100 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



looked behind me. The whole space between me and the copse 

 was untenanted, and I was forced to acknowledge, with a feeling 

 strongly allied to shame, that my fears alone had represented 

 the bear in chase of me. 



When I arrived in camp, and told my break-neck adventure to 

 the men, our young companion, Mr. Ashworth, expressed a wish 

 to go and kill the bear, and requested the loan of my double-bar- 

 relled gun for this purpose. This I at first peremptorily refused, and 

 the men, several of whom were experienced hunters, joined me in 

 urging him not to attempt the rash adventure. At length, how- 

 ever, finding him determined on going, and that rather than re- 

 main, he would trust to his own single gun, I was finally induced to of- 

 fer him mine, with a request, (which I had hoped would check his 

 daring spirit,) that he would leave the weapon in a situation 

 where I could readily find it; for afi;er he had made one shot, he 

 would never use a gun again. 



He seemed to heed our caution and advice but little, and, with 

 a dogged and determined air, took the way across the plain to 

 the- bushes, which we could see in the distance. I watched him 

 for some time, until I saw him enter them, and then, with a sigh 

 that one so young and talented should be lost from amongst us, 

 and a regret that we did not forcibly prevent his going, I sat 

 myself down, distressed and melancholy. We all listened anx- 

 iously to hear the report of the gun; but no sound reaching our 

 ears, we began to hope that he had failed in finding the animal, 

 and in about fifteen minutes, to my inexpressible relief, we saw 

 him emerge from the copse, and bend his steps slowly towards 

 us. When he came in, he seemed disappointed, and somewhat 

 angry. He said he had searched the bushes in every direction, 

 and although he had found numerous foot prints, no bear was to 

 be seen. It is probable that when I commenced my retreat in 

 one direction, bruin made off in the other, and that although he 

 was willing to dispute the ground with me, and prevent my 



