Orleans independent standard. [volume], February 08, 1856, Image 1

About Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871

Image provided by: University of Vermont

                
INDEPENDENT
A. A. EARLE, PUBLISHER.!
No Moro Oompromis"o witli Slavery.
TEKMS, IX ADVANCE.
VOLUME 1.
IRASBURGH;. VERMONT, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1856.
NUMBER 6.
itaarn Selection!?.
SAVING TWO LIVES.
' A NAVAL STOEY OF THE CRIMEAN WAR.
From his boyhood upward, Herbert
had always had strongly impressed upon
his mind, when boating up and down the
river, the horrors of the well-known rock
at the mouth of the river Dart. He knew
how many lives had been lost upon it,
how much property had been sacrificed
oa its frightful altar ; and while it is the
wonder of every one who visits Dart
mouth that such a hideous danger can
be left unbuoyed or unmarked, every
body who passes up and down the Dart
hears sonic legend of its past misdeeds, and
shuddering, gives it the widest possible
berth.
While Herbert was straining his ut
most glance, watching for another gleam
of lightning, to reveal the scene once that pointing up ?"
more, something like a faint cry was j " Nothing but one of the oars entan
Leard. I gled in the rock."
" By heaven !" cried he, starting to his ! " All right," said Herbert. " Now lis-
feet, " that cry is from tha rock, and it is
a woman's voice." I
Without further thought, except to j
get to the scene of danger as quiekl
as possible, Herbert dashed from his
covert.
Heedless of the lightning, and re
gardless of the rain, he was speedily
wet to the skin ; but that was a trivial
matter.
After divers falls and bruises, he con
trived at last to get down to the shore op
posite to the point where he knew the rock
was, and going slightly up the river, so
that the wind might convey the cry of the
s ufferers to him, instead of drowning it,
lie listened for a moment, and distinctly
heard the cries of
Help, help ! Wc are drowning we
are drowning!"
Where are you are you on the
rock ?"
" Yes," shouted back a man's voice,
we are oa the rock the water is rising
rapidly on us, and our boat has gone down.
Quick make haste make haste, if you
Lope to save us."
" Have you time to wait while I run
up to Dittisham for a boat."
" No, no !" shrieked bacL one of the
voices ; " the water is above our waists
already, and sweeping over u-s with such
force we must be washed away in ten
minutes."
't " Can you swim ?"
i " No," was the answer.
. " God help you ! It will soon be
ever," muttered Herbet, " and I fear I
shall be lost too. My poor mother!"
said he, throwing of his clothes one after
another, " but it is a duty to try. Help
me, God of heaven !" cried the youth,
dropping on his knee for one moment ;
then runniag as far above the rock as
lie thought was practicable, he shouted
out
" I will swim to you."
He then plunged boldly into tha stream,
with nothing on but his shirt andtrowsers,
having previously tied the latter round his
' waist with his neckerchief.
At the time that Herbert took his leap
the tide was running strongly up the riv
er. He therefore swam boldly down the
; stream, as if making for Dartmouth, pro-
' ceeding slantingly across the river to
ward the opposite shore, where the beau
tiful woods of Greenway shaded the
boyish steps of the immortal Walter Ra
leigh. In the course of a few minutes he lift
ed his voice up" Where arc you?"' but
he heard no answer, for the westerly
storm swept up the river at that moment
with a fresh gust, aud drowned the re-
' ply. In another second the heavens
I were once more brilliant with lightning,
i and Herbert beheld, two or three yards
? under his lee, the rugged point of the
J rock like some demon holding up his
jagged head, while, clinging to it, in all
the agony and desperation of impending
jleath, was a young man, who clasped
Ei his arms a girl of some seventeen
years.
i Strange it is, that in a single glance
the human mind takes in the whole char
acter of the face on which it gazes. Even
m mat awtul hour, when the fearful erave
that jawnedbeneaththemappearedabout
to swallow up au these three beinsrs. Her-
fcert detected in that countenance just the
very face that seemed to have haunted
Lim in all the poetical day-dreams of his
soul for years. Large, full, speakiu
eyes, with a small, delicate face; long
rowing, and luxuriant hair, drenched as
it was with rain, and angui&h-striken
as those features were with the horror of
uch a situation; that single glance,
while it filled his soul with the deepest
irmpathy for the fate of this fair un
known, nerved him with fresh courage
to strive against the elements, and lit
in his soul a stem determination to suc
ceed in saving her or to perish in the
attempt.
