A SAFE CONCLUSION. 287 
distance before us, and neither very thickly 
wooded nor very bushy; but no bear was to 
be seen, although our eye could penetrate the 
woods for at least two hundred yards. After 
the first disappointing glance around, we thought 
bruin might have mounted a tree, but such was 
uot the case, as on looking everywhere nothing 
could be seen of his black body, and we were 
obliged to conclude that he had run out of sight 
in the brief space of time we occupied in ascend- 
ing the little bank. 
As we were once standing at the foot of a 
large sycamore tree on the borders of a long 
and deep pond, on the edge of which, in our 
rear, there was a thick and extensive “cane. 
-brake,” we heard a rushing, roaring noise, as if 
some heavy animal was bearing down and pass- ° 
ing rapidly through the canes, directly towards 
us. We were not kept long in suspense, for in 
an instant or two, a large bear dashed out of the 
dense cane, and plunging into the pond without 
having even seen us, made off with considerable 
speed through the water towards the other shore. 
Tfaving only bird-shot in our gun we did not 
think it worth while to call his attention to us 
by firing at him, but turned to the cane-brake, 
expecting to hear either dogs or men approach- 
ing shortly. No further noise could be heard, 
however, and the surrounding woods were ag 
