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THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND
MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

HUNTING THE COUGAR— Set Page 24i

HUNTING SPORTS

IN TUB

WEST,

COMPRISING

4DVENTURES OF THE MOST CELEBRATED

HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS.

•T

CECIL B. HARTLEY.

PHILADELPHIA :
THE KEYSTONE PUBLISHING CO.

1889.

COPYRIGHT
BY JOHN E. POTTER & COMPANY

PHILADELPHIA

PREFACE.

THIS collection of stories is designed to exhibit the
western hunters and trappers in their true character.
The narratives are all matters of fact and not of fancy,
and they have been selected from a great mass of a
similar character, on a principle of choice, which the
compiler believes will be approved by his readers ; the
principle, namely, of displaying all the different phases
of the western hunter's perilous and adventurous life,
as far as was practicable in so small a space.

The reader, it is believed, will find in the volume a
sufficient amount of novelty and variety, to repay him
for the time spent in perusing its pages ; and he will,
probably, on closing it, come to the same conclusion
which the compiler arrived at long since, namely, that
hunting adventures with bears, panthers, wild cats, and
other animals of a similar description, are, on the whole,

enjoyed much better as one reads them in a book,

(7)

8 PREFACE.

by a quiet fireside, than as one who goes through them
in the forest or field. Tastes, however, differ on this
point.

Books of this class are peculiarly fascinating to a large
class of readers, especially young persons, who are al-
ways delighted with the narratives which abound in wild
adventures, thrilling incidents, and hairbreadth escapes.
Such narratives, besides being very entertaining, are
not without a certain share of positive utility. They
display to advantage certain characteristics which are
not unworthy of study and imitation, such as patience
and perseverance under great difficulties ; coolness, and
presence of mind in the midst of threatening dangers,
endurance of fatigue, hunger, thirst, and cold, with-
out murmuring; and that hardy spirit of enterprise,
which has led to some of the noblest undertakings re-
corded in the history of our country.

The early pioneers of the West were all hunters. They
Acquired in the pursuit of the bear, the panther, and the bi-
son, those habits of courage, coolness, presence of mind, and
indifference to danger, which made them such formidable
enemies to the Indians, and such efficient defenders of the
infant settlements, which are now large towns and cities.

Boone, the Wetzels, Kenton, Hughs, Clarke, and a
thousand other heroes of the West, all commenced their
career of victory and glory in the character of hunters ;

PREFACE. 9

and they showed themselves worthy of the hardy school
in which they were educated. Hunting is useful, not
only for the taking of game and the killing of animals
of prey, but for the excellent physical education which it
confers, and the useful, moral, and intellectual tr*?ts
which it developea

CONTENTS.

FA31

Grand Circular Hunt 13

Forest Life— Play , 21

Forest Life— Peril 34

The Prairie

Great Pine Swamp 47

Hunting on the Arkansaw 59

Hunting in Arkansas 82

Hunting Bears and Panthers 103

A Kentuckian's Account of a Panther Fight 118

Angling for Bass 119

Hunting on the Ozark Mountains 124

Bear and Panther Hunting 152

Drives 194

Hunting Adventures of Ichabod Merritt 200

Perilous Adventures of Mr. Ross Cox 205

Hunting on the Columbia Eiver 223

Shooting Wild Turkeys 230

Hunting the Cougar 235

The Traveler and the Pole-Cat 245

Deer Hunting 25J

(11)

12 CONTENTS.

PAOB

Bcipio and the Bear , 260

Hmting the Grizzly Bear 266

Hunting the Grizzly Bear in his Den 273

Curious Method of Hunting the Deer 281

Bear Hunting Adventure of Ichabod Merritt ,.. 282

Ugly Adventure with a Bear 284

Adventures in the Backwoods 285

Hunting a Black Bear in his Den 295

Adventures of an English Sportsman on the Prairies 298

Bear Hunting in Arkansas 309

CoJ-«el David Crockett'* Encounter with a Bear M „ 31V

HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

GRAND CIRCULAR HUNT.

THE spirit of the Hunters of Kentucky, says the Hes-
perian, is not not yet extinct.

Rapid as has been the advance of population in the
West, and the progress of what is called refined life,
during the last quarter of a century — evident as is the
aversion or indifference to manly sports, among the great
body of the descendants and successors of the Pioneers
— much as silks and broadcloths have superseded " fac-
tory" and "home-made," and delicate canes and cush-
ioned curricles have taken the place of rifles and the
good old horseback exercises ; yet one's eyes are now
and then gladdened with the sight of a real hunting-shirt
upon the back of a true Anakirn of the ancient stock,
and one's ears occasionally delighted with accounts of
attempts to revive and keep up the manly old sports of
our fathers.

The following is an account of a regular old fashioned
Circular Hunt, which took place in Kentucky, several
years since. The readers of Dr. Livingstone's travels,
will recognize in it a resemblance to certain hunting
sports which he mentions :

We rose in the morning at an early hour, to make

(13)

14 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

preparation for the sports of the day. The major, who
was to be the Grand Master of the Hunt, selected his best
rifles, and we went to work moulding bullets. The notes
of preparation were sounded in every direction, the ne-
groes laughed, the dogs barked, the horses neighed, and all
was bustle and confusion. All the arrangements had
been made the previous night, and every man must be at
his post by sunrise. The circle was to be three miles in
diameter ; and all the neighbors within a half-day's ride,
were to assist at the ceremony. The centre of the cir-
cle was within sight of the major's farm. Here was a
large pond or lake, which, being frozen over, had been
chosen by universal consent, for the place of meeting.
As our starting point was at a considerable distance, the
major gave directions for the house to be closed, the
windows to be barred and protected from any danger
from the infuriated animals ; then bidding the females
keep close in their asylum, and leaving one of the ne-
groes with a rifle to guard it, we started off. Little
Willie, the major's eldest son, a boy of about twelve
years of age, after hard entreaty, was permitted to ac-
company us, under the care of one of the negroes. A
small rifle, suitable to his age and strength, was fur-
nished, and he marched before us, proud of his permis-
sion, and boasting of his intended glorious warfare on
the smaller game.

We reached the appointed place, and exactly at the
hour commenced our advance. The hunters were placed
at a distance of about fifty yards apart, in order that
nothing of consequence might escape. Little Willie
kept close to his father at first, but getting bolder as we

3RAND CIRCULAR HUNT. 1ft

proceeded, he wandered off ahead, keeping his guardian
negro, who was rather old, puffing, and blowing, and
scolding at his temerity : " You young rascal," said the
privileged old man, " why you no keep along wid me
and de rest of the gemmen ? Shouldn't wonder if a big
'coon or somethin' or 'noder cocht hole ob you drucly."
The young gentleman turned up his nose at his monitor,
and shouldering his rifle proudly, shot off into a thicket,
while the old man started in full chase, venting his spleen
on the branches that impeded him. As the forest in
which we were stationed was very thickly cohered with
brush and elm timber, our progress was very slow. Ma-
jor Wiley and myself kept as much together as possible.
From all parts of the forest we could hear the sharp
crack of the rifles, or the louder reports of the shot-
guns, which were carried by the younger portions of the
community, to the great terror of squirrels and turkeys,
and other small game.

Occasionally a deer, wounded by the shot of some of
the hunters, would appear flying swiftly among the trees,
and over logs, disregarding everything in its flight, and,
as it met the formidable line, would speed swiftly back
again towards the open place, until it fell from the loss of
blood. The howling of the dogs was heard continually
from every quarter, as, far in advance of their masters, in
the language of the country, they "treed" some animal,
and were giving notice of their success. Game was
plenty ; foxes and wolves were started from their caves
in every direction. The major, who was an excellent
shot, was very successful, frequently bringing down hia
mark on the full run. For my part, I generally squat-

16 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

ted behind a log, being a novice, and took aim when
anything was at bay.

Old Pompey and little Willie had been absent from
the company for more than an hour, but the major, who
was well acquainted with the daring spirit of the boy,
was perfectly unconcerned. The only danger he feared
was, chat he might be injured by some straggling shot
from some of the hunters.

We had stopped near some fallen timber, to examine a
hollow in a large oak, in which the major supposed a
bear might have retreated, when a startling shriek from
a thicket, about three hundred yards in advance, arrested
our attention. A crack of a rifle was then heard, and
another scream, accompanied with a fierce growling.
We started off at a run in the direction of the sounds,
which seemed to increase as we came near. The major,
who was a tall, powerful man, made his way through the
brush, as if there were only so many corn-stalks to im-
pede him. There was an open space in the thicket, with
a large tree in the centre. The first thing we saw on
entering it, was little Willie loading his rifle, and trem-
bling and screaming at the same time. A little beyond
him was a terrible scene. Old Pompey was lying pros-
trate on the ground, bleeding profusely, and an immense
panther crouching upon his body, the claws of one of his
paws firmly fastened in his side, while with the other,
he was keeping a dog at bay, growling furiously, and
shaking his immense tail, as I have seen a cat when in-
terrupted in his sport with an unfortunate mouse.

Poor Pompey lay perfectly still, and was only saved
by the well-timed exertions of his dog, from being in-

GRAND CIRCULAR HUNT. 17

Btantly torn to pieces. At our approach the panther
crouched still closer to the body of his victim, seemingly
meditating another leap. The major's rifle was in-
stantly leveled, but he was fearful that he might strike
the negro, and hesitated. Fortunately, at that instant,
a fierce attack of the dog behind, incommoded the pan-
ther so much that he thought it best to retreat. With
one bound he reached the foot of the tree, and was soon
high up among the branches. As he sat crouching in
the fork, showing his white teeth, and snapping his eyes
until they seemed to emit sparks of fire, the major again
raised his piece — there was a sharp, quick report, and the
animal sprang from the tree with convulsive energy, and
fell dead upon the ground. The ball had struck imme-
diately between his eyes.

We ran and raised Pompey from the ground, and ex-,
amined his wounds. " Oh, massa Wiley, me dead for
sartainj" sobbed the poor fellow; " pooh-lioo-hoo." But
he was much more frightened than hurt. Though con-
siderably torn in his thigh and side, none of his wounds
were dangerous. It seemed that Willie, who as usual
was ahead of his keeper, had got into the thicket, and
seeing the panther among the branches of the tree, waa
taking aim for a sure shot, when Pompey broke through
the bushes, and seeing the panther, uttered a terrific
scream that disconcerted the hunter and caused him to
miss his aim. Simultaneously with the report, the pan-
ther leaped upon the negro, and bore him to the ground.
Little Willie, frightened almost to death, commenced re-
loading his gun and screaming for assistance. It hap-
pened very fortunately for both, that we were so near.

18 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

Some others of the company now came up, to whom th«
major consigned Pompey and his young charge to con-
duct home, while we again pursued our course.

It had been settled that, when the line of the hunt
had reached a certain point, for fear of danger, all firing
should cease. We were now within sight of the lake.
Its surface, which was white with snow, was crowded
with the frightened animals, huddled together in a
group, or rushing backward and forward, endeavoring
to find a point in the line through which to make their
escape. But the hunters were so numerous that there
was not, at this time, an opening of a yard wide to be
discovered. It was now about 11 o'clock, the sun was
shining very brightly ; and as the animals flew about the
surface of the ice, the snow, tossed up by their feet,
sparkled like diamonds. It was a glorious sight to see
the line gradually forming upon the edge of the lake —
the barrels of their rifles reflecting the sunbeams, and
almost all arrayed in hunting-shirts, with knives fast-
ened to their belts. There were at least two hun-
dred and fifty animals, of all kinds, assembled within
the enclosure — wolves, foxes, deer, bears, and wild cats
in abundance. A few of the best hunters were selected
to destroy the game. The dogs were called in and fast-
ened, and they proceeded to the work of death. Taking
stations as near as possible to the group in the centre,
the firing commenced. Every shot told, and as the ani-
mals fell, the hills around reverberated with the shouts
of tho joyous hunters. At length the frightened beasts
grew furious ; they flew around in all directions, but the
line was too formidable for them to break through it,

GRAND CIRCULAR HUNT. J9

and, wherever they attempted to escape, they were met
by the shouts and more terrible knives of the party.

Among the deer was one particularly large and pow-
erful. His antlers appeared at their points, to be at
least nine feet apart. His color was a dark red, with
only a single white star on his forehead. He made
several attempts to escape, but for a while was unsuc-
cessful. His eyes flashed with rage. He pawed the ice,
until the spot where he stood was entirely fiee from
snow. He shook his antlered head at the hunters, and
appeared several times on the point of attempting to
break through the thickest portion of the line. Finally,
after coursing around the circle several times, at the top
of his speed, he made directly towards the line. Their
cries were unavailing; nothing seemed now to have
power to drive him back. With a tremendous leap, he
passed over the heads of the hunters — cleared every ob-
stacle— and was, in an instant, lost to sight in the depths
of the forest. This gallant exploit was received with a
tremendous cheer ; and I firmly believe that not a hun-
ter in the crowd would willingly have harmed him, had
he presented the fairest mark for his rifle. Had it been
a man, he would have been sent to Congress.

Now came the most exciting part of the hunt. The
unerring guns of the marksmen had thinned the group
considerably ; and those that remained no longer con-
tinued in the centre, but kept running about the ice, at
a loss how to act. The heat of the sun and the weight
of the animals had considerably weakened the ice. Sud-
denly, as a volley was poured into the crowd, they all
gathered again in the centre of the lake. There was a

20 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

sharp report of the yielding ice — a crash followed — and
the whole body of frightened beasts were soused promis-
cuously together into the water. Such a struggling, and
fighting, and screaming, and fluttering, I could never
have conceived of. The deer made desperate efforts
to escape : throwing their breasts against the edges of
the ice, and endeavoring to obtain a hold upon the
slippery surface for their feet. The wolves howled, the
foxes barked, and the wild cats fastened their claws into
the backs of the deer, and leaped from thence upon
the firm ice. I was highly amused at the efforts of a
bear — the only one that remained. Blowing and snort-
ing furiously, he floundered about, and threw his paws
in every direction ; now trying to mount, like the more
active cats, upon the backs of the deer, then throwing
his huge paws lovingly round the neck of the smaller
animals, with his whole weight, and popping them un-
der. He finally succeeded in mounting upon the ice,
and, stopping an instant, uttered a tremendous growl,
shook the water from his shaggy sides, and started off at
a dog-trot. But danger was in poor bruin's front as
well as his rear. A shot entered his brain before he
had advanced ten paces, and he rolled over on his back,
moaned a few times, then breathed his last.

When the last of the terrified victims was despatched,
the hunters began the work of skinning and scalping.
The shore was lined with the bodies of the slain. Par-
ties went out and collected those that fell during the pro-
gress of the hunt ; and when all were in, they were
counted ; seven bears, eleven panthers, and foxes, deer,
and wolves, innumerable, were the result of the day s

FOREST LIFE — PLAY. 21

sport. Major Wiley, as master of the ceremonies, di-
vided the spoils among the hunters, and all retired 10
their homes satisfied and contented with their opera-
tions.

FOREST LIFE-PLAY*

BETWEEN the St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain, lies
a broad tract of country, covered with dense forests
abounding with deer, and pierced by lakes and streams,
which, beautiful in themselves, are still more attractive
to many from their store of trout. Hills, dales, wood,
water, leafy trees, herbage, are enough for some people ;
others cannot be happy amid tnem, without their rod
and gun.

It was to this latter class that the party belonged, who,
one fine morning, found themselves in this lovely district,
Dent on having a holiday ; guns, dogs, fishing-rods, tents,
all were there for a month's scramble in the forest. Part
of their equipment consisted of two boats, one for them-
selves, the other for their baggage, which was to be sent
forward in advance, in order that tents might be pitched
for the night, wherever the little company might choose
to rest, or linger for a shot. The boats used for this
purpose, are small and very light ; for " rapids," that is,
cataracts in miniature, interrupt many of the American
rivers ; and when the voyagers come to one of these, the

• " Wild Scenes in North America." — HAMMOND ,

22 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

boatman pops his craft on his back, and trots off with it
to smooth water.

Sailing quietly up the river, the tents were pitched,
the first night, on the shores of Round Lake, a fine sheet
of water about twelve miles in circumference, and sur-
rounded by hills ; tall over-hanging trees shading their
encampment, which looked westward over the lake. Tho
accommodation within was primitive enough ; their beds
being made of green spruce, and fir boughs, while a bun
die of the same, bound into a fagot, served for a pillow.

While* enjoying the evening breeze, in front of their
tents, a long wake in the water, evidently caused by
some moving body, attracted their notice. Two of the
party set off to make out what it was ; and finding it was
a deer swimming across, they turned it in the direction
of the camp. It bounded ashore close to the tent,
sprang right through the group assembled there, and
dashed into the thicket behind. A shout greeted his
advent among the hunters ; given with such hearty good-
will, that in his fright, he leaped, bleating, a dozen feet
into the air, and plunged wildly on, crossed the little
isle with great jumps, the last being into the water at
the other side.

Next morning the boatmen were sent onward with the
tents and baggage, while their masters made the tour of
this lovely little lake. Near its upper part is a deep
indentation, bordered by a luxuriant meadow of Nature's
own making, where the wild herbage, and water-lilies
that skirt its margin, afford a plentiful pasture for the
deer. They were enjoying it to their heart's content :
browsing away at grass and flowers ; (that must be some-

THE DEER S LEAP.

FOREST LIFE — PLAT. 25

U.mg like bread and butter ; the grass, plain bread, the
floweiM, ornamental and savory butter ;) in utter ignor-
ance, pci>r animals ! of the evil designs entertained against
them by those two-legged visitors who were so placidly
watching them round the corner. The light skiffs were
noiselessly paddled to within a short distance of them, and
then, coming full into sight, away bounded four-legs in
a fright.

These boats may always be paddled very close to the
deer, by a clever fellow, who will take care to place him-
self so that the wind shall not blow from him to the ani-
mal, otherwise the keen scent of the deer would instantly
make him aware of his dangerous neighbor, to whom he
would forthwith say good-bye, with more haste than
ceremony.

Camping again, on an island in the Upper Saranac,
as the sun went down, the fish were jumping about so
temptingly, in the quiet lake, that the boat wras rowed
out to troll for the large dark trout. These lake trout
are not nearly so handsome as their cousins of the
stream and river ; but what is wanting in beauty, they
make up in size, and in the sport which they conse-
quently afford the angler, who needs be a skilful hand,
to land his fish after having hooked him.

One of these large gentlemen was soon struck, and
then began an exciting struggle. Fish, finding he was
caught, made off in a hurry to the middle of the lake,
bending the rod like a bow in his hasty flight. But
Angler was thoroughly up to him. Holding hard on by
the butt, he gave him a hundred and fifty feet of line,
and by the time he had used that up, Fish began to feel

28 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

tired, though not so much so as to prevent him holding
back with all the dogged determination of a mule, when
an insinuating effort was made to draw him to the boat.
The intimation that he was wanted, was, however, one
that he found it impossible to resist. Then he tried a
furious rush forwards, and leaping fairly out of the
water, seemed to try to shake his jaw free from the
hook, dashing as fiercely down towards the bottom, when
he found it of no use. The reel sang again, as it whirled
round with his efforts to release himself; but it was of
no use, the skilful hand at the other end of the line, con-
stantly and irresistibly urging him towards the boat.
At last he rose gasping to the surface, and was drawn
within twenty feet of his persecutors ; when catching a
sight of them, gave strength to his previously passive
terrors, and away he darted through the water, a hun-
dred and fifty feet out. But fish against man has small
chance, spite of all his twistings and windings, and the
end of it was, that he was handed by means of the land-
ing net, into the boat, a splendid ten pound trout !
Beautiful and tempting looked he in the clear water ;
but oh, ten times more beautiful and tempting looked he
on the breakfast table next morning ! A pleased and
happy, nay, conceited man, was his captor.

Pursuing their course, hunting, fishing, story-telling,
up Bog River, the lower chain of ponds, surrounded by
well wooded hills, was approached ; the river here be-
coming broad and shallow, with meadows stretching
away on either side. Here the oars were shipped, and
the boatmen paddled along, sitting in the stern of the
boats, in each of whose bows stood a marksman, with

FOREST LIFE — PLAY. 27

rifle in hand, for deer, who fed quietly on the borders
of the winding stream, were now their game. Each one
who failed to bring down his game, was to give place to
some one else to try his hand, and so on throughout
their number, till they had secured a deer.

As they stole noiselessly along the ins and outs of the
crooked river, a deer was suddenly seen to start from
among the reeds, and go dashing and snorting across the
shallow water, almost close to the head of the boat.
Bang, went one gun after him, sending him at rather a
brisker pace up hill among the brushwood. Crack went
number two : the only effect being to make him take ra-
ther longer jumps as he bounded, snorting with terror,
into the woods, leaving his pursuers gaping and staring
after him : he had evidently the best of it.

The first boat being discomfi tted, now gave way to the
second, which speedily came in sight of another deer,
daintily cropping lilies on the river side. Paddling
noiselessly to within a few rods of him, long and anx-
iously did the sportsman take aim, but before he could
draw the trigger, the deer looked up nervously, lowered
his long ears, and after one second's disgusted gaze at
his enemy, made for the shore at the top of his speed.
Ping, went a rifle bullet after him, but at random, and
the usual result of a random shot ensued ; the deer waa
none the worse, only stimulated by the report into a
more railway pace up the bank, where he disappeared
among the brushwood. All this was very bad. Two
deer, three shots, and venison as far off as ever.

It was now the third sportsman's turn. Gliding
quietly along till the boat was within fifteen rods of a

28 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

deer, tranquilly browsing his pasture, up went the rifle,
one moment's pause, and then the sharp report rang out,
and wakened the echoes of the shore and surrounding
hills. This time mischief was done ; the animal sprang
into the air, and bounded up the steep as though unhurt,
instantly disappearing among the brushwood. There he
was speedily found, a noble fellow with branching ant-
lers, but stone dead, the ball having passed clean through
him.

Enough for one day ; and beside, not loving killing
for mere killing's sake, they had determined to shoot no
more deer than were needful to keep the spit turning
during their forest life.

They were right glad to rest on their rustic beds that
night, after the hot fatiguing day. Their van-guard,
too, had not been without his share of fatigue ; having,
in addition to the same long journey, some parts of
which he had had to traverse three times over, killed
two deer, whose flesh he had cut up into thin slips, and
was drying it for future provender, in the smoke of a
wood fire, kindled in a bark hut for the purpose. This
mode of preparing meat, is called "jerking " it. In
very hot countries, it is dried in the* sun, the long thin
slips, from three to six yards long, being hung in fes-
toons on the branches of some neighboring tree.