" Cheer up !" he cried, as relaxing his
swimming, he put forward both his hands
to guard himself from being dashed too
violently by the roaring storm against the
sharp and jagged edges of the rock ; then,
as he succeeded in placing his foot, and
setting his back against the stream, he
said to the man, " Cannot you swim at
all?"
" O heavens ! no, not a bit."
" Where is your boat ?"
" She struck and filled, and went down
instantly when that squall came on. We
were trying to cross the stream on the
Dartmouth side of the rock when, the
squall took'us."-- , s ; ; ?
" Stay," said Herbert ; " what stick is
ten to me," putting his face close to that
of these two unfortunate people, whom
he could yet scarcely see in the dark, fur-
ther than just to discern the general out
lines of their heads. " You have no time
to lose, and you must follow implicitly
what I tell you or we shall all be lost. '
will pull this oar from its sticking place,
and while you put your two hands upon
it and nothing more, remember this
lady must place her two hands upon my
left shoulder. Now, before we start off
into deep water, is there any amount of
your clothes that you can get rid of? The
least thing adds to your weight, Men's
clothes are heavy, ladies' are light, and
do not so much signify."
"How can I get rid of my clothes, they
are all so wet and clinging to me V'
" Well, I will help you. First of all
there is your coat. Can you hold on "by
the rock with one hand for a few mo
ments ?"
" I think so."
" Very well, then ; first let go your left
hand gently, and I, with my . right, will
pull the sleeve off ; then let go your right
hand, and we will pull that off."
" But there is my pocket-book in my
coat." "
" Has it much money in it ?"
" Yes, two hundred pounds."
" That Lad better have been left on
shore in boating. Is it in notes ?"
- "Yes."
" Well, first of all, I will take out the
bock. Let me feel. O, here it is ; come,
it is not so heavy as I feared ; I will just
stick that inside my -waistband. Now,
then, I am ready to pull off the left hand ;
take that hand off the rock. So ; now
hold fast. How the coat sticks ! nurra !
that is done. Now, then, hold fast with
your left hand, and let go the right. So ;
there he goes tip stream to Totness," said
Herbert, as soon as he had drawn the coat
from its late wearer and thrown it to sink
in the bubbling tide. " Now what boots
have you got on ?"
" O, luckily, I have got on shoes."
" Well, kick them off directly, then."
" I cannot they are tied."
" Y'elL, put one of your feet out, so that
I can get at it, and break the shoe-string,
So ; that is it. There he is gone. Now
the other."
" O, Low the rock cuts my feet !"
" Never mind the cuts now ; up with
the other foot. I have him. There goes
the second 6hoe. Now, how about gold
wr.t.nji on nhain ? TTmrp vnn frnt. nnft cm ?"
" Yea."
" Well, give it to me ; I will do my best
to throw it towards Dittisham shore. If
it does not reach the dry ground, we may
at least throw it so far into shallow water
that it may be picked up next tide."
" Just take it off my neck will you V
" I will. Ah, it's a nice watch. It is
a pity to use it so roughly."
" 0, here is my watch, too," said the la
dy, " if you will take it over my head."
" Thank you," said Herbert ; and gath
ering the watches in Lis Land, Le gave
them a vigorous cast toward the shore,
and saw them sink a few yards from it.
" Now, those will easily; be recoverable
to-morrow.. Have you anything else
about yon keys, or anything of that
sort?"
" Nothing," said the lady.
" I have some silver in my trowsers
pocket," said the gentleman. '
" Pitch it all into the river," said Her
bert ; this is one of those occasions on
which money is a curse to man." ...
" Just put your Land into my left trow
sers pocket and take it all out, then." .
Herbert did so, and produced a whole
handful of silver, which he threw after
the watches. ' . - - :
" Now, then, we are as light as we can
get. The water ij riaii very rapidly
Be ready to start You must neither of
you attempt to breathe through your
mouths; you must breathe through your
nostrils, and nothing more. Just hold
your noses up as much as you can above
the water, but do not attempt to lift your
hands above it, for you will sink directly.
