[Illustration:  The Discovery of the Great Falls.]

Seating himself on the rock, he awaited his hunters.  That night they camped under a tree near the falls.  Morning showed that the river was one succession of falls and rapids for eighteen miles.  Here was indeed a stoppage to the progress of the boats.  Sending back word to Captain Clark of the discovery of the falls, Lewis had ascended the course of the cascades to a high hill when he suddenly encountered a herd of a thousand buffalo.  It was near supper-time.  Quick as thought, Lewis fired.  What was his amazement to see a huge bear leap from the furze to pounce on the wounded quarry; and what was Bruin’s amazement to see the unusual spectacle of a thing as small as a man marching out to contest possession of that quarry?  Man and bear reared up to look at each other.  Bear had been master in these regions from time immemorial.  Man or beast—­which was to be master now?  Lewis had aimed his weapon to fire again, when he recollected that it was not loaded; and the bear was coming on too fast for time to recharge.  Captain Lewis was a brave man and a dignified man; but the plain was bare of tree or brush, and the only safety was inglorious flight.  But if he had to retreat, the captain determined that he would retreat only at a walk.  The rip of tearing claws sounded from behind, and Lewis looked over his shoulder to see the bear at a hulking gallop, open-mouthed,—­and off they went, explorer and exploited, in a sprinting match of eighty yards, when the grunting roar of pursuer told pursued that the bear was gaining.  Turning short, Lewis plunged into the river to mid-waist and faced about with his spontoon at the bear’s nose.  A sudden turn is an old trick with all Indian hunters; the bear floundered back on his haunches, reconsidered the sport of hunting this new animal, man, and whirled right about for the dead buffalo.

[Illustration:  Fighting a Grizzly.]

It took the crews from the 15th to the 25th of June to portage past the Great Falls.  Cottonwood trees yielded carriage wheels two feet in diameter, and the masts of the pirogues made axletrees.  On these wagonettes the canoes were dragged across the portage.  It was hard, hot work.  Grizzlies prowled round the camp at night, wakening the exhausted workers.  The men actually fell asleep on their feet as they toiled, and spent half the night double-soling their torn moccasins, for the cactus already had most of the men limping from festered feet.  Yet not one word of complaint was uttered; and once, when the men were camped on a green along the portage, a voyageur got out his fiddle, and the sore feet danced, which was more wholesome than moping or poulticing.  The boldness of the grizzlies was now explained.  Antelope and buffalo were carried over the falls.  The bears prowled below for the carrion.