Thinking  he  had  found  the  trail  of  the  lost  cattle,  he  pressed  on.  and  soon  heard  the
sound  of  some  animal  in  the  bushes  near  by,  and  going  toward  the  point  from  which
the  sound  seemed  to  proceed,  he  was  surprised  and  alarmed  at  the  appearance  of  a
huge  bear,  which,  with  tyes  flashing  fire  and  gnashing  teeth,  sprang  toward  him
from  a  thicket  not  three  rods  away.  Foster  tried  to  encou-age  a  small  dog.  which
accompanied  him.  to  attack  the  monster,  but  he  cowardly  shrunk  away  and  hid
himself  in  the  bushes.  Foster  then  turned  and  went  about  two  rods  to  a  sappling
beech,  which  was  the  only  tree  in  the  vicinity,  and  which  was  about  seven  inches
in  diameter  at  the  ground.  The  body  of  the  tree  was  smooth,  and  the  lower  limbs
were  about  eight  feet  from  the  ground.  The  bear,  with  jaws  distended,  and  eyes
glowing  like  fire,  was  close  upon  him,  and  his  only  chance  was  in  being  able  to
climb  the  tree.  He  sprang  with  all  his  strength,  and  tried  to  grasp  the  lower  limbs,
but  failed,  but  he  seized  the  trunk  of  the  tree  with  both  his  hands  and  drew  his  fee


436  FOSTER  GENEALOGY.
