234 FORTY-FOIR YEARS OP 



jumped over him the second time ; when Knox, being 

 uneasy for my safety, let the dog go, which took my place, 

 and the fight continued for several minutes on pretty equal 

 terms. After awhile, finding that the dog began to grow 

 tired, and the contest becoming close, I took my knife, and 

 with one stab put an end to the fight, to the great astonish- 

 ment of Mr. Knox, who told that story to many people, 

 with great interest. 



Things went on snugly until the hunting season returned, 

 when I took ray gun, and a fine hunting dog (for I never 

 kept one that I could not risk my life on), and went to the 

 Meadow Mountain, just as the chesnuts were falling. I 

 traveled until about four o'clock, but found nothing except 

 chesnuts. At last, being a little tired, I set my gun 

 against a tree, laid down ray blanket and provisions, and 

 commenced gathering nuts. I shuffled round and round, 

 until I filled all my pockets ; when, being satisfied with 

 what I had secured, I rose up to leave the place. As I 

 did so, however, I saw a full-grown bear on the other side 

 of the same tree under which I was gathering nuts, pick- 

 ing up and eating them also. It being but a step to my 

 gun, I soon had it in my possession, and fired at him as 

 quickly as possible. The bear fell, when I leaped on him 

 like a panther, and drove my knife deep into his side before 

 he had time to recover. This bear could certainly not 

 have been under the tree when I arrived, or I surely would 

 have seen hira ; but he raust have come while I was busy 

 looking for the nuts. He must also have been fully 

 engaged in looking for and eating nuts ; for neither he, 

 nor the dog, nor myself, had any knowledge of each other's 

 presence, until, being ready to leave, I rose up on my feet, 

 when I saw him within five steps of me. 



T took out his entrails, hung up the carcass, and set off 

 again on the route that I had planned for my hunt before 

 leaving home, which was to scour the south side of the 



