Page:The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851.djvu/404

Rh turf a few moments, while she was employed in some household duties. She soon heard his cries, mingled with a sort of growl; she ran to the spot, and saw a frightful beast holding her child in its mouth, and running off with it. It was then more than twenty yards off; her cries brought her husband; she pointed to the horrible animal, and darted after it, deteined to save her child or perish. Her husband only stopped to seize his javelin, and followed her, but did not oveake her till fatigue and the heat of the day made her fall, almost senseless, on the ground. Stopping for a moment to raise and encoage her, he lost sight of the bear, and could not recover the track. All the night,—that dreadful night of rain, when I was weeping and murmuring, thinking myself the most unfounate of women,—was Canda exposed, without clothes, to that frightful storm, hopelessly seeking her only child, and not even feeling that it did rain. Parabéry, not less afflicted, but more composed, went to rdate his misfoune to his neighbours, who, arming themselves, set out, with Parabéry at their head, following the trail of the animal over the wet ground. They discovered it next morning with another bear, so busy devouring a swarm of bees and their honey, that the savages were able to draw near them. Parabery pierced one with his spear, and despatched him with a blow of his club; one of his comrades killed the other, and Parabéry tasted the truly savage joy of vengeance. But the poor mother could not be comforted. After wandering through the rain all night, she reached the party as they were skinning the bear and dividing the flesh.