Year: 1865

my clothes but liule deranged in my


descent, Notwithstanding the straitnes:


of the passage, owing TO the smoothnes:


Of the surface, from long use by the an


imals ascending and descending to and
from their den-for den / found it tc
be.


After my fright, l had time to exam


inc the interior-all was dark, and put.


ting out my hands to feel my way, they
came in contact with the cold nose oi
some beast, and then with the fur, which
l Immediately knew was tina: of grown
cub of young bear. Continuing to ex-
anime, l ascertained that there were
three or four of those animals, which, ar
oused by the noise made in my descent
came round and smelt of me, uttering a
moaning noise, taking me at first no
doubt for their dam but, after a little
examination, snufiing and -snorting as if
alarmed, they quietly betook themselves
tq their couches on the moss, and left
me to my own troubled and gloomy re-
fectlens. knew they were too young
to do me any injury, but with that knowl-
edge came the dreadful certainty that
the mother, whose premises. l had so
heedlessly invaded, was quite different
parsonage, and that my life would date
but short period after she arrived, as
arrive she certainly would, before many
hours could pass over my head.


The interior of the den became more
visible after my eyes were accustomed
to the darkness. and aided by little
light from the top, discovered that the
den was circular, andSon the ground was
six feet in diameter, its circumference
at the height of seven or
eight feet to a diameter of less than
three, owing to the singular formation of
the trunk, as l have before remarked
All my attempts 10 reach the narrow
part of the hollow, in the hopes of work
ing my way out, as a chimneyssweep
might have done, if that had been prac-
ticable, were fruiiless. My escape in
this way was therefore impossible. To
cut through the trunk hole sufficient to
let my body ont, with q small pocket
knife, the only one l had, would have
been the work of weeks, and even
months, as from the examinations l had
made of both the exterior and interior, l
knew that it coould not be less than a
foot thick. The knife was the only
weapon | possessed, and one hug of my


tremendous adversary would deprive me
Of the power to use even so contemplate
an impIiment; and even ! succeeded in
killing the bear-which was not 10 be
expected-my case was equally hopeless
for should then only exchange a sud-
den death for one, if possible, even more
horrid, a lingering one of famine and
thirst-for my tracts in the snow knew
were long since covered by the drifts and
there was no possibility of my friends


finding me, by searching in wilderness
of many miles in circuit.


My situation was indeed hopeless and
desperate. l thought of my cheerful
home, my wife seated by the fire with
our child in her arms, or preparing our
evening meal, looking out anxiously from
lime to time expecting my return, for
the shades of evening were fast ap.
preaching. These and many more such
things rushed thro' my mind, and which
way soever they were turned, you may
suppose they were teeming with, horror.
At one time l had nearly determined to
wreak MY feelings upon the cubs. by
destroying them, but the wanton and
useless cruelty of the aet-as they could
be of no service to me then-prevented
me. Yes, / would be merciful. Oh
you know not how merciful one is, when
he feels he would willingly himself be an
object of mercy from others.


Two hours had probably passed, and
to me two of the longest i ever expert
enced, when suddenly the little light
which had illumined the gloom of the
den from above was gone. looked up,
and could no longer see the sky. My
ears, which at that moment we're pecu-
liarly sensitive, were assailed with low
growing noise, such as bear makes on
discovering an enemy and preparing for
an attack. At once l was aware tnat
my fate was at hand, as this the mother
descending to her cubs. having. by her
accute organs Of smelling, discovered
thai. her den had been entered by some
enemy. From the time l had ascertain
ed my true situation, had opened my
knife, and held il ready in nay hand for
he encounter, come when i would. ]
now braced myself for death graPple
with my terrible antagonist, feverishly
awaiting her descent.


Bear. always descend in the same