JOE'S FIGHT WITH THE BEAR. 67 



moment. He was sitting upright, and eating berries 

 from a bush. We fired nearly at the same moment, and 

 both balls took effect, but did not inflict a mortal wound. 

 The monster groaned with pain, jumped aside, and seeing 

 Joe before him, dashed upon him 



"Do yourjbest, men," shouted ..he gallant hunter, as he 

 stood his ground, struck the bear with his clubbed rifle, 

 and discharged his pistol into the animal's body. In an 

 instant, the pistol was knocked from his hand, and he was 

 rolling on the ground in desperate conflict with the fero- 

 cious monster. Most of the Indians ran away. Those 

 who remained were afraid to fire, because they might have 

 hit Joe instead of the bear. With tooth and claw, the 

 flesh was torn from the hunter's face and body, while he, 

 clenching his knife, stabbed his foe many times. Watch- 

 ing a favorable opportunity, I stepped up behind the 

 couple, put my rifle close to the bear's ear, and shot him 

 dead. He fell over, even with his last motion sinking 

 his claws deep into Joe's lacerated body. 



A loud shout was raised by the Indian hunters. They 

 had done positively nothing ; yet they made the most noise 

 in the triumph. My attention was entirely engrossed with 

 poor Joe. He was horribly disfigured, and fainted from 

 torture and loss of blood. I obtained assistance, rais*^ 

 him up, and strove to revive him. The Indians sfcok 

 their heads, and declared that he was dead. However, 



