Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-29
EVENING STAR.
CHASED BY A BEAR.

| my attention was attracted by a pair Of fiery
| orbs that glistened out Of some low bushes
| upon the bank Of the river. L saw that they
were the eyes of some animal, but what kind
Of animal, 1 could not guess. L knew they
were not the eyes of deer Their peculiar
scintillation, their lesser 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 car
ried 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 a fixed and steadfast gaze.
| l knew, therefore, it was deer; but no
matter what? 1t was some wild creature and
all such are alike the game of the prairie
| hunter.
took aim, and pulled the trigger. While
doing so L heard the voice of my companion
warning me, as thought, not to fire. L won
dered at this admonltioD, but II was tco late
| to heed it, for it had been uttered almost sim
ultaneously with the report of my rife.
| first looked to the bank to witness the eff
| feet of my shot To my great surprise the
eyes were still there, cleaning from the bush
es as brightly as ever.
| Had missed my aim 1t is true the voice
of my companion had somewhat disconnected
me; but l still believed that my bullet must
have sped truly, as it had been delivered
| with good aim.
| As turned to Dick for an explanation,
new sound fell upon my ear that explained
all, at the same time causing me no slight
| feeling of alarm. 1t was a sound not unlike
that sometimes uttered by terrified swine,
but louder and more threatening L knew
| 1t 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 unarm
| ed, man is no match for him, and even the
courageous hunter of these parts shun the
| by mi -
admonished me not to FIRE. L thought had
| missed it ii was not so. My bullet had hit
| and stung the fierce brute TO madness, and a
| quick cracking among the bushes was imme-
diately followed by heavy plunge the bear
was i'll the water.
''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.
1t proved true enough that the bear was sf
| ter 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 ne were
| soon gliding rapidly down stream followed by
the enraged animal, that every now and then
| uttered one Of bis fierce snorts.
What rendered our situation terrible one
was, that VIC could not now see the bear, nor
| tell how far he might be from All TO the
rear of the canoe was OF a pitchy darkness ia
consequence Of the screen of birch bark No
object could be distinguished in that direc-
| tion, and it was only by hearing him that We
could tell he was some yards off. The snorts,
| however, were more or less distinct, as heard
amid the varying roar of the waterfall and
sometimes they seemed as If the snout from
which they proceeded was close up to our
stern.
We knew that if he once laid his paw upon
the canoe We should either be sunk or com
PEELED to leap out and swim for it. We knew,
| moreover, that such an even. would be GER.
tain death to one OF both Of US, at least.
L need hardly affirm that my companion
used his paddle with all the energy of des-
pair. L assisted him as was in my power with
the butt end Of my gun, which was now emp
ty. On account Of the hurry and darkness
had not attempted to reload it.
We had shot down stream for hundred
yards or so. and were about copgratulating
ourselves on the prospect OF an escape from
| the bear, when a new object Of dread pre-
sented itself to cur terrined imaginations
This object was the sound of falling water
but not as before, coming from some tributary
stream. No. 1t was the fall Of a river upon
| which We were floating, and evidently a very
short distance below US.
We were, in fact within lees than one hun.
| dred yards of it. Our excitement, in conse-
quence of being pursued by the bear, as we'll
as the fact that the sound Of the cascade
/ above still filed our ears, had prevented US
| approached 1T.
| shout of terror and warning from my COM
paniOn seemed the echo of one had myself
uttered. Both Of understood the peril Of
| our situation, and both, without speaking an
| other word, set about attempting to stop the
boat.
We padded with all our strength-he with
| the oar while used the fat butt of my rife.
We had succeeded in bringing her to sort of
| equilibrium and were In hopes of being able
| to force her towards the bank, when all at
| once VIC heard heavy object strike against
| the stern. At the same moment the bow rose
| up into the air, and number of the burning
| pine knots fell back into the bottom of the
| canoe. They still continued to blaze, and
| their light now falling toward the stern showed
US a fearful object. The bear had seized hold
| of the dug-out, and his fierce head and long
| curving claws were visible over the edge.
Although the little craft danced about upon
| the water, and was likely to be turned keel
upward, the animal showed no intention of
| relaxing his hold but on the contrary seemed
| every moment mounting higher in the canoe
| Our peril was now extreme. We knew it,
and the knowledge half paralyZed US.
Both Of us started up, and for some moments
half sat, half crOuched, uncertain how to act
| Should we use the paddles and get the canoe
| ashore, it would only be to throw ourselves
| into the jaws OF the bear. On the other hand
seconds we should be drifted over the falls
| and how high these were we knew not. We
had never hearA of them they might be fifty
feet-they might be hundred! High enough
| they were, no doubt, to precipitate us into
| eternity.
The prospect was appalling, and our thoughts
ran rapidly. Quick action was required. 1
could think of no other than to lean stern
ward, and strike at the bear with my dubbed
| rife, at the same time calling upon my COM
panion to paddle for the shore. We pre-
| ferred, under all circumstances, risking the
chances of a land encounter with our grizzly
| antagonist.
had succeeded in keeping the bear out of
the canoe by several well planted blows upon
the snout, and Dick was equally successful
| in forcing the dug -Out nearer to the bank, when
| a sharp crack reached my ears, followed by a
terrified cry from my companion.
glanced suddenly around, to ascertain the