edge of the hill, we
awaited the grizzly. He came nearly within point-blank range, when
changing his track, he passed over to the other side of the slope. We
tightened girths, mounted again, and rode around to head him off; when
going through the same operations as before, we ensconced ourselves
behind a giant tree, and remained perfectly silent; presently the
monster entered a knoll of bushes, within forty yards of us. "Captin,"
said Dan, with his mouth close to my ear, "when I whistle, plug him in
the head." I brought my rifle down, but at the moment of springing the
trigger, I must confess feeling some inward quakings, from all I had
heard of their ferocity when wounded, and accordingly I intimated a
request to Dan that he would open the ball. Giving a low whistle, to
attract Bruin's attention, the long barrel rested motionless for a
second against the tree, and as the beast raised his head to listen, Dan
let the hammer fall. _Maldito!_ the cap only exploded; but it startled
Bruin, who leaped from the shrubbery, and took to his heels. My turn
came, and I sent him a bullet out of twenty to the pound; wheeling on
his haunches, he showed a range of glittering jaws, and not seeing us,
made off again. We once more got in the saddle, and rushed in pursuit.
Dan had another glimpse--snapped again--I took a long range, and blazed
away. Nothing done. On we galloped up the hills, and skirting around the
summits, we began slowly to descend along the brow of a ravine, in which
we anticipated finding the chase. We had nearly reached the base without
perceiving him, when Dan, who was behind, shouted, "Mind your eye,
Captin!" I heard a sharp, rattling growl, and within thirty feet below
me was Bruin, licking a stream of blood flowing from his rump. He raised
up, snarling with rage, with huge paws and claws distended; and when
about making for me I fired right between the shoulders, and heard the
lead strike _chug_. The moment after my horse plunged, took the bit in
his teeth, and dashed across the valley. After getting him again under
control, we tracked the bear over the crest of the hill to a small dense
thicket, where we heard him groaning, and angrily snapping his jaws. Dan
swore it would be "rank pison" to venture after him, and we both thought
him hit too hard to crawl out alive. I was extremely disappointed in not
beholding the last of him, but Dan consoled me by promising to pay him a
visit with the dogs the following day; wh