to lose life and limb by the narrowest miss that ever occurred to him.
Although he has killed much more than his _quantum_ of this kind of
game, and has gained what is a practical advantage to every western
hunter, to wit: a knowledge of all their abilities with which they
enforce sway, Kit Carson regards this adventure in the light of a
warning. It is a warning too which he never allows himself to forget;
consequently, whenever he has hunted since, he watches as closely
for signs of Mr. Bruin as he does for the game he seeks; it would,
therefore, be a difficult matter for the bears again to surprise him.
Some of the most desperate battles on record between hunters and wild
animals are narrated of encounters with the bear tribe.

Several years ago, a Mexican by the name of Armador Sanchez, still
well known in the Rocky Mountains as a brave and skillful hunter, had
a fight with a bear which lasted several hours. This terrible battle
ended by both the combatants being laid prostrate upon the ground, so
completely exhausted as to be utterly unable to reach each other from
the want of physical strength. In this condition they spent one night;
and, on the following morning, when the brave Mexican hunter had
recovered sufficiently to be able to creep to his antagonist, he found
him dead. This close conflict grew out of the hunter's noble daring
in endeavoring to save the life of a Mexican boy, whom, at the instant
the hunter attacked the beast, the bear was about to tear into pieces.
At one time the bear had the youth in his terrible clutches in such
a manner that it was impossible for him to plant a shot in any vital
organ. But nothing daunted, with his rifle and revolver, he lodged
several bullets in other parts of the fierce monster. Still the
savage animal clung to the unfortunate boy, endeavoring to tear him to
pieces, and horribly mangling him in every part of his body. The noble
hunter could resist no longer, and dropping his pistols and rifle, he