ough, he dropped the great boulder--which at once
fell back into its place--he did not himself drop. On the contrary, he
turned suddenly round; and, giving utterance to a savage growl, rushed
direct towards the hunters.

The latter, not having time to reload, had no choice but to run for it.
There was no other way of escape open to them, except by the gorge up
which they had come; as, to attempt ascending to the level ground would
have brought them face to face with the bear. They turned, therefore;
and commenced retreating down the ravine.

But now came the difficulty. They had not made three strides, before
perceiving that they could not keep their feet upon the hard sloping
surface of the snow. They had no time to cut fresh steps, nor pick out
their old ones: as by doing either they would go too slowly, while the
bear could scramble down the snow as rapidly as on bare ground. There
was no alternative, therefore, but to fling themselves on their
posteriors, and slide down the slope.

Quick as came the thought, all three of them dropped down upon their
hams; and using their guns to prevent them from going with too great
velocity, they shot downward to the bottom of the ravine.

On reaching the lower end of the slope, and regaining their feet, they
turned and looked back up the gorge. The bear had arrived at the upper
end; and was standing with his fore feet projected over the edge, and
resting upon the snow. He appeared to be undecided, as to whether he
should come down after them, or give up the pursuit. He was within easy
range of a bullet; and they bethought them of reloading and giving him a
fresh volley; when, to their chagrin, they discovered that the barrels
of their guns were filled with snow--which had got into them during the
descent.

While lamenting this unfortunate accident--in the full belief that they
would now lose the bear--they saw the animal make a strange movement.
It was forward, and towards them--as if he had made up his mind to
charge down the slope; but they soon perceived that this could not be
his intention: for as he came gliding on, sometimes his head, and
sometimes his stern, was foremost; and it was evident that instead of
the movement being a voluntary act on his part, it was quite the
contrary. The fact was, that the bullets which they had fired into him
had drawn the life's blood out of his veins; and having stood too long
on the sloping edge of the snow, he had fallen thr