast ; and he being 

 tightly wedged between the log and the ground, I ran 

 upon him with my knife, and dealt him two or three severe 

 blows, which finished him. I expect he would have given 

 myself and my dogs a harder tussel, if, somehow or other, 

 during the fight, hi, had not broken one of his hind legs, 

 which gave us the advantage. 



