Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . ntain. For several hours he wandered to and fro over the snow-cov-ered mountain, seeking in vain for traces of game. At length,on the top of the ridge, he sat down to rest upon a decayed log,when he heard the dogs, at some distance oiF, barking , said Henry, I will at least have a squirrel to make a nicebroil for die gute Frau; and with pleased alacrity he trottedalong to overtake the dogs. He found them running around an opening in a heap of rocks,very much exci
Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . ntain. For several hours he wandered to and fro over the snow-cov-ered mountain, seeking in vain for traces of game. At length,on the top of the ridge, he sat down to rest upon a decayed log,when he heard the dogs, at some distance oiF, barking , said Henry, I will at least have a squirrel to make a nicebroil for die gute Frau; and with pleased alacrity he trottedalong to overtake the dogs. He found them running around an opening in a heap of rocks,very much excited, sometimes rushing toward the mouth of thecavern, and then retreating precipitately. Their agitation inducedhim to believe they had found some unusual game; but he ad-vanced boldly, and, stepping over a fallen chestnut-tree, lookedinto the hole. A savage growl and a rustling of dry leaves indi-cated the presence of some large animal; of Avliat species, how-ever, the undaunted hunter was not able to decide. Again heapproached his head to the cavity, and was again saluted with a 282 PORTE CRAYON AND HIS THE bears den. growling and gnashing of teeth that might have shaken the firm-est nerves. This time he saw distinctly two fiery eyes glaring athim from out of the darkness. Henry cocked his piece deliber-ately, but found that the proximity of the chestnut log preventedhim from drawing a sight upon the animal. The dogs, dumbwith the intensity of their excitement, stood by with bristles erectand tails as stiff as spikes. Henry got on his knees, and, leaningback on the fallen tree, leveled his gun as well as he could; theanimal, in the mean while, tearing the leaves and making therocks tremble with its furious cries. The glaring eyes seemed toapproach the opening. There was a moments pause. Then camethe crash of the rifle—a terrific yell—and through the smoke ahuge she-bear rushed out upon the hunter. He sprang to hisfeet, and made a vigorous but ineffectual push at
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectvirginiasociallifean
