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218 THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 
times than anything in the world. Well, I crossed the field, and 
when I came to the foot of the hill, I found they were only about 
one-half mile up. There was a big gulch on my right, and on the 
left of the ridge was a smaller one. I kept up this gulch until I 
got opposite to where they were, and then turned and bore up towards 
the tree, keeping well out of sight, as by this time I had them located 
definitely, for they were both barking terrificly. When I got in sight 
of the tree, the first thing I saw was a big black bear, one of the 
largest I ever saw or ever killed in my life. The tree stood in fair, 
square, open ground, nearly on top of the ridge, and was an immense 
big fir, and he had only gone up a few feet, just enough to be 
well out of the reach of the dogs. I was now within about sixty 
yards, and I, knew positively that if I undertook to get any closer, 
he would see me and come down, as sure as fate. I studied the 
matter over for a minute or so and decided to shoot anyhow and 
risk a fight, as the ground was good. So I pulled up on him 
offhand and pealed away. At the crack of the gun he reared up 
and clawed the air for a few seconds, and down he came and the 
big fight was on, and was on the steep hillside next to the big 
eulch. I realized now that I had been too hasty and had made a bad 
shot. I rushed up there as fast as I could, and they were working 
him so fast and furious that he hadn’t made but little headway, 
and when I got to where I could see down, it put me within twenty- 
five or thirty steps of him. They had him going backwards and for- 
wards and turning so fast that I could not get a bead on a vital 
part, but I lost no time in getting the Winchester into action and 
commenced to pour the lead into him. About the third or fourth shot 
he fell and the dogs piled in on him, but he was up instantly, and 
before old Lion could get out of the way he had him. Trailer was 
swinging to his ham, but he paid no attention to him. I bore down 
closer and strung the bullets as fast as I could work the lever, and 
he had to let go, and at it they went again. They had him rearing, 
plunging and tearing around until it seemed like I couldn’t get in 
a dead shot to save my life. Trailer did some of the best work I 
ever saw him do in all my hunting, and once when I got in elose 
he got them entirely loose. Here he came straight at me, mouth 
open, ears laid back and hair all up the wrong way. The dogs were 
both behind him, in line, and I dare not shoot, so I ran back several 
steps to get to a tree, but it was not necessary. They both had 
him in little or no time and swung him around. As they let go to 
get out of the way, I let drive again. Over he went, down the hill, and 
landed in a flat place next to the gulch and brought up in a bunch 
of brush. Here he regained his feet again, and, backing up so the 
dogs could not get around him, he stayed right there and stood them 
off. All they could do was to bark in his face. I got around now 
and crossed the gulch above and came on the other hillside above him, 
and thought I would take my time and shoot him in the head. It 
had been several minutes since I fired the last shot, and I had fired 
every cartridge but had not discovered the fact, but my sister at 
home had kept count, and when she heard the fifteenth shot she 
ran for her horse and was coming across the field as fast as she 
could. This I did not know, of course, and when I got around to 
where I could get a fair, square shot, I pulled up, took a good bead 
on the side of the head, and snap went the gun. I thought I had 
forgotten to load. Down and up went the lever, and snap again. I 
suddenly realized I was up against it. There was a good trail going 
down the gulch, and I lit out down this trail, but had not gone far 
until I saw my sister coming on a dead run. I went out and met 