On the river, just above the traveller's camp, was a
dam constructed of large logs, and slenderer ones laid
cross-wise, on which brushwood and earth were placed,
so as to make all tight. Entangled in this, a fine young
deer was found dead. The poor creature's foot had
slipped between the logs ; struggling to free himself the

FOREST LIFE— PLAY. 29

leg was broken, and then he must have perished of pain
and hunger, a worse death than that from the hunter's
rifle.

Going down stream in the morning, the trout were
abundant but shy. Hooks and baits were dangled be-
fore them in the most tempting manner, but not a single
mouthful would any trout among them take. Tired of
this, a line, with a weight attached, was let down quietly
among them, with a number of bare hooks tied to it. A
sudden jerk, and one of the largest was hooked by the
tail, and, together with some half dozen more, actually
dragged out of the water in this way, tail foremost ! A
novel mode of catching fish, undoubtedly.

Hitherto the hunters had made no use of their dogs.
Game was so abundant that they were not needed. One
coursing match, however, was had with them that ended
pleasantly enough for the deer. The dogs, doubtless,
thought differently of it.

The deer was upon a small island in the lake by which
the hunters were camped; and having stationed tlieir
boats so as to prevent his reaching the shore, if he tcok
to the water, the dogs were sent to the island. IE less
than five minutes the stillness was broken by the sudden
and fierce cry of the dogs, who had just started their
game. Away they went in full cry after him, making
the hills and woods ring again as he swept along, doub-
ling and winding, with them still at his heels. Presently
he made his appearance close to the hunters ; who, car-
ing more for the excitement of the chane than the capture
of the deer, received him with such a volley of st >uts
and halloos, as fairly frightened him back again intc the

80 BUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

•woods, whence he had broken cover. From that shelter,
however, the dogs soon chased him into the water ; only
to be driven back again to dry land. A second attempt
to take water was again frustrated, and he retreated,
baffled, to the thickets. Thrice was he coursed round
the island, the hunters facing him wherever he attempted
to escape. At last he plunged desperately into the lake,
and swam towards the shore three-quarters of a mile off,
his tormentors contriving again to disappoint his design,
and compel him to land on a little shrub-covered island,
not more than half an acre in size, and that stood at
about the distance of half a mile down the lake. When
he neared this he sprang on the shore, frantically looking
on all sides for some hiding-place, or means of escape.
None was to be had ; whichever way he turned, there
was one of the hunters ahead of him, shouting and driv-
ing him nearly mad. This way and that rushed the poor
beast in vain, till in despair he took up his post among
the bushes, that covered a knoll in the middle of the
island ; and there, after tossing his head up and down, as
he looked from one to another of his enemies, he waited
for what might come. He at length quietly lay down.
Fortunately for him the hunters had had all they wanted,
a coursing match ; and, satisfied with his performance,
they rowed away, leaving him to recover at leisure from
his exertions. Once rid of them, he swam to the main
land, and speedily disappeared among his own forests.

Let us see the hunters going to dinner, before we leave
them. There are pieces of moose, (a very clumsy kind
of deer peculiar to northern countries, and in northern
Europe called the elk,) and bear's meat, spitted on long

FOREST LIFE — PLAY. 31

sticks before a roasting fire. Further, there are fresh
trout from the lake, whether caught by the head or tail
iocs not matter; the jerked venison that we have heard
of, and savoury salt pork ; all of which, when ready for
dishing, are placed on slices of birch-bark fresh peeled
from the trees. While for drinkables, there are tea, and
excellent spring water, into which people with whom cold
water disagrees, (there are such queer folks in the world,)
may pop the least possible dose of brandy. Those who,
for once and away, cannot contrive to make a dinner on
such materials, are recommended to keep out of the
woods !

In this lake country, deer are sometimes hunted by
candlelight. A box open in front, and large enough to
hold several candles, is placed on a post about four feet
high in the bows of the boat. The marksman sits on a
low seat close behind this ; and then, rowing noiselessly
in the dark to where the deer are feeding by the edges
of the stream, a full blaze is thrown upon the animal,
while the hunter, who is quiet in the shadow, takes aim
quietly, and "does" for him.

But deer, and moose, and bears, are not the only
"game " to be found in American forests. In some of
them, that comical little pig, the peccary, may be met
with ; and a fierce little beast he is too. His teeth are
as sharp as knives ; and woe be to man or beast who
comes within their reach ; for it is " no surrender " with
the peccary. The creatures go about in droves of from
ten to fifty ; will attack anything, or anybody that comes
in their way, no matter how well armed ; and, as they
make a point of fighting it out to the last, till there is not

32 HUNTING SPORTS IN THE WEST.

one piggy of their number left, people who are

with their manners and habits generally prefer letting

them alone.

Their mode of "camping" at night is particularly
droll. Selecting a large hollow tree, overthrown by some
storm of wind, the whole drove will get into it, on« after
the other, backwards, so that the last stands guard, with
his snout to the entrance. And it is when they have be-
taken themselves to their lodgings for the night, that the
settler, (to whose crops they are terribly destructive,) has
his almost sole chance of destroying them.

When he finds one of these hollow trees, he soon as-
certains whether or not the peccaries have chosen it for
their sleeping-place. If they have, he waits with as
much patience as he can, for a regular dull, dark, driz-
zling day; for in such weather the peccaries, disliking
either a wet jacket, or wet feet, or both, do not stir
abroad, but. remain in the retirement of their hollow tree
trunk. On such a day, therefore, the settler, armed with
his rifle, takes, his stand at day-dawn, directly opposite
to what we may call the peccary's front door; concealing
himself cautiously among the neighboring bushes. Pre-
sently there is light enough to see the nose and sharp
eyes of the sentinel peccary. Covering him with his
rifle, the trigger is pulled ; and with the ball in his brain,
over head and heels tumbles poor piggy-wiggy, and there
is an end of him. Wakened by the explosion, another
pops himself into the opening to see what is the matter ;
but a second bullet finishes him in like manner. A third,
fourth, even more, it is said, may be shot in this way, if
the man is only careful enough not to stir the bushe?

FOREST LIFE — PLAY. 33

among which he is hidden. If he do, there is an end of
the game ; out jumps the beast in the door-way, with all
the rest at his heels, and together they make a grand
charge at the sportsman, who finds a tree, or a light pair
of heels, his best defence against these fierce and fearless
animals.

A bear hunt in Texas, which is one of the places where
peccaries are found, was one day brought to a very amus-
ing termination by these small pests. The bear, trying
to climb a tree, as the hunters came up to him, was sur-
rounded by the dogs, who held him on every side in such
a manner as to render it difficult to get a shot at him, for
fear of wounding them. Bruin was accordingly pitching
them right and left, when all at once a drove of peccaries
dashed, grunting, upon the whole group. The dogs, cut
and slashed by their villanous sharp teeth, slank off
howling to their masters. The poor boar found himself
in worse hands even than before ; and, roaring with pain,
rolled about, striking out at random in all directions with
his huge paws, at these new assailants : while from the
hunters themselves, half angry, half laughing, rose a
general cry of " Peccaries ! run, run !" And sticking
spurs into their horses, they bounded off through the cane
brake, only too glad to leave the peccaries and tho beai
tc fight it out between themselves.
3

34 HUNTING SPORTS OF TUB WEST.

FOREST LIFE-PERIL,

THE huge forests of America and Canada are slowly
yielding to the axe of the backwoodsman. From morn-
ing to night, his broad keen blade glitters in its relent-
less descent, and the bright flashing chips fly, till down
thunders one monarch of the woods after another, whose
only revenge on his destroyer, is the leaving of a tor-
menting stump. Those stumps, dotted here and there
among his cleared land, are dreadfully in the way of the
plowman, till time or gunpowder, completes their de-
struction, and enables him to achieve that pride of his
heart, a straight furrow.

But if the axe were the only means of turning the
woodlands into cornfields and pastures, or into what may
some day become so, the process would go on much more
slowly than it does. Fire plays no unimportant part
in the destruction of the woods ; and its fierceness, and
the extent of its ravages, are such as none can conceive,
save those who have witnessed them. Lightning strikes
a dry tree, and kindles up a blaze; or, perhaps, the
hcaped-up cuttings and brushwood, left by the " lum-
berer" or backwoodsman, are set on fire, either acci-
dentally, (possibly by a sj>ark from the odious tobacco-
pipe, which we can scarcely forgive, even in that com-
fortless place,) or purposely, to get rid of the rubbish ;
and the conflagration runs on for miles, consuming, not
trees only, and the frightened wild inhabitants of the
forest, but, in its unchecked fury, licking up the tender

FOREST LIFE — PERIL. 35

crops, and the homestead itself, of the struggling emi-
grant, who is too happy if he and his little ones can only
escape with their lives. Fire is the best remedy for
fires of this kind. That sounds odd enough. In the city,
if we catch fire, we run post haste for the " engine," and
should think any one mad who prescribed fire instead of
water. But the meaning of it is, that the most effectual
way of checking the flames in these forest and bush
fires is, to set fire to the grass and brushwood, sufficiently
in advance of the great fire that is to be extinguished,
to allow them to be burnt out, before the wave of flame
comes up to the place. If this can be managed, — it re-
quires much care and adroitness, — the original fire, of
course, goes out for want of fuel, and there is an end of
it. But too frequently the intensity of the conflagra-
tion baffles all attempts to stop it. In the hot season,
dead trees, broken branches, and decaying underwood,
are dry as tinder ; the resin and pitch, in such trees as
the fir, give unconquerable fury to the flames, while the
violent wind, which is the natural result of a vast body
of intense heat, fans the whole into still stronger com-
bustion. A fire of this kind that took place in one of
the English possessions in North America, in 1825,
burnt on for the astounding distance of a hundred and
forty miles, and on both sides of a large river. On one
bank alone, a breadth of more than sixty miles was ra*
vaged by it.

It appears that for several days previously the woods
had been on fire ; but this being no infrequent thing,
did not produce any alarm. Suddenly, however, a
storm of wind arose, accompanied by so extraordinary a

36 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

sound, like distant thunder, proceeding from the depths
of the forests, as made the inhabitants of the district fear
that there was something worse than the mere ordinary
burning of the woods. The sky also became obscured
with the rolling smoke, and speedily the surrounding
woods flashed out into flames, whose long forky tongues
licked and twined in all directions, around the tall boles
of the forest trees, and even leaped high into air, thirty
or forty yards above their tops. Two towns were almost
immediately involved in the fire, many of whose inhabi-
tants were suffocated or burnt to death, and others
dreadfully injured. Those who escaped death, had no
time to save any of their property ; but, hurrying to the
banks of the river, sought in canoes, on rafts, logs of
timber, or indeed anything that could float, to make
their escape from the horrid death that threatened them
on shore. Nor, stripped of everything, were they safe
even there ; since the violence of the tempest whirled
aloft burning logs, fragments of houses, and even trees,
and dashed them, flaming, into the water. Of how
many of the backwoodsmen perished in the forest, where
they had made their homes, no account could be taken ;
but it is supposed that, altogether, at least five hundred
human beings lost their lives in this dreadful fire.

One poor lumberer, (a backwoodsman is so named
from his occupation of felling timber or lumber, as it :s
called,) had just built his "shanty" or log-hut, and was
beginning to cut timber when the fire broke out. He
was told of it by some of his men who had passed
through the wood to bring provisions to the little camp,
but thought nothing of it, till one of them, leaving the

FOREST LIFE — PERIL. 37

snanty for a minute, came back hastily with news that
rhe fire was a bad one, and within a mile of the hut.
They instantly looked out, and as far as they could see,
there was nothing but fire, waving high above the forest,
and whose roar, like that of a gigantic furnace, was
broken in upon, from time to time, by the crash of fall-

ing trees.

Not a moment was to be lost. Without staying to save
an article, they ran to a small stream a little way off.
Some of them thought this would be a sufficient check to
the flames, and so contented themselves with crossing it,
and going a short distance do.wn its opposite bank, to a
spot which they had formerly cleared. The lumberer,
however, felt sure, that such a fire as that now raging
behind them, would soon leap the comparatively narrow
thread of water, and, as safety was on neither bank, he
adopted the bold plan of taking refuge in the stream
itself. Wading into it, therefore, shoulder high, he took
up his post underneath a hanging bank, and awaited his
fate.

The flames advanced, consuming all before them, and
filling the sky with a lurid glare. Their hot breath was
almost stifling to the poor trembling wretch in the river.
Another minute, and the trees overhead were a-light,
and he, forced for safety, to plunge his head under the
water, holding it there as long as he could for suffoca-
tion, and then taking breath for a moment. When he was
able once more to stand erect, the flame was still raging
onward before him. Behind, where it had passed, black-
ened boles were still blazing ; mere stumps, with all their
branches burnt off, and soon to die out for want of fresh

OS HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

fuel. The poor man dared not, for some hours, leave
his watery fortress, but at last made good his escape
from the ruined neighborhood. His log-hut and every-
thing in it was of course destroyed ; but happily for him,
some of the provisions lying in a cellar, escaped injury ;
otherwise, after escaping fire, he might haw* lied of
starvation, before he could get away. His companions
were lost in the burning forest.

The lumberer himself told the story of his wonderful
escape to Major Strickland, who relates it in the man's
own words in his account of his own life as a settler in
Canada.

Mr. Charles Murray, in his travels in North America,
describes this setting fire to the woods as being done on
purpose by Indians, in order to drive himself and his
companions from their hunting grounds. In whatever
direction they turned for sport, a light was certain to be
applied to the dry grass, and then all was in a blaze.
On more than one occasion, not only was his sport
spoiled, but his life endangered by this practice. One
day he had to take to the water, to escape from the flames,
which they had kindled in the wood for his particular
accommodation. Another time, seeing him cross the
prairie to a wood where it was supposed deer might be
found, they fired the grass in several places, and in such
a direction that the wind, which was rather high, might
carry the flames his way. Mr. Murray soon perceived
that he could not outrun the fire, and therefore adopted
the plan of which we have spoken, curing fire by means
of fire. He set the grass near him alight, and then, when
it was burnt out, took up his post in the centre of the

THE PRAIRIE. 39

bare space thus created. He had the satisfaction of see-
ing that the Indians' fire could not pass its circumference

O Jr

for want of fuel, but skirting it, seized grass, and brush-
wood, and timber, and so carried the conflagration on-
wards, leaving him safe, though half suffocated.

The next day he went out in a different direction,
where there had not been any fire. But his Indian
friends were ready fo* him. As evening drew on, slight
columns of smoke were seen spiring out of the wood ; und
presently the flames burst forth, the old dry timber crash-
ing down, -ar>d sending up a shower of sparks. The
flames crept here, along the brushwood, and leaped up
there, as they folded themselves round some resinous
tree ; while huge clouds of smoke, black and lurid, as they
shifted about, canopied the magnificent scene.

The Indians had the best of it, for they fairly burnt
out Mr. Murray and his sporting friends.

THE PRAIRIE,

THE ponderous buffalo is the "game" of the north
American plains or prairies ; in some of which it still
abounds, notwithstanding the incredible destruction which
necessity, or mere wantonness, has wrought among these
beasts. Some idea of the killing that goes on among
herds of buffalo may be formed from a knowledge of the
circumstance of a hundred thousand prepared skins — buf-
falo robes they are called — being every year brought into

40 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

Canada and the United States, where they are much used
as a defence from the extreme winter cold of those coun-
tries. This is, in addition to any number that may be
killed to provide the same covering for the Indians them-
selves, who are as fond of it as their white neighbors are.
The buffalo is to them great gain; they eat him, wear
him, and trade him away for the various articles of use
and luxury which their uncivilized wandering life fails to
provide for them, but the taste for which it by no means
extinguishes.

A traveller camping out in the prairies, heard one
night a noise like distant thunder, but so prolonged that
he was certain it could not be that. Puzzled to account
for it, as it came nearer and nearer, he listened with his
ear close to the ground, and at length became aware that
it was the heavy tread of a herd of buffaloes on one of
their usual migrations on the plains ; and a momentary
gleam of moonlight showed him the prairie, black over
with thousands upon thousands of these huge beasts.
How to escape their headlong rush became a subject of
no little anxiety, as camp and all, placed in their imme-
diate track, was in danger of being borne away by the
torrent. Hastening to his comrades, he roused them up ;
and by dint of repeated volleys from their muskets, aided
by the united screeches and yells of the whole party,
they succeeded in frightening the monsters into a different
path to that which led directly over their encampment,
and thus escaped the chance of being crushed to death.
The herd, under this double salute, divided into two ;
one-half thundering off to the plains, while the other
tramped through the adjacent river, where their splash-

THE PRAIRIE. 41

ing and clashing, as they crossed the water, was heard
for hours. Such are the numbers in which these great
creatures roam about their native prairies.

It is said that the buffalo is not naturally a fierce ani-
mal ; but its looks are against it. Its huge head, and
rough beard and mane, are not unlike those of a lion,
only much larger in proportion to the size of its body.
When urged to its speed these are tossed about in what
appears to be a most threatening manner ; but the poor
beast does not mean mischief, unless his pursuers drive
him to it ; and then, woe betide all that come in his
way !

The Indians sometimes manage to slaughter even the
largest herds of buffaloes, in what may be called a whole-
sale way. In order to make it intelligible, some descrip-
tion of the nature of these prairies is needful. They are,
as has been said, vast undulating plains, studded here
and there with clumps of park-like timber ; but these
plains are occasionally broken up by great clefts or
canons, which go suddenly, and almost sheer dowa for
many hundred feet. Mr. Kendall, in his account of the
Santa Fd expedition, relates that he and his party were
traversing one of these plains, in which no break of the
surface could be perceived far as the eye could reach,
when all at once they found themselves on the brink of
one of these tremendous chasms. Its almost perpendi-
cular depth beneath their feet was near three hundred
yards, and it was from three to five hundred yards wide.
A slender stream, now hidden by some huge rock, now
bubbling again into view, coursed along the bottom,
wearing its channel into fantastic shapes : The depth,

42 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

and dark abrupt character of this rent in the earth, made
them almost sick as they looked down into it; the more
so, perhaps, that there was no way of continuing their
journey but by crossing it. Had they been made of
india-rubber, they might have rolled themselves up into
balls and bowled down to the bottom, with the utmost
ease ; but even that would have left them with the dif-
ficulty of getting up the other side, as apparently insu-
perable as ever. However, cross it they must ; and as,
the day previous, they had seen numerous foot-marks of
Indians, horses, and buifaloes leading in this direction, it
was evident that they had managed to pass it, and if
they could, so might others. It was dangerous, but that
could not be helped ; so the steadiest and best behaved
horses and mules were first induced to begin the perilous
descent, those who were less to be trusted bringing up
the rear. There was one advantage attending their steep
downward course, and that was, that, once in for it, and
there was no turning back. Onward they were obliged
to go ; and amid clattering stones, loosened by their
tread, and that leaped and bounded down before them,
they at last reached in safety the very bottom of this
dreary ravine.

Here they rested for a while, as was evident their pre-
decessors the Indians had done ; various traces of whose
camp were scattered about. The track upwards and out
of the cleft was presently discovered ; and winding along
the ravine till it was reached, afforded ample opportunity
for noticing the remarkable and fantastic effects of the
rushing waters that coursed throughout it. Pillars, forts,
battlements, turrets, by turns presented themselves, till

THE PRAIRIE. 4*

ti.e traveler might have imagined himself wandering
among the ruins of some deserted city.

Getting down was bad ; getting up again was worse.
Guns, baggage, and horse furniture had to be carried in
the hand, while the animals scrambled up as they could.
One of them struck against a piece of rock that stuck
out upon the path, and was hurled down by the shock a
distance of near twenty feet, falling right upon his back.
Of course he was given up for lost; but, thank you,
Dobbin had no idea of that. He just got up again, gave
himself a shake, and then trying it a second time,
marched up as steadily as any of them. The passage of
this ravine took them five or six hours ; by the middle of
the afternoon they had accomplished it, and were restored
to the upper world. Continuing their route on the plain,
they found that by the time they had left the chasm a
few hundred yards behind them, not the slightest trace
of its existence was to be seen.

It is into chasms such as these that the mounted In-
dians, spurring their half-wild horses to their utmost
Bpeed, drive the immense herds of buffaloes, when they
come upon them in a situation suitable for this purpose.
Urged onward by the yells and rapid hoof-trampling be-
hind them, headlong, and tumbling over each other go
the huge terror-stricken brutes, a dark avalanche of
beast-life, bounding from crag to crag in the rugged de-
Bcent, till, at the very bottom of the canon, lies a writh-
ing, swelling heap of carcases, a rich spoil for their sa-
vage pursuers to gloat over.

The bow and arrow is a formidable weapon for tho
destruction of buffalo, in the hands of an Indian. Some

46 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST-

of tho Pawnees will launch their arrows with sucK force
as to drive them almost up to the feathered end in the
animal's body. Nay, it is said that they are sometimes
shot clean through him, and left quivering in the ground
beyond.

The ordinary way of shooting the buffalo by civilized
sportsmen, is either by hunting him or by stalking. The
former is accomplished on horseback, bringing him down
at a long shot. The latter is done on foot, creeping along
from bush to bush, hiding here, and dodging there, keep-
ing in such a direction that the wind may not blow the
scent of the hunter to his game, in stealing upon him un-
awares. But there is no object of the chase that takes
so much killing as the poor buffalo. His enormous frame
offers so wide a range of others than fatal marks for a
bullet, that the chances are, save in skillful hands, that
the wretched animal may be riddled before he falls. A
well-placed shot behind the shoulder, will soon bring
down even his vast bulk ; and it should not be forgotten
that though we may, and must kill these creatures, it is
our duty to do so with as little suffering to them as pos-
sible. A bungling sportsman deserves to rank with a
butcher ; and not even with him, if he is expert at his
business.

Hunting buffalo is not the only business of the Indians
of the prairie. The wild horse that scours those bound-
less plains forms a still more exciting chase. No pop-
ping at him with rifles, or twanging bow-strings at him ;
he must be taken alive and uninjured. And my lord is
not always so easily caught as his pursuers would wish.
If a troop of horses is seen, the mode employed is that

GREAT TINE SWAMP. 4T

of forming a wide circle round them by mounted Indians,
who gradually draw nearer and nearer to each other,
driving the horses before them, till their prey is within
reach of the lasso. The lasso is a long cord with a noose
at one end, which the Indians throw with wonderful pre-
cision. This is skillfully thrown round the necks of those
who are thought best worth taking; and the Indians,
riding off with their struggling, prancing captives, soon
succeed in making them understand the value of obedi-
ence. They may kick, and plunge, and rear, and caper,
as they think proper ; but it is all of no use. Between
a powerful bit, tremendous spurs, and a rider who sticks
to his steed like wax, the noble animal is effectually sub-
dued, and henceforth must follow the bidding of another,
instead of his own.

