ce more to recover his
equilibrium, and ran steadily on.

Once or twice he was seen to stop, and face round to the trees--as if
threatening to charge towards them; but again resigning the intention,
he increased his speed, went off at a lumbering gallop, and was soon
lost to their sight.

The disappointed hunters rapidly descended from their perch; and letting
loose the dogs, started off on the trail. Somewhat to their surprise,
as well as gratification, it led near the place where they had left
their animals; and as they came up to these, they had proofs of the bear
having passed that way, by seeing all four, both ponies and mules,
dancing about, as if suddenly smitten with madness. The ponies were
"whighering," and the mules squealing, so that their owners had heard
them long before coming in sight of them. Fortunately the animals had
been securely fastened--else there was no knowing whither they would
have galloped, so panic-stricken did they appear.

Our hunters believed it a fortunate circumstance that the bear had gone
that way; for the guide assured them that there was no telling where he
would now stop; and as the chase might carry them for miles through the
mountains, they would have been compelled to take to their saddles
before starting upon it. The direction the bear had taken, therefore,
was just the one most convenient for his pursuers.

Staying no longer than to untie their animals, they once more mounted,
and kept after the dogs, whose yelping they could hear already some
distance in the advance.

As the izzard-hunter said, the Pyrenean bear, like his Norwegian cousin,
when started from his lair, often scours the country to a great distance
before making halt--not unfrequently deserting the ravine or
mountain-side, where he habitually dwells, and making for some other
place, where he anticipates finding greater security.

In this way he often puts his pursuers at fault--by passing over rocky
shingle, along ledges of cliffs, or up precipitous slopes, where neither
men nor dogs can safely follow him. This was just what they now had to
fear; for the guide well knew that the forest they were in was
surrounded on almost every side by rocky cliffs; and if the bear should
get up these, and make to the bald mountains above, they would stand a
good chance of losing him altogether.

But one hope the hunter had. He had perceived--as indeed they all had--
that several of their shots had hit the bear--a