I will take hold of the otLer end of the
oar.and swim with you toward Dittisham ;
but remember that both your lives depend
upon not lifting a single finger above the
water. If you do that, you will sink ; it
you do not do that, you cannot help float
ing. Do you understand ?'
u Quite," said the lady.
I will try," said the man.
a Now, then, may God help us said
Herbert, and, laying one hand on the oar,
while he still clung to the rock with the
other,' after a little difficulty he succeeded
in extracting the blade of the oar from
the crevice of the rock, in which it had
stuck, and it once more floated in the
water.
" Now, then," said Herbert, getting it
round into the proper position, "just lay
your two hands here where the leather
is."
" But if I let go of my sister she will
sink."
" No, please God, she shall not. Here,
madam, place both your hands on my left
shoulder before he takes the oar. Now
rest on me your full weight, and never
mind swallowing a little water, both of
you."
As Herbert said this he slipped round
to the side of the rock where they were,
and placing himself on the lady's right
hand, she took fast hold of his dress at
the point indicated ; and, as she did so,
she felt her feet borne away by the wa
ter. " O, I am sinking ! O, I am sinking !"
" O, no ; you will not sink. Keep
your head down, and rest on me. Now
quick, my boy, clasp hold of the oar."
" I will ! I will !" gasped the unfortu
nate man ; and the moment Le did so
away went all three on the bosom of that
angry tide, right into the deep water.
" I am drowning !" I am drowning I"
shrieked the man.
" No, no ; you are all right now ; keep
your courage up we will soon be on
shore." And Herbert, getting sufficiently
out of his reach not to be entangled with
him, stuck the blade of the oar between
his teeth, and struck out boldly for the
little fishing village of Dittisham. Going
up the river with the stream and wind,
the progress of the trio was very rapid ;
and as Herbert struck out with the utmost
possible energy toward the lights that
still gleamed from the cottagers' windows,
where the' beach shelved down much
more gently than in the adjacent parts of
the river, he succeeded, in about ten min
utes, in getting them into the still water
made by the projecting race as it advanc
ed out to that narrow strait of the river
where the scene of this catastrophe hap
pened. In a few minutes Herbert struck his
foot against the shore, and instantly rose
up, the water not coming above the waist.
" Thank Heaven, we are saved !" said
he, for the first time placing his arm round
the waist of the gentle being who, with
out, a murmur, had so implicitly followed
his instructions; but when Le expected
some reply, Le found the excitement of
the scene had ended in her fainting.
Knowing well from past lectures of Lis
friend Drystick, wLat was tLe proper
treatment of a lady under these circum
stances, and tLat tLe best practice was
instantly to lower the Lead, Herbert (no
ways reluctant, be-it confessed) caught
her light and graceful figure in his arms,
and while the long disheveled hair fell
down,streaming with waterjie raised her
little, tiny feet, as she lay in his embrace
like a pale statue. Even in that time of
excitement, he could not help momenta
rily glancing, with an admiring eye, on
the lovely features he pressed to his bo
som ; but the darkness was too great to do
more than just assist the imagination in
believing that nothing could surpass her
beauty. -
' " Come along quickly, my boy," said
be, turning to the brother, who, to Lis as
tonishment was so overcome with the
danger through which Le Lad passed that
he remained floundering in tLe water up
to Lis neck, unable to rise,
t -" Help me, Lelp I" cried Le ; "all my
strength is gone." .
- " I cannot Lelp jou, my boy. I Lave
to carry your sister. Come, j ump up like
a man ; all tLe danger is over now put
your arms around my waist, and I will
walk slowly to the shore. . Cheer up, my
lad ; we will go and get a draught of wine
and some dry clothes at the Tillage inn,
and you will soon be all right."
" O, I shall die ! I shall die !" .
"Nonsense die! You were very near
it just now, and that is quite enough for
you. Uome along, come ; put your arm
out ; that is it. There, now, clasp me
round the waist with the other hand so;
that is it. Make an effort to come along.