If there be but a solitary horse, or the hunters are
few, of course there is just a race for it, generally ending
in favor of the hunter ; who, it must be said, occasionally
receives a handsome kick or two from his captive.

GREAT PINE SWAMP.*

I LEFT Philadelphia, at four in the morning, by the
coach, with no other accoutrements than I knew to be

* Of all hunters, Audubon is the most interesting. He hunted with a
noble purpose; he saw with the eye, and described with the pen of an ar-
tist. This account of the Swamp is extracted from his Ornithological Bi-
ography.

48 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

absolutely necessary for the jaunt which I intended t«,
make. These consisted of a wooden box, conttiiniDg a
email stock of linen, drawing paper, my journal., colois,
and pencils, together with twenty-five pounds of shot,
some flints, the due quantum of cash, my gun, Tear-
jacket, and a heart as true to nature as ever.

Our coaches are none of the best, nor do they move
with the velocity of those of some other countries. It
was eight, and a dark night, when I reached Mauch
Chunk, now so celebrated in the Union, for its rich coal
mines, and eighty-eight miles distant from Philadelphia.
I had passed through a very diversified country, part of
which was highly cultivated, while the rest was yet in »
state of nature, and consequently much more agreeable
to me. On alighting, I was shown to the travelers'
room, and, on asking for the landlord, saw, coming to-
wards me, a fine-looking young man, to whom I made
known my wishes. He spoke kindly, and oftered to
lodge and board me at a much lower rate than travelers
who go there for the very simple pleasure of being
dragged on the railway. In a word, I was fixed in four
minutes, and that most comfortably.

No sooner had the approach of day been announced by
the cocks of the little village, than I marched out with my
gun and note-book, to judge for myself of the wealth of"
the country. After traversing much ground, and crossing
many steep hills, I returned, if not wearied, at least much
disappointed at the extraordinary scarcity of birds. So I
bargained to be carried in a cart, to the central parts of
Great Pine Swamp, and, although a heavy storm was
rising, ordered my conductor to proceed.

GREAT PINE SWAMP. 49

We winded round many a mountain, and at last crossed
the highest. The weather had become tremendous, and
we were thoroughly drenched, but my resolution being
fixed, the boy was obliged to continue his driving
Having already traveled about fifteen miles or so, we
left the turnpike, and struck up a narrow and bad road,
that seemed merely cut out to enable the people of the
Swamp to receive the necessary supplies from tho vil-
lage which I had left. Some mistakes were made, and
and it was almost dark, when a post directed us to the
habitation of a Mr. Jediah Irish, to whom I had been
recommended. We now rattled down a steep declivity,
edged on one side by almost perpendicular rocks, and
on the other, by a noisy stream, which seemed grum-
bling at the approach of strangers. The ground was so
overgrown by laurels, and tall pines of different kinds,
that the whole presented only a mass of darkness.

At length we got to the house, the door of which was
already opened, the sight of strangers being nothing un-
common in our woods, even in the most remote parts.
On entering, I was presented with a chair, while my
conductor was shown the way to the stable, and on ex-
pressing a wish that I should tfe permitted to remain in
the house for some weeks, I was gratified by receiving
the sanction of the good woman to my proposal, although
her husband was then from home. As I immediately
fell a-talking about the nature of the country, and in-
quired if the birds were numerous in the neighborhood,
Mrs, Irish, more au fait to household affairs than orni-
thology, sent for a nephew of her husband's, who soon
made his appearance, and in whose favor I became at
4

50 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

once prepossessed. He conversed like an educated per«
son, saw that I was comfortably disposed of, and finally
bale me good-night, in such a tone as made me quite
happy.

The st^rm had rolled away before the first beams of
the morning sun shone brightly on the wet foliage, dis-
playing -all its richness and beauty. My ears were
greeted by the notes, always sweet and mellow, of the
Wood Thrush and other songsters. Before I had gone
many steps, the woods echoed to the report of my gun,
and I picked from among the leaves a lovely Sylvia,
long sought for, but until then, sought for in vain. 1
needed no more, and standing still for awhile, I wTas
soon convinced that the Great Pine Swamp harbored
many other objects as valuable to me.

The young man joined me, bearing his rifle, and offered
to accompany me through the woods, all of which he
*vell knew. But I was anxious to transfer to paper the
form and beauty of the little bird I had in my hand ;
and requesting him to break a twig of blooming laurel,
we returned to the house, speaking of nothing else than
the picturesque beauty of the country around.

A few days passed, during which I became acquainted
with my hostess and her sweet children, and made occa-
sional rambles, but spent the greater portion of my time in
drawing. One morning, as I stood near the window of
my room, I remarked a tall and powerful man alight from
his horse, loose the girth of the saddle, raise the latter
with one hand, pass the bridle over the head of the ani-
mal with the other, and move towards the house, while
the horse betook himself to the little brook to drink. I

GREAT PINE SWAMP. 51

heard some movements in the room below, and again the
earne tall person walked towards the mills and stores, a
few hundred yards off from the house. In America, busi-
ness is the first object in view at all times, and right it
is that it should be so. Soon after, my hostess entered
my room, accompanied by a fine-looking woodsman, to
whom, as Mr. Jediah Irish, I was introduced. Reader,
to describe to you the qualities of that excellent man
were vain ; you should know him as I do, to estimate the
value of such men in our sequestered forests. He not
only made me welcome, but promised all his assistance
in forwarding my views.

The long walks and long talks we have had together,
I never can forget, or the many beautiful birds which
we pursued, shot, and admired. The juicy venison, ex-
cellent bear flesh, and delightful trout, that daily formed
my food, methinks I can still enjoy. And then, what
pleasure I had in listening to him as he read his favorite
poems of Burns, while my pencil was occupied in smooth-
ing and softening the drawing of the bird before me !
Was not this enough to recall to my mind the e^rly im-
pressions that had been made upon it, by the description
of the golden age, which I here found realized ?

The Lehigh about this place, forms numerous short
turns between the mountains, and affords frequent falls,
as well as below the falls deep pools, which render this
stream a most valuable one for mills of any kind. Not
many years before this date, my host was chosen by the
agent of the Lehigh Coal Company, as their mill-wright,
%nd manager for cutting down the fine trees which co-
vered the mountains around. He was young, robust,

62 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST,

active, industrious, and persevering. He marched to
the spot where his abide now is, with some workmen,
and by dint of hard labor, first cleared the road men-
tioned above, and reached the river at the centre of a
bend, where he fixed on erecting various mills. The
pass here is so narrow, that it looks as if formed by the
bursting asunder of the mountain, both sides ascending
abruptly, so that the place where the settlement was
made, is in many parts difficult of access, and the road,
when newly cut, was only sufficient to permit men and
horses to come to the spot where JerKah and his men were
at work. So great, in fact, were the difficulties of access,
that, as he told me, pointing to a spot about 150 feet above
us, they, for many months slipped from it their barrelled
provisions, assisted by ropes, to their camp below. But
no sooner was the first saw-mill erected, than the axe-
5nen began their devastations. Trees, one after another
were, and are yet constantly heard falling during the
days j and in calm nights, the greedy mills told the sad
tale, that in a century the noble forests around should
exist no more. Many mills were erected, many dams
raised, in defiance of the impetuous Lehigh. One full
third of the trees have already been culled, turned into
boards, and floated as far as Philadelphia.

In such an undertaking, the cutting of the trees is not
all. They have afterwards to be hauled to the edge of
the mountains bordering the river, launched into the
stream, and led to the mills over many shallows and dif-
ficult places. Whilst I was in the Great Pine Swamp, I
frequently visited one of the principal places for the
launching of logs. To see them tumbling from such a

GREAT PINE SWAMP. 5d

Wight, touching here and there the rough angle of a pro-
jecting rock, bouncing from it with the elasticity of a
foot-ball, and at last falling with awful crash into the
river, forms a sight interesting in the highest degree, but
impossible for me to describe. Shall I tell you that I
have seen masses of these logs heaped above each other
to the number of five thousand ? I may so tell you, for
such I have seen. My friend Irish assured me that at
some seasons, these piles consisted of a much greater
number, the river becoming in those places completely
choked up.

When freshets (or floods) take place, then is the time
chosen for forwarding the logs to the different mills.
This is called a frolic. Jediah Irish, who is generally
the leader, proceeds to the upper leap with his men, each
provided with a strong wooden handspike, and a short-
handled axe. They all take to the water, be it summer
or winter, like so many Newfoundland spaniels. The
logs are gradually detached, and, after a time, are seen
floating down the dancing stream, here striking against
a rock and whirling many times round, there suddenly
checked in dozens by a shallow, over which they have to
be forced with the handspikes. Now they arrive at the
edge of a dam, and are again pushed over. Certain
numbers are left in each dam, and when the party has
arrived at the last, which lies just where my friend Irish's
camp was first formed, the drenched leader and his men,
about sixty in number, make their way home, find there
a healthful repast, and spend the evening and a portion
of the night in dancing and frolicking, in their own sim-
ple manner, in the most perfect amity, seldom troubling

54 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

themselves with the idea of the labor prepared for them
on the morrow.

That morrow now come, one sounds a horn from the
door of the store-house, at the call of which each returns
to his work. The sawyers, the millers, the rafters, and
raftsmen are all immediately busy. The mills are all
going, and the logs, which a few months before were the
supporters of broad and leafy tops, are now in the act of
being split asunder. The boards are then launched into
the stream, and rafts are formed of them for market.

During the summer and autumnal months, the Lehigh,
a small river of itself, soon becomes extremely shallow,
and to float the rafts would prove impossible, had not
art managed to provide a supply of water for this ex-
press purpose. At the breast of the lower dam is a
curiously constructed lock, which is opened at the ap-
proach of the rafts. They pass through this lock with
the rapidity of lightning, propelled by the water that had
been accumulated in the dam, and which is of itself
generally sufficient to float them to Mauch Chunk, after
which, entering regular canals, they find no other impedi-
ments, but are conveyed to their ultimate destination.

Before population had greatly advanced in this part
of Pennsylvania, game of all descriptions found within
that range was extremely abundant. The Elk itself did
not disdain to browse on the shoulders of the mountains,
near the Lehigh. Bears and the Common Deer must
have been plentiful, as, at the moment when I write,
many of both kinds are seen and killed by the resident
hunters. The Wild Turkey, the Pheasant, and the
Grouse, are also tolerably abundant ; and as to Trout in

GREAT TINE SWAMP. 5?

the streams — Ah, reader, if you are an angler, go there,
and try for yourself. For my part, I can only say, that
I have been made weary with pulling up from the rivulets
the sparkling fish, allured by the struggles of the com-
mon grasshopper.

A comical affair happened with the bears, which I will
relate. A party of my friend Irish's raftsmen, returning
from Mauch Chunk, one afternoon, through sundry short
cuts over the mountains, at the season when the huckle-
berries are ripe and plentiful, were suddenly apprised of
the proximity of some of these animals, by their snuffing
the air. No sooner was this perceived than, to the as-
tonishment of the party, not fewer than eight bears, I
was told, made their appearance. Each man, being pro-
vided with his short-handled axe, faced about and wil-
lingly came to the scratch ; but the assailed soon proved
the assailants, and with claw and tooth drove off the men
in a twinkling. Down they all rushed from the moun-
tain ; the noise spread quickly ; rifles were soon procured
and shouldered ; but when the spot was reached, no bears
were to be found ; night forced the hunters back to their
homes, and a laugh concluded the affair.

I spent six weeks in the Great Pine Forest — Swamp
it cannot be called — where I made many a drawing.
Wishing to leave Pennsylvania, and to follow the migra •
tory flocks of our birds to the south, I bade adieu to the
excellent wife and rosy children of my friend, and to his
kind nephew. Jediah Irish, shouldering his heavy rifle,
accompanied me, and trudging directly across the moun-
tains, we arrived at Mauch Chunk, in good time for

£8 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

dinner. Shall I ever have the pleasure of seeing that
good, that generous man again ?

At Mauch Chunk, where we both spent the night, Mr.
White, the civil engineer, visited me, and looked at the
drawings which I had made in the Great Pine Forest.
The news he gave me of my sons, then in Kentucky,
made me still more anxious to move in their direction,
and, long before day-break, I shook hands with the
good man of the forest, and found myself moving t( wards
the capital of Pennsylvania, having, as my sole compa-
nion, a sharp frosty breeze. Left to my thoughts, I felt
amazed that such a place as the Great Pine Forest
should be so little known to the Philadelphians, scarcely
any of whom could direct me towards it. How much is
it to be regretted, thought I, that the many young gen-
tlemen who are there, so much at a loss how to employ
their leisure days, should not visit these wild retreats,
valuable as they are to the student of nature ! How
differently would they feel, if, instead of spending weeks
in smoothing a useless bow, and walking out in full
dress, intent on displaying the make of their legs, to
some rendezvous where they may enjoy their wines,
they were to occupy themselves in contemplating the
rich profusion which nature has poured around them, or
even in procuring some desired specimen for their Peales
Museum, once so valuable and so finely arrranged ! But
alas ! no : they are none of them aware of the richness
of the Great Pine Swamp, nor are they likely to share
the hospitality to be found there.

Night came on, as I was thinking of such things, and I
was turned out of the coach into the streets of the fair city,

HUNTING ON THE ARKAttsAW. 59

just as the clock struck ten. I cannot say that my bones
were much rested, but not a moment was to be lost. So I
desired a porter to take up my little luggage, and lead-
ing him towards the nearest wharf, I found myself, soon
after, gliding across the Delaware, towards my former
lodgings in the Jerjeys. The lights were shining from
the parallel streets as I crossed them, all was tranquil
and serene, until there came the increasing sound of the
Baltimore steamer, which, for some reason unknown to
me, was that evening later than usual in its arrival. My
luggage was landed and carried home by means of a
bribe. The people had all retired to rest, but my voice
was instantly recognized, and an entrance was afforded
to me.

HUNTING ON THE ARKANSAW,

ONE of the most entertaining narrators of hunting
adventures, is Frederick Gerstaecker, a German tra-
veler, who came to this country several years since, ap-
parently for the sole purpose of hunting in the far west.
He worked at various employments to raise money, and
when he had obtained a supply, would shoulder his rifle,
go into the woods and hunt. His book, " Wild Sports
in the Far West," is exceedingly entertaining. We
make some extracts from it ; commencing at a point

60 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

There, having been employed on a steamboat, he had
quarreled with the captain and got set on shore, on the
banks of the Arkansaw river. His narrative proceeds
thus :

All around me was a solitary wilderness ; the river
behind me, the ground frozen hard, and covered with a
thin sheet of snow, a cold north wind blowing through
the leafless branches. I felt in my pocket for my fire
apparatus, it was all wet ; not a single grain of powder in
my powder-horn, and only one barrel loaded. I thought
it would never do to discharge my gun for the sake of
lighting a fire, and remain unarmed in the wilderness.
I cleared away the snow from under a tree, lay down,
and tried to sleep ; but the wind was too sharp, the cold
insupportable, and I was afraid of being frozen. Driven to
extremity, I discharged my gun against the root of a tree
lighted a match by the burning wadding, collected dry
grass and wood, and in a minute or two had a glorious
fire.

Although I heard the howls of several wolves, I did
not mind them, but enjoyed a sound sleep. Certainly,
on the following morning, I trudged on, rather out of
spirits, with no powder, and a very hungry stomach.

1 followed the direction of the river downwards, in
hopes of finding a house. After I had gone some dis-
tance, I saw an old half-sunken canoe. I baled out the
water with my cap, and found that she was still service-
able. My former intentions of visiting Texas, returned
in full force ; I decided on crossing to the other side, to
look for a house, and procure food and powder, and re-

HUNTING ON TIIE ARKANSAW. 61

solved then to strike off in a south-west direction in
search of the route to Texas.

I had hardly gained the opposite bank "when I disco-
vered a large flock of wild turkeys. I took aim, and
pulled the trigger, forgetting that I had not loaded :
they took to the trees on my approach, and I suffered
the tortures of Tantalus at the sight ; but there was no
help for it, and I was obliged to pass on. As it always
happens in such cases, I saw quantities of game this
day.

Cold and cloudy descended the night, bringing with it
the dreaded north wind ; I was obliged to lie down with-
out a fire. In order to avoid the bears and panthers, I
had climbed up a tree, but the wind was too sharp to
make such an airy perch endurable. At length I found
a hollow tree, crept in, covered my feet with my game-
bag, placed my gun on my left side, and, with my knife
in my right hand, I passed one of the most uncomforta-
ble nights of my life. I heard the howling of the
wolves, and once the roar of a panther in the distance ;
but nothing came to disturb me, and the bright morning
sun saw me early on the march, for my couch was not
inviting enough to detain me. At length, what music
to my ears ! the crow of a cock and the bark of a dog
announced the neighborhood of a farm. I soon per-
ceived the thin, blue smoke of a chimney ascending into
the beautiful clear sky, and, with a quickened pace,
made towards it, hoping soon to refresh both body and
soul.

The good people gave me such a hospitable recep-
tion, and placed so much on the table, that, notwith-

62 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

standing my fearful appetite, there was a great deal
more than I could eat. Fortunately, the farmer had a
stock of gunpowder, and filled my powder-horn for a
quarter of a dollar.

As I wa? about to depart, he asked if I would not
like t3 join a shooting party; several of his neighbors
were coming this morning to search a thicket not far
from his house, where they expected to find a bear which
had robbed him of many of his pigs. I did not long
hesitate, cleaned my gun, loaded the left hand barrel
with ball, and the right with buck-shot, and so was ready
for anything. We had not long to wait, and all mounted
on horseback. We soon arrived at the spot, and rode
round and round it ; it was the thickly overgrown bed of
a former spring. Suddenly the dogs gave tongue, and
immediately afterwards the bear started out of his
hiding-place. Eager as we were, we could only follow
him slowly, on account of the thick underwood ; so we
hobbled the horses' fore-legs, and pressed forward on
foot.

One of the party soon proclaimed that, judging by
the bark of the dogs, the bear must have climbed up a
tree. Such proved to be the case, and we had hardly
discovered him, when I and one of the farmers fired ;
both balls had taken effect, but a dull cry was the only
Consequence; two others of the party coming up, fired.
He was mortally wounded, drew himself together, and
hung by one paw from the tree ; as I hit him on the paw
with my buck-shot, he fell, and died under the bites of
the dogs, who threw themselves furiously on him. His
flesh was savory and tender, but he was not so fat aa

HUNTING ON THE ARKANSAW. 63

was exr-ected. . I remained the night with these kind
people, and set off again on the following morning.

Without anything further worth noticing, I came, on
the 15th of March, to the bank of the Great Red river,
the boundary between the United States and Texas. A
farmer who had a canoe, set me over the river, and fol-
lowing a well-trodden path on the other side, I came to
a large slave plantation. The overseer, who directed
the labors of the negroes, said, at first, that he had no
room for me to sleep in ; but as there was no other house
far and wide where I could find shelter, he at last
.agreed, and I found a sumptuous supper and comforta-
ble bed,

The land near the river was very swampy, and over-
grown with thick canes, but the wood became more open
and the ground dryer as I left the river. On the even-
ing of the third day, I again slept at a plantation, and
this was the last night I passed in a house for some time
to come. The overseer lived in a block-house, and all
around stood the smaller huts of the slaves, one for each
family. During the hours of labor, he carried a heavy
whip to keep the blacks in order ; yet he did not seem to
feel quite safe amongst these poor, ill-treated people, for
he had a pair of pistols in his saddle holsters.

From these quarters I marched along fresh an.l in
good spirits into the forest, which already began to look
green. The birds sang so sweetly on the branches, that
my heart was joyful and mournful at the same time ; I
longed in vain for a companion, with whom I could ex-
change thoughts. A shot echoed from the plantation,
and innumerable wild geese rose from the cotton -fieldi

64 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

behind me; with a deafening noise they formed then
usual triangle, and flew all in the same direction.

Luckily for me, I had in my bag a couple of wild duck a
that I had killed and roasted the day before. The forest
was mortally dull, and the march began to grow rather
tedious, for my rambles in the north were still fresh in
my memory. I passed the night very pleasantly by a.
fire, while my hunger took the second duck into con-
sideration.

Towards noon I came to the little river Sulphur-fork,
which I was obliged to wade through, after many vain
attempts to find a shallow place, the water coming up to
my chest. I began to despair of getting any thing to
eat, and, being thoroughly wet, I resolved to come soon
to a halt, and dry myself by a fire, when all at on^,e 1
saw about fifty deer, within shot, all quietly feeding, ana
taking no notice of me. For an instant I stood petrified ;
then every fibre in my body beat and trembled with de-
light. The suddenness of the sight had so excited me
that I could not take aim, and I was obliged to wait to
collect myself. It was a glorious sight, such a number
of those noble animals together ; I counted fifty-seven,
and derived particular pleasure from the antics of two
fawns, which made the most comical bounds, and came
very near me without any suspicion. Regret to kill such
a beautiful innocent creature withheld my hand for some
time, but hunger was not to be cajoled, — I fired, and one
of them fell without a cry. The effect of the report upon
the herd was quite ludicrous, — each of the hitherto un
suspicious animals became an image of attention, then
fled with immense bounds towards the thicket. As I did

GERSTAECKER SHOOTING A PANTHER.

HUNTING ON TCHE ARKANSAW. 67

not move they stopped again, and began to feed, Imt not
without frequently raising their heads to listen. The
impression which the fall of his playfellow had produced
on the other fawn was very different. Far from flying,
he came nearer, smelt the poor animal as if he thought
it was play, setting his fore-foot several times on the
body of his comrade as if to induce him to get up. I had
the other barrel still loaded, but thought it would be like
murder to inj ure a hair of the little creature.

As I stepped out from the bushes, the fawn stared at
me with astonishment in his large clear eyes ; probably
he had never seen a man before. He then flew like the
wind towards his dam, but stopping now and then as if
he expected his comrade. I quickly made a fire on the
spot to roast my game, putting the greater part of the
back and the brisket on sticks before the fire with hollow
bark underneath to catch the dripping for basting ; and
a delicious meal was very soon the result of this simple
proceeding.

Next day, as I was going quietly along through forest
and prairie, looking out right and left for game or amuse-
ment, I caught sight of something in a large oak. Fix-
ing my eyes steadily on it, and coming closer, I recog-
nized the glowing eyes of a panther crouched on a bough,
and seemingly ready to spring. I gave him both barrels,
one after the other, when he fell from the tree, and died
with a fearful howl. He was a large handsome beast,
of an ashy gray color, and measuring from seven to eight
feet from the nose to the end of the tail.

