A hunter's LIFE. 217 



tanced both John and Sam. On I went, leaping every old 

 log, until at last having to jump a high log, and seeing a 

 small tree on the other side of it, I made a spring, in order 

 to clear the large log, let one foot strike the small one, 

 and then pass on. But the small log being very smooth 

 and icy, the moment my left foot touched it, up went my 

 heels as high as my head, and down I came with my 

 whole weight across my fine rifle, which was broken oflF in 

 my hand. 



When I rose, my rifle was in two pieces, and the lock 

 hanging by one screw I stopped about a minute, until 

 the others came up, when we set off at a more moderate 

 gait, and soon came up to the dogs, expecting to find a 

 huge bear ; but we could see no bear at all. I looked 

 high up in the tree which the dogs were barking under, 

 and there sat a two-year old bear, hid among the limbs of 

 the spruce-pine. One of the boys shot it ; and while they 

 were taking out the entrails, I sat down on a log, and tied 

 up my broken gun with a coarse tow string. It was com- 

 pletely ruined, though the lock stuck to its place, and the 

 gun would fire every time it was tried. 



After they had got the little bear ready, I took the first 

 turn, shouldered him, and, picking up my broken gun, set 

 ofi" for the camp. We walked on half a mile or so, when 

 looking up to the right, on a high blufi", I there saw a very 

 large buck, which was staring steadily at us. I laid down 

 the bear, without thinking of my gun being broken, and 

 slipped up the steep hill, by which time the buck had 

 walked out of sight. When I came to the top of the bill, 

 I looked after him, and saw him standing fair, and at a 

 good distance, 



I raised my gun, but the string around it prevented me 

 from taking sight; yet, knowing that I must shoot quick 

 or not at ^W, I leveled the barrel as well as I could, and 

 19 