You will soon be out of it. So, man,
that is it. My eyes, what tremendous
lightning ! Ahoy there Dittisham ahoy I
Help!" cried Herbert, shouting with the
voice of a stentor, overjoyed and restrung
with the delight of Laving' saved two fellow-creatures,
v
That flash of lightning had done good
service, for some of tLe old fishermen,
looking out from the village inn, had
caught sight of three stiugglers, and per
ceiving a lady Jbg beesn ..the. arms
of one, and the other floundering in the
water, two or three men rushed down.
"Here, sir, give me the lady," cried
one. .
" No, thank you never while I live,'
said Herbert. " Here, you may take
this gentleman off my waist if you like.
That is right ; so, well done. . Now run,
one of you, over to the inn, ted them to
make roaring firea in their best bedrooms ;
get plenty of blankets and mulled port
wine, and if they have no wine some hot
spirits and water. . ' r -
" Ay, ay, sir," cried the men. hearing
at once, from the decisive tones of. Her
bert's voice, that they were speaking to
one accustomed to command, and of a
rank superior to themselves ; and, in five
minutes more, Herbert bore his lovely
burden into the little village inn, and, hav
ing moistened her lips with wine, she
eventually opened her eyes, and uttered
the words, " My brother !"
"All safe," said Herbert.
A gentle pressure of the hand return
ed the lady's thanks more expressively
than words could have uttered, and if
Herbert had doubted how well his heroic
labors were appreciated, that doubt would
have been dispelled by some words that
followed.
" I do not quite hear," kneeling and
placing his ear close to her lips.
" See to your own clothes before you
catch cold." -
" God bless you 1" said Herbert, " I
will," pressing her fingers to Lis lips ; and
then, as he covered them carefully over
from the cold, he saw her gentle eyes
close, and the big, bright tears gush from
under those long and darkly-fringed lids.
The Will akd the Wat. I learned
grammar when I was a private soldier,
on the pay of sixpence a day. The edge
of my berth, or that of my guard-bed,
was my seat to study in ; my knapsack
my book-case, and a bit of board lying on
my lap was my writing table. I had no
money to purchase a candle or oil ; in
winter it was rarely that I could get any
light but the fire, and only my turn even
of that. I had not a moment of time that
I could call my own ; and I had to read
and write amid the talking,
singing, whistling, and brawling of at
least half a score of the most reckless
men and that, too, in their hours of
freedom from all controL . And I say, If
I, under these circumstances, could en
counter and overcome the task is there,
can there be, in the whole world, a youth
who can find an excuse for the non-performance.
Cobbett.
tF Thackeray says a woman's heart
is just like a lithographer's stone what is
once written on it can't be rubbed out.
That is so. Let an heiress once fix her
affections on a stable boy, and all the
preaching in the world cannot get her heart
above oat-boxes and curry-combs. What
is written on her heart can't be rubbed
out. The fact shows itself, not only in
love but in religion. Men change their
Gods a dozen times, a woman never.
To convert a sister of Charity to Meth
odism would require a greater amount of
power than you would need to overturn
the pyramids.
No franking privilege exists in
England. Even the Queen has to pay
her penny postage. : -
Think of the pleasure of knowl
edge and the disgrace of ignorance.
6 Contentment is of so great a value
that it can never be dearly purchased.'
Time is a grateful friend ; use it
well, and it never fail to make a suitable
requital.
Set a value on the smallest morsel
of knowledge. The fragments are the
dust of diamonds. . .
5" Integrity, however rough, is better
thn smooth dibtimulation.
, LIFE EI ABYSSDTIA.
There is scarcely a country on the map
of the earth more interesting to either the
Christian inquirer or the student of his
tory than the kingdom of Abyssinia.
