OCR Text |
Show THE HUNT. 277 such objects, so that an Indian sitting behind a stone with his head in full view, is not likely to frighten them. "One night, having reached the foot-hills, we camped in a belt of pinyon trees, which, at this time of year, when the nuts are ripe, is the favorite resort of bear. We had killed one that morning. Three of our party spread our blankets together, but the fourth said he should try a night in the hammock, and so went off some distance to the deserted commencement of a cabin. Logs had been piled up about seven feet high, making three sides to the intended cabin, but the front and roof had not been put on. In there he swung his hammock, and, being a cold night, tied himself in, only leaving an opening for his head. And, using his own words, ' I awoke in the night nearly scared to death, for there by my side, eating a stub of candle I had used, or a few feet away eating a piece of venison that hung on the wall, I could all too plainly hear a bear munching, and from the noise I knew it must be a large one. As a boy I had often heard that if you hold your breath the bear would consider you as dead as a door nail, and not bother himself about eating you. "' Tied in the hammock and unarmed, I was completely at the mercy of the beast if he took the notion, and my only way of getting out was to tip over and slide out, head first. '"After holding my breath a few seconds, that seemed like ages, I concluded I would get out if it killed me, and out I went. As I gathered myself up I saw the bear was not by me, and therefore supposed he must be on the other side. In about three seconds I was on the top of that wall and then I saw my bear. One of our |