It was well that I had venison in my game-bag, fyt
the panther would have been a tough morsel. I dragged

68 HUNTING SPOETS OF THE WEST.

the rather heavy skin with me till the evening, and slept
soundly on it for my trouble. A damp fog came on to-
wards morning, which soon turned to fine penetrating
rain, seeming to foretell a disagreeable day ; but as I
had enjoyed beautiful weather in general, I could not
complain. The sky became quite dark, the rain fell
heavier, and I was soon wet through. I left the panther
skin where I had slept, so that I had no heavy burden
to carry. I found my stomach beginning to loathe the
quantity of animal food that was put into it, and to long
for bread, but I was obliged to divert my thoughts from
the subject, and the last remains of the venison were dis-
creetly devoured. Meantime I had killed a turkey, so
that at all events I had something in store.

My plan hitherto had been to push on to the nearest
eastern settlement ; but the road was too long and tedi-
ous, so I turned southwards, in order afterwards to pro-
ceed eastward towards Louisiana and the Red river.
The constant rain made it impossible to light a fire this
evening, and I passed a miserable night, for though I
tried to make a shelter of pieces of bark, I could not
manage it ; however, the night came at last to an end,
and cold, cross, and hungry as a lion, I went along with
only a plucked turkey in my bag.

About noon my day's journey was brought to an un-
expected end by a river that had overflowed its banks.
The rain had ceased, so that, with better fortune than
yesterday, I succeeded in making a fire, and my turkey,
divided into four quarters, was soon in front of it. Now,
eomfortably stretched before my fire, I considered
whether I should cross the river ; I had no sort of busi-

BEAR SHOOTING. 6f*

ness on the other side, and it seemed absurd to swim
across for nothing — so I settled on quitting Texas, and
returning to the United States. If I had a friend with
me I could have gone on to the shores of the Pacific, but
I had no mind to do it alone. When I had finished my
repast, I got up and made my way in an E. S. E
direction.

As the rain had left off, I made up to-night for the
wake-fulness of the last ; when I awoke, the fire had
burnt out, and the sun was shining through the bursting
buds of the trees. I had a good wash in a neighboring
spring, and felt like a giant refreshed.

After taking my frugal breakfast, the remains of yes-
terday's meal, I drew more towards the east, in order
the sooner to fall in with human beings, to eat bread,
and taste salt. I had occasionally used gunpowder in-
stead of salt, but my store of powder was not sufficient
for such a luxury, and it was better to be without salt
than without powder.

Gun on shoulder, I trudged slowly and surely on, over
hill and dale, through prairies and forest streams, to-
wards the sun-rising, taking sharp notice of all around.
While thus proceeding, wrapped in my thoughts sud-
denly something rustled in a bush in front of me, and a
bear started out and took to flight. My ball was soon
in his interior ; on being hit, he stopped and looked
round at me in a fury. Expecting nothing less than an
attack, I quietly cocked the other barrel ; but his inten-
tions of attacking me, seemed to pass off, and he crept
into a thicket instead. I quickly loaded with ball, and
followed him ; as I approached, he retreated slowly, pro-

70 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

bably suffering from his wound ; as soon as I got a clear
view of his head, I fired again, but only grazed his skulL
As I ran towards him, his fury increased, and he turned
to meet me ; on taking aim with my second barrel, at
about thirty paces, it missed fire. With open jaws, and
ears laid back, he rushed towards me ; in this mortal
danger I preserved my presence of mind. Dropping my
gun, and drawing my knife, I sprang back a couple of
paces, behind a small tree ; at this moment, the bear was
only a few feet from me. As he rose on his hind legs to
embrace me, he was almost as tall as I, and his fiery
eyes and long teeth had nothing very attractive ; but he
was not destined to know the taste of my flesh.

I was quite collected, feeling sure that one or the
other must die. The moment he tried to grasp me, I
thrust my long double-edged hunting knife into the
yawning abyss of his jaws, and boring it into his brain,
I brought him to the ground. I did not then know bet-
ter, but I ought to have sprung back after wounding
him, and then I should have escaped unhurt. As it was,
he dragged away my coat in falling, and tore my arm
slightly. I thanked God that it was no worse. There
I sat on the sweet smelling heath, with my coat all in
rags, and no other to put on. To assuage my sorrow, I
cut a large vrteak from the bear, which tasted particu-
larly good after my severe exertions. I carried away
the skin. In the evening, I fell in with a herd of deer,
but did not fire at them, as I was well provided with
meat.

On the following evening, I heard a shot. The sound
ran through me like an electric shock. There were,

LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 71

then, other people in this wilderness, and not very far
off, for the shooter must be on the other side of the near-
est hill. I turned rapidly in the direction whence the
sound came, and had hardly gained the crest of the hill,
when a romantic and variegated scene spread itself be-
fore my eyes.

It was an Indian camp, and all were occupied in
pitching their tents, and preparing for the night. Here,
were some cutting tent-poles with their tomahawks ;
there, women collecting firewood for cooking ; men se-
curing the horses by hobbling their forelegs ; another
skinning a deer. In short, it was life in the wilds in
highest force. I should never have tired of looking at
these noble muscular figures, their faces marked with
various ochres, their heads adorned with feathers, and
their bright-colored dresses.

I was not long allowed to remain a spectator, for the
dogs barked and ran at me. Breaking off a green
bough, I went with it to the camp. The Indians called
off the dogs, and all eyes were now directed towards the
stranger. Going up to a group of young men, who were
stretching a deer-skin, I asked if any of them spoke
English, and was directed to an elderly man, who was
sitting smoking under a tree, and watching me. I told
him that I was a traveler, that I wished to return to the
banks of the Red river, and asked if I could pass the
night in his camp. A considerable group of young mtn
had, in the meantime, assembled round us. At length
the old man asked, " Are white men so scarce that you
come alone into the wilderness?" I replied that I had
only come for the sake of shooting, and now wished to

72 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

return. Instead of an answer, he silently gave me his
pipe, out of which I took a few whiffs, and then handed
it to one of the Indians standing near me. He did the
same, and returned it to the chief. I now sat down be-
side him. He asked a great many questions, amongst
others, how I had torn my coat so badly? Whereupon
I related my affair with the bear. He smiled, and
translated my account to the others, who also showed
interest in my adventure.

The chief then told me that it was highly dangerous
for any one unused to these encounters, to risk such a
fight, and that it was necessary to spring quickly back
after the thrust, the dying bear having sometimes suc-
ceeded in killing his enemy. He took particular notice
of my double-barrelled gun and hunting-knife, and said
that he had never before seen two barrels joined toge-
ther. He spoke English better than I did, and, what
was very agreeable, he spoke slowly.

The Indians belonged to the Choctaw tribe, and were
come out of Arkansas in search of game. As night
came on, fires were burning all around us, and the wo-
men, among whom were some beautiful figures, cooked
the suppers, while the men quietly smoked their pipes.
Finding the Indian fashion of staring at the fire, rather
tedious, I made several attempts to engage the chief in
conversation, but only received short answers, so that at
last there was nothing left for.it but to play the Indian,
and maintain a dignified silence.

At length we retired to rest. I slept on a bear-skin
beside the fire, in front of the chief 's tent. Before sun-
rise, I was awakened by the noise and songs of the In-

AN INDIAN SIIOOTINfl PARTY. 73

dians who were preparing for a shooting excursion. I
jumped up, and was getting ready to join them, but soon
remembered that, with my ragged coat, I could not ven-
ture among the thorns ; I should have been caught every
moment. I showed it to one of the young men, he im-
mediately ran off, and soon returned with a sort of coat,
or rather hunting-shirt made out of a blanket. He
made signs that he would sell it to me, and was delighted
to receive a dollar for it, with the rags of my green coat
into the bargain. For a second dollar, I obtained his
embroidered belt, and was now quite set up again. Re-
solving to be quite an Indian for the time, I left my
game bag in the camp.

We set off, sixteen in number, all on foot, some of the
Indians with firearms, others with bows and arrows, with
which they can hit their mark at a great distance. I
attached myself to one of the young men with a bow
and arrows, and, as we could not understand each other's
language, we proceeded in silence. Each of us had pro-
visions, which we ate as we went along. It may have
been about noon when we saw a herd of deer. My com-
panion went round to gain the wind of them, and shot a
couple with his unerring arrows. Away flew the others
in headlong fright, coming directly towards me, in such
blind haste, that the leader of the herd, a fat buck of
eleven, was little more than ten paces off, when he dis-
covered me. My ball pierced his heart, and he fell
without a cry. The rest flew in all directions.

We were obliged to return to the camp for horses to
carry our booty. My companion started off in a straight
lino for thn camp, which I should never have been able

74 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

to find again. It was only a few miles distant, although
I thought it must be at least half a day's journey behind
us. On arriving at the camp, we each mounted on horse-
back, and rode off at a quick trot to the place where our
game lay, which we found without difficulty, the Indian
having marked several trees with his tomahawk as we
returned. The last prize we came to was my buck, and
on him we saw a wild-cat preparing to enjoy itself. The
Indian rushed forward, and the cat, which did not per-
ceive him till too late, flew up a tree, whence an arrow
from the sure hand of my companion soon brought it to
the ground. It was of a gray color, and larger than the
domestic cat. When these animals are irritated they
will attack men : my comrade carried off the skin.

We rode back with our booty to the camp, and were
received with cheers. The party all returned one after
the other, most of them with game, one with an immense
bear that he had killed, the largest I had yet seen.

While cooking was going on, the young men danced
and sang, the women taking no part in their amuse-
ments, but quietly continuing their occupations.

On the following morning the chief said that he had
set a wolf-trap, and we went to see if anything had been
caught. As there was plenty of food in the camp, we
all went together, except three, who, having killed no-
thing yesterday, set off to try their luck again to-day.
We took four large strong dogs with us, and followed the
chief. With a triumphant smile, he showed me where
be had set the trap, and near it a trace of blood ; it was
shown to the dogs, and they followed it up in full cry.

After running about a mile, they barked louder and

WOLI -TRAPS. 77

louder We hurried on as fast as we could, and found
the woif at his last gasp under the furious attack of the
dogs. They were immediately called off, and appeared
to have suffered considerably, particularly one, whose
ear the wolf, a great black beast, had bitten quite away.

These traps are set with a bait, but not fastened, for
if the wolf is caught, and the trap should be immovable,
he would bite off his own leg sooner than let himself be
taken. So the trap is only fastened by a chain to an
iron clog with four hooks ; as soon as the wolf finds him-
self caught, he attempts to hurry away with the trap, but
is detained every moment by the hooks catching in the
roots and bushes ; yet he manages to get clear again, and
has been known to take the iron clog in his mouth — but
the trap still remains a hinderance, and he is easily
traced.

By this time I had enjoyed Indian life long enough,
and wished myself back again in more civilized society ;
yet I remained another day with them, during which we
shot at a mark with bows and arrows, and I caused many
a smile among the Indians, as I shot a foot wide of the
mark, which they seldom missed. We next threw toma-
hawks at a tree, and in this practice I was rather more
successful.

On the following morning I resumed my journey co the
east, provided with venison and coarse salt, and as I saw
the last Indians disappear behind the trees, it seemed as
if I was now for the first time alone in the forest ; but I
soon became reaccustomed to my former life, and slept
again this night, as well as a man can sleep, on grass and
fragrant moss.

78 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

Next day I came to the Sabine, seeking in vain for a
ford; and as the river was considerably swelled, and
•seemed wider and deeper further south, there was nothing
for it but a swim. I made a small raft, which I bound
together with creepers, and securing my gun, game-bag,
knife, tomahawk, and powder-horn on the top of it, I
pushed it before me to the opposite bank.

On the 30th of January, as I arrived at the Great Red
river, I saw a farm-house, and the crow of a cock broke
on my ear as the music of the spheres. But the house
was on the other side of the broad and swollen stream,
which rolled along its dirty red waves at a fearful rate.
In vain I shouted and roared myself hoarse ; a shot had
no better effect. I had made up my mind to hide my
gun and other things in the bush, and swim over, when a
second shot roused the farmer's attention. He came to
the tiank, and seeing some one calling and beckoning on
the opposite side, he cast off his canoe, and coming cross,
was not a little astonishing at finding me alone.

I received a hearty welcome from his family, who were
exceedingly amused at the appetite with which I made
the bread disappear, and at my enjoyment of the coffee.

As I did not wish to remain here long, I soon came to
an agreement with the farmer about the sale of his canoe ;
he let me have it for four dollars, throwing a smoked leg
of venison, a roast turkey, and some loaves of maize
bread into the bargain.

I was soon afloat in this hollowed trunk, drifting ra-
pidly down the stream, which carried gigantic trees
along with it. The light craft dashed forward like an
arrow under the strokes of my paddle, so that, according

NARROW ESCAPE FOR MY CANOE. 79

to a reckoning made afterwards, I must have gone about
400 miles in five days. It was not till late in the night
that I ran in among the reeds, and slept quietly in iny
own property.

On the day after my departure, I fell in with a num-
ber of planks ; they had probably been washed away
from some village on the banks. They had floated
against a tree, that was stuck fast in the bed of the
river. Intending to take them with me, in the hope of
making something by their sale, I paddled to the tree,
and, in attempting to secure the planks, I over-reached
myself; the current carried away the canoe from under
me, and in an instant I was in the water, holding on to
the bough of the tree, and close to an alligator. Luckily,
the beast was as much afraid of me as I of him, and he
disappeared under the water. I quickly swung myself
on the bough to reach my canoe, but too late, it was
already in the full strength of the current, leaving me
hanging on the waving bough, with canoe, gun, powder,
and all that I possessed, a prey to the waves. I saw
perfectly well, at once, that I must either regain my
canoe, or perish miserably of starvation, so I let go the
bough, and swam with all my might towards the fugitive.
It cost a quarter of an hour's desperate exertion before
I reached it, and then I had to push her to the bank, in
order to get on board, for any attempt to do so in the
middle of the stream, would have upset her. In ^gain-
ing the canoe I had saved my life.

When my store of provisions was exhausted, I shot
wild fowl, and got them cooked at the nearest planta-

80 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

tion ; for now, as I approached Louisiana, the land was
more occupied.

Several hundred miles above its junction with the Mis-
sissippi, the Great Red river is blocked up by numbers
of trees that have been carried down and become fixed,
and although the United States government has caused
a passage for steamers to be cut through them, yet I
was advised not to attempt it with my canoe, because the
current ran through it with such force, that the least ob-
stacle I might encounter, would infallibly overset the
canoe. I was therefore obliged to traverse two lakes,
called Clear Lake, and Soda Lake, which are connected
with the river above and below the Raft, as the collec-
tion of matted trees is called.

I saw a great number of alligators sunning themselves
on the warm sands. I shot ten or twelve of them,
but could never prevail on myself to touch them.
They were from three to twelve feet long, and sometimes
even eighteen feet. Not far from the mouth of the river,
on the fifth day, just about dusk, seeing something white
in the water ahead of me, I paddled to it, and laid hold
of it, but drew my hand back with a shudder, and the
blood ran cold in my veins; it was a corpse; the naked
white back alone floated above the surface, head, arms,
and legs hanging down ; a wound several inches long,
was visible on the left side, just under the ribs. I pad-
dled hastily away in sickening disgust, and left the hor-
rid object behind me.

On the following morning I entered the Mississippi,
the excessively dirty " Father of Waters." The scenery
assumed a more tropical character, and the long waving

BY STEAMER TO NEW ORLEANS. 81

moss hanging from the gigantic trees, gave it a pecu-
liarly strange aspect. After entering this magnificent
river, I took on board fresh provender, not far from the
junction, and directed my course towards that " New
Orleans," now some 240 miles distant, about which I
had heard so "much. But on the second day, when I
was still some hundred miles from it, a little above Ba-
ton Rouge, it came on to blow fresh, and the wind
caused such a swell in the river, that I could no longer
Keep my little craft free of water, indeed it was not with-
out great eifort and difficalty that I was able to reach
she shore.

There was a farm near the place where I landed,
tfhose owner had a quantity of wood for sale, ready cut,
find piled up for the use of steamers. A steamer bound
for New Orleans, was in the act of wooding at the time.
It would have been folly to have attempted to continue
the voyage in such a swell in so frail a craft as mine, and
as I found the farmer willing to buy her, we soon agreed
as to terms. I transferred my effects to the steamer,
and late on the same evening, arrived at New Orleans.

For the night I slept on board, but early the next
morning went to a German tavern to refresh myself
after all the hardships I had undergone, and to sleep in
a regular bed. Oh, how comfortably I stretched myself
en the soft mattress ! I got up very early to have a
look at the place, having no wish to show myself in the
costume of a savage, when the streets were thronged.
For nine months my hair had been uncut, and during
five, no razor had approached my chin ; then what, with
my old woollen hunting-shirt, my embroidered belt, and

82 BUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

the high waterproof boots, which had faithfully held out
to the last, people would have thought me more like a
scarecrow than a human being ; my first visit was to a
barber.

I had heard too much boasting and bragging about
New Orleans, not to be disappointed in my expecta-
tions. I found it by no means so splendidly or so taste-
fully built as was asserted, and as I walked along the
narrow streets my thoughts wandered to the far more
agreeable Cincinnati. The only handsome building in
New Orleans, and one without parallel, is the St.
Charles' Hotel, which certainly is very magnificent.

It is no wonder that the air of New Orleans should be
generally so unhealthy, and in autumn, quite pestilen-
tial ; for the town is built in a complete swamp, and re-
quired to be protected by a dam, from being submerged
by the river. It certainly was never intended by nature
for the abode of man ; at most, it is fitted for alligators,
frogs and mosquitoes. It is the churchyard of the Uni-
ted States.

HUNTING IN ARKANSAS.

Mr. Gerstaecker, in the course of his wanderings,
made the acquaintance of another man, as fond of hunt-
ing as himself, to whom he gives the name of Slowtrap
We suspect that this, as well as all the other names ho
gives to real personages, is invented for the occasion.

HABITUAL RESERVE OF THE AMERICANS. 88

The following is an account of his visit to Slowtrap's
dwelling in Arkansas ; and some of his hunting adven-
tures in company with his hospitable friend :

At length the swamps were behind us. We crossed
a small prairie, passed an old buffalo salt-lick, and ar-
rived at Slowtrap's dwelling, planted on a spur of the
hills which ran out into the plains. It was in no way
different from the usual log-houses, sixteen feet square,
from nine to ten high, with an enormous fireplace, no
window, and weighted roof; close by was afield of about
seven acres, planted with maize. His wife and children
stood at the door as we arrived, and although I knew
that they were much attached to each other, and lived
happily together, and he had been about three weeks
absent, not the least word was exchanged that could be
construed into a greeting. " Take my saddle in," said
S. to his eldest son, a boy of eight years old, who was
leaning on the fence, looking at us as if we were perfect
strangers, in whom he had no concern. At last, when
the horse was cared for, and all things in their places,
S. went into the house, took a seat, and lifted his young-
est child into his lap ; and then he said, " How do you
do, all of you?'* This distant reserve of the Ame-
ricans, so prevalent even in their own families, often
struck cold on my heart, and made me regret my native
land. Man and wife are often as reserved towards each
other as two strangers who meet for the first time, and
care not about meeting again. I have seen Americans
leave home, to be absent for months, without shaking
hands with their wives, or saying " good-bye," and it is
the same on their return. I must believe, for the honor

fe HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

of the Americans, that this reserve is mere custom, and
does not proceed from any real want of affection, as I
have seen proofs of deep feeling amongst them, but it
always made a disagreeable impression on me. But still
worse was it to see Germans aping this fashion, as often
happened to be my lot.

When quietly seated, I took a survey of the dwelling.
In two corners stood two large beds, covered with good
stout quilts of many colors ; between the beds, about
four feet from the ground, was a shelf holding a few
more quilts, and the linen of the family, which was not
over-abundant, comprising three or four articles for each
person. Under this shelf were two "gums," trunks of
a hollow tree, about a foot in diameter, and two and a
half or three feet high, with a piece of board nailed on
the bottom. They are applied to all sorts of purposes :
I have seen them used as beehives ; these, I subsequently
found, were one for flour, and the other for salt. Two
wooden hooks over the door, supported my host's long
rifle, with his powder-horn and shot-pouch. A shelf held
some shoemaker's tools, leather, &c., Gun's Domestic
Medicine, a family Bible, the Life of Washington, the
Life of Marion, Franklin's Maxims, an almanac, and a
well-worn map of the United States. Various files,
awls, broken knives, and a bullet-mould, were stuck into
the crevices of logs near the fireplace. On the left of
it were two short shelves, with four plates, two cups,
three saucers, some tin pots, and a large coifee-pot, all
as bright and clean as possible. In the corner of the
fireplace, was an iron pan with a cover, for baking
bread, and two saucepans, one broken. Several joints

MECHANICAL INGENUITY OF BACKWOODSMEN. 85

of smoked meat hung from the roof, surrounded by
strips of dried pumpkin, suspended on poles.

The above-named boy, a girl of ten, a blue-eyed, flaxen-
haired, rosy-cheeked girl of four, diligently munching a
bunch of wild grapes, and the little one on my friend's
lap, formed the family; they all looked shyly at me,
tkough they had seen me six months before, so that I
was not quite a stranger to them.

We had agreed to set off for the mountains at once —
but Slowtrap found some business to detain him at home,
so it was put off till the next week, and I amused myself
in the mean time as well as I could ; and as I was ac-
quainted with the country, I took my rifle, and paid a
few visits to old acquaintances, returning to Slowtrap's
on the 12th December, partly on account of the cold wet
weather, and partly to mend my moccasins, which had
suffered severely from the sharp stones of these moun-
tains. Slowtrap happened to be mending a pair of shoes
at the same time. It is a general practice with the back-
woodsmen to make their own shoes, and a regular shoe-
maker is a scarce article in this part of the world. As
they are thrown on their own resources from their youth,
these Americans are very skillful in providing for their
necessary wants, and are particularly expert with the
axe, which they begin to wield as soon as their arms are
strong enough to lift it. They use it for a variety of
purposes — building houses, laying roofs and floors, form-
ing the chimneys and doors, the only other tool used be-
ing an auger ; and nothing amuses them more than to see
the awkwardness of a new comer, when first he handles
an axe. Besides making their own shoes, they under

86 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WJEST.

stand enough of tanning to prepare the leather ; they
make their own ploughs, dig wells, &c. ; for all which
operations Europeans require so many different work-
men.