Situated almost in the centre of the torrid
zone, between the land of Egypt, the
country of the barbarous Shangalla, the
Red Sea, and the great African Desert, it
seems cut off alike from the knowledge
and the commerce of Europe. There
are, neverthehss links that it bind it to
the sympathies of Christendom. Abys
sinia was the ancient Ethiopia so often
mentioned in the Scriptures, and governed
by that queen Candace, whose treasurer
was instructed and baptized by the Apos
tle Philip. The natives assort that their
count ryjivas i Sheba, and in the days jsfjts
ancient glory was governed only by
queens ; one of whom, having journeyed
to hear the wisdom of Solomon, established
the Hebrew faith on her return, which
continued to be the religion of the land till
it was converted to Christianity by the
preaching of rhilip. The story in the
Acts seems, in some degree, to favor this
tradition. The treasurer was probably
the disciple of Moses before he became
that of Christ ; and it is certain, that not
only did the persecuted Christians of
Egypt find refuge in Abyssinia from the
pagan Romans and the iuvading Saracens,
but, ever since the middle of the fourth
century, the form and profession of Chris-
tiantyhas been maintained in that African
land, in spite of continual wars among its
different tribes, and with the pagan and
Mohammedan nations by whom it is sur
rounded. The light thus long preserved
is, however, but a feeble flame struggling
through the thick darknes of degrading
superstition, dissolute morals, and general
barbarism. The Abyssinian Church re
tains, besides a multitude of minor ob
servances, that peculiar ceremony of the
Mosiac law which Christian baptism su
seded ; it observes both the Jewish and
Christian Sabbaths ; and though never
subject to the Romish pontiff, patronizes
monachism, enjoins the adoration of saints
and does little for the instruction of either
people or clergy. .
Abyssinia has, moreover, some natural
features of peculiar interest. The country
consists of mountain chains, with wide
valleys, or rather plains, between them.
One of the highest of these ridges divides
it into two provinces, which, as it were,
interchange the seasons. While the trop
ical winter pours down its continuous rain
on the eastern side, the cloudless sky of
summer bends over the western. When
the rain sets in there, the summer returns
to the east, and the natives follow that
genial season by migrating with all their
flocks across the mountains. The toff, or
corn of Abyssinia, is a grain no larger
than the head of a small pin. In its val
leys grazes the great galla ox, with horns
four feet in length. In it3 southern hills
lie the fountains of the Nile, first made
known to Europe by the enterptising and
much-criticised traveler Bruce. Very few
have followed his steps even in our trav
eling times. The track lies too far from
European civilization. But the latest ex
plorer, Mr. Mansfield Parkyns, has lately
published the notes and observations of
a pedestrian journey through the whole
length of Abyssinia in a very interesting
work.
Like a true and hardy traveler, he as
sumed the habit and equinmenfs of an or
dinary native, wearing the costume and
accepting the privations of the country.
His dress was along coarse cotton scarf,
with drawers of the same. A red cap,
with which he reached the first town, was
borrowed of him and never returned ; the
sandals were given up in less than a month,
and for three years, Mr. Parkyn says,
" I wore no covering to my head, except
a little butter when I could get it, nor to
my feet, except the horny solo, which c
few months' rough usage placed under
them."
In this primitive equipage the traveler
journeyed over the great plains. Many
are his strange pictures of shepard vil
lages, with flocks grazing on the bound
less pastures round them ; of circular
churches, with thatch roofs and pillars of
cedar ; of mountain fortresses built high
on the gray rocks ; of towns with earthern
ramparts, and merchant caravans with
their laden oxen and elephants. Mr. Par
kyns also tells u something of the courts
and camps of tho.-e petty and rather un
certain princes, whose wars and usurpa
tions make up the history of the land of
ages..
" A prince of a somewhat amiable char
acter offered to confer on the EnglUh
traveler tlie government of a district call
ed Rohabnita, which, strange to tuj, i
nothing le.s than the happy valley of
Johnson's " Rasselas," The imaginary
description given of it by the learned doe
tor, if at all true in Abyssinia's ancient
and better days, is far different from the
present appearance. Mr. Parkyns de
scribes it as a deep, marshy valley sur
rounded by high and sandy hill, on the
steeps of which poor villages are built,
whose inhabitants cultivate millet, and
depend for water all the dry season on
what the sand flats retain of the winter
rains. Our traveler thought !rouer to
decline that preferment, particularly as
he would have teen obliged to defend his
province continually from a neighboring
tribe.
