A hunter's life. 151 



So I took the best aim I knew how, and fired. Off went 

 the bear, by a circuitous route ; but I crossed him, and ran 

 BO close after hira, that I saw him turn a somerset, and fall 

 with his head toward me. 



I went up to hira, though I was really afraid ; and he 

 was, of all the bears I ever saw, before or since, much the 

 largest. I took hold of hira ; but, as I could not pull 

 him out of the place he lay in, I took out his entrails, and 

 rolled him over till the blood had drained out ; when I put 

 sticks across his body, to let the cool air in, as the day 

 was warm. I found I had sent the ball through the middle 

 of his heart. 



By this time, it being too dark to shoot, I left him, de- 

 termined to return home as soon as possible ; and I would 

 have gone home that night, though it was ten miles. 



The moon gave no light, and I was forced to go to my 

 camp, where I had already made a fire. As I was passing 

 through a thick laurel, my dog ran off in great haste ; and 

 soon after I heard him fighting with great fury. Finding 

 that it was a running fight, I left the laurel, and ran up 

 the swamp, to a clear place ; where the dog and bear ar- 

 rived just as I did. I could not see either ; but I heard a 

 scuffle, and found the bear was going up a tree. When he 

 was high enough, I saw him against the clouds, fired at 

 random, and down he came. He was a two-year old, and 

 as good as one of that age usually is. 



So Mary's hopes were fully realized in this hunt ; I 

 having killed three bears in about four hours, 



I went to the camp, roasted the liver of the last bear I 

 had killed, and ate my supper. As soon as it was day- 

 light I started for home, and arrived there in time to get 

 Mr. Hoye's two horses and his negro man to help me bring 

 in the bears. 



The following morning, the black man and I were off 

 betimes ; and we found the meat in good order, for the 

 weather had got cooler. We skinned all the bears, but we 



