, 1886-12-17
yould strike OF by myself into the \ 1odg

Nbilu 0lIlht ol ny lllStl lnlO llIt N-DID,
and redeem my reputation by taking
home at night some trophy of my skin,
The soothing sunshine and delicious air
by degrees restored my equnnimity, and
hope vas high in my bosom. | scanned
all the ravines closely, and looked wisely
on the gound for the tracks of beasts. |
rode long and far, and when the sun WAS
high threw myself beside n little spring
TINT bubbled from the rocks, and ate my
luncheon, allowing my horse to Craze
near me. On my right was a small
patch of green heritage, across which the
tall pines cast n somber shadow. There
was not II sound except that of the horse
feeding. | was too high for birds; they
were below in the valley, though o
and then n vulture sailed majestically
around some distant peak. The loneli-
ness and silcnc of the place began to be
oppressive.
Suddenly there was II rustic in the tall
grass under the pines. Looking up | saw
the head ofa deer. | seized my rifle, and,
levcling it, fired with "A steady hand. A
deafcning report crashed through the
stiffness, and there leaped into the air "A
white deer, | sprang to the place. In
the bloods;aine.l grass lay the noble ami
nal, struggling with death.
| felt n thrill of superstitious horror
something rs an old Egyptian must nave
felt had he killed unwittingly the sacred
ibis, or the Ancient Mariner when he slew
the albatross. ! tried to stanch the blood,
the murderous ball had done its work
too well. Hardly knowing what | did, |
took the head of the dying creature into
my lap. In the large soft eyes were re
Elected the rocks and the swaying pines.
As the breath grew fainter the head
turned with IA c%onvulsive movement, and
the fast glazing eyes looked into mine with
II gaze So human in its intelligence that |
was almost crazed with grief and terror.
| hurried from the spot, only to find that
my horse, probably frightened by the
rifle shot, had disappeared. | was alone
and miles from home. l discovered, too,
that | lacked one of the most necessary
requisites of the true hunter-ability 10
find my way under all circumstances.
1t was already afternoon. started to
90 back ON foot the way | had come US
nearly as / could remember it. When |
cached IA point high enough to command
IL view | did not feel treasured, for the
mountains looked all alike, and range
after range stretched away on every side,
silent and relentless as the tomb. There
was not II living thing in sight buta buz-
Zard circling about n far Off peak. AT
last l set of in Il direction where | thought
| recognized familiar rocks. The killing
of the white hart weighed heavily upon
my spirits, and filled me with vague fears.
The stories of the night before add ID to
my uneasiness. There was the danger
that | might meet a bear. | had my rifle
and three dozen cartridges in my belt,
but Uncle John had said. Give grizzlies
n wide berth
What corN1 | do if | met oneY
The way grew more and more intricate.
Now | had to climb over powders, and
now force my way through tangled under
growth, from which ] emerged into the
shadow of pines SO gloomy that twilight
seemed suddenly to have fallen.
There was II crashing of bushes, as Of
some heavy body pushing itself through.
| tried to run, but the r%oughness of the
ground made me stumble at every step.
The noise came nearer knew that it
could be nothing but a bear, and every
other terror was swallowed up in present
terror. | remembered that grizzlies do
not climb unless the tree is neither too
large nor toe small. Ten yards to the
left stood IA slender tree, with trunk clear
for fifteen feet.
/ sprang toward it, and although | had
never been able to climb n tree before, |
climbed now without II moment of hesita-
tion, and scrambled TO n seat among the
branches. | shook so violently that l had
to hold on by main force to keep from fall
ing. had been there probably thirty
seconds when there shuflied from the
bushes, with awkward but impressive
gnit, n monstrous grizzly bear.
| had dropped my IL in the excite
ment, and even had / kept it | should not
have dared to fire. As the great beast
ehamblcd along / saw that he was lame.
1t was old Clubfoot, the terror and auto
crat Of the mountains. He was headed
directly for my tree. My blood curdled
and my breath stopped. l have no dis
tinrt recollection of the next few seconds.
He approached within ten feet of my hid
ing place, rolling his head from side to
side as if ware of III unseen foe. Then
he passed on and was lost among the
trees.
| remained motionless for nearly an
hour, fearing to descend. Then ] crept
noiselessly in the direction whence old
Clubfoot had come. My rifle, which must
have fallen against the PROSTATE trunk by
which l found it, was broker short off at
the breech, the bear having struck it with
his paw in passing.
Imagine my surprise when | emerged
from among the trees to find the same
little grass plot where l had killed the
deer. AT first l could not believe it, but
there vas the spring with the rock by
which l had sat, and the remains of my
luncheon lay scattered ON the ground. 1
was tired as well as weak and nervou
after the fright the bear had given me
But it was becoming n question of life and
death, and / was not willing to die.
Carefully gathering the scraps Of bread
and meat thai | had thrown away. | re
solved 10 follow the nearest canyon down
To its mouth, which / Wassurc would lead
me ont INTO the open country somewhere.
The sides We're SO steep that / had to let
myself down by clinging To roots and
overhanging branches. plodded on dog
gedly. In the heart Of I he canyons I'M
numbered horr) IFS lurkcd, and the rocky
walls 7 lse ON each side of me toweringly,
insurmountable. | began to wonder il
| had better go back when ] wa, startled
TO see open before what seemed almost II
bottomlcss pit. The declivity was prob
ably not more than fifteen feet, but i,
looked very terrible to me. | could not
leap that distance, nor could | climb
around the steep and slippery sides. A
tall tree grew from the lower level, how
ever, and by leaning far out / cnugLt II
branch and thus clmbed down
1 felt certain that now | must be very
near the valley floor, for ! had been de-
scending n long time. Behind me, in the
hollows OF the canyon the shadows of
evening were already lying. HAD sprained
my ankle in the descent-an injury that
at any other time would have disabled
me, hut now could not he allowed to inn
pcdc my progress. l limped along. hop
ing and fully expecting to see, at n turn
ing not far of, the valley before me, the
green fields, and the dwellings of men.
How were my hopes Knocked when /
found. instead, n precipice fully sixty feet
deep. With n cry Of horror, l drew back
md Mrnnn my hands In despair. Had |