New-York tribune., 1909-03-21

record breaking possibilities OF racing down htl
at an angle of fortv-Ive degrees. The force OF
gravity pulled me forward IrrcSlstlbly, my feet
flew out alternately with ever lengthcning
strides and ever Increasing TapidIty IN the IN
stluctivc impulse - preserve my equilibrium.
bearing my rcbclLouS and breathlcS5 body with
arcclrratlug and unwclcouc velocity down the
prccipItous path bi4zei for me by my pre-
cUrslTS.
Il WAS gaining pcrccptlblv on sgd. who was
npw close behind the bear which was pcrIlouSly
near the man.-wIth every prospect Of "a fearful
mlN-up for all four Of us from series OF rear
end colhsiOns.-whcn. IN his needless haste. the
grizzly stubbcd hs toe against projecting root
and plunged forward on hs nose, turning
complete somcrsuult As the clumsy monster
performed this uupractiscl gymnastly feat. the
loose bit of chain still attached to his collar be
came tangled in ms legs drawing ms Snout and
his four paws tightly together and 'orcIng ms
body into the shape OF an immense ball, winch,
with its gathered momentum. continued To re-
volvc rapidly down tho Snowoiai steep, ad-
yancing upon the hunted hunter with scarcely
diminished CELEBRITY.
The moist snow Clung 70 the long shaggy
fur Uf the bear as he rolled over and over pom
dcrously helplcsslv shr1uding him in a snow
with each successive revolution, until he was
quickly lost t. sight in a giant SNOWFALL which
went bounding crashing. rotating. onward,
growing bigger and bigger As 1t whirled and
",
steps Of the frightened fugitive. He, poor tool
ignorant of the change IN the character OF the
danger that threatened him, which he now
might have avoided by slightly Swcrvlng 10 one
side OF the other, kept hIS nose pointed straight
before hmm and undeviatlngly followed 1T
HIS route led directly to our camp, and our
H campfire bcaped high with logs, harcd
icrccly athwart his course To stop, TO pause
even, was impossible. Urged forward by an un-
controllable impulse, he sped headlong. his legs
working automatically, ms anxiety 70 escape
from the foe that menaCci HIM IN the rear
binding him TO the peril that lurked IN his path
Even if sgd and | had found enough wind IN
our lungs t. shout a warning 10 him, even II he
could have heard us. II Is not conceivable that
he would have needed
The fire. of course, he could not help seeing.
and. gathering his ebbIng energies INTO one last
dcsparing effort. he cleared II IN a flying leap
that landed HIM on the smooth, ice coated rock
incline beyond. As he struck the slippery sur
face, ms feet flew out from under him. bringing
him. with a sharp rcsounding slap that made
my body tIngle IN sympathy, to q sitting pos
tuTe. in which convenient attitude he shot
toward the distant valley with the tcctneSS OF
a falling star
sgd and | were saved from following hum
only by hurting ourselves face foremost INTO the
deep snow lust above the narrow ledge where
we had spent the night Here we became the
impotcnt witnesses of a Sickening spectacle
The SNOWFALL OF which the gNrdtInS bOdN Oh ILS
bear was now the insignificant nucleus had
grown by this time to the size of a small house
Like devastating cyclone it passed through
our camp, licking up pelts. packages, pro
visions and what not from the ground. picking
from the tree branches the priceless SKINS lett
there to dry. cleaning the sides OF everything
movablc-hrc, kettles pans. my beautiful black
wolf-as completely as If 1t had been swept with
the Augcan bosom of Hercules.
The great ball with its hlched freight
bounded from the shelf and struck the hard
ice slide with an impact that gave 1t a tlattencd
base, on which it slid SO swiftly that it ceased to
rcvolve, gliding instead with lightning speed
toward the mountains foot
DEERING down, we watched, with beating
hearts. the continuation of the race between
man and avalanche, forgctful, III the excite
mcnt of the contest of the loss of our property
sgd. a thorough sportsman, kept offering
to bet me on the outcome. now wanting to stake
his accumulated wages on the human toboggan,
the next moment ready to back his snow I'M
bedded bear. as 1t seemed to gam momentary
advantage. The issue, however had assumed
too serious a character III my eyes to warrant
me in making it the subject of Il wager: and IN
fact as far rs we could distinguish the two whIz-
Ziup objects 1t was MP and tuck between them.