ee hunters rushed out from their cover,
and ran forward upon the beech--each holding his gun in readiness to
fire. The bear, seeing himself thus suddenly and unexpectedly
surrounded, at once gave over his fly-trapping; but, irresolute in which
direction to retreat, he turned round and round in the water, first
swimming a bit one way and then another. At length, rearing himself
high above the surface, and showing his sharp teeth, he uttered a deep
growl of rage, and dashed recklessly towards the shore.

It was to Ivan's side he first directed himself; but Ivan was upon the
watch; and, advancing close to the edge of the water, he took aim and
fired.

His bullet struck the bear right upon the snout, and it appeared to have
spun him round--so quickly was he seen heading in the opposite
direction.

It was now Pouchskin's turn; and in a second after the loud report of
the grenadier's gun went booming over the lake, while the ball splashed
the water right into the eyes of the bear. Though it did not hit any
part of his body, it had the effect of half-turning him--so that he now
swam towards Alexis, stationed at the bottom of the bay.

Alexis took the matter more coolly. There was a convenient tree
behind--to which he intended to retreat in case of missing--and this
influenced him to hold his ground, till the bear should come near enough
to ensure a certain aim.

The bear swam straight on, until within some ten yards of where Alexis
was standing; when all at once he appeared to take the rue, and was
turning off to one side. This was just what Alexis desired: it brought
the head of the animal broadside towards him, and, taking steady aim, he
planted his bullet a little under the left ear.

It was a dead shot. The huge creature, loaded with fat, sank instantly
to the bottom; but fortunately the water was shallow; and the Indian now
coming in with his canoe, soon fished up the carcass, and towed it out
upon the beach--where its fur coat was stripped off in a trice.

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

THE GREAT GRIZZLY.

The grizzly bear (_ursus ferox_), the fiercest and most formidable of
the ursine family, was the next to be captured and skinned.

The range of the grizzly, though wider than that of the Barren Ground
bear, is still not so extensive as that of the _ursus americanus_. The
great chain or cordillera of the Rocky Mountains may be taken as the
_axis_ of his range--since he is found throughout its whole extent,