fear, put
up his hands and seized the bear by her head, and, making a violent
exertion, threw her from her balance to one side; in the act of falling
she let go his head.

At this time one of the cubs struck his right leg, being covered with
_metasses_ of their leather, and drew him down upon the ground, and he
fell upon his right side, partly on his right arm. The right arm, which
was extended in falling, was now drawn under his body by another blow
from one of the cubs, and his hand was by this motion brought into
contact with the handle of his knife (a large _couteau_ used for cutting
up buffalo-meat), and this bringing the knife to his recollection, he
drew it, and struck a back-handed blow into the right side of the dam,
whom he still held by the hair with his left. The knife went in to the
hilt. On withdrawing it, one of the cubs struck his right hand, her
nails piercing right through it in several places. He then let go of the
dam and took the knife in his left hand, and made a pass at the cub, and
struck it about half its length, the knife going into it, it being very
bloody. The stroke was impeded, and the knife partly slipped. The left
arm was then struck by one of the cubs, and the knife dropped from his
grasp. He was now left with his naked hand to make such resistance as he
could. The dam now struck him upon the abdomen with a force that
deprived him for awhile of breath, and tore it open, so that when he
rose his bowels fell upon his knees. He at first supposed that it was
his powder-horn that had fallen upon his knees, but looking down, saw
his entrails. The dam then repeated her blow, striking him upon the left
cheek, the forenail entering just below the left eye, and tore out the
cheek-bone, a part of the jaw, including three teeth, maimed his tongue,
and tore down the flesh so that it hung upon his left shoulder.

He now fell back exhausted with the loss of blood, and being conquered,
the bears ceased to molest him. But consciousness was not gone; he heard
them walk off. He lay some time. He opened and shut his hands, and found
he had not lost the use of them. He moved his neck, and found it had its
natural motion. He then raised himself up into a sitting posture, and
gathering up some grass, put it first to his left eye and cheek to wipe
off the blood, but found that it struck the bone. He then passed it to
his right cheek, wiped down the blood, and opening his eye, found he
could see clearly. He sa