As we sat together hefore the fire, there was no dif-
ficulty in getting Slowtrap to relate some of his adven-
tures with the Indians in his early days. In the evening
we brought in some pumpkins, and as we cut them into
thin rings to hang on the poles to dry he began to speak
in the following words of the perils he had been exposed
to in Kentucky, and his narrow escapes from the Indians :
" Kentucky was at that time a wilderness, when my father,
my uncle, and myself, arrived near the dwelling of Daniel
Boone, to look about for a spot that would suit us ; for
North Carolina, where we then lived, began to be too
populous, and a man who wanted to shoot a turkey or
partridge was tired before he had walked half an hour,
from the number of fences he was obliged to climb over.
E was then just eighteen, as strong as a four-year-old bear,
and was delighted at the thought of meeting the Indians.
It was about this time of the year, and the game we saw
made our hearts bound : numbers of bears, deer, and buf-
faloes ; while the turkeys would hardly get out of our
way. It would tire you to tell you of all the sport we
had, for no country in the world could boast of more game
than Kentucky thirty years ago ; but now it is no better
there than it was then in North Carolina, and five years
hence, a man who wants to shoot a bear in Arkansas,
will have many a weary mile to tramp. One evening we
arrived at the edge of a cane-brake, and as there was
good feeding for the horses, we resolved to pass the night

AN INDIAN ADVENTURE. 87

there. We hobbled the forelegs of the horses with some
Dark of the papao tree, and hung a bell round the neck of
my uncle's mare. Yet, not being sure of escaping the
vigilance of the Indians, we kept watch by turns. Noth-
ing suspicious occurred till about midnight, when the
sound of the bell ceased, which I, having the watch at
the time, thought rather extraordinary, as the horses
were not in the habit of lying down till morning. The
dogs also were restless, particularly a greyheaded bear-
hound, who gave a howl when the wind came from the
quarter where the horses had been left. I did not awake
the two seniors, but I passed an anxious night. Towards
morning I heard the bell again, but further off, and more
to the right. My father woke about daybreak, and !•
told him what had disquieted me. It seemed rather sus-
picious to him also, but he thought the horses might per-
haps have strayed a little in search of fresh reeds. As
soon as it was broad daylight, he took his bridle and rifle,
and went with < Watch,' the old dog, towards the sound
of the bell, to bring back the horses. My uncle woke in
the mean time. We had set a delicate morsel to broil.
I was catching the dripping from some roasting bear's
meat, in a piece of hollow bark, to baste the turkey, when
my father came back without the horses, and said he had
found infallible traces of Indians near our campt My
uncle wished to examine the marks ; so we shouldered
our rifles, and proceeded to the place where the horses
had been feeding the evening before. In one rather
moist place there was a very clear impression of a moc-
casin, and one of the savages had inconsiderately stepped
on the trunk of a fallen tree, which being rotten, had

88 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

yielded to his weight, leaving the mark of a foot. While
examining it, we heard a noise in the canes. In an in-
stant our rifles were all directed to the spot; hut it was
only my horse sticking his head out of the canes, and
neighing at sight of us. My uncle now settled that, as
he was hest acquainted with the cunning and tricks of
the Indians, he would seek the horses alone, and nothing
we urged could dissuade him from his purpose. He took
my father's hridle, and my horse, and wa? soon mounted,
slowly and cautiously following up the trail. Losing
sight of him, we went back to the camp to look after our
breakfast, which we had forgotten in the first excitement.
We remained constantly listening for the sound of the
bell, when we heard a shot, and directly afterwards three
more in quick succession. We were up in an instant,
started towards the sound, and soon heard the gallop of
a horse, and saw my uncle advancing at full speed.
When he reached us he pulled up short, so that the horse
reared. His eyes were glazed ; — he was very pale, reeled
in his saddle^ and fell into my arms, which I extended to
receive him. It was well for us that the Indians had not
followed him, or we should have fallen an easy prey.
My uncle recovered after a short time, and told us, with
failing voice, that as he was following up the trail, he dis-
tinctly heard the bell again at a little distance, and rid-
ing cautiously forward, rather distrustful of the deep
silence, he saw my father's horse standing by a fallen
tree. He rode up to him, keeping a sharp look-out all
round ; and just as he leaned over to take hold of the
bell -strap which was round his neck, an Indian appeared
not fifteen paces off, took aim, and fired ; feeling himself

INDIAN ADVENTURE — RACCOON SHOOTING. 89

hit, he let go the horse, brought forward his rifle, and
fired, when more dark figures appeared right and left.
He turned his horse, and gave him the spurs. He sank
fainting to the ground, and the dark blood flowed out as
we opened his clothes. He was hit in three places, and
two of the wounds were mortal. After a few minutes
he raised himself again, gave us each a hand, which we
pressed in silence, drew a deep breath, and fell back a
corpse. We buried him on the spot, and vowed a deep
revenge, which we faithfully consummated : a few nights
afterwards, the wolves were tearing the flesh from three
corpses over the fresh grave."

Having finished his tale, my host sat for some time
with his head leaning on his hand, thinking of times long
past. His wife had fallen asleep : she had, probably,
heard the tale many times before, and as it was rather
late, we were all glad to retire.

The dogs barked several times during the night, and
about an hour and a half before daylight, they were
quite furious ; supposing their excitement to be caused
by raccoons, or opossums, we started up, and took our
guns, called the dogs, and went into the piercing cold
morning air, though it was too dark to see one's hand ;
my thin deer-skin moccasins were soon frozen, which by
no means added to my agreeable sensations. The bark
of the dogs soon showed that they had chased something
to a tree. As our feet were dreadfully cold, and it was
still too dark to shoot, we lighted a fire, and though the
dogs enjoyed its warmth, they never forgot the object of
our being there, keeping their eyes fixed on the tree, and
giving, from time to time, a short impatient howl At

90 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

length a gleam appeared in the east ; gradually the forms
of the nearest objects became visible ; as the light in-
creased, we could make out, on one of the upper branches
of a tree, a dark spot, which afterwards was distinctly
seen to be a raccoon. S — raised his rifle slowly, and
took aim ; the dogs jumped up, and looked to and fro
from the muzzle of the gun to the dark spot on the tree,
giving a slight whine — the piece became steady — a flash —
a sharp report — and the creature fell dead from the top
of the tree. The dogs seized it instantly, and it cost
some trouble to rescue it from their fangs, before the skin
was quite spoiled.

We returned to the house, and rested again till break-
fast. After breakfast I went out to shoot turkeys, which
were very numerous ; but when I descended to the lower
valley of the river, I found such an abundance of winter
grapes, that I thought no more of my shooting, but
gathering a good quantity, I lay down under a tree to
enjoy them. After lying there about a couple of hours,
I was roused by hearing the turkeys calling ; so, hiding
myself behind a fallen tree, I used my decoy pipe, and
ten or a dozen stout fellows came strutting along. When
they arrived within about twenty paces I gave a whistle,
which brought them to a stand, and I shot the largest
through the head. Satisfied with my prize, I returned
to the house, and found that the grapes had quite spoiled
my dinner.

As the weather turned out fine and warm in the after-
noon, determined to hunt in the wood for a swarm of
wild bees, which we had 'sought for in vain about six

BEE-HUNTING IN THE BACKWOODS. 91

months before. We took some bait with us, and went
to a spot about half a mile off.

To induce bees to take bait in the fall of the year
the hunter looks out for a small open space in their
neighborhood, and if he cannot find one, he must make
a clearance with his knife and tomahawk, stick a branch
upright in the ground, and lay some leaves on it, spread
with a little thinned honey. The bees soon discover it,
and when they have got as much of the honey as they
can carry, they rise in circles, which become larger and
larger, till they attain a certain height, then they dash
off direct for their own tree, to deposit their store in the
general warehouse. The bee-hunter must take particu-
lar notice of the line of their flight, which requires a
good eye, and then carry his bait some two hundred
yards further in that direction, when the bees will soon
flock round it again. If, when loaded, they keep the
same course, it is a sign that the tree is still in that di-
rection, and the bait must be carried further, until they
fly the other way. Then the bee-hunter will know that
he has passed the tree, and that it must be between his
present and his last station, and he is not long in find-
ing it. When he comes near the tree, and the bees are
at work, their unsteady zigzag flight will betray its prox-
imity.

The first time we moved our bait, the bees flew back
ward, so we knew that we could not be more than a hun-
dred yards from their tree ; but the approaching night
prevented our discovering it. Next morning, about ten
o'clock, as it began to get warm, we returned to our
hunt, and in less than half an hour, found the hole where

92 HUNTIJTG SPORTS OF THE WEST.

tlie little laborers were passing in and out. It was in a
nearly decayed, not very large post-oak, a tree that pre-
fers moist soils, though it also grows on hills. It bears
small and rather sweet acorns ; its wood is very durable,
and will remain long in the ground without rotting.
I rode hastily back to the house, for we had taken a
horse with us for the chase, and returned with a pail, an
axe, a knife, and a spoon. The tree soon fell under our
blows — smoke was made, the bees stupefied, an opening
cut, and a most beautiful sight for a bee-hunter pre-
sented itself, in a number of well-filled cells. We filled
the pail with the best, ate as much as our stomachs
would bear, set the tree on fire, that the bees might not
lead us astray in our next hunt, and returned to the
house.

As there were several things to be done about the
house, we remained at home, cut down firewood, and
carried it to the house, ground flour in Slowtrap's excel-
lent steel mill, and when the evening shadows began to
lengthen fast, we sat by the fire, and the old fellow, ren-
dered good-humored by the successful bee-hunt, began
again with his stories. In the course of the day, we had
seen a man pass by with a smooth-bored gun, and as
such a thing was a rarity in the backwoods, the conver-
sation turned on this circumstance. He said : u I once
had a smooth-bored gun, called a musket, and not far
from the house where we then lived, was a small lake,
generally covered with wild fowl. One morning I took
the old thumper, for it kicked tremendously, and lounged
towards the lake to have a shot. I had not gone far
along the bank, when I saw through a gap, a number of

DUCK-SHOOTING — CURLY THE SETTLER. 93

ducks swimming quietly on the other side of a thick
bush ; a fallen tree stretching out into the lake, seemed
to offer a good bridge to approach them by. When I
got to the end of it, and was about sixty yards from the
birds, I raised the heavy old musket to take aim, but
knowing how old kill-devil kicked, I leant as far for-
ward as possible, with the firm conviction that the recoil
would drive me back on the tree. Three ducks were
SAvimming in a line, and thinking this a good chance, I
pulled the trigger, leaning, if possible, still further for-
ward in the act ; but it only snapped, the expected recoil
failed, and I fell head over heels into the lake. I had
some trouble in getting back again to the shore, and
never saw ducks or musket again."

The sky seemed to promise a continuance of fine
weather, and as there was no prospect at present of
Slowtrap's visit to the mountains, I resolved to take a
little shooting excursion alone. The shooting on the
north of the river was not so good as on the south, as
there were fewer settlements ; so I determined to cross
over, and try my luck. A young man of the name of
Curly, lived close to the south bank; he was certainly
strongly suspected of horse-stealing, but in other respects
was a good fellow, and a capital sportsman ; his little
weakness respecting horse-fiesh was a matter of indiffer-
ence to me, he could not steal any of mine, so I went to
the river and hailed, when he soon brought his canoe
and carried me across.

He was easily persuaded to accompany me for a few
days, first requesting time to prepare some provisions
He lived in a small block-house, close to the river, sur-

94 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

rounded by trees, and without an inch of cultivated land ;
he subsisted mostly by shooting. He had only lately
arrived; his mother, wife, and sister lived in the house
with him. As he had no flour in store, it was necessary
tc grind some, but his mill was more like a mortar than
anything else. Such mills are frequent in Arkansas.
A s_ound tree is cut off about three feet from the ground,
and hollowed by fire, knife, and chisel, till it will hold
about as much as a pail ; it is made as smooth as possi-
ble, and a logger-head, or pestle of hard wood, is sus-
pended to a balanced pole, such as is frequently fitted to
wells. It may be imagined that pounding corn in this
way is hard work, and as only a small quantity at a time
can be prepared, it has to be done before every meal ; but
this is the only resource of all those who are too poor to
buy a steel mill. At last Curly had as much as would
serve for two days, in case we shot nothing. He rolled
up in his blanket all the things he meant to take, hung
his tin pot and tomahawk to his belt, and off we set into
the glorious freedom of the forest.

We might have gone about three miles, when we came
on the trail of several deer, though we had seen nothing
of the precious creatures themselves ; and as it began to
grow dark, and we found ourselves near a bubbling
spring, and a black hawberry bush looked very attrac-
tive, we resolved to camp there, and to begin our sport
as early as possible in the morning. We cast off our
blankets, laid down our rifles, and collected wood for a
fire, the night promising to be rather cold. We soon
had a fire, of which a volcano need not have been
ashamed, and lay down to repose. Our supper consisted

A PRIZE — CURLY'S MISHAP. 96

of dried venison, slices of bacon, maize bread, and cof-
fee ; a princely repast for the forest ; but we hoped to
have fresh meat on the morrow.

We breakfasted with the first gleam of light, fed the
dogs, and related stories until it was light enough to see
the sights on the muzzles of the rifles ; then taking our
preconcerted directions, we trod lightly and cautiously
over the dried leaves. A little before sunrise I heard
the crack of Curly's rifle ; a few minutes later a second
report, then a third. I stood still for about a quarter
of an hour, in case a frightened deer should bound past.
Nothing moved ; I continued my march. I had not
gone far when I saw a majestic buck at a walk. I crept
lightly to a right angle with his course ; when about
eighty yards off. I gave a hail : he stopped, and my ball
pierced his shoulder ; after a few bounds, he lay strug-
gling in the yellow leaves. Bearsgrease rushed after him,
but finding him already dead, he only licked the wound,
and lay quietly beside him, waiting for his share of the
prize. I took the skin and the two legs, hanging the
latter on a tree with the skin over them, cut a few bits
of the rest for Bearsgrease, leaving the remainder for the
wolves and vultures, and continued my march. Soon
after I heard a shot, about a hundred yards off on the
other side of a thick jungle, and proceeded towards the
sound. It turned out to be Curly, who had killed a tur-
key ; he was lying under a tree, and told me, with a
mournful visage, that, having wounded a buck, he was
following him over some loose stones, when he sprained
his ankle, and could hardly move, being obliged to leave
the wounded deer to its fate,

96 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

As we had traversed the country in a circle, we were
not far from our last night's camp. I helped him to it
as well as I could, and both being hungry, we roasted the
turkey. But Curly had lost all heart for shooting, and,
\vith the help of a big stick, limped slowly homewards,
where he could lay up his leg to nurse. I could not tear
myself away so soon, and continued my sport alone.

As the sky grew cloudy and threatening, I made a
tent of my blanket, and collected wood enough to defy
any quantity of rain that might fall. When all this was
arranged, I went to the tree where I had left my venison
and skin, and to give Bearsgrease another feed from the
carcase. But I was too late ; the vultures had left noth-
ing but the bones, and had torn the skin on the tree,
which, however, I was in time to rescue, and hanging it
over my shoulders, with the legs safe in my arms, I re-
turned to my camp. Having made a good fire, and
roasted a slice of meat, the coffee being all gone, and the
bread reduced to one small piece, I fed my dog, and lay
down to repose. About midnight I was- awakened by a
formidable thunderstorm. Bearsgrease began to howl
dreadfully, and close behind me an oak burst into flames.
Flash followed flash, while the thunder was incessant ;
the whole forest seemed to swim in a lake of fiery brim-
stone, the rain poured in torrents, and the little stream
swelled to a foaming river. When the storm ceased,
silence and darkness took its place, only disturbed by the
rustling of the rain falling perpendicularly on the leaves.
My blanket protected me well ; I was perfectly dry, and
soon fast asleep again. Towards morning it cleared up,
and the weather was the most glorious for fahcoting that

AN UNPLEASANT NOCTURNAL VISITOR. 97

could possibly be imagined. I was on foot by daybreak,
and by ten p'clock I had three deer hanging to the trees.
My last night's repose having been broken by the storm,
and yesterday's and to-day's exertions having fatigued
me very much, I threw myself under a tree, and enjoyed
a delightful nap. The sun was near the horizon when I
awoke, and there was hardly time for me to return to
camp and collect wood before dark, for the night threat-
ened to be very cold : but it was bright starlight, and my
blanket was dry, — so I rolled myself comfortably in its
folds.

I lay awake till past midnight, giving the reins to my
imagination ; and when I fell asleep I dreamed of stretched
deerskins, and that Bearsgrease was chasing an immense
buck, when his loud barking and howling awoke me. I
patted him to keep him quiet, and found his hair all brist-
ling up. I thought wolves must be near us ; and listen-
ing attentively, I heard the cautious tread of some heavy
beast over the dry frosty leaves.

I laid some dry fir branches, which were near me, on
the fire, to make it burn up bright, and placed myself
between it and the noise of the footsteps, in order to dis-
tinguish the eyes of my untimely visitor, and shoot him.
Three times I caught sight of two glowing balls, and from
their rapid disappearance I was convinced that I had to
do with a panther. He went round and round the fire
several times, but never close enough for me to distin-
guish his form ; — and I passed half an hour with my rifle
at my cheek, in the greatest anxiety, the dog pressing
close to my side, with all his nerves on the stretch, fcl-
1

98 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE TffEST.

lowing the tread of the panther, and giving a fearful
howl every time he passed across the wind.

The brute, not possessing courage enough to attack,
at length withdrew ; but I remained a good quarter of
an hour longer on the watch, till the dog, persuaded that
all was safe, had lain down again, when I followed his
example, wrapped myself in my blanket, and was soon
fast asleep.

The morning was bitterly cold ; and as I had nothing
on my feet but a pair of thin deer-skin moccasins, not
even stockings, I thought of a plan I had learned from
an old sportsman, and bathed my feet in the icy cold
water of the stream, dried them well, and put on my
moccasins. My feet were soon in a glow, arid remained
warm all the morning.

I started at daylight, and followed the course of the
stream downwards; but the bushes grew thicker and
thicker, and I was about returning to cross the hill to
another brook, when I caught sight of a noble stag in
the thicket on my right. I crept quickly and silently
round the bush to cut him off, when suddenly I heard a
most heart-rending cry from a deer. My first impulse
was to rush towards the sound, and on the first move-
ment I made for this purpose, Bearsgrease bounded for-
wards ; but I thought better of it, and a sharp whistlo
stopped the dog in his career. A second fainter whistle
brought him to my side ; then, hiding behind a tree, I
reflected on what was best to be done.

The shriek certainly came from a deer, and nothing
but a panther could have caused it; for if it had been a

SHOOTING A PANTHER. 99

wdf, all would not have been silent again so soon, us a
wolf could not have overpowered a deer so quickly.

Now, I had often heard from Americans how the pan-
ther darts on his prey, kills it in an instant, and, after
eating his fill, buries or covers up the rest for a future
meal. I resolved to try and make sure of the panther,
and, if possible, to creep up to him unperceived. I did
not then know how difficult it was to outwit a panther ;
but this time fortune favored me.

After waiting about half an hour, I thought I might
make the attempt, and crept lightly and cautiously to-
wards the thicket ; the dog, well knowing my object,
crept as silently after me. Just as I gained the edge of
the thicket, and was looking out for the best place to en-
ter it with the least noise, I heard a light rustling. My
heart began to beat violently, the bush opened, and my
eyes encountered the fierce orbs of the panther. Doubt-
less, in the first moment of surprise, he did not know
exactly what to do ; but his surprise did not last long :
a panther has a bad conscience, and justly supposes a
foe in every living being not belonging to his own race ;
and, crouching down about twenty paces from me in the
yellow grass, he was preparing either to make a spring^
or to hide himself, I could not tell which. But T was
not idle ; during the time he stooped, my arm had re-
covered its steadiness, the rifle cracked, the animal made
one spring upwards, and fell dead to the earth. Bears-
grease seized him on the instant, and seemed to take
exquisite pleasure in shaking the skin of his deadliest
foe, and he cast many a longing look behind, when, at
my command he followed up the panther's trail We

100 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

soon came to the place where he had killed the buck,
and covered it with leaves ; the skin had been so mauled
that it was useless, but I stripped off the panther's, and
set out on my return to my camp, deciding to go back to
old Slowtrap's, and to commence my march on the
Ozark mountains as soon as possible.

On arriving at the camp, I tied up the skin with strips
«rf bark, and although I took very little of the venison
with me, I had a heavy load. I reached Curly's in
the evening. As it was nearly dark, I had no fancy
for crossing the river at night, and creeping for half an
hour through a cane-brake, with the chance of getting
my eyes pokeu out ; so I remained with Curly. The
house was small, but it contained two large bedsteads,
one table, three chairs, two plates, and one cup ; a hole
in the wall did duty for the absent window.

We passed a very pleasant evening. Curly sang well,
and gave us a number of Irish comic songs, till, tired
with laughing and the severe exertions of the day, I
rolled myself in my blanket, and laid myself by the fire.
I was up at daybreak, and the river being low, waded
through, hastened to Slowtrap's, and spread out my
skin. Slowtrap was out shooting wild fowl, which
had collected in such numbers on a little river, running
into the Fourche le Fave, that I never saw anything
like it ; they positively covered the water, and a good
double-barrelled gun might have done immense havoc,
particularly as the steep banks favored the approach to
within thirty yards of the ducks.

Supposing the old fellow not to be far off, I took my
rifle, and lounged down to the brink of the river ; not

HUNTING BEARS AND PANTHERS. 103

with any intention of shooting, as my rifle had too large
a bore ; but I came upon a string of ducks, not more
than fifteen yards off. This was. too enticing ; I raised
the gun, and off went the golden green head of the
largest of them I reloaded, fished out my bird, and
was turning up the stream, when I heard Slowtrap's gun
above a mile off, and as I had no intention of walking
so far, I took my duck by the neck, and walked home
Where was my home ? Wherever I happened to be —
where I had erected a bark shed, or spread my blanket,
or lighted a fire, or where the hospitable roof of a farmer
or backwoodsman received me; though the next morning
might find me with all my goods on my back — no heavy
burden — seeking new shooting ground, and new home.
What then ? — I went home and commenced mending my
old moccasins once more, though they were almost worn
out ; and as I had some tanned deer-skin, I cut out a
new pair, for the others would have never survived a
long march.

HUNTING BEARS AND PANTHERS.

MEANTIME it grew dusk, continues Gerstaecker, and
Slowtrap returned with seven ducks, three, of which had
had their heads shot off. Meat was now plentiful.
After S. had made himself comfortable, that is to sayr
had taken off his hat, laid aside his rifle and pouch,
pulled of his wet shoes and stockings, taken unto him

104 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

self a slice of cold turkey, with its appropriate maize
bread and boiled pumpkin, seated himself with his feet
to the fire, cut off a piece of his chair to make a tooth-
pick, and begun complacently to pick his teeth, a. sure
sign that he felt comfortable, all which operations took
about three quarters of an hour, he asked, " Well, what's
the news ?" As the answer was not encouraging, ano-
ther long pause ensued. When it was quite dark, and a
good fire was burning, his wife brought us some bread and
milk, of which he partook largely, and then began to
thaw, and speak of his exploits ; he had fired eleven times,
and his piece had missed fire twenty-seven times, a habit
the old flint gun had ; but he had nevertheless brought
home seven ducks, and he had seen afresh panther trail,
the panther had probably seen him from a tree, and
jumped down and escaped.

