"Just Above This Is A Cascade Of About Five Feet, Beyond Which,
As Far As Could Be Discerned, The Velocity
Of the water seemed to abate.
Captain Lewis now ascended the hill which was behind him, and saw
from its
Top a delightful plain, extending from the river to the base
of the Snowy [Rocky] Mountains to the south and southwest.
Along this wide, level country the Missouri pursued its
winding course, filled with water to its smooth, grassy banks,
while about four miles above, it was joined by a large river
flowing from the northwest, through a valley three miles in width,
and distinguished by the timber which adorned its shores.
The Missouri itself stretches to the south, in one unruffled stream
of water, as if unconscious of the roughness it must soon encounter,
and bearing on its bosom vast flocks of geese, while numerous
herds of buffalo are feeding on the plains which surround it.
"Captain Lewis then descended the hill, and directed
his course towards the river falling in from the west.
He soon met a herd of at least a thousand buffalo, and,
being desirous of providing for supper, shot one of them.
The animal immediately began to bleed, and Captain Lewis,
who had forgotten to reload his rifle, was intently watching
to see him fall, when he beheld a large brown bear which was
stealing on him unperceived, and was already within twenty steps.
In the first moment of surprise he lifted his rifle; but,
remembering instantly that it was not charged, and that he had no
time to reload, he felt that there was no safety but in flight.
It was in the open, level plain; not a bush nor a tree
within three hundred yards; the bank of the river sloping,
and not more than three feet high, so that there was no possible
mode of concealment. Captain Lewis, therefore, thought of
retreating with a quick walk, as fast as the bear advanced,
towards the nearest tree; but, as soon as he turned,
the bear rushed open-mouthed, and at full speed, upon him.
Captain Lewis ran about eighty yards, but finding that the animal
gained on him fast, it flashed on his mind that, by getting
into the water to such a depth that the bear would be obliged
to attack him swimming, there was still some chance of his life;
he therefore turned short, plunged into the river about waist-deep,
and facing about presented the point of his espontoon.
The bear arrived at the water's edge within twenty feet of him;
but as soon as he put himself in this posture of defence,
the bear seemed frightened, and wheeling about, retreated with
as much precipitation as he had pursued. Very glad to be
released from this danger, Captain Lewis returned to the shore,
and observed him run with great speed, sometimes looking back
as if he expected to be pursued, till he reached the woods.
He could not conceive the cause of the sudden alarm of the bear,
but congratulated himself on his escape when he saw his own track
torn to pieces by the furious animal, and learned from the whole
adventure never to suffer his rifle to be a moment unloaded."
Captain Lewis now resumed his progress towards the western, or Sun, River,
then more commonly known among the Indians as Medicine River.
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