ir muzzles. The sudden and unexpected onslaught, and the noise I
made, had their due effect. The bears halted, and then to my great joy
turned round and waddled off as fast as they could go.

Thankful for my preservation when I had given up all hopes of life, I
ran back again to my fire, put on caps to my rifle, and sat down pretty
nearly exhausted with my exertions. Though I had driven the bears away
for the moment, I could not help fancying that they would very soon
again return. In spite of this consciousness I felt most terribly
sleepy. I would have given anything to be able to take half-an-hour's
sleep in safety. Now, I knew if I fell asleep that I should fall into
the claws of the bears. I was nodding. I heard another low growl. I
could endure it no longer, but, seizing my rifle in one hand, tucking a
bundle of torches under the same arm, and holding a lighted torch in the
other, I rushed from the ruins into the wood opposite. I did not
reflect that I might have fallen from Scylla into Charybdis, or as some
less elegantly express the idea, have jumped from the frying-pan into
the fire; but, at all events, I had got further off from those terrible
bears.

Having thought of making so many torches was--no pun being intended--a
very bright idea. I was now able to collect ample materials for another
fire. I did not fail to do so, and soon it blazed up brightly, sending
its glare far and wide into the recesses of the wood. I knew from
experience that it would be effectual in keeping elephants and buffaloes
at a distance, and I hoped that other wild animals might be scared off.
What crocodiles might have to say to me, I did not like to reflect, but
I thought that they could scarcely come out of their tanks at night to
pick me up by the side of a blazing fire, unless they might mistake me
for a roasting monkey, and as they prefer underdone meat, might carry me
off before I was completely cooked.

I had lighted my fire near the trunk of a large tree, against which I
leaned my back, part of the root rising above ground serving me as a
seat--indeed, it formed not a bad arm-chair. I thought that I could
manage to sit up in this and keep awake till daylight, employing myself
in throwing sticks on the fire, and by using other devices to prevent
myself from going to sleep. I went on doing this for some time, and
thought that I was doing bravely, then I found that one stick would not
leave my fingers. By great e