He took particular notice of my panther skin, and
thought that there must be a number of them about, but
that formerly there were more than twice as many in
Kentucky. " Ah, at that time," said he, a man might
shoot five or six deer before breakfast, and once I had
got up at daylight, and shot two noble bucks, and
stalked a third for half a mile, when he got scent of me
arid escaped. I was tired with my exertions, and had
scarcely any sleep all night, for a rascally panther had been
howling near me, and several times came so close to the
fire that I could make out his form, though he never
gave me time to put a ball into him with certainty. So
I threw myself under a tree, to rest a little, meaning
then to continue my sport ; but somehow rny eyes closed
unconsciously, and I can't *say how long I may have

SURPllISED BY A PANTHEE. I0t>

Iain there, when, still half asleep, 1 heard a strong rustl-
ing among the dry leaves which surrounded me, and felt
that they were being thrown over me, so that I was quite
covered in a few minutes. Surprise at first, and then
an instinct of danger, which I did not quite understand,
kept me motionless, awaiting the result : before I had
formed any resolution, I heard something, moving stealth-
ily away, and cautiously raising my head, saw a panther
disappear in the thicket. My first act was to jump up
and look to my priming, and as I saw nothing more of the
beast, though I was sure that it would return, I resolved
to oppose cunning to cunning. A piece of a broken
bough lay near ; I dragged it to the spot, and covered it
carefully with dried leaves, then slinging my rifle on my
back, I mounted a neighboring oak, to await in patience,
but with a beating heart, the conclusion of the adven-
ture, as the panther might return at any moment. I
may have sat for rather more than half an hour, my
eyes steadfastly fixed on the place where the panther
had vanished, when the bough began to move, and the
female panther (for a female it turned out to be) reap-
peared with two cubs, intending, no doubt, that I should
serve as supper for the family. This time she had reck-
oned without her host. I remained silent and motion-
less in the tree, watching every movement and keeping
the rifle in readiness. She crept stealthily to within
fifteen paces of the spot where she had left me covered
up with leaves, and crouched down with her green eyes
glaring upon the log ; the next instant she made a spring,
struck the claws of both her fore-feet into it, and buried
her sharp fangs deep into the rotten wood. When she

106 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

found herself deceived, she remained for a moment 01
two in the same attitude, quite confounded. I did not
leave her much time for consideration ; my ball crashed
through her brain, and she fell dead on her supposed
prey without a moan. I killed the two young ones easily
enough."

He had hardly finished the anecdote, when the dogs
began to bark, and, by-and-by, we jumped up to see
what was the matter. It was a neighbor named Coil-
mar, from the other side of the hill. I took the saddle
off his horse, and laid it under one of the beds, tied up
the horse to a young tree, shoved a roughly-hewn trough
before him, which I filled with maize, and his eager
munching proved how well he was satisfied with all the
proceedings. Collmar had come over the hill to invite
us to assist in erecting a new house. He had collected
all the logs on the spot, and now, according to American
custom, was calling on his neighbors to come and assist
in raising them. S. was his nearest neighbor but one,
and lived nine miles distant ; the next dwelt eight miles
further.

I promised to come at all events, but it was against
Slowtrap's habit to promise anything two days in ad-
vance. Besides, his. wife and his youngest child were
both unwell. We shortened the evening with stories and
anecdotes. Collmar was off with the dawn, to prepare
for the following day. I took my rifle and lounged into
the forest with Bearsgrease, to look for a turkey. He
drove a gang into the trees, at less than half a mile
from the house ; but the wood was so thick and over-
grown, that before I could come up to see which trees

A NEW HUNTING EXCURSION. 107

they had perched in, they had so hidden amongst the
branches that there was not a trace of them to be seen*
I therefore whistled for my dog, and hid behind a tree,
to await the time when they would think themselves
gafe, and begin to call. I had not long to wait ; erelong
they began to cry, and about a hundred yards in front
of me, a large cock raised himself on a branch, where
he had nestled without my perceiving him. Without
trying to get nearer, I took aim at once, and hit the tur-
key, which fell flapping from the tree ; but the bushes
were so thick that I should have lost him, had not
Bearsgrease dashed in with the greatest intrepidity, in
spite of thorns and creepers. The turkey, whose fall
had been broken by the wild vines, had no sooner
touched the ground, than he made a quick run for a
cane-break, and disappeared, with Bearsgrease bounding
and barking on his trail. On forcing my way through
the canes, I witnessed an interesting struggle between
the two. The dog was still young, and the turkey a
fellow of twenty or twenty-two pounds, and Bearsgrease,
knowing that he must not injure him, tried to hold him
with his fore paws, whilst the turkey, which was only
wounded in the left wing, constantly succeeded in es-
caping, and running a yard or two before the dog could
pin' him again. After watching them for some time, I
put an end to the struggle by cutting off the turkey's
head with my knife, and carried him home. I then sad-
dled Slowtrap's old pony, and set off over the mountain,
to gain Collmar's house before night, leaving Bears-
grease behind me.

The hills and rivers south of the Arkansas, almost all

108 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

run like that river, from west to east, and the hills have
a peculiar formation. The middle row, or backbone
ridge is the highest, and generally on either side are
two or three lower ranges of hills, running parallel to
the main range, and sloping more and more towards the
plain. All the smaller rivers which run into the Arkan-
sas from this side, have such hills between them. I rode
slowly up and down these hills looking out for game. I
had left my hunting-shirt behind, and a sharp north
wind began to chill me a little ; but I did not like cover-
ing myself with the blanket which lay across my saddle.
Suddenly I saw a fox watching me, from the side of a
hill beyond a little brook. I raised myself slowly in the
saddle, and fired ; but my hand shook so with the cold
that I missed him. After the report, when the smoke
cleared away, the fox had disappeared ; I jumped off and
ran to the place where he had been standing, to see if I
could find traces of the ball, finding none, I reloaded,
and returned to the horse, which was quietly grazing.
With my left foot in the stirrup, and in the act of throw-
ing my right leg over the saddle, what was my astonish-
ment to see the fox in the same place as before, looking
as unconcerned as if nothing had happened ! I had to
turn my horse before I could take aim, and the fox
turned at the same time. A loud whistle made him stop
for a moment to see what it was ; he was off again be-
fore I could fire, but not quick enough to escape my
ball. The jump he gave showed he was hit ; so, throw-
ing myself off the horse, I hastened after him. When
he heard the bushes rustling, he stood still to listen.
This allowed me to approach him : the shot had broken

THE FOX — "STOLE AWAY." 109

his left hind leg ; and throwing away everything that
hindered me in running, I darted after him. Dragging
his wounded leg, he limped along the side of the hill ;
but, finding that I gained on him, he turned towards the
summit. I had run for a good half mile, and too much
out of breath to breast the hill, I soon lost sight of
him. Heated and tired, I returned to the horse, pick-
ing up my rifle, powder-horn, pouch, and cap, by the
way, enveloped myself in my blanket, and mounted my
patient steed.

I soon crossed the highest summit of the range, and
running down by the side of a small stream southwards
from the hills, in about an hour and a half arrived at the
place where Collmar's house was to be built, and where
some of those who had arrived before me were occupied
in cutting the logs.

The ground was already prepared and planks cut ;
other neighbors arrived from time to time with their dogs
and guns, and the clearing was filled with laughing, talka-
tive groups.

The horses were hobbled near some reeds, with plenty
of maize shaken down in a dry place. In the evening,
we all assembled at Collmar's hut, or rather shed, formed
of boards fastened together, supported by poles, and con-
taining three roughly-hewn bedsteads, a weaver's loom,
and two spinning-wheels. It may have been about fifty
feet long and twenty wide, with the floor as nature sup-
plied it. Rifles and saddles lay about; three pairs of
Jeer hams adorned one corner, and dried pumpkins hang-
iag to poles, formed the sky to this paradise.

Immense blazing logs were heaped up in one blackened

110 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

corner, and from time to time it was necessary to throw
a pail of water over the fire to prevent the planks from
burning ; and then clouds of ashes threatened us with
the fate of Herculaneum and Pompeii.

All sorts of cooking utensils were crowded round the
fire — a turkey was stuck upon a stick to roast by the side
of an opossum, dangling on a string from the roof. Not-
withstanding my long abode amongst people who were
passionately fond of this article of food, I could never
bring myself to eat a thing with a rat's head and tail, and
hand-like claws. The prospect of a good supper was a
delight to my hungry stomach. Meantime, I was much
diverted by a bargain about cows going on between two old
backwoodsmen : but, before discussing this subject, it will
be as well to say something of the inmates of the shed.
Collmar's wife, a stout, strong-built woman of about
thirty-four, with two daughters of fourteen and ten, were
all that belonged to the fair sex. They were busily em-
ployed about the fire with long-handled spoons, turning
the meat in the frying-pans, and basting the turkey and
opossum ; five smaller figures, with a tin pot of milk in
one hand and a lump of maize bread in the other, huddled
near the fire, stared at the strangers with all their eyes.
The hostess soon made room for the company by sending
the children to bed. But to return to the bargainers
about the cows. Instead of each praising his own cow,
they found so much fault with them, that their own
calves, if they had heard it, must have felt ashamed of
them. After above an hour's discussion on the faults
and failings of their horned property, they observed that
they could not part with them without giving something

BEAR-HUNTING EXTRAORDIKARF. . Ill

into the bargain, as even their hides were worth nothing.
These calumnies were put an end to by the announce-
ment, '* Supper is ready." Boxes, chairs, and logs, were
placed round the table for seats. Turkey, venison, pork,
opossum, maize bread, and the favorite beverage of the
backwoodsman, coffee, disappeared so rapidly that soon
nothing was left but the bones of the animals, the remem-
brance of the bread, and the grounds of the coffee. One
after another rose when he had had enough, and then the
women-folk, who had wisely kept something for them-
selves, took their places. This is one of the customs of the
West which always displeased me. The hostess seldom
sits down to table with the men, except now and then at
tea or coffee. The other custom, that of rising when they
had had enough, without regard to those who remained
at table, was not so bad.

After supper the company formed various groups, and
the conversation turned on .shooting, pasture grounds,
the survey of the land that had recently been accom-
plished, and then on religion. Words soon ran high ;
for among the company were Methodists, Baptists, Pres-
byterians, and unbelievers— but all disputes were put an
end to by the arrival of two large jugs of whiskey, each
containing about four bottles, which Collmar had sent his
eldest son, a lad of fifteen, to fetch from a distant store.
The boy had been obliged to ride slowly for fear of break-
ing the jugs.

The old bear-shooters were highly amused at the fol-
lowing account one of the party gave of a bear-hunt that
had occurred in North Carolina, and which gave a sad
picture of the low state to which field sports had

112 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

fallen there. " In order to have a bear-hunt several far
mers met, and let loose a tame two-year-old bear, giving
him half an hour's law, and then following with horse and
hound. The bear made -straight for some hills, and in
about an hour and a half's time was chased into a tree.
Not wishing to kill him, no one had brought a rifle ; so J
went to a house about half a mile off, 'and borrowed an
axe to cut down the tree. The bear looked with inquisi-
tivo eyes on the proceedings below, and did not appear to
suspect danger, till the tree fell with a tremendous crash ;
men and dogs threw themselves on the half-stunned bear,
to secure him and take him home ; but the majority voted
for another hunt, so the dogs were held in and the bear
let loose. After a time, we all went after him again ;
this time the chase lasted longer, as the bear swam a
river, and to avoid a wetting we turned off to a bridge,
giving the bear a great advantage. At length, when we
got close to him, he took to an enormous fir-tree, and we
all assembled under it ; none of us knew how to get him
down again. We were several miles from any house, and
had left the axe behind us, and he seemed to set us at
defiance in his lofty position. Nevertheless he did not
seem quite at his ease, and kept looking anxiously first
on one side, and then on the other, at the dogs who were
jumping and barking round the trunk of the tree. This
inspired an old Virginian of the party with a new idea.
There were several pine branches lying about ; so, taking
up one of the heaviest and longest, he commenced strik-
ing the tree with all his force. At the first blow, the
bear gave a start as if electrified, and at the second or
third he darted down like lightning among the dogs, when

ADVENTURE WITH A WILD-CAT. 113

he was soon secured and taken home. He was once more
allowed to run about for a couple of years, when he grew
very fat, and in good condition for killing, and he was
slaughtered accordingly." When the story was ended,
we wrapped ourselves in our blankets, and slept soundly,
though occasionally disturbed by some thirsty souls who
rose to get a drink. It was lucky for those who were
lying in the outer rows that most of the water seekers
wore moccasins.

We were - up at daybreak, and prepared to build the
house by first making a large fire to warm our hands and
feet. A man with an axe stood in each corner of the
rising house, to cut the mortices and fit them into each
other, while the rest of the party raised the logs ; no
trifling labor, as the house was to have two stories. By
the evening, it was all up except the roof, when rain
began to fall, and the logs became too slippery to admit
of our standing on them ; so the completion was left till
dry weather.

We remained the night at Collmar's, and departed
next day on our various ways, after a very frugal break-
fast, for we had devoured all his store.

It was cold and foggy, and I was glad to get to
Hogarth's, where I passed the night, returning next day
to Slowtrap's. On relating the extraordinary behavior
of the fox, he gave one of his smiles, and told many droll
Btories of the tricks of foxes, and one of a wild-cat, which
attacked a man in the marshes of the Cash. The man
had gone out early in the morning to shoot a turkey, and
hearing a cock gobbling away with all his might, he
placed himself behind a fallen tree, and began to use his

114: HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

call, when a wild-cat, probably deceived by the sound,
sprang upon him like a fury, and attempted to bite
through the veins of his neck. He found it impossible
to pull the beast off, and was obliged to kill it behind his
back with his scalping-knife ; he was confined to his bed
for several weeks, before he recovered from the ugly
wounds caused by the cat's teeth and claws.

The weather cleared up next morning, and as old
Slowtrap was still unprepared for his journey, I resolved
to cross the river to shoot, and went to Curly's on the
same day. As the deer kept themselves close hid in the
daytime, we determined to have a shot in the night. An
iron pan was soon prepared, and with my old German
game-bag, which had accompanied me in all my wander-
ings, full of kindlers, our rolled-up blankets on our
shoulders, we set off as soon as it was dark. A sharp
wind had made the leaves so dry in the course of a few
hours, that our footsteps might be heard at three hun
dred yards off; consequently we saw no deer, and after
carrying the pan to and fro for about three hours, we
got tired of such useless trouble. On arriving at a small
stream, we made a good fire, and after a frugal supper
had set our chins for a very short time in motion, we
rolled ourselves in our blankets, and lay down each with
his dog pressed close to his side.

We rose at daybreak, and following different routes,
appointed a rendezvous at Curly's, as we did not mean
to make a long affair of it. Bad luck seemed to stick
to us, for though we found plenty of trails, we saw no
game. At length Bearsgrease found a fresh trail, and
followed it up, often looking round to see if I was near

DEER-STALKING BY NIGHT. 117

him ; so I kept as close as possible. Suddenly he stood
still, and pointed, and an old buck got up about fifty
yards from us, and made a half circle round us. When
I gave a hail, he stood still as if to ask what I wanted.
It happened that I was to windward of him ; and snuff-
ing the air he gave a bound, which caused my ball to
strike too far backwards under his spine, bringing him
on his haunches. Bearsgrease had been observing it all
with remarkable patience, only turning his head from
one to the other ; but now giving vent to his eagerness,
he darted on the deer, seized him by the jaw, and spring-
ing over his back, brought him to the ground. I had
now a good opportunity of cutting the deer's throat, but
I wished to give the dog a little practice, and I watched
the struggle with the greatest interest. The buck was
one of twelve branches, and had the full use of the fore-
part of his body. He strove to hit the dog with his
sharp hoof, and to run his horns into him, but the dog
cleverly eluded all his attempts, and at last seizing him
by the throat, held him fast, while I ended his torments
with my knife.

As Slowtrap had assured me that he would be ready
to make the long expected journey, in a few days, I
would not delay. I skinned the deer, packed the two
haunches in the skin, fed the dog, and trudged away hea-
vily laden, up and down hill to Curly's house.

118 HUNTING SPOETS OF THE WEST.

A KENTUCKY'S ACCOUNT OF A PANTHER FIGHT.

I NEVER was down-hearted but once in my life, and
that was on seeing the death of a faithful friend, who
lost his life in trying to save mine. The fact is, I was
one day making tracks homeward, after a long tramp
through one of our forests — my rifle carelessly resting
on my shoulders — when my favorite dog, Sport, who
was trotting quietly ahead of me, suddenly stopped
stock still, gazed into a big oak tree, bristled up his
back, and fetched a loud growl. I looked up and saw,
upon a quivering limb, a half-grown panther, crouching
down close, and in the very act of springing upon him.
With a motion quicker than chain-lightning, I levelled
my rifle, blazed away, and shot him clean through and
through the heart. The varmint, with teeth all set and
claws spread, pitched sprawling head foremost to the
ground, as dead as Jutyus Caesar ! That was all fair
enough ; but mark ! afore I had hardly dropped my rifle,
I found myself thrown down flat on my profile, by the
old she panther, who, that minute, sprung from an oppo-
site tree, and lit upon my shoulders, heavier than all
creation ! I feel the print of her devilish teeth and
nails there now ! My dog grew mighty loving ; he
jumped a-top and seized her by the neck ; so we all
rolled and clawed, and a pretty considerable tight scratch
we had of it. I begat to think my right arm was about
chawed up ; when the varmint, finding the dog's teeth
rayther hurt her feelings, let me go altogether, and

ANGLING FOR BASS. 119

clenched him. Seeing at once that the dog was under-
most, and there was no two ways about a chance of
choking off, or let up about her, I just out jack-knife,
and with one slash, prehaps I didn't cut the panther's
throat deep enough for her to breathe the rest of her
life without tostrils ! I did feel mighty savagerous, and
big as she was, I laid hold of her hide by the back, with
an alligator grip, and slung her against the nearest tree
hard enough to make every bone in her flash fire.
"There," says I, "you infernal varmint, root and
branch, you are what I call used up."

But I turned around to look for my dog, and — and —
tears gushed smack into my eyes, as I see the poor affec-
tionate cretur, all of a gore of blood, half raised on his
fore-legs, trying to drag his mangled body towards me ;
down he dropped. I ran up to him, whistled loud, and
gave him a friendly shake of the paws — (for I loved my
dog !) But he was too far gone ; he had just strength
enough to wag his tail feebly, fixed his closing eyes upon
me wishfully, then gave a gasp or two, and — all was
over. — James H. Hackett.

ANGLING FOR BASS.*

THE best, and one of the most universal fish of the
Mississippi, is the black bass. They vary from one to
seven pounds in weight, are taken with a fly, the min

* From Lanman's "Adventures in the Wilds of the United State*."

120 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

now and the frog, and in my opinion, as a game fish, are
only second to the trout. They are found in great abun-
dance at all the rapids in the river, but afforded me the
finest sport at the Falls of Saint Anthony. When I was
there the water was uncommonly low, so that pool fishing
was in its prime, and I enjoyed it to perfection. I cap-
tured no less than thirty-five superb bass in the space of
two hours, and that too, without once moving the anchor
of my boat. I took them with a hand-line, baiting with
a minnow, and the majority of them weighed over two
pounds apiece.

The only respectable trout of the region of the Missis-
sippi extends from Prairie du Chien to Lake St. Croix.
An expert angler may here capture an occasional pounder,
out of the river itself ; but the rarest of sport is afforded
by all the neighboring brooks, which run through a hilly
country, and are rapid, rocky, and clear. The trout of
these streams average about eight ounces in weight. As
J sailed up the Alpine portion of the river in a steam-
boat, my opportunities for wetting the line were not fre-
quent or particularly successful, as the following illustra-
tion will testify.

I had just arisen from the breakfast table, when the
pilot of the boat informed me that he was about to be de-
layed for two hours, and that there was a fine trout
stream a little farther on, which I might investigate. I
immediately hailed a couple of my traveling companions,
and with our rods in prime order, we all started for the
unknown stream. Owing to a huge rock that lay on the
margin of the river, we were compelled to make an ex
tensive circuit over a number of briar-covered hills, and

ANGLING FOR BASS.

ANCUJNQ FOR BASS. 125

we found the bed of our pilot's trout brook without a
particle of water. What aggravated our condition was
the intense heat of the sun. In about an hour, however,
we succeeded in reaching the Mississippi once more, and
there, comfortably seated in the shadow of a bluff, we
threw out our lines and awaited the arrival of the boat.
We happened to be in the vicinity of a deep hole, out of
which we brought five black bass, weighing three or four
pounds apiece. We did not capture a single trout, but
the sight of one immense fellow that I lost, agitated my
nerves. Something very heavy had seized my hook, and
after playing it for some minutes I was about to land it,
when I saw that it was a trout, (it must have weighed
some three pounds,) but making a sudden leap, it snap-
ped my line, and was, like a great many objects in this
world, entirely out of my rea ch ; and then I was the vic-
tim of a loud and long laugh. The only thing that kept
me from falling into a settled melancholy was the inci-
dent which immediately followed. When the boat came
along, a Frenchman who was a passenger, and happened
to have a canoe floating at the stern, volunteered his ser-
vices to take us on board the steamer. Knowing that
my friends had never been in a canoe before, I would not
embark with them, and in about two minutes I had the
pleasure of seeing them capsized, and after they had be-
come completely soaked, of seeing them rescued from all
danger minus the three fine bass which they had taken.
This feat was performed in the presence of quite a num-
ber of ladies, and to the tune of a hearty peal of laughter.

124 HUNTING SPOE1S OF -THE WEST.

HUNTING ONTHE OZARK MOUNTAINS.

IT was Christmas eve, and growing dark, says Mr.
Gerstsecker.* My heart sunk as I remembered former
joys of this season, and thought of my present loneli-
ness. Strange ! that recollections should be so sweet
and yet so bitter.

