14 MR. PALLISER'S STORY. 



to face her, she rose on her hind legs. I did not like, 

 however, to venture so long a shot, as I had only a single 

 barrelled rifle in my hand, and paused a moment ; when 

 she altered her intention, turned aside, and followed the 

 direction taken by her cub. I then caught a glimpse of 

 her, as she ran to the left, and fired through the bushes, 

 but only hit her far back in the flank, on which she im- 

 mediately checked her onward course, and wheeling round 

 and round, snapped at her side, tearing at the wound with 

 her teeth and claws, and, fortunately for me, afforded me 

 sufficient time to enable me to load again ; my ball was 

 hardly down, when a shout from Boucharville warned me 

 that the fight was only commencing. " Gardez-vouz, 

 gardez-vouz, Monsieur; elle fonce encore," and on she 

 furiously rushed at me. I had barely time to put on my 

 copper cap, and as she rose on her hind legs, I fired, and 

 eent my bullet through her heart. She doubled up, and 

 rolled from the top to the bottom of the slope, where she 

 expired with a choking growl. Boucharville now joined 

 me, but we did not venture to approach the enemy until 

 I had loaded, and we ascertained that she was safe dead, 

 by pelting sticks and stumps at the carcass. All this 

 time my noble horse stood as firm as a rock ; had he 

 reared or shied, I should have been in a serious scrape. 



I was greatly rejoiced at my good fortune. She proved 

 a fine old bear, measuring seven and a half feet long. We 



