342 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST 



circumstances without a fire, I tore away part of the 

 back of my hunting shirt, the fore part being saturated 

 with blood, sprinkled some powder on it, rubbed it 

 well in, all with my right hand, shook a little powder 

 into my rifle, and placing the muzzle on the rag, I fired, 

 when it began to burn immediately. Blowing it up to 

 a flame, I piled on dry leaves, twigs, &c., and succeeded 

 in making a good fire, though with great pain and 

 trouble. It was now dark. I went to my dead com- 

 rade, who was lying about five yards from the fire. lie 

 was already stiff, and it was wdth great difliiculty that 

 I could pull down his arms and lay him straight ; nor 

 could I keep his eyes closed, though I laid small stones 

 on them. 



The dogs were very hungry, but as it was impossible 

 for me to break up the bear, I only ripped him up, and 

 fed them with his entrails. Bearsgrease laid himself 

 down by ilio corpse, lookiiig bieadfastly in its face, and 

 went no more near the bear. In the hope of obtaining 

 help, I loaded and fired twice, but nothing moved : the 

 forest appeared one enormous grave. 



I felt very ill, vomited several times, and my shoulder 

 was excessively painful. Winding my blanket round 

 me as well as I could, I laid myself down beside the 

 fire, and lost all consciousness of my wretched situation ; 

 whether I slept or fainted is more than I can tell, but 

 I know that I dreamed I was at home, in bed, and 

 my mother brought me some tea and laid her hand on 

 my breast ; I heard the children in the street making 

 a noise, and saw the snow on the roofs of the houses, 

 and thought it must be very cold out of doors. 



Such an awakening as I had was worse than I could 



