drew his sheath-knife and slung shot, and, after winding his blanket
around his left arm to protects it, rushed in and compelled the animal
to turn upon him. Wounds were freely given and returned; but, the wary
Mexican fought with such dexterity and determination, that the bear
finally became so mad with pain and rage that by a tremendous effort,
with one blow of his powerful paw, he knocked the brave hunter
headlong upon the ground, where he lay some time before recovering his
breath. Instead of following up this advantage, the brute, doubtless
being deceived because the man did not move, commenced examining and
licking his own bleeding wounds. But the brave hunter had now got his
spirit so completely up, that he determined to conquer his antagonist
or die. Early in the fight, by a blow from his slung-shot, he had
succeeded in breaking the bear's lower jaw. This had greatly disabled
the animal and undoubtedly was the successful wound which eventually
gave Sanchez the victory. When he felt himself sufficiently rested,
he renewed the fight; and, by adopting various manoeuvres, in which he
was greatly assisted by some adjacent trees, succeeded in putting in
several telling blows with his knife. Again the animal became aroused
to madness unendurable, and, gathering himself up for a final effort,
succeeded in planting a terrible blow on the hunter's head, which once
more brought him to the ground. From this blow and the previous loss
of blood, the brave man fainted entirely away. How long he remained
in this state he could not tell; but, on becoming again conscious,
he found that the victory was on his side, for the bear had already
breathed his last. The poor boy, notwithstanding his wounds, as soon
as the battle was decided; and, as he supposed, at the cost of his
friend's life, started for a neighboring fort, and, reaching it the
following morning, reported the affair. A party of men well armed
immediately marched to the rescue. They found the brave hunter in a
most pitiful condition, with his flesh terribly mangled, his clothes