Her
husband only stopped to seize his javelin, and followed her, but did not
overtake her till fatigue and the heat of the day made her fall, almost
senseless, on the ground. Stopping for a moment to raise and encourage
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 unfortunate of women,--was Canda exposed,
without clothes, to that frightful storm, hopelessly seeking her only
child, and not even feeling that it did rain. Parabery, not less
afflicted, but more composed, went to relate his misfortune to his
neighbours, who, arming themselves, set out, with Parabery at their
head, following the track 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 Parabery tasted the
truly savage joy of vengeance. But the poor mother could not be so
comforted. After wandering through the rain all night, she reached the
party as they were skinning the bear and dividing the flesh. Parabery
only asked and obtained the skins, to recompense him for the loss of his
son.
Pages:
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457