276 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
forward, on his hack, along the horizontal tunnel, and to shoot 
at the eyes of the fierce monster, which would be clearly visi¬ 
ble in the dark den by the reflection of the torches; trusting to 
the alertness of his comrades from without, who were instructed, 
instantly on hearing the report of his musket-shot, to haul him 
out hand over hand. This mode decided on, it needed no 
long space to put it into execution. Two narrow laths of pine 
wood were procured, and half a dozen augur holes drilled into 
each—as many candles were inserted into these temporary can¬ 
delabra, and duly lighted. The rope was next made fast about 
his chest—his musket carefully loaded with two good ounce 
bullets, well wadded in greased buckskin—his butcher-knife 
disposed in readiness to meet his grasp—and in he went, with¬ 
out one shade of fear or doubt on his bold, sun-burnt visage. 
As he descended, I confess that my heart fairly sank, and a 
faint sickness came across me, when I thought of the dread risk 
he ran in courting the encounter of so fell a foe, wounded and 
furious, in that small narrow hole, where valor, nor activity, nor 
the high heart of manhood, could be expected to avail anything 
against the close hug of the shaggy monster. 
“ Tom’s ruddy face grew pale, and his huge body quivered 
with emotion, as, bidding him ‘ God speed,’ he griped his bro¬ 
ther’s fist, gave him the trusty piece which his own hand had 
loaded, and saw him gradually disappear, thrusting the lights 
before him with his feet, and holding the long queen’s arm 
cocked and ready in a hand that trembled not—the only hand 
that trembled not of all our party ! Inch by inch his stout frame 
vanished into the narrow fissure ; and now his head disappeared, 
and still he drew the yielding rope along ! Now he has stop¬ 
ped, there is no strain upon the cord!—there is a pause !—a 
long and fearful pause ! The men without stood by to haul, 
their arms stretched forward to their full extent, their sinewy 
frames bent to the task, and their rough lineaments expressive 
of strange agitation ! Tom, and myself, and some half dozen 
others, stood on the watch with ready rifles, lest, wounded and 
infuriate, the brute should follow hard on the invader of its pe- 
