A BEAR SCRAPE. 193 



r 



were scattered in different directions, during 

 the general scamper. 



The sequel of the adventure served to con- 

 firm me in the opinion I had of the exagge- 

 rated stories in regard to tliese much dreaded 

 animals. We had in our company a giant 

 blacksmith and general repairer of wagons, 

 named Campbell, vi^ho measured full six feet 

 eight in his stockings, and was besides, ele- 

 gantly proportioned. Independently of his uni- 

 versal utUity as ' Jack-of-all-trades,' our colossal 

 friend was in such constant requisition, that he 

 might well have given origin to tlie western 

 phrase of one's being ' a whole team ;' for if 

 a wagon happened to be in the mire, he was 

 Worth more than the whole team to extract it. 

 He was, in short, the most appropriate subject 

 for a regular grizzly-bear scrape. On the oc- 

 casion I speak of; Campbell had laid liiniself 

 down under the shade of a bush, upon the 

 brink of a precipice about ten feet high, and 

 "Was taking a comfortable snooze, while his 

 companions were sporting in the neighbor- 

 hood. During the chase, one of the young 

 bears, which had been scared from its moflier, 

 "Was perceived loping down the trail towards 

 our camp, apparently heedless of the com- 

 pany. Several of us seized our guns, and as 

 It sprang across the ravine through a break 

 |iear the spot where Campbell lay, we gave 

 it a salute, which caused it to tumble back 

 Wounded into the branch, with a frightful yelL 

 Campbell being suddenly roused by the noise, 

 started up with the rapidity of lightning, and 



17 



