196 DEATH OF A BEAR. 
we renewed the attack, continuing it till 
about two o’clock in the afternoon, when the 
tree fell to the ground. For a few minutes, 
every thing remained quiet, and I feared 
that all our expectations were disappointed ; 
but, as I advanced to the opening, there came 
out, to the great satisfaction of all our party, 
a Bear of extraordinary size, which, before 
she had proceeded many yards, I shot. 
** The Bear being dead, all my assistants 
approached ; and all, but particularly my 
Old Mother, (as I was wont to call her,) 
took her head in their hands, stroking and 
kissing it several times, begging a thousand 
pardons for taking away her life, calling her 
their relative and grandmother, and request- 
ing not to lay the fault upon them, since, in 
truth, it was an Englishman that had put her 
to death! This ceremony was not of long 
duration; and if it was I that really killed. 
their grandmother, they were not themselves 
behind-hand in what remained to be per- 
formed! The skin being taken off, we found 
the fat, in several places, six inches deep. 
This, being divided into twe parts, loaded 
two persons; and the flesh parts were as 
