Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-01-24
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

The following history Of q thrilling adventure in
the 'fsr West" is taken at random froms new book
by Capt MAYSE REID, entitled "7He Hunters Feast
or Conversations around the Camp Fire." The hero
Of the story stops at hunting station on his way
across the Rocky Mountains and determines '.pour
passcr le temps" to have deer hunt by freight, and
to this end, attended by Blue Dick, who was some
thing of adept to the sport he gets into species
of boat known as Ding out, and lighting fire in
the stern, and setting Dick to steer it, he floats COM
placently down the river. For some time he was
lucky and delighted. Four deer had been bagged,
when, passing the mouth of q large creek, he run
upon the following adventure:
"We had scarcely passed this point, when
my attention was attracted by pair of fiery
orbs that glistened out of some low bushes up.
on the left bank of the river I saw that they
were the eyes of some animal, but what kind
of an animal could not guess. knew that
they were not the eyes of deer. Their pecu-
liar ssintlation, theiresser size, the wide space
between them-all convinced me they were
not deer's eyes, Moreover, they moved at
times, as if the head of the animal was carried
about in irregular circles. This is never the
case with the eyes of the deer, which either
pass hurriedly from point to point or remain
with fixed and steadfast gaze.
"I knew, therefore, it was not deer; but
no matter what; it was some wild creature,
and all such are alike the game of the prairie
hunter.
"I took aim, and pulled trigger While do
ing so, I heard the voice of my companion
warning me, as I thought, not to fire. Won
dered at this admonition, but it was then too
late to heed it, for it had been uttered almost
simultaneously with the report of my rifle.
"I first looked to the bank, to witness the
effect of my shot. To my great surprise the
eyes were still there, cleaning from the bushes
as brightly as ever. :
"Had l missed my aim? 1t is true, the
voice of my companion had somewhat discon-
certed me but I still believed that my bullet
must have sped truly, as it had been delivered
with good aim.
GAS turned to Dick for an explanation, a
new sound fell upon my ears that explainedall,
at the same time causing me no slight feeling
of alarm. 1t was a sound not unlike that some
times uttered by terrified swine, but still loud
er and more threatening. I knew it well-I
knew it was the snort of the grizzly bear
"Of all American animals, the grizzly bear
is the most to be dreaded. Armed or unarln.
ed, man is no match for him, and even the
courageous hunter of these parts shuns the en-.
counter. This was why my companion had ad.
monished me not to fire. I thought I had
missed it :; it was not so. My bullet had hit
and stung the fierce brute to madness; and q
quick cracking among the bushes was imme
diately followed by heavy plunge; the beal
was in the waaer!
"'Good heavens, he's after US cried Dick
in accents of alarm, at the same time propel
ling the dug-out with all his might
alt proved true enough that the bear was
after us, and the very first plunge had brought
his nose almost up to the side of the canoe
However, few well-directed strokes of the
paddle set US in quick motion, and we were
soon gliding rapidly down stream, followed by
the enraged animal, that every now and ther
uttered one of his fierce snorts
"What rendered our situation terrible one
was that we could not now see the bear, no.
tell how far he might be from US. All to tht
rear of the canoe was of pitchy darkness, il
consequence of the screen of birch-bark NJ
object could be distinguished in that direction
and it was only by hearing him that we coulo
tell he was still some yards of. The snorts
however, were more or less distinct, as hearc
amid the varying roar of the waterfall anG
sometimes they seemed as if the snout from
which they proceeded was close up to oul
stern.