lie describes the people of Abyssinia
in general as rude, but hospitable ; low in
their domestic morals, badueaadLiu all the
arts of life, and addicted to many singular
and silly superstitions. By one of these,
all blasksmithsare regarded as poeses-ed
of supernatural power's ; and a story which
Mr. Parkyns found in high credit, illus
trates at once the ignorance and credulity
of the people. A certain old woman in
the neighborhood of Adona, to idl appea
anee died, and was buried ; but on the
following night the priest, who in Abys-
synia acts as sexton also, was visited by
a noted blacksmith, who for a considera
tion, obtained leave of his reverence to
remove thf body privately. After thi-,
it was remarked that the blacksmith rode
a remarably fine ass, which, as it passed
the houses of the deceased woman's mar
ried sons, on the way to market, always
brayed loudly, and endeavored to enter
their doors. One of the sons at length
began to suspect that there must be some
what magical in the business. By his
instigation a rising of the village took
place, the blacksmith was seized, ass and
all, the priest gave his evidence against
him, and the sorcerer confessed that his
ass was the young men's mother, who had
not died, but had been cast into a trance
by his art, and afterward transformed into
the quadruped he rode to market. His
power extended no farther than the body ;
the human feelings and memory remained ;
hence the recognition of her children.
The blacksmith offered, provided his life
were spared, to restore the old woman's
wonted appearauce. Mr. Parkyns could
not learn the mode of exorcism, but whe n
it was almost complete one of the young
men, overcome by anger, forgot the prom
ise the family had made, and ran the sor
cerer through with his spear, to the great
misfortune of the old woman, for one of
her feet had not been disenchanted, and it
remained asinine.
One cannot read these accounts of a
far-distant and half-barbarous, yet re
markable country, without feeling how
much our free and enlightened country
owes to the ProviJer.ee that lias so large
ly blessed her. Let us hope tlie debt will
be in some sense acknowledged by our
missionary enterprise abroad, and our
prayerful emdeavors at home, that the
knowledge of the Lord may cover the
earth, and that nation may rise up to call
our country blessed.
Rr.HF.shin;lv cool. A Conductor
on a Yv'estem road was sent for by the
President or Superintendent of the road
one day, who rather sutntnariiy informed
hiai that after that week the company
would not require his ten ices. lis ask
ed who was to be his successor, and the
uame was given Lim- lie then ask;d
why he was to be removed. A.'icr pres
sing the question some lime, and failing
to obtain a satisfactory explanation, a lit
tle light dawned upon him, and ha ad
dressed his superior ofiiecr nearly a.i fol
lows: "You know, tir, I have a nice
house, a fast horse, a splendid gold watch
and an elegant diamond ring, 'l'hul Jcl
low you have chosen to ta'.e nj jla.:n hus
got to yet all these thing t ."' It is said the
argument was conclusive, and the Con-
uueor va anowtji to ruu.i ui poiud.
1
GJ" Philosophy do;s not reward pedi- '
grce. She did not receive Plato as a i
noble man ; but made him j
GS Calmness is the beginning and end bort!y afW de-natched.
of useful activity, indolence the beiiuitn" j . .. ' ."" ", ....
. . . . . . . c CS "Never torsake a Inend. Ulii-n
and end of uniform a:atliy for all acuv-' , .. , ....
4 ' i enemies crailier tinck and l-st around linn
ity. I
' j when bickiittj tal! heavy on his ljeart
C2T He who thinks he can find within when thtJ worM li 'lark Mld lbeerlo,
himself the means of doing without ah- j lUi ' t,ie lo lO' tj friendship.
ers is much tnictuken ; but ho whoihlnU Woman IIk vkt. Tl.aeUrar
that others cannot do. without him is btlll 'a woman' heart is just like a lij'tho
more mistaken. ;gradn-r ttoue: what h once wmien,
. .. Icttll'l be Tubbed out. This ij . 0. l.' l
lie w ho can suppress a moment's a:i heiress once fix her affection on a si.t
angev niay prevent tuany (la) of soirtivv. ',j!'t boy, fcnd uu the preaching in t'.et
- 1 world cannot pet her heart uliove oit-
tT Men doat 011 ihi, world as though toXtS '"-ry--oinl,. What is wr.l-
. 1 . , , ' ! ten on her heart can't be rubbed out."
it were never to have ait t-nd, and ne-decl ... . , .
