A SHARP PINCH. 
After ii ride of somt^ three or four miles we arrived at the 
ground. My companion was posted above and I lower down 
on a very steep rocky hill side with bushes scattered about, 
The bear was said to have laid up under a big bush. After 
some time we heard the beaters yelling frantically and knew 
the bear was up. Presently I got a glimpse of him and 
immediately afterwards my companion fired and rolled him 
over ; as he did not get up and all was quiet, I thought he was 
dead, and left my post, but presently there was another shot 
and a tremendous yelling from the bear; a noise very like what 
a stout old gentleman would make on being punched in the 
ribs- — -Oh ! — Oh !— Oh 1 As the bear passed an open bit of 
ground above me 1 let drive at him ; he saw me immediately, 
and down he came at me with a furious roan 1 waited until 
he was within a few yards when I gave him the other barrel, 
but as it did not stop him I thought it was high time to cut 
and run ; in turning to do so I tripped over a rock and fell (lat 
on my face. He was upon me at once, and looking over niy 
shoulder I saw into the bear's mouth as he made a gnib at 
my head. It was an awful moment. By a desperate 
struggle I slid away from him, but he pinned me by the 
thigh ; oh, what a pinch it was. I hit him about the nose 
and face as hard as I could with my fists, my gun having 
fallen out of my reach, and luckily for me, as a bear cannot 
stand a blow on the nose, he let go. 1 gave him no time 
to get hold of me again, and I found myself some sixty yards 
up the hill 1 don't know how ! Both the men with me, 
though armed, had bolted. My companion seeing the bear 
on the top of me came hiLstening down, met the brute artd 
shot him. He was much surprised on calling out for me to 
hear my voice so lar up the hill side. 1 came down not 