In good time we arrived at old Conwell's, Slowtrap's
father-in-law. He lived in a block-house, surrounded
by mountains covered with trees, close to the bank of the
White river, which was narrow enough to be bridged by
a tree. The family were assembled round the fire ; Con-
well himself was absent. A matron of pleasing appear-
ance rose from her seat on the entrance of her son-in-
law, and cordially shook his hand, while two fine boys
of eleven and eight jumped up to welcome him ; another
person in the room, a young graceful girl, who at first
kept modestly in the background, then came forward to
greet her brother-in-law, who addressed her as Sophy ;
neither was the stranger overlooked, but received a hear-
ty welcome from all. I, who, a few minutes before, had
felt so deserted and miserable, now experienced a silent
joy, as I looked upon the amiable, honorable counte-
nance of the mother, the mild expression of the daugh-
ter, and the open, happy faces of the two boys. It was
as if I had found new relations, and was once again at
home, Never in my life had I felt, from the first mo-
ment, so completely domesticated as with these people.

* Wild Sports in the Far West.

CONWELL AND HIS FAMILY. 12&

In about half an hour old Conwell came in : if ever
uprightness was stamped upon any countenance, it was
upon his ; his hair was white as snow, but his step was
as springy as he moved about in his hunting-shirt, leg-
gins, moccasins, and bare neck, as if he had seen but
twenty years. After we had been seated about an hour,
it seemed as if I had known him from childhood, and the
evening flew past with incredible swiftness.

The cold was very sharp on Christmas-day, and we
were delighting in a glorious fire, when John, the young-
est boy, ran in, and said there was a large gang of tur-
keys in the corn. I seized my rifle, called Bearsgrease,
and was soon in the field. No sooner had the dog found
the scent, than he was amongst them, and they flew to
the neighboring trees. I knocked over one, loaded, and
tried for another, leaving Bearsgrease to watch the prize,
as several pigs were near us. Not being able to -get
another shot, I returned to the dog, and found him with
his paws full of business. Another larger dog had come
to have a smell at the turkey ; Bearsgrease, mistaking
his intentions and my instructions, attacked the stranger,
threw him over, and held him fast, with the fiercest coun-
tenance in the world; but when he saw me coming he
began to wag his tail, being thus, like Janus, severe in
front and amicable behind. I released the stranger from
his disagreeable position, and patted and soothed Bears-
grease to express my approbation and satisfaction at his
good behavior ; but he continued to give an occasional
growl and scowl at the other dog.

I amused myself for a couple of days with turkey
shooting, leaving Slowtrap time to arrange his affairs,

126 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

when he informed me that he had concluded his business
quicker than he had expected, and now meant to return
home. This was disagreeable to me for two reasons —
first, because he was a very pleasant companion ; and,
secondly, because he was so well acquainted with the
mountains. However, there was no persuading him to
remain, and he fixed on the following morning for his
departure.

In the afternoon, as the sun was bright and warm,
we formed a merry party in front of the house ; but S.,
who never could bear lying or sitting on the cold ground,
sat himself on the fence, which was about five feet high,
and told us some of his humorous stories with his usual
gravity. Meantime, several cows had assembled on the
other side of the fence. It has already been said that
S. wore a shabby old coat, whereof the tails hung low
outside the fence. In the morning he had been walking
about the hills, and had been very hot ; and his pocket-
handkerchief, moist with perspiration, was in one of his
pockets. It is well known that cows are fond of salt
and salinp substances, and they had probably divined
that something of the sort was in one of those pockets.
One, rather bolder than the rest, had quietly approached,
taken the flap in her mouth, and was contentedly chew-
ing it. I had observed the whole proceeding with great
amusement ; but fearing that his coat was in danger of
being reduced to a state of pulp, I called out to him to
look behind. He looked round, beheld the cow chew*
ing his coat-tails with the greatest placidity, and raised
one of his long arms to drive her away. The cow,
frightened at the long arm, made a retreat ; but unluck-

SLOWTRAP'S ADVENTURE WITH THE COW. 127

ily one of the buttons caught between her teeth, and she
gave a sudden wrench to poor Slowtrap, who was nicely
balanced at the top of the fence ; in a moment his legs
rose in the air, like the two chimneys of a steamer, and
then his body tumbled to the ground. What happened
afterwards, no one could tell, as we all followed his ex-
ample, in a convulsion of laughter.

On the 28th December my old companion mounted
his steed, and shaking hands with his relations and me,
was soon out of sight in the forest. I prepared for the
mountains, and Conwell said he would willingly go with
me, but that he had business for some days ; I answered,
that I would go first, not to be a burden to him, at which
he was much vexed, and requested me not to go with-
out him, concluding his kind invitation to remain in
his house, by saying that I was "as welcome as the
flowers in May." I could not withstand this, and re-
mained with much pleasure. He rode away the same
day, and returned on the following evening. In the
afternoon it came on to snow, and continued till late at
night, so that we expected glorious weather for shooting ;
but our joy did not last long, for it soon became warm
again. Nevertheless we got every thing in readiness,
mended moccasins, cast balls, sharpened knives, and, on
the 30th, we proceeded to the Pilot rock, at the source
of the Hurricane. After crossing the Boston divide, we
stopped on the slope, where we found a spring of deli-
cious water, and "struck camp." The night was clear
and cold, but the heat of the day had spoiled all the
beautiful snow. Stretched before the fire, we rested oiu

128 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

weary limbs after the exertions of the day, and were soon
sound asleep, with our dogs beside us.

As we were not yet on our intended ground, we rose
early, descended the mountain, crossed the Hurricane,
and fixed upon a spot for a night's camp, where we left
Conwell's horse, with our blankets and provisions. Hero
we separated to mount the hill on different routes. The
Hurricane is a mountain stream, taking its name from a
hurricane which raged near its mouth some time ago,
leaving traces that are still visible. It runs into the
Mulberry, and flows with it into the Arkansas.

Conwell went to the left, I to the right ; the hill was
in places so steep, that I was obliged to lift the dog up
before me. At length I gained a flat terrace. The
terrace formation is characteristic of these mountains ;
seen from below they do not appear very high, because
only the top of the next division is visible ; but when one
is surmounted, another and another arises, and people
maintain that when you come to the highest there is al-
ways one more.

The terrace on which I found myself was about one
hundred and eighty paces wide. Advancing cautiously
towards the middle, keeping a sharp look-out, I perceived
a doe quietly grazing, and coming towards me. I whist-
led, she stopped, bounded upwards with the shot, ran
about fifty paces towards me, and fell dead. She was in
excellent condition — I hung her up, and went on. . At
the end of the terrace, where a spring dashed down the
rock, I observed signs of a bear ; he had turned over
several stones to find worms, and had bitten off some of
the bushes to intake a bed ; seeing nothing more, I re-

NEW YEAR'S EVE. 129

turned to the camp, to have the help of my companion to
follow up the trail next day, taking half the doe on my
shoulders as I went along. I found Conwell occupied
with a very fat turkey.

Tired with all the climhing, we wrapped ourselves in
:mr blankets, and threw ourselves down for a nap ; but
the sun setting, and wind getting colder and sharper, did
not allow us much repose, but warned us to make a fire,
and a good fire too, for the night. Wood was abundant,
and we had only to move a few steps for as much as we
wanted. The sun had hardly disappeared behind tho
trees on the western mountains, when it became dark in
our ravine ; the twilight did not last more than ten min-
utes. It was the last day of the year. In my native
land, many a happy pair were forgetting past pains and
sorrows in the tumult of the dance in lighted halls ; while
I was stretched under the starry skies beside a crackling
fire in the forest, my trusty rifle and faithful dog by my
side. I had no mind for dancing or music ; for seven
months I had not heard from home, and seemed to have
got wedged in among the mountains, with the world closed
behind me, all retreat cut off, and nothing left but to ad-
vance : and yet the future offered no inviting picture ;
alone, in the endless wilderness, I stood, with hair turn-
ing gray — a solitary hunter, leaning on my rifle, separated
from all I loved.

Old Hawkeye must have had many a sorrowful hour.

Meantime, my companion, leaning on his elbow, was

gazing on the fire, and lost in recollections of the past ;

but his past must have been a happy one, for he often

smiled to himself. He had lived an active life, and

9

130 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

looked forward to a happy old age, in the circle of ar
amiable family in the vicinity of his married children, in
the enjoyment of health and strength. Wherefore should
he be unhappy ?

I stood up to change the current of my thoughts, poked
at the fire, laid the logs together, which were burnt through
the middle, and reposed again on my blanket. Conwell
told me he was sixty-two years old to-day, 31st of De-
cember, 1841 ; and yet he was so strong and active that
I had to exert myself to keep up with him. He spoke
of his past life ; how he had continually preceded civiliza-
tion, first in Carolina, then in Kentucky, Tennessee,
Missouri, and now in the Ozark mountains, and he com-
plained that people were gathering too thick about him,
and said he felt a strong inclination to make another
move. He mentioned how fortunate and happy he was
in his family. He spoke of his children, and as I listened
to him my troubled thoughts were soothed ; it was as if
one of my own family was speaking. Thus passed our
evening till sleep weighed down our eyelids, and wrapped
in our blankets past and future were forgotten.

Next morning, as the tips of the western mountains
were lighted up with the first rays of the rising sun, we
woke from our lairs, shook off the wreaths of frost, and
joyfully inhaled the fresh morning air ; it was bitter
cold, the water in our tin cups was all frozen, as was the
meat ; but a breakfast fit for a prince was soon smoking
before us — juicy venison, fat turkey, good strong coffee,
and maize bread. Where was the hotel that could afford
fare as good ? but man is fated never to be satisfied —
my companion sighed for bear.

A SUMPTUOUS BREAKFAST. 131

Before breakfast was quite ready, I went to the creek
which flowed at a few paces from our camp, to have a
good wash, and finding a hole with deep water as clear
as crystal, I threw off my clothes, and plunged under
the cool element. It was a delicious treat, and I did
not feel the cold till I got out ; but I was soon, by the
lire, and by the time I had my clothes on, I felt such an
animating glow, and such strength, that I could almost
have torn an oak up by the roots. Old C. looked on
smiling, but thought it too cold to plunge in, and con-
tented himself with washing face, breast, hands, and
feet. Thus refreshed we sat down to breakfast ; turkey,
venison, coffee, and bread disappeared with terrific ra-
pidity ; even Bearsgrease appeared surprised, sitting
with his mouth wide open, though Conwell maintained
that he held it open more conveniently to catch the
morsels I threw to him, from time to time ; perhaps he
was right.

After these trifles, half a turkey, and the greater part
of a haunch of venison had been safely disposed of to
the general satisfaction, we set off to look for the bear,
tokens of whose whereabout I had seen the day before.
On arriving at the place, the dogs showed signs of ex-
citement, and running down the steep they soon began
to give tongue. We followed as fast as we could, and
came to a large detached rock, behind which a cave ran
into the mountain. Several marks showed that the bear
wa* at home ; the dogs barked furiously, and I laid aside
my rifle and pouch, and was about to enter the cave
with my drawn knife, when bruin began to suspect mis
chief. He was right opposite the entrance, but a slight

132 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

bend in the cave, which was only eight feet deep, pre«
vented our seeing him. He would not have cared muck
for the dogs, but as I approached, the wind was behind
me ; the moment he discovered me, he began snorting
and growling, and made a rush which nearly upset me,
although I sprang on one side. Conwell, who had seen
many such affairs, cooly stood at the entrance with his
rifle cocked, watching my proceedings. The report of
the rifle was heard before I and the dogs had recovered
our composure after the rush ; the bear seemed to be de-
termined that nothing should stop him, and disappeared in
a gorge ; but the dogs roused by the shot, were soon on
his traces. The old man laughed heartily as he saw me
standing, knife in hand, quite disconcerted at the mouth
of the cave, and regretted that he had not been able to
give all his attention to my admirable jump, as he was
obliged to look after the beast.

We followed the dogs, and on examining a rock which
the bear had crossed, we found drops of dark blood, and
were tolerably sure of him. Weakened with loss of
blood, he had not run far before the dogs came up with
him. As they were both young and untrained to bears,
he had not much trouble in keeping them off, but they
answered our purpose in stopping him. I came up just
as he had shaken off the dogs, and was climbing a steep
bluff. I fired and struck his right paw, and as he fell,
the dogs seized him again ; my companion now arrived,
and coolly taking aim, sent a ball through his heart.
He was a fat two-year-old, and promised a delicate re-
past ; we decided on taking him home. So, while C.
skinned and cut him up, I returned to the camp, to fetch

TURKEY SHOOTING. 138

the horse with our blankets and game, and as I rode
past, I brought away the other half of the doe, which
was too good to leave behind. As the day was now far
advanced, and the horse had about 200 Ibs. to carry,
we resolved to camp for the night near the first spring
we came to.

As we crossed a flat on the top of a mountain, we
heard a horrible noise from a large gang of turkeys, a
sure sign of bad weather. Conwell sprang from his
horse, and we ran towards the sound. When near
enough, I cheered on the dog, and in an instant the whole
forest was alive with turkeys. A great big fellow flapped
into a tree about sixty yards in front of me, and fell to
the ground with a ball from my rifle. While loading, I
observed Conwell going about with his rifle at his cheek,
carefully watching all the long necks ; then he stopped,
took aim, and fired. But the turkey only reeled on the
bough, and recovered himself. As soon as I was loaded
I knocked over a second, and by this time the greater
part of the gang had made oft7; but the one Conwell had
hit, sat still, badly wounded, with the blood dropping
fast. Conwell had now loaded again, and shot him
through the head. On my asking why he had not se-
lected another, as he was sure of this one, he answered
that this was the fattest and heaviest of the whole gang,
and he was right. Mine were both large birds, but his
w? -ighed more by three pounds. He laughed, and said
he had not looked out for the best in vain, and told me
" when the turkeys are all sitting on the trees, fright-
ened at the dogs, there is no occasion to be in a hurry
to shoot the first that comes — a good sportsman should

134 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

choose the best, which is easily done ; a short thick neck
is the infallible sign. The leaner the turkey, the longer
and thinner his neck. The bird seems larger, but take
care to shoot the thick-necks, and I'll wager that they
ain't so bad to eat." Long experience has since taught
me that he was right, but it required some *ime before I
was cool enough to look at the turkeys on their perch,
and make a choice amongst them. We opened them on
the spot, for it is extraordinary how soon they spoil, even
in cold weather, if this is not done. We threw two of
them over the horse, while I shouldered the third, and,
in a very short time we came to a spring of good water,
und made a camp for the night.

One of the results of our camping out, with supper
and breakfast, was the disappearance of one of the tur-
Keys, and half the bear's ribs. With strength well
recruited, we set off for the dwelling of my old friend,
and reached it about two in the afternoon. It was dark
by the time when the skins were stretched and the meat
s-alted, when we sat round the fire and talked over old
times.

We were tired and went betimes to bed, intending to
sally forth early next morning; but the rain poured
down the whole night, and we had forgotten to take our
blankets in from the fence, so that, it may be supposed,
they were rather damp ; however, we were not vexed.
We had plenty of provisions ; a little repose would not
hurt us, especially as we were looking forward to fresh
adventures.

We made ourselves comfortable, provided wood, and
had placed ourselves in a half circle round the fire, when

A COMFORTABLE EVENING. 135

tittle Jolin ran in and told us that lie was just come from
a neighbor's, who had sent out his negro to count the
little pigs, which a sow was bringing with her out of the
forest. After a little while he came in, and said gravely,
that he counted nineteen, but that one had run about so,
that he could not count him. Conwell now commenced
a story of his early days, in the following words : —
"About forty years ago my parents moved into the
Cumberland mountains ; and as the land was good and
fertile, and game plentiful, a little settlement was soon
made. We were very comfortable, grew as much Indian
corn as we wanted, had plenty of venison, bear, and wild-
honey, and we could always procure powder, coffee, and
whatever else we wanted in exchange for our bear's fat,
skins, &c. : so that every one would have allowed that
we could not be better off, but for one circumstance that
embittered our existence and exposed us to numberless
dangers. There was a tribe of Tuskarora Indians in our
vicinity, who had been driven out of the north, probably
by the French, and who plundered and murdered when-
ever they fjund an opportunity. Amongst other things,
they had stolen a number of horses, and that so cun-
ningly, that for a long time they eluded all our efforts to
trace them. The mountains ended in a bluff several
miles long, and from twenty to thirty feet high, so steep
that no bear, let alone a horse, could have descended it.
As soon as a horse was missed, those who went to seek
him examined each end of the cliff, without ever finding
any traces of the animal. I was then about twenty-two
years old, and one day I was out with my dog, — and
such a dog I have never seen since. Old Beef here is a

136 HUNTING SPORTS OF fHE WEST.

good fellow, but that one had a cross of a bull in him ,
well, we came on the trail of a fat bear — for fat he was—
of that I had infallible signs ; in the first place, because
he had crossed a sandy bed of a small stream where his
footsteps were deeply impressed, showing the balls round
and full ; secondly, I found that he had not eaten the
acorns with their cups, but had taken the trouble to se-
parate them. I fancied he could not be far off, and fol-
lowed up the trail, Tfhich led towards the bluff; at about
two hundred yards from it, he had entered the stony
bed of a brook. I kept close up with the dog, making
as little noise as possible, and only taking my eye off the
trail when a turn or higher ground gave me a chance of
seeing the beast. As I proceeded I was astonished to
find traces of horses leading towards the bluff. Two
capital horses had been stolen from us a few nights be-
fore, and we had looked everywhere for traces of them,
without success ; of course, no one thought of looking on
the edge of the cliff.

" My previous astonishment was nothing to what I ex-
perienced, when I came to the place, where, after heavy
rain, the brook falls over the cliff, but which in dry
weather does not contain a drop of water, and found,
where the depth might be about twenty feet, two fir-trees,
rounded, and placed standing against the rock, just so
far apart that a horse might slide down them, but could
not fall through; that this was the use they had been
put to was evident from the marks of the struggles of the
horses, before they were launched, and from patches of
horsehair sticking to the poles. That the bear had de-

INDIAN STRATAGEM. 137

oftvtdcd by these means was clear from the marks of hia
clows in the wood.

" It would not have done for the dog ; — besides the
dkcovery was too important for delay, and I hastened
home to give information. We had not long to wait to
turn it to account. The Indians, who had stolen a couple
of horses a few nights before, returned for some more
the same evening. Luckily, our watchmen gave the
alarm in time, and they had hardly made off with their
booty, when we started by a nearer road, as they were
obliged to choose the mos-t stony paths, in order to
leave as few traces as possible, and thus made a long
circuit.

" About nine in the morning we arrived opposite the
fir-trees, and hid ourselves in the trees and behind rocks
to await the redskins. About noon we began to think
that they must have discovered our trail, and would not
appear ; but we resolved to wait till dark. We were
fifteen in all, and decided not to fire till every man was
sure of his mark ; and, with beating hearts, we listened
for the slightest sounds. We had almost given up the
hopes of seeing them, when a single warrior appeared, in
blanket dress, and descended the cliff. He was sent to
reconnoitre, and had not the slightest suspicion of danger ;
for he passed close before my uncle Ben, who, not able to
resist the temptation, or fancying that he was discovered,
I know not which, contrary to his usual caution, fired,
The savage leaped high in the air, and fell on his face
without a groan.

"Now, whether the Indians thought that their spy had
shot something, or whether they thought themselves

138 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

strong enough to disregard a single man, whom chance
might have brought to the spot, in less than five minutes
the whole troop were on the edge of the bluff, about
eighty paces from our hiding-place. They had with them
only the four horses which they had lately stolen, and as
we well knew that it would be vain to seek them if once
their suspicions were roused, we took aim in silence. The
party consisted of nine men, four of them on horseback ;
we might easily have killed them all, but were too eager to
recover the horses ; so it happened that all aimed at the
riders. I had not been in quite such a hurry, and when
the others turned to fly I aimed at one just as he was
entering the thicket ; he gave a spring and threw off his
blanket ; I saw the blood spurt out, but he was soon out
of sight, and as I could not find his body, I think he
must have escaped.

" We took the arms and dresses of the slain, bound
them on the horses, left the corpses to the wolves and
cultures, and entered the settlement in triumph the same
evening. It was long before we saw anything more of
the Tuskaroras, who withdrew in alarm towards Lake
Ontario."

By this time dinner was ready, and after dinner we
took a siesta ; then, what, with reading and conversation,
it was evening before we were aware. I was now asked
to give information about the old world, and to tell them
whether kings would take off people's heads when they
chose — and how houses were built when there was so
little wood — and what people did in the winter. They
were much astonished when I mentioned that we did not
grow In lian corn, nor let the cattle run wild ; but when

SIMPLICITY OP THE BACKWOODSMEN. 139

I said that we sometimes planted trees, the children
shook their heads, and even the old ones thought that 1
was practicing on their credulity ; they also wanted to
know if kings and queens always wore their crowns, and
if they walked about with their sceptres, and what the
nobility looked like.

Next morning, starting with the rising sun, we took a
direction towards the Richland and War-eagle, two
streams which flow into the White river. We took no
provisions with us, tut rode out with only the blankets
on the horses, as Conwell supposed we should find plenty
of game. On arriving on our ground, we turned the
horses loose, who bent their steps homewards, grazing
as they went. We took different courses, agreeing to
return in the evening to the place where our blankets
were hanging up. I walked cautiously and slowly, but
saw nothing of either deer or turkey ; once I heard the
report of C.'s rifle. When I returned to the camp I
made a good fire, spread my blanket, placed my rifle in
readiness, and laid me down to rest. About sunset I
heard a light step ; at first I thought it was a deer — it
was Conwell, without game or dog. He sat down by
my side on the blanket, and observing that he supposed
1. must be very hungry, he gave a faint smile, and said
that he could fast until to-morrow evening. He might
well laugh. He said his dog was after a deer which he
had shot, and, judging from the marks, he must have
been hit in the fleshy part of the haunch ; the dog, be*
mg young, could not be called off after once catching the
scent, and dog and deer were soon out of sight.

While he was talking, Bearsgrease rose up and snuffed

140 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

the air ; Conwell thought it must be his dog who had
found his trail. As I supposed so too, I took no no-
tice, until I thought I heard a short bark, and Bears-
grease, growling lightly, gave me a significant look. I
jumped up with my rifle, and in a minute a noble buck,
with horns laid back, rushed by at full speed, at about;
twenty paces from the camp. I sent a ball into him,
and my dog was instantly close on his heels. He did
not run far; my ball had broken the left leg, and passed
through the right. After running about 200 paces, he
sprang into the Richland, on whose banks we were en-
camped, and seemed resolved to sell his life as dearly as
possible. The dogs were upon him, but, as they were
forced to swim, while he touched the bottom, he had not
much difficulty in shaking them off again. Conwell re-
mained lying as if it were no concern of his, so I seized
his rifle, ran to the bank, ended the poor animal's tor-
ments with a ball through his brain, and plunged into
the water to pull him out. Now we had meat in plenty ;
the skin and haunches were hung up, the ribs roasted,
and the dogs fed before dark.

