METAPHYSICS OF BEAR HUNTING. 3857 
he had riddca so close that pony, too, entering into the spirit 
of the affair, was biting with great vigor at its haunches. 
Such a combination of assailants was too much for Bruin’s 
patience, and it wheeled so suddenly, that, before pony could 
dodge, it had given him a wipe with his tremendous paws 
which brought him to his knees. , This unexpectod stoppage, 
of course, sent the Doctor vaulting over the head of his beast. 
His dumpy figure looked so natural, so much like the old 
trick, as it went sprawling through the air, that one universal 
yell of laughter broke impulsively from every throat in spite 
of the imminent peril of his predicament! 
Happily for the Doctor, the pony, as the largest object, 
distracted the attention of the bear from him for an instant,. 
and gave him time to regain his feet, and make for a low live 
oak which stood near. Into this he mounted with inconceivable 
nimbleness, but the bear was close at his heels. He ran out 
upon a limb, but the inexorable monster still pur-ued. He 
finally got out so far as the limb would sustain his weight, 
and there he stood, swayed to and fro in the air, holding on 
with one hand to the branches above him, while with the other- 
he was pushing away most vehemently at the bear’s nose with 
his spear, endeavoring to keep it at a respectful distance. This 
arrangement Bruin did not seem to feel disposed to agree to, 
but was cautiously and slowly pushing his way out on the 
limb, for the purpose of making a closer acquaintance. To 
complete the picture, pony was prancing, stamping his feet, 
looking up into the tree and whining most furiously, ‘as if 
he fully appreciated his master’s danger, and was eager to 
get up to the rescue. 
The whole scene occupied but a few seconds. The foremost 
of the party seeing the Doctor mount the tree, had gallopped 
on, laughing, in pursuit of the other bears; while we were 
so much convulsed with merriment, that I verily believe the 
creature might have eaten the poor fellow whole, before any 
of us would have recovered sufficiently to shoot, but for the 
