and the Indians did not wait for that operation, but ate
the dried venison raw, and I was tempted to chew the end of a strip to
stop the gnawings of hunger.

After a couple of hours' rest, which our horses absolutely required, we
again pushed on, anxious to find a safe camping-place for the night.
Pierre led us to a spot which appeared as secure as we could desire, by
the side of a broad stream of sufficient depth to afford us protection
on that side, while a high knoll, with a bluff, would conceal our fire
on the one side, and a thick wood on the other, leaving thus only one
side towards the prairie. Thus, at all events, we had all the
requirements for camping--wood, water, and grass.

The night passed quietly, and the following day we did not fall in with
any Indians, so that we ventured to camp at an earlier hour, on a spot
very similar to that we had chosen on the previous night. We were
getting somewhat tired of our dry venison, and Armitage proposing to go
out in search of a deer, I volunteered to accompany him, hoping to find
one coming down to drink at the stream. We accordingly kept along its
banks, taking with us one of the spare horses, that we might bring home
any game we might shoot; but as I wished to give mine a rest I went on
foot.

Armitage was some little way in advance, I following close along the
borders of the stream, when I heard him fire. Pushing forward I saw him
bending over the body of a fine deer. I was making my way through the
bushes to assist him, when what was my dismay to catch sight of a huge
bear, which Armitage had not perceived, coming along the edge of the
stream from the opposite direction.

I shouted to him, to warn him of his danger. He rose to his feet,
holding the rein of his horse; for the animal, conscious of the presence
of the bear, showed a strong inclination to bolt. The bear, which had,
apparently, not before perceived Armitage, came cantering slowly on,
until within twenty paces of him. I shouted at the top of my voice for
the purpose of distracting the bear's attention; but Bruin, intent on
mischief, took no notice. I was too far off to have any hope of
mortally wounding the bear should I fire, and the undergrowth was so
thick that I could only slowly make my way through it. Already the bear
was scarcely more than a dozen paces off from Armitage, who with his gun
levelled stood ready to receive his formidable antagonist. The bear
raised itself on its hin