ATTACK BY A BEAR. 
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though so wild as to render it a matter of no common 
difficulty to get near them. After a long and fa- 
tiguing walk, we ascended with some toil a very 
sudden abruption of the mountain, when upon gain- 
ing the summit, which overhung a precipice, a bear 
started from a recess in the neighbouring covert and 
advanced evidently with sinister intentions towards us. 
I was about to fire, though my gun was only loaded 
with large shot, when one of my highland guides mo- 
tioned to me to desist, giving me to understand, by 
significant gesticulations (for I understood his lan- 
guage but very indifferently) that he would attack 
the enemy unarmed ; and from the coolness and dex- 
terity with which he commenced operations, I confess 
I could not persuade myself to doubt of a favourable 
result, in spite of the difficulties which seemed to defy 
its accomplishment. Almost upon the extreme edge 
of the precipice stood a tall tree with strong vertical 
branches, apparently of the character though not the 
form of the mountain-ash, being very tough and 
elastic. The hill-man approached the bear and by 
exciting it withdrew its attention from me towards 
himself. The exasperated beast immediately made 
him the object of attack, when the man adroitly 
sprang on the tree, as nimbly followed by the bear. 
The former having reached the upper branches, he 
quickly slipped a strong cord over the top of the limb 
upon which he stood, at the same time dropping the 
reverse end upon the ground. This was instantly 
seized by his companion, who, pulling with all his 
strength, drew the point of the bough downward until 
the branch projected nearly in a horizontal line from 
