ng upon all-fours and
uttering a loud scream, rushed towards me with open mouth.

I had resolved to await his onset; but as he came nearer, and I beheld
his great gaunt form, his gleaming teeth, and his senna-coloured eyes
flashing like fire, changed my design; a new thought came suddenly into
my mind; I turned and fled.

The thought that prompted me to adopt this course was, that just then I
remembered the antelope I had shot; the bear might be attracted by the
carcass, and pause over it--maybe long enough to give me a start, or
enable me to escape altogether. If not, my situation could be no worse
than it then was.

Alas! my hope was short-lived. On reaching the antelope, the fierce
monster made no halt. I glanced back to see; he was already past it,
and following rapidly upon my heels.

I am a swift runner--one of the swiftest. Many a school-day triumph can
I remember; but what was my speed against such a competitor! I was only
running myself out of breath. I should be less prepared for the
desperate conflict that must, after all, take place; better for me to
turn, and at once face the foe!

I had half resolved--was about to turn, in fact--when an object flashed
before my eyes that dazzled them. Inadvertently I had run in the
direction of the pond; I was now upon its edge. It was the sun gleaming
from the water that had dazzled me--for the surface was calm as a
mirror.

A new idea--a sort of half-hope--rushed into my mind. It was the straw
to the drowning man. The fierce brute was close behind me; another
instant, and we must have grappled.

"Not yet, not yet," thought I. "I shall fight him in the water--in the
deep water: that may give me an advantage. Perhaps, then, the contest
will be more equal; perhaps I may escape by diving."

I sprang into the pond without a moment of hesitation.

The water was knee-deep. I plunged onward, making for the centre; the
spray rose round me; the pond deepened as I advanced; I was soon up to
the waist.

I glanced around with anxious heart; the bear was standing upon the
shore. To my surprise and joy, I saw that he had halted, and seemed
disinclined to follow me.

I say, to my surprise I saw this, for I knew that water has no terrors
for the grizzly bear; I knew that he could swim; I had seen many of his
kind crossing deep lakes and rapid rivers. What, then, hindered him
from following me?

I could not guess, nor, indeed, did I try to guess, at the mome