ar apart, and many
of them not rising higher than the bear's back. This gave the
spectators an opportunity of witnessing the chase.

It was not a long one. The bear perceiving that the horseman was
gaining upon him, turned suddenly in his tracks, and, with an angry
growl, rose erect upon his hind legs, and stood facing his pursuer in an
attitude of defiance. As the horseman drew near, however, he appeared
to become cowed, and once more turning tail, shambled off through the
bushes. This time he only ran a few lengths: for the shouts of the
hunter provoking him to a fresh fit of fury, caused him to halt again,
and raise himself erect as before.

This was just the opportunity of which the hunter was in expectation;
and before the bear could lower himself on all-fours--to charge forward
upon the horse, the long rope went spinning through the air, and its
noose was seen settling over the shoulders of the bear. The huge
quadruped, puzzled by this mode of attack, endeavoured to seize hold of
the rope; but so thin was the raw-hide thong, that he could not clutch
it with his great unwieldy paws; and by his efforts he only drew the
noose tighter around his neck.

Meanwhile, the hunter, on projecting the lazo, had wheeled, with the
quickness of thought; and, driving his sharp spurs into the ribs of his
horse, caused the latter to gallop in the opposite direction. One might
have supposed that he had taken fright at the bear, and was endeavouring
to get out of the way. Not so. His object was very different. The
lazo still formed a link of connection between the hunter and his game.
One end of it was fast to a staple firmly imbedded in the wood of the
saddle-tree, while the other, as we have seen, was noosed around the
bear. As the horse stretched off, the rope was seen to tighten with a
sudden jerk; and Bruin was not only floored from his erect attitude, but
plucked clear off his feet, and laid sprawling along the earth. In that
position he was not permitted to remain: for the horse continuing his
gallop, he was dragged along the ground at the end of the lazo--his huge
body now bounding several feet from the earth, and now breaking through
the bushes with a crackling, crashing noise, such as he had himself
never made in his most impetuous charges.

In this way went horse and bear for half a mile over the plain; the
spectators following after to witness the ending of the affair. About
that there was nothing particula