It grasped him with its jaws at the junction of the neck and
shoulder, making the teeth meet through bone, sinew, and muscle; and
turning, tracked off towards the forest, dragging with it the helpless
and paralyzed victim. Luckily the two men in the canoe had just paddled
round the point, in sight of, and close to, camp. The man in the bow,
seeing the plight of their comrade, seized his rifle and fired at
the bear. The bullet went through the beast's lungs, and it forthwith
dropped its prey, and running off some two hundred yards, lay down on
its side and died. The rescued man recovered full health and strength,
but never again carried his head straight.
Old hunters and mountain-men tell many stories, not only of malicious
grislies thus attacking men in camp, but also of their even dogging the
footsteps of some solitary hunter and killing him when the favorable
opportunity occurs. Most of these tales are mere fables; but it is
possible that in altogether exceptional instances they rest on a
foundation of fact.
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