Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-03-27

panion, seemed the echo of one had myself ut
tered. Both of us understood the peril O
our situation, and both. without speaking
another word, set about attempting to stop the
boat
We padded with all our strength-he with
the oar, and / with the flat butt of my rife. We
mad succeeded in bringing her to a sort of euui.
llbrium, and were in hopes of being able to force
her towards the bank, when all at once we
heard heavy object strike against the STERN
At the same moment; the bow rose up into the
arr ana number OF the burning pine knots fell
back into the canoe. They still continued TO
blaze, and now their light falling towards the
stern, showed us fearful object The bear had
slezed hold of the dug out, and his fierce head
and long curving claws were visible over the
edge.
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, 1t would only be to throw ourselves in
to the jaws OF the bear. On the other hand, we
could not remain as we were, for in a few mo-
ments we should be drifting over the falls, and
how high these were, we knew not We had
never heard of them; they might be fifty feet
they might be an hundred High enough they
were, no doubt, to precipitate us into eternity.
The prospect was appalling, and our thoughts
ran rapidly. Quick action was require d. /
could think of no other than to lean sternward
and strike at the bear with my dubbed rife, at
the same time calling to my companion to pad
die for the shore. We preferred, under all cir.
cumstances, risking the chances of land en-
counter with our grizzly antagonist.
had succeeded in keeping the bear out, 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 terrible cry from
my companion.
Igianced suddenly round, to ascertain the
cause OF the demonstrations. Dick held in his
hand short, round stick, which l recognized
as the shaft of the paddle. The blade had snap
ped Oft. and was floating away on the surface
We were now helpless. The manege of the
canoe was no longer possible Over the falls
she must go
We thought Of leaping out, but it was to late
We were almost on the edge of the preeipiee.-
We could not make dozen strokes before we
should be swept to the brink--it was too late.
We both saw this, and both knew the feelings
of the other, for we felt alike. Neither spoke;
but crouching down and grasping the gunwale
OF the canoe, and awaited the awful moment.
The bear seemed to have some apprehension
as well as ourselves; for, instead of endeavorinc
to climb into the canoe, he contented himself
with holding fast to the stern, evidently under
some alarm
catching fire; perhaps it was this that alarmed
the bear
The last circumstance gave us at the moment
but little concern; the greater danger eclipsed
the less. We had hardly noticed it when we
felt that we were going over.
The canoe shot outward as if propelled by
some projectile force, then came a loud crash, as
though we had dropped upon hard rock
Water, spray and froth were dashed over our
bodies; and the next moment to our surprise
and delight, we felt ourselves still alive, and
seated in our canoe, which was floating gently
in smooth water.
1t was quite dark, for the torch was extn
guished; but even in the darkness, we coulC
perceive the bear swimming and fiounderins
near the boat. To our great satisfaction, we
saw him heading for the shore, and widening
the distance between himself and us with all the
haste he could make The unexpected precipi
tation over the falls had cooled his courage, i
not hostility.
Dick and headed the canoe, now half full O
water, for the opposite bank, which we con
trived to reach by the use of our hands ane
rifles for paddles. Here we made the little YES
sci fast to a tree, intending to leave it there, a.
we could not by any possibility get it back ove
the fall. Having hung our game out of the
reach Of the wolves, we turned our faces III
stream, and after a long, tiresome, and wear,
walk, succeeded in getting back to the post.
Next morning, party went down for the
venison, with the intention, also; of carrying
the canoe back over the falls. The old craft
however, was found to be so much injured j
would not hang together during the portage
and was therefore abandoned. This was ne
pleasant matter for me, for it afterwards cos
me considerable sum, before | could square
with the old Flathead for his worthless "dug
OUT