, , , . . f ; this fact show itselt rot only 1.1 love,
the other as t jough it writ nn-r to ha. e bllt iu Tt,w, ,.n tU,.t gr,d
a banning. a dorn tim' , .ri;rn nrvrr.
A BEAR STORY.
BY A CA ALIFORNIAN.'
It lias long been a-strted, and the pre
valent opinion seems to be, that the in
domitable and merciless scourge of the
Sierra Nevadas the grizzly bear is
incapable of ascending a tret let the
following story shorn that the exploit, hilo
often attainable, is ilierely discarded as a
custom, through the animal's fear. Iat
descending, at the close of one afternoon,
towards one of those densely wooded ra
vines which abound in the mountainous
regions of California, when a sight of one
of these monsters, full grown, advancing
directly in my path, drove me to the. usual
refuge of the nearest tree. There seemed
at least, the distance of a quarter ot a
ra!le for the apparently slow and awk
ward creature to accomplish; yet the
very few moments 1 occupied to attain
tlie height of twelve or fifteen feet, were
not more than sufficient to save me from
his ravenous jaws. As I heard his heavy
steps and his low and angry growl di
rectly beneath me, and felt, or fancied I
lelt, the tall tree quiver with the weight
of his huge paw, my rifle fell, and I gath
ered myself on the lowermost bough in
time to see the faithful weapon malicious
ly abused. However, considering myself
in security, I half enjoyed tlie rage and
perplexity, of the beast, till after repeat
edly endeavoring to dislodge me by a
shake of the tree, to my horror began to
ascend. Ivelreating upon the. limb, 1
measured the height, with the idea of a
leap and a run for life. But a suddeu
thought certainly preserved me ; for,
stationingmysclf in the tree -crotch, above
the bear, I patiently waited till his hot
breath was felt in my face, and then
poured a quantity of powdered tobacco
into his fiery eyes. His grasp instantly
relaxed, and with a roar of anguish ho
slid rapidly to the ground, where wai
enacted a scene of the most extravagant
frenzy ; he tore the frozen sod, and ca
pered over the area of a mile in circum
ference in the most confirmed disorder,
returning at last, desperately resolute, to
the co:iliict. My hopes now began to
fail. At best I was inexperienced ; my
last means of defence gone, and not know
ing to what extent my besieger might
venture, I haif anticipated a most horri
ble death ; but the emergency was t
come. Glancing about me with scarce a
hope of relief, I discovered a savage at
oogicat distance, and attracted him to
ihe spot by my outcries ; but before ho
arrived, I was driven out among tho
branches, while my tormentor took pos
session of the crotch. My limb, as the
sagacious animal proved by carefully
testing it witli an advanced foot, was fur
too fragile for his enormous weight, though
perfectly adequate ti my own; but the
satisfaction to his cruelty was uot to be
so slightly forgone, and he immediately
shook the limb so violently that it wm
broken at the trunk, and fell, while I
seized a bough above, nud hung suspend
ed in the air. At this moment I heard
the savage call ; but he was uiiintcliirji
h!e ; w hile, suiting thi instruction to my
own wish, I attempted to swing myself
upon a support, but tore the twig from iw
suspension, and fell upon the limb be
neath. My antagonist was now descend
ing the tree, and rushed upon me the mo
ment he reached the ground ; but the In
dian, leaping to tiic rescue, drove liM
hitice Into the animal's breast, and turned
the struggle upon himself. Seizing tho
occasion to secure my ride, which, for
tutiately, was charged and not seriously
('.-inia red, as the hea-t passed me in pur
suit of ihe savage, I placed the muzzle at
his head, and fired. With redoubled fury
he n:ain turned iifon me ; but with a
well aimed blow, the lar.ee was driven t
his heait, and he staggered aside, as hi-t
h'.ary pan- grazed my arm. lie had
seized rny weapon, however, and uKo the
iauee ; ijut even hy ins own eltorts, tlio
latter was made hi torture, while the In
dian almost cruelly biind.-d him, by prirk-
' ing his eyes with an arrow, and he wa