creatures scented danger and began moving off. This compelled him
to fire at long range, but he was successful and brought down the
finest of the group.

The smoke was curling upward from the rifle of Carson, when he was
startled by a tremendous crashing beside him, and, turning his
head, he saw two enormous grizzly bears making for him at full
speed. They were infuriated at this invasion of their home, and
were evidently resolved on teaching the hunter better manners by
making their supper upon him.

Carson had no time to reload his gun: had it been given him he
would have made short work of one of the brutes at least, but as
it was, he was deprived of even that privilege. Fortunate indeed
would he be if he could escape their fury.

The grizzly bear is the most dreaded animal found on this continent. He
does not seem to feel the slightest fear of the hunter, no matter
whether armed or not, and, while other beasts are disposed to give
man a wide berth, old "Ephraim," as the frontiersmen call him, always
seems eager to attack him. His tenacity of life is extraordinary.
Unless pierced in the head or heart, he will continue his struggles
after a dozen or score of rifle balls have been buried in his body.
So terrible is the grizzly bear, that an Indian can be given no
higher honor than the privilege of wearing a necklace made from his
claws -- that distinction being permitted only to those who have
slain one of the animals in single handed combat.

No one understood the nature of these beasts better than Kit Carson
and he knew that if either of the animals once got his claws upon