Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1856-06-05
This was why my compan-

Ion naQ aQnOnlSHeu HE uob W HiC.
thought [ had missed it; it was not so.-
NY bullet had hit and stung the fierce brute
to madness, and quick cracking among
the bushes was Immediately followed by a
heavy plunge; the bear was in the water
Good Heavenp' he's after us p cried
Dick in accents of alarm, at the same time
propelling the dug out with all his might.
It 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 we'll directed
strokes of the paddle set us in quick notion
and we were soon gliding rapidly down the
stream, followed by the enraged animal,
that every now and then uttered one of his
fierce snorts.
What rendered our situation terrible
one, was, that we could not now see the
bear, nor tell how far he might be from us.
All to the rear of tie canoe was of a pitchy
darkness, in consequence of the screen of
birch bark. No object could be distinguish
ed in that direction, and it was only by hear
ing 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 up
on the canoe, we should be either sunk or
compelled to leap out and swim for it. We
knew, moreover, that such an event would
be certain death to one or both of US, at
| least.
need hardly affirm that my companion
used his paddle with all the energy Of des-
pair. [ assisted him as was in my power
with the butt end of my gun, which was
now empty. 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 congratulating
ourselves On the prospect of an escape from
the bear, when new object of dread pre-
sented itself to our terrified imaginations.
This object was the sound of falling water !;
but not as before, coming from some tribu-
tary stream. No. 1t was the fall Of a riy-
er upon which we were floating, and eyi-
IDENTIFY very short distance below US,
We were, in fact, within less than one
hundred yards Of it. Our excitement, in
consequence of being pursued by the bear :;
as we'll as the fact that the sough of the
cascade above still filled our ears, had pre-
vented us from perceiving the new danger
until we have approached it.
A shout of terror and warning from my
companion seemed the echo of one [ Lad
myself uttered Both of US understood the
peril of our situation, and both, without
| speaking another word set about attempting
to stop the boat.
We padded with all our strength-he
will the oar while used tbs fiat butt of my
| rife. We had succeeded in bringing her
to {. sort of equilibrium and were in the
hopes of being able to force her towards the
bank, when all at once we heard a 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 curry
ing 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 inten-
ton of relaxing his hold but ON the contra
ry seemed every moment to mount 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 mo-
ments half sat, half crouched, uncertain how
to act. Should we use the paddles, and gel
the canoe ashore, it would only be to throw
ourselves into the jaws fthe bear. On the
other hand we could not remain as we were
in few seconds we should be drifted over
the falls; and how high these were we know
not. We had never heard of them they
might be fifty feet-they might hundred
High enough they were no doubt to precip-
itate us to eternity.
The prospect was appalling, and our
thoughts ran rapidly. Quick action was re-
lean sternward, and strike at the bear with
my dubbed rife, at the same time calling
upon my companion to paddle for the shore
We preferred, under all circumstances, risk
ling the chances of land encounter with oul
: grizzly antagonist.
had succeeded in keeping the bear out
of the canoe by several well planted blows
upon the snout, and Dick was equally sue.
cessful in forcing the dug-out nearer to the
bank, when sharp crack reached my ears
followed by terrified cry from my compan
ion.
; I glanced suddenly around, to ascertain
the cause of these demonstrations. Dicl
: held in his hands short stick, which re
cognized as the shaft of the paddle. Th(
blade had snapped off, and was floating a
: way on the surface.
We were now helpless The maanege O.
the canoe was no longer possible. Over the
) falls she must go.