Southern shield., 1850-03-09


 We travelled the third day until near dark, and although we passed number of ravines that looked as if they contained gold, still we pushed on, determined to make all the headway possible this day. About sunset, we encamped under the shelter of large oak tree, and commenced preparation for our supper, which we cooked and dispatch ed in a very short time, having eaten mo- thing since morning. Having made our Ibed, we were about lying down, when my companion, who had been looking stead lfasty at the brushwood for some tine, about twenty yards behind us, whispered to me, "There's grizzly bear in the brush.'' At first did not believe he was serious, think ling that he merely wished to ice how l would act; but when turned ny head, l Ithen saw the reality. There, witfin twenty yards, stood huge grizzly bear, with eyes like two lamps, arlng on us. II the mind of every miner, one fact with ngard to grizzly bear is firmly impressed, and that is, that the only safety is in climbing tree. Flight is out of the question; AeaEcan outrun the swftest runner. Crossing rivers is useless; bear will take to the water like a water-spanie; so that the trse, and tree alone, is the ouly security.
 Fortunately for US, we were encamped under large tree, one of the limbs of which hung within sevenfeet of the ground. On this l cast my eye, and telling my compan- ion 10 follow, made spring and succeed ed in catching it, and twisting my legs on to it; then got to the fork, and turning round, found that the bear had advanced to within ten yards of us, and my companion was swinging to and fro, unable to get his feet up. In a moment. l was out on the limb again, and bending down, caught him by the trowsers and pulled him up, just as the bear got to the tree. We could easily per- ceive the rage and disappointment of grizzly, when he saw us safely seated in the fork of the tree. He gave a loud growl, and after walking five or six times round the trunk, stood on his hind legs, and gave il a most terrific hug While eating our supper we had few drops of rain, of which we thou't nothing, as it wanted not more than amonth of the rainy season. However, it began to come down now in torrents, and continued so for four hours, without one fair moment.  Our situation now was anything but com fortable, with nothing but shirt and trowsers on, sitting in the fork of a tree drenched to the skin, and grizzly bear waiting for us below. We continued so until daylight, when the bear got up and walked slowly away towards the brush looking back at us every moment. At fast he disappeared, and when we thought we had given him suffi- cient time 10 come back if he intended, we stole stealthiIy down the tree, and having ! rolled up our blankets, ran for our lives, leaving behind us provisions, cooking uten- sls, and every thing except bedding and a small bag of flour, which grasped n my hand while starting. Notwithstanding for four hours, until we were certain we were out of the reach of his bearship, and then had to lie down from exhaustion. After resting for some time we made fire, and flour being the only food we had, cooked some doughballs over the burning sticks, and washed them down with water. The second night we arrived safe at the "Od Bar," and registered q VOW never to go prospecting again.