continued to pour down with increasing fury, and anon the vivid flash
quickly followed by the startling roar of the thunder, and the noise of
the seething flood, which by this time was bounding through the canyon,
conspired to make the scene more terrible. Almost despairing, and
thoroughly drenched, I was about yielding myself up to the fury of the
tempest, when my eye fell upon what appeared to be a crevice in the
rock. Hastily making towards it, I entered. The deeper I penetrated the
larger it became, and I found myself at last snugly ensconced within the
recesses of a vast cave.

Congratulating myself on this good fortune, I was about preparing to
resume my rudely interrupted slumber, when I was startled by the sight
of two glaring eyes that were peering at me from the depth of the cave.
Here was a dilemma. I had certainly intruded on some wild animal, and
penetrated its lair. My situation became unpleasant in the extreme. Turn
in whichever direction I might, those fiery eyes followed me, and at
last I found that I was being subjected to the influence of a horrible
fascination.

My unpleasant experience with "old Eph" recurred to me with more force
than pleasure; and the thought that I might have to deal with a
grizzly, made doubly ferocious by being bearded in his den, caused the
cold perspiration to stand out in beads upon my forehead. Suddenly I was
startled by a roar that echoed through the cave. Those piercing eyes
approached nearer. Mad with fright, I rushed to the mouth of the cave,
and began a headlong descent down the steep banks of the cliff. In my
wild scramble I dislodged stones and brush, which came tumbling
precipitately after me, and I also heard another noise which struck
terror to my heart; it was the foot stroke of the infuriated animal that
was pursuing me!

Not knowing whither I was going, but actuated by the sole desire to
escape from this new danger, I very shortly found myself nearing the
swollen river that was bounding through the canyon. There was no
alternative, and, bracing myself for a final effort, I plunged into the
swollen stream and breasted the waves, hoping to reach a rock that
raised its head above the water, about an hundred yards down the stream;
struggle as I might, I felt the rapid current sweeping me on with the
rapidity of an avalanche. Should I reach it or be borne down the
torrent, and be dashed to pieces against some hidden boulder? Nerving
myself for one grand effort,