Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-21


rible monster as am now. and / was
not at ali inclined 10 give it up to bruin
it vas No much more comfortable, COM
pared to the open air, protected from
the storm which was nov beating
against the mountain sile with increas-
ing fury.
"Ah. Was my inward ejaculation,
this storm will certainly drive bruin
back to his home and precipitate q
meeting with me.
I felt conf lent at meeting the brute
with an advantage to myself. With
INV rifle | was q sure shot; added to
this we're two strong shooting navy re-
yolv-rs and a reliable hunting knife.
Their. uas no i,lea of sleep for me
while things were IN this condition, for
| mad brisk fire near the entrance,
aud, with rock At my back, l awaited
patiently. in sitting posture, with my
rifle freshly primed and cooked for IN
slant nse at my side, for the appear
ance II my enemy.
The rain WAS now pouring In tor
rents upon the snow, already softened
by the approaching spring, and, with
the melting snow. poured down the
mount ,in at q fearful rate. Ny atten-
ton WAS shortly directed to the top Of
the entrance, which had first noticed
with only u casual glance, but on ex-
aiming it closer found it to 10 large
fiat stone.
OF course there was nothing alarm
ing in this. and when the water began
to trickle through the rock, making 1t
necessary for me to remove the fire
further within tbs shelter Of the cav
ern, my alarm was not excited in the
least.
One-two long, long hours passed
by, still l remained watching for the
coming of the dreadful creature-still
was the torrent of water pouring about
the entrance. Hark What is that
grating sound? Instinctively l raised
my rifle to my shoulder and waited
Moment succeeded moment, but still
no appearance from the vague dark
ness beyond.
Again it sounded, sharper and more
clearly defined than before What
could it be? A half-formed fear filled
me. Was everything right? In a mo-
ment more the suspense was broken; an
enemy more dangerous than the bear
had already faced me. The water had
worn away the sandy soil between the
rocks, causing the large stone at the
entrance to fan, completely choking up
the way. was prisoner
A full sense of my position filled me
with the widest alarm. Vainly I put
my shoulder to the huge rock and IS.
sayed to push it from it's Judgment; for
it only seemed the firmer and worked
the harder.
Turn my thoughts whichever way
might, the awful, sickening idea OF
starving slowly continually haunted
me. The fire was blazing brightly,
and the dim shadow danced fantastic
figures on the wall; the rain beat down
with undated fury, and the distant
fash of lightning revealed few small
crevices about the entrance; the low
growing of the bear, that had now re-
turned, and the scratching of its sharp
claws against the rock that shut him
out as completely as was shut in, all
combined to make my reveries of the
most unpleasant nature.
1T will be two days." thought I,
when calmness ruled my mind, ''before
my comrades take any steps to look for
me. They will not be alarmed at my
being out for one night, and the Sec
ond nights absence will only excite
their anxiety, not greatly, indeed, for
they trust to my skill and strength to
carry me through any ordinary conflict.
Two days to excite their alarm and one
to reach me, if they take direct route
for me, which is not at all likely, and
the terrible storm had washed away
the faintest trace Of my trail. Three
days of living death at Jeast-and they
may be heightened until-too late !"
My luncheon had barely satisfied the
hunger caused by the hard days strug-
gle over the mountains; there was an
inexhautible supply of water within
three feet of me, but, alas not drop
that could get.
Casting my eyes upon the floor I re-
solved to gain what refreshment ]
might, in sound sleep. There was nc
fear of possible intrusion from any
source, and the sweet oblivion of sleep
soon robbed me of all consciousness OF
the horror in store for me. Would
that the same oblivion had covered my
following experience.
With the first dim rays of sunlight
family struggling through the narrow
crevices, 1 was astir, with mind and
body refreshed for the labor before me-
l had keen appetite, but it did not as.
sumo alarming proportions. The storm
had passed entirely away, and the sun
rode the heavens majestically, un.
dimmed by the slightest cloud. Yet
notwithstanding the brilliancy without
the cavern was only dimly lighted. A
fresh fire dispelled the mornings
gloom. How to get out was the mex
thing.
The first step took was to estimate
the weight of the rock from its dimen
sions. My philosophy, coufess. ~..s
rusty from long disuse. but this wal
the result: Six feet long, four feet
wide, and three feet thick--ssventy. two
cubic feet Of solid rock. Specific gray
ity of water to rock, to 283. Multi
plying this result by the weight OF one
cubic foot of water gave tue weight
II. 735 pounds. smiled griu,ly at m,
desperate attempt to lift it, and set my
teeth together with the firmness Of dc
snsir