482 SCIPIO AND THE BEAR. 



energetic manner. Now and then it seized a dog, and killed him by a 

 single stroke. At another time, a weU administered blow of one of its 

 fore-legs sent an assailant off yelping so piteously, that he might be looked 

 upon as hors de combat. A cur had daringly ventured to seize the Bear 

 by the snout, and was seen hanging to it, covered with blood, whilst a 

 dozen or more scrambled over its back. Now and then, the infuriated 

 animal was seen to cast a revengeful glance at some of the party, and we 

 had already determined to dispatch it, when, to our astonishmeiat, it sud- 

 denly shook off all the dogs, and before we could fire, charged upon one 

 of the Negroes, who was mounted on a pied horse. The Bear seized the 

 steed with teeth and claws, and clung to its breast. The terrified horse 

 snorted and plunged. The rider, an athletic young man, and a capital 

 horseman, kept his seat, although only saddled on a sheep's skin tightly 

 girthed, and requested his master not to fire at the Bear. Notwithstand- 

 ing his coolness and courage, our anxiety for his safety was raised to the 

 liighest pitch, especially when in a moment we saw rider and horse come 

 to the ground together ; but we were instantly relieved on witnessing the 

 masterly manner in which SciPio dispatched his adversary, by laying 

 open his skull with a single well-directed blow of his axe, when a deep 

 growl announced the death of the Bear, and the valorous Negro sprung 

 to his feet unhurt. 



Day dawned, and we renewed our search. Two of the remaining 

 Bears were soon discovered, lodged in a tree about a hundred yards from 

 the spot where the last one had been overpowered. On approaching them 

 in a circle, we found that they manifested no desire to come down, and 

 we resolved to try smoking. We surrounded the tree with a pile of 

 brushwood and large branches. The flames ascended and caught hold 

 of the dry bark. At length the tree assumed the appearance of a pillar 

 of flame. The Bears mounted to the top branches. When they had 

 reached the uppermost, they were seen to totter, and soon after, the 

 branch cracking and snapping across, they came to the ground, bringing 

 with them a mass of broken twigs. They were cubs, and the dogs soon 

 worried them to death. 



The party returned to the house in triumph. Scipio's horse, being 

 severely wounded, was let loose in the field, to repair his strength by 

 eating the corn. A cart was afterwards sent for the game. But before 

 we had left the field, the horses, dogs, and bears, together Avith the fires, 

 had destroyed more corn within a few hours, than the poor Bear and her 

 cubs had durina; the whole of their visits. 



