"Put spurs to your horses, and gallop down the valley, or he will be upon us!" exclaimed our friends.  We were not slow to follow this advice.  I looked round--the bear was following us.  Fast as we went, unwieldy as the monster looked, he came as rapidly after us.  I could not help thinking if one of our horses fell, what would become of the rider.  It was not unlikely either that one of us, especially the first mate, who was not accustomed to ride, might tumble off.  If so, the bear would certainly kill him.  On we went as fast as our horses' legs could carry us.  The bear was, notwithstanding this, gaining on us.  I kept alongside Jerry, so did the mate.  Their horses could not go faster.  I wondered what had become of the rancheroes; I did not see them.  Another terrific growl was heard, and looking over my shoulder, I saw that the bear had gained still more on us.  He was not eighty paces from us. Just then I saw Jerry pulling at his horse's bridle.  He hauled away lustily, but it was too late.  Down went the poor animal over a big stone, and away flew Jerry over his head.  I shrieked with terror.  How could I help him?  I turned round, hoping to divert the bear's attention, but the monster took no notice of me, and made straight at Jerry.  At that moment, when I thought that it was all up with him, I heard a loud _switch_, as if something were passing rapidly through the air, and two of the rancheroes darted out from behind a cliff, having thrown their lassoes over the bear's head and shoulders.  Away they galloped in an opposite direction to which he was going, till their ropes were at their fullest tension, and then their horses drew up, planting their feet firmly on the ground and dragging against the astonished animal.  Instead of seizing the prey he expected, he found himself drawn up with a halter round his neck, and heating the air in a vain endeavour to escape.  When he found that he could make no head against the two rancheroes, who were endeavouring to stop him, he turned round in a fit of fury and endeavoured to overtake them.  Keeping their lassoes at full stretch, away they went before him; and if he stopped a moment to try to get rid of the nooses, they gave him a jerk which made him move on again.  Jerry was, happily, not hurt by his fall, and having caught his horse, the mate, and I helped him quickly to mount and to overtake the rest of the party who were following the hunters.  After galloping along the valley for a quarter of a mile or so, the two other rancheroes darted out from behind a rock, and whirling their lassoes round their heads, cast them with unerring aim over the shoulders of the bear, and then galloped away from him.  The monster had now four lassoes round him.  Mighty as was his strength, and fierce as were his struggles, he was in an instant brought to the ground.  He bit, and struggled, and snarled, or rather growled in vain; tighter and tighter grew each noose till he was hauled over on his back.  Some of the men on foot, who had been hidden in the neighbourhood, rushed forward, and threw their lassoes over his legs.  He was now utterly helpless.  Then the men came with their long poles, with which they formed a sort of litter, and off they carried poor Bruin in triumph.  It was certainly much pleasanter examining him now he was made fast than when he was at liberty.  We were told that his strength is so great that he can, without difficulty, overcome the huge bison whom he meets with in the plains.  The doctor called him the _Ursus ferox_.  His claws were long and strong, his canine teeth of great size, and his eyes deeply sunk in his head.  We followed the huge prisoner in triumph till we came to a road, when he was put on a cart and rumbled off to the farm.  Thence he was forwarded to Mazatlan, and very likely shipped off to some distant part of the world.