Page:The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851.djvu/305

284 of battle before the entrance of the cave. I then called,—Fire! and we all three fired off our pieces at the same moment; a ferocious roar made us hope they had taken effect; but to make sure, and to prevent the escape of the animal, if it was still living, we gathered a large heap of branches and dried leaves before the opening, to which I set fire. As soon as it blazed, we saw by the light the bear laid motionless on its side; but it is well known that this animal is crafty enough sometimes to feign itself dead, till its enemy approaches near enough to be in its power, when it seizes him in its enormous paws, and strangles him. We took a lighted branch, and approached with great precaution. The cave did not extend far; the animal was lying on a heap of dried leaves, prepared for its young ones; I ascertained that it was really dead. I then, with the assistance of my sons, drew it out of the cave, which was too dark for work, and I wished to secure the rich and beautiful skins, which might be useful to us in winter. We set to work, and as the animals were still warm, we succeeded more easily than I could have expected; but the skins were so heavy, it was almost impossible to remove them; we therefore left them in the cave, the bottom of which was sandy, closing the entrance with boughs, that no animal might enter to devour them, and abandoned the two bodies, only regretting the abundance of fat, which would have been useful for many domestic purposes.