The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-08-13

L
bcnst stopped TO consider. lie wns mn,',
and rs he showed mo his teeth, an,l uttered
ugly, deadly growl, felt my heart quake
siczcd tho moment Of his reflection for
and this time he chased mo around half.n
dozen times in quick succession; and once
he fairly put his paw upon my heel; but
he did not touch the flesh.
had one advantage in this sort of race.
From the peculiar form of the bear, he had
to make circuit Of some ten or twelve feet
in diameter, while could whip around
close in to tho tree. now c,ied out for
help. l knew WAS a long distance from
the camp; and, furthermore, that the dense
wood must impede my voice! felt that
| must get nearer the river if would make
my companions hear me.
After following me abound this second
tree, us | have said, the bear stopped again,
and sprang 10 another. The thought of
climbing one Of the smaller trees had pass
through my mind; and for a few moments
| had dwclt upon i! seriously. Could do
it, should be safe; for there l could load
my rifle and shoot the animal. (Of course,
tho reader remembers that the grizzly is no
trcc-climhcr) But the thing was impossi-
bic. No sooner did start from one tree
to another, than the bear WAS ut my heels
and before could have mounted tree, he
would surely have had me by the legs
No, no; there was no hope here.
at length reached tho sixth tree, and
had gained nearly rod at each movement.
| still continued to cry out ut intervals but
| hcarcd no answer in return. The seventh
the eighth-tlc ninth tree was reached,
and still the bear was ut my heels. lie
had become more and more savage, and his
growing was fearful to hear lie seemed
to have assumed regular course of tactics.
When first reached Il tree, he would fol-
low me round a few times. and then stop /;
though always contrivcd by stratigem to
get him around so that when moved it
couiu Dc towards home.
Ere long new fear came upon me.
| was becoming weary; I could not hold
out in this way much longer. 1 had
gained quite distance, and now yelled with
all my power. The bear kept close upon
me, and it was only by the most careful
and sudden movements that kept clear of
him. lie had repeatedly put his paw upon
my heel, and yet had cleared him. had
just gained new tree when the sun broke
in upon me. | looked up-it was strange
Gould il be SO late Had I been there
in the wood so long? Surely the SUN was
west of the zenith! I pondcrctl a moment,
and my heart sank within me- The sun
was not in the west; it was in the cast
And l had been moving i'll the wrong direc-
tion!
When I first reached the opening where
the deer passed, I had crossed it.; and in
turning TO look at the bear had lost nv
rction. All this time I had been going
'ar'hO> from the help sought.
ror few moments was almost power
less. .oul,1 sovo o 9 NJ
.oo'u at the camp, and as they
had no 'ey would not come after me
ii they not of my danger. II was q
season OF strange anguish to me. 1 sazct
at the huge body of the beast, and thought
that ere long should become food TO sus-
tam Its power. Thought Of how lie would
tear my flesh, and with what horrible nusto
he would enjoy the repast he had strivcn
for SO long.
/ Oh, heavens! what season of terror 7
spent. had become faint and weak from
exertion, while the bear seemed to he rs
powerful as ever. lie glared upon me an
snIy, and ever and anon he would cnasl,
his teeth, and shake his head, rs though TO
assure me that I was his game. And I
feared lie was right. I looked upon my RI
lie, and wished that could load it. Per-
haps l might. The next time the bear
gave mo chase, would embrace the first
moment after he stopped to try it. 1 had
fairly come to this conclusion, when lie
learcd towards me. started round-
once-twicc-thricc. Oh, 1 could run no
farther! 1t required all my power to drag
one leg after the other. Fortunately, when
around tho fourth time, lie stopped.
now caught my powder flask but the
moment did SO, my enemy leaped towards
me. Tue rIflo was Of no more use. It's
we'ght-lt was very heavy-had done much
towards firing me, and I resolved to lot il
go. l did so, and l felt easier. The bear
watched the movements, and when he next
gave chase to me, noticed that he kent
clear Of the weapon.
The bear now .commcneed to make y
strange noise--one entirely different from
any that he had made before. 1t. was a
deep, hollow growl, with a sort Of nnf.,, ~