We slept well all night, and were up early, but the
leaves were so dry that we found nothing but one turkey,
which Conwell knocked over. However, the sky began
to get cloudy, and as we had meat for the present, ur
hopes rose. It came on to blow from the north, but we
were protected by a bank of about ten feet high, and
chough we could not sit close to it on account of sharp
stones, yet it kept off some of the cold wind, and a glo-
rious fire soon made us forget it.

Supper was over, and Conwell had taken off one of

BIVOUAC — STORY OF THE MOCCASIKS. 141

his moccasins to take a stone out, when he said that it
reminded him of something that had happened to him a
long time ago when he was a child. I was already
covered up in my blanket, but finding that he had a
mind to talk, I roused up, gave the fire a poke that made
the sparks fly, and- leaning back, with Bearsgrease for a
pillow, who seemed well pleased with the arrangement,
I waited the commencement of his narrative.

When I got up, Con well stopped ; but now passing his
hand over his face, he began : —

" I was between five and six years old when my father
made my first pair of moccasins, for he was a very good
jshoemaker, and had always made strong shoes for chil-
dren, though he himself always wore moccasins ; but, at
my earnest, repeated request, he made a pair for me,
And warned me particularly not to lose them. On this
same day a peddler had been in the house, and had per-
suaded my father to buy a pair of large boots, as very ser-
viceable for bad weather ; — and as it had rained a great
deal lately, he put them on, took his rifle, and sallied forth
to the forest. He was hardly gone when I wished to wear
my new moccasins ; and, to my horror, found that one
was missing. In vain I searched the house from top to
bottom; it was gone, and the other seemed to be there
only to remind me of my loss, and the punishment await-
ing me. With a beating heart I saw my father return
earlier than I had expected, out of humor with the bad
weather and bad sport ; and he asked roughly why I
was running about barefoot. With tears in my eyes I told
him that I could not find one of the moccasins, and that
I thought the cat must have run off with it. He said he

J42 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

would cat me, and that if I did not find the otner tefort.
night I should suffer for it. With a sorrowful heart I
recommenced my search, and all my brothers helped me.
Meantime my father had sat himself by the fire, and
complained that something in his boot had plagued him
the whole day ; so, pulling it off, and feeling inside, what
should he find but my much-bemoaned moccasin ? It is
easier to imagine my delight than to express it."

Conwell rolled himself in his blanket and fell asleep,
still smiling at the recollection. I could not sleep ; his
story had recalled events of my own childhood, and I
kept gazing at the strange and changing figures in the
fire. Bearsgrease was lying close to me, with his head
on my shoulder; he had raised it several times, and
snuffed the air, and again lain down. At length he
roused up and gave a slight growl. I thought I heard
something, and looking up to the bank behind me, I was
astonished to find two glowing eyeballs steadily fixed
upon me. My head being between the fire and the ani-
mal, I could see them plainly just above the bank. It
must be a panther, and judging from the position, ready
to spring. My rifle, as usual, lay ready; so, half rais-
ing myself, that I might have the fire in a line with the
two sights, I aimed between the two fiery balls, and the
rocks reechoed the report.

Old Conwell was up like lightning with his rifle ready,
and the dogs hunted about while I reloaded, but all was
as silent as the grave. The old fellow shook his head,
and asked what on earth I had been firing at. I finished
loading without a word, then taking a brand from the
fire and going about twenty paces to a slope in the bank,

ALMOST SURPRISED BY A PANTHER.

t mounted, and found an immense panther, quite dead.
I threw him over, and Conwell dragged him to the fire ;
the ball had pierced his brain through the right eye. He
was a very powerful beast, had enormous fangs, and when
we cut him open, his stomach was found quite empty,
lie must have been attracted to the fire by hunger, and
Conwell thought he might have smelt the venison ; he
would probably have ventured a spring as soon as the
fire burnt low ; the dogs could not scent him, as he was
so much above us. After skinning him we threw the
carcass into the river below the camp, as the dogs would
not touch it. We slept the rest of the night undisturbed.

A light rain fell next morning, which, in about an
hour, moistened the dead leaves sufficiently for us to
walk without making a noise ; so I made haste to stretch
the panther's skin, and we set off, each as before taking
a separate path. Before I had gone half a mile I saw
two deer grazing; just at this moment Conwell's gun
was heard at some distance, and they both raised their
heads and listened attentively, but perceiving nothing
suspicious, they began to feed again. They were a doe
and a year-old fawn, and when they were in a line I fired ;
the doe, which was nearest, fell at once, and the fawn
after running about fifty yards. They were very fai,
and I hung them up.

In hanging up deer it is necessary to take precautions
against the vultures, which are a great annoyance to
sportsmen. The best way of securing the deer, whose
skin they would ruin with their beaks, is to hang them
up by their heads, so that their vultures may have nc
point of support, ani must content themselves with peck-

144 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

ing at the skull. There is alsj a large crow, which tries
to steal the fat ; but they may be kept off by placing two
peeled sticks crosswise on the deer — for the crows will
not venture their heads between two such suspicious-
looking objects.

Continuing my march, I came to the bank of a stream
running into the Richland, when I saw a wolf spring out
of a thicket on the opposite side, about eighty paces off :
he ran about fifty yards and then stopped, but not long
enough for me to take aim; finally he disappeared among
some rocks. I crossed over to the thicket to see how
Bearsgrease would take the scent of a wolf; all his hairs
bristled up the moment he came to the yet warm lair.

Late in the afternoon, on my way to the camp, I struck
a fresh bear's trail, and followed it up, though it led me
out of my way. Meantime it began to rain harder, and
coming to a broad stream, which the bear had crossed,
my dog lost the trail. As it was too late to return to
the camp, I considered myself lucky in finding a cave,
two feet deep in leaves driven in by the wind. Without
making a fire, which would have been dangerous, I crept
in, taking Bearsgrease for a pillow, who was much pleased
thereby, and, spite of wet clothes, I slept well till morn-
ing, covered up with the leaves.

The morning was cold and wet, my clothes were still
damp from yesterday's rain, and I was as hungry as a
lion ; so altogether I did not feel quite so comfortable as
I could wish. But walking quick to warm myself, in
about an hour's time I reached the place where I had
left the two deer, hung the fawn over my shoulders, and
not long after gained the camp.

DEER-KILLING EXTRAORDINARY. 145

The fire was burning bright which Conwell had only
lately left, and it was no small quantity of venison that
I put down to roast. Having appeased my appetite, and
fed Bearsgrease, I laid down again to rest. After an
hour's time, as Conwell did not return, I set off again ;
it was still very cold, As I was passing a small ravine
I saw a young buck feeding, without the slightest suspi-
cion of danger. As I was within distance, I aimed and
fired ; he fell as if shot through the brain, but my ball
had struck too high, so that at the moment when I came
up to seize him he recovered himself, and rose on his
forelegs. I saw on the instant that there was no time to
lose, and threw myself upon him. The dog had also
seized him, and I was in the act of drawing my knife to
plunge in his throat, when he made a sudden effort, and
we all three tumbled down a declivity of nine or ten feet.
In falling I had dropped my knife, which fell among the
stones, and I felt much pain in my head and left side ;
but neither I nor Bearsgrease had let go our hold. The
poor animal made most desperate efforts to escape, and
with our greatest exertions it was hardly possible for us
to hold him. Without a knife there was but one method
of securing him ; a cruel one, indeed, but if I had to bite
his neck through with my teeth I would not let him go,
I threw him over on his side, and smashed his forelegs with
a sharp stone. Thus crippled, Bearsgrease could hold
hio; I jumped up, found my knife, and ended the poor
creature's torments.

I succeeded in slinging it with a great deal of trouble,
my left side paining me exceedingly ; however I managed

to climb up the steep, recovered and loaded my rifle, and
10

346 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

hobbled towards the camp, intending to remain quiet the
rest of the day.

I found my old friend awaiting me. He had killed
four bucks, and brought away their haunches, the rest
not being good eating at this season. We settled to
Bhoot towards the house next day, and then to take
horses to carry home the game we had shot.

On our way homewards we only killed three turkeys.
We caught the horses the same evening, and once more
reposed our weary limbs among my old friend's family
circle.

At midnight it began to rain, and towards morning it
poured in torrents. The game was not to be thought of,
and we sat round the fire amusing ourselves with old
stories and anecdotes. As we were talking of the prai-
nes, Conwell told us one of his adventures after buffaloes.

" Not many years ago, when I lived in the Kickapoo
prairie, in Missouri, four of us set out one morning to
shoot buffaloes. It was bitter cold, and we rode rapidly
over the frozen ground. On gaining an elevation, we
descried a herd in the distance, and made towards them.
When about half a mile from them they discovered us,
and ran off, we after them helter-skelter. The hindmost
was a cow, too fat to keep up with the others, so we all
singled her out for our mark. After galloping for about
a mile, she received all our balls, and fell, when we se-
cured her. The wind was now blowing from the north-
west, almost cold enough to freeze the marrow in our
bones, and the dry buffalo dung, the only fuel in the
prairies, made but a poor fire. The nearest wood was
about a mile from the place where the cow fell, and 9

STORY OF A BUFFALO HUNT. 147

debate arose whether we should fetch the wood to the
buffalo, or carry the buffalo to the wood. We thought
the latter easier. One of the party, named Turner, be-
gan tc strip off the skin ; we offered to help him, but he
would not permit it; so, willingly leaving the cold work
to him, we made as good a fire as we could for him to
warm his hands by. When the skin was off, we cut off
the prime pieces, took the marrow-bones, packed them in
the skin, threw them over a horse, and brought them to
the nearest wood, where we luckily found water. Our
four tomahawks soon cut wood enough, and we made a
roaring fire ; when it was burnt to charcoal we stuck in
the marrow-bones, first one end, then the other ; and
certainly there is no more delicate eating for the back-
woodsman than buffalo marrow, except bear's ribs, and
wild honey. The meat was rather tough, and nothing
particular.

" It was now getting dark, and we began to prepare
our camp. One of the party proposed, instead of each
rolling himself separately in his blanket, that we should
spread the skin, which was large enough to hold us all,
and then lay all the blankets over us. But Turner ob-
jected, and maintained that as he had skinned the cow
alone, he alone would sleep in it. It was all the same
to us; we all had good blankets, and could make our-
selves comfortable by the fire, which we closely sur-
rounded, while Turner wrapped himself in his heavy skin,
with the hairy side inwards; — and we were all soon
asleep.

" The weather was extremely cold, and we were
obliged to get up several times in the course of the

148 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

night, to lay on fresh wood though Turner never
moved out of his warm skin. Towards morning tho
wind changed to the north-east, and the sky threatening
a snow storm, we decided on returning home as soon as
possible, to avoid the approaching storm, or at any rate
to get better shelter than the open prairie afforded. So
we swallowed our breakfast quickly, and saddled the
horses, which had been feeding on the dry grass, and
now approached as close as they could to the fire. We
called Turner several times to make him get up, but a
slight motion of the hide was the only answer. At
length, a half smothered cry for help issued from the
skin. We rushed to Turner in alarm, fearing something
serious, but burst into a roar of laughter, on finding that
he was frozen in, and could not move a limb. We
rolled him to the fire, to thaw the skin, and set him
free; the rolling and the heat made him feel rather
giddy, but a hot marrow-bone restored him ; — and then
loading the horses with the softened skin, and the re-
mainder of the meat, we reached home before the storm,
which came on that evening with a tremendous force."

The weather continued gloomy enough, the clouds
hanging about the trees, as if they were seeking shelter
from the wind, which was driving them from the rocky
mountains. All the cattle collected near the house,
with their tails to the wind, and pendant ears, looking
very wretched. Luckily I found a few books, — such as
"A Dialogue of Devils," " The Life of Marion," "The
Life of Washington," " The Pilgrim's Progress,'" "The
United States' Reader," &c., and killed some of the
time by turning over their leaves.

HUNTING WOLVES. 149

The rain lasted till the 12th January. The various
streams had become cataracts and rivers, so we were
obliged to remain at home two days longer. Meantime
our store of meat had fallen very low, and there appeared
little hope of being able to use that which we had left
hanging in the forest. However we hastened away to
save the skins, if there was yet time. The streams were
still so swelled that we could only pass them on horse-
back. We reached our last camp about noon, and found,
as we had expected, that the meat was tainted, and the
greater part of it devoured by vultures. We stretched
the skins, in the hope that the wind, with the help of a
faint sun, which was peering bashfully through the
clouds, might dry them.

As it grew late, and we had no other provisions than
bread and salt, we set off with the dogs to look for tur-
keys, and came upon a gang just as they were making
themselves comfortable for the night. We killed two,
and might have shot more, but did not wish to increase
the quantity of decaying meat in the neighborhood. On
this account we removed our camp about half a mile off,
stretched our blankets to keep off a light drizzling rain,
hobbled the horses, and fed them with maize. The
wolves made a dreadful noise all night at our old quar-
ters. In the morning the rain held up, and the clouds
separated a little; so I set off to try and steal a march
on them, and spoil their howling. The leaves were wet,
and going round to gain the wind, I crept for about two
hundred yards on my knees up to a large tree, and
counted eight of them. Although they wt-re to wind-
ward of me, one of them raised his head and began snuff-

150 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

tng the air, then turned sharp round, and they all made
off with their peculiar long gallop for the bush. NOT?
was my time or never ; I aimed at one of the largest,
which covered another with its body. When the smoke
cleared away not a wolf was to be seen ; they had van-
ished like magic — but following up the trail, I found one
dead, and signs of another being wounded ; but I found
nothing more of the latter, — he was probably torn to
pieces by his comrades. I scalped my prize, and re-
turned to the camp ; the scalp is valued, as before stated,
at three dollars.

Meantime Conwell had employed himself in roasting
turkeys, and we made an excellent breakfast. We then
started off again. When I came to the place where I
had hung up the buck, whose capture nearly cost me my
neck, I found that the wolves had succeeded in dragging
it down, and eaten nearly all but the bones. I knocked
over another, and also killed a wild-cat ; returning to
camp in the afternoon, where Conwell had arrived before
me. He had killed a couple of deer, and we decided on
bringing them to the camp, as there were so many wolves
about.

Finding no traces of bears, we determined to leave the
Richland and try the Mulberry again ; so next morning
we loaded our horses, and set off on our return. As we
were descending a hill, Conwell stopped suddenly at the
foot of a large oak, and after examining the bark atten-
tively, he said that a bear was either in the tree, or had
very lately left it. The weather had improved, and it
was again rather cold. We had nothing better th^n our
tomahawks for cutting down the tree, and they were not

BRUIN IN HIS NEST, 151

very sharp ; a few strokes proved the fact. Luckily for
us it was hollow, and we set-to with a will.

After hacking at it for three hours, the tree began to
crack. We seized our rifles, called the dogs, and has-
tened towards the direction in which the tree must fall,
to be ready to receive him. A couple of small splinters
broke first ; then a large one ; then the top began to
bend slowly down the hill ; then with a loud crash, and
smashing its branches in the fall, the tree measured its
length on the ground. No bear appeared ; the nest was
empty, though there could be no doubt it had lately been
tenanted, for the sides were beautifully smooth and clean.
There was a bough about five feet below the hole, where
the bear went in and out, on which an Indian must for-
merly have stood, and tried to make an opening with his
tomahawk, but without success ; probably the bear, dis-
turbed by the blows, had made his way out in time.
Judging by the bark, this must have occurred about four
or five years ago.

While we were looking at it, Conwell asked what the
dogs were about ; they appeared to be very eagerly lick-
ing up something from the ground, and we found that,
accidentally, we had cut down a tree with honey in it.
The bees were all torpid with the cold, and the dogs were
enjoying the honey, which the breaking boughs had
brought to light. Our plans were soon arranged ; Con-
well went to look for a deer ; I took my tomahawk to
cut a trough, and was soon busy about the upper part of
the trunk, which was sound enough. As it was freezing,
and the honey would not run, there was no occasion to
make the trough very deep ; so it was soon finished, and

152 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

I loaded it with great lumps of the frozen delicacy.
This done, I collected wood and made a fire, expecting
we should pass the night here ; but just then I heard the
report of Conwell's gun quite near, followed by his hail :
I answered, and was soon by his side. He had killed a
large fat doe, which we hung up by the hind legs, made
a cut above the haunch, and drew off the skin without
another touch of the knife, except at the knees, hocks,
and head ; stopping the holes, we turned it with the hair
outwards, and so made a bag to carry the honey. When
it was all in, I mounted, Conwell handed it to me, and
away we went homewards, leaving the greater part of the
last deer behind.

BEAR AND PANTHER HUNTING,

WE had no trifle to carry, and were very glad to reach
home ; but our feet were hardly out of the stirrups when
we heard that some Indians had looked in. They had
discovered a cave which certainly contained a bear, but
the Cherokees, who had first found it, had not ventured
to penetrate far, as it was deep and narrow. This was
grist to our mill. The skins and meat were stowed away,
the rifles discharged and cleaned, horses fed, and all pre-
pared for a regular hunt. We passed the evening in
telling stories about bears ; among others Conwell re-
lated the following anecdote respecting their winter sleep :
" Tn this southern climate, the bear generally lays up

BEARS IN THEIR WINTER-QUARTERS. 155

about Christmas, or the beginning of the year, and re-
mains till the end of February ; if the weather is then
mild he comes out occasionally, and sometimes he does not
return to his winter-quarters, but prepares a new lair by
biting down branches, and making a bed for himself in
the most secluded and thickest jungle, as far removed as
possible from the haunts of man. If they go into a cave,
they do not take any provisions with them, but keep
Bucking their paws, whining all the time ; when they be-
come torpid, they lie with their head doubled under them,
and their fore-paws above it. I myself have crawled into
a cave, and poked bears with the end of my rifle, to make
them raise their heads, so that I might conveniently fire
into their brains ; and the bears were always cowardly
in the cave, except they had young, when they fight
furiously — but even then, only when they have no other
choice. When the weather is warm and they come out
to drink, it is extraordinary how exactly they always step
in the same place ; but as the marks are thereby made so
much deeper, these c stepping paths,' as they are called,
are easily discovered."

The night was bitter cold ; the day broke as fine as a
sportsman could wish. One of Conwell's married sons,
who lived in the neighborhood, joined our party, and
another young man named Smith, and as we rode by
the school, the master dismissed all the boys and girls,
as the temptation to accompany us was too strong to be
resisted. We took plenty of fir splinters for torches,
and our guide was young Smith, who was one of the
party who had tracked the bear, but not ventured very
Car into the cave.

Io6 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

We reached the entrance about two o'clock in the
afternoon, and prepared a good dinner to strengthen us
for the exertions in prospect. While the meat was roast-
ing, I took a survey of the outside, which presented a
wall of limestone rock, about thirty feet high, and about
three hundred feet long, with four openings. After hav-
ing well fortified the inner man, we prepared to enter the
cave. We took only one rifle with us, but each had his
large hunting-knife, and I buckled my powder-horn close
to my side ; then with my rifle in my right hand, and a
torch of at least twenty inches in my left, we entered a
iark passage about four feet high and two feet wide ;
young Conwell came next to me with another torch, fol-
lowed by his father with a bundle of splinters to replace
the torches as they burnt out. For about eighty yards
it was all hard rock, and we advanced easily enough.
But now came a sudden turn to the right, and the cave
was so low that we were obliged to crawl on our hands
and knees; the bottom was stiff clay, with numerous
marks of bears, some quite fresh. As we advanced the
passage became still smaller, and we were obliged to
crawl on our stomachs. Thus far the Indians had pene-
trated, as we found by splinters of fir, and marks of their
elbows and knees in the clay. The passage was now so
small that I was obliged to lie quite flat, and push myself
along by my feet assisted by my left elbow, holding the
torch in my left hand, and the rifle in front with the
right. The aperture was quite round, and rubbed
smooth by the passing in and out of wild animals, who
may perhaps have made this their winter-quarters for
hundreds of years. Here and there we found stalactites,

BRUIN'S CAVE, 157

which were a great hindrance, and we often nad con-
Biderable difficulty in pushing ourselves through.

Apparently, we were the first whites, indeed the first
men, who had ever ventured into the place, for the
ground retained every impression that had been made in
it. In some places the marks of the bears were pet-
rified, having perhaps been left centuries ago. Once the
thought occurred to me : should we ever get out again,
or perish here from hunger ? I went on however, all my
senses on the stretch, to discover the sleeping bear.

We disturbed immense numbers of bats with our
torches, and found also several crickets and a few blue-
bottle flies. When my torch was nearly burnt out, 1
stopped for a supply from young Conwell ; the moment
I remained quite still, I thought I heard a low whining
not far off; and listening attentively, I distinctly heard
the sound bear cubs make in sucking, and a low deep
growling ; so there was no longer any doubt but that we
were near a she-bear with cubs.

The place where I had stopped was rather more
roomy, so that I could sit up, and I turned to the two
Conwells and asked if they heard the sound, which they
answered with a whispered " Yes ;" — and we held a
short council as to further proceedings. In the first
place, the cave was smaller further on — secondly we had
only expected a sleeping bear, instead of a she-bear
awake and with cubs, for which it was rather early in
the season ; though C. told me afterwards, that in Ar-
kansas he had occasionally met with bear cubs as early
as January. Whoever has seen a she-bear defend her
young, with ears laid back and open jaws, may form

158 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

some idea of our feelings. We were all bear-killers,
and knew well enough the danger we were encountering
in a space almost too narrow to admit of any movement.
TJut at all events there we were, and there was the bear
— and no one even hinted at a retreat.

I examined my rifle closely to see that all was right,
and as we slowly worked our way forwards, the elder
Conwell warned me to make sure of my shot, adding
drily, by way of comfort, that it would be all the better
for me ; for if I missed I should be the first to suffer
from the animal's fury.

We came nearer and nearer to the growling bear, who
certainly must long since have heard us, and was now
listening with all her might. At length the mingled
whining and growling appeared to be quite close, and
holding the torch behind my head, I plainly saw fiery
eyeballs. I now halted, cleared the sight of the rifle,
which had got clogged with the clay, refreshed my
torch, and crept as silently as possible towards the dark
mass.

The decisive moment was come ; and as I could now
distinguish the animal's head through the surrounding
darkness, I put myself in an attitude to take aim. The
bear had risen on her hind legs, and sat with their usual
swinging motion ; as I was trying to fix one of her eyes
with the rifle, she suddenly disappeared through the al-
most palpable darkness.

Following her up, we came upon three cubs, nice little
things, which roared lustily when for the first time they
saw a light. These sounds were by no means agreeable
to us, for we had reason to fear that the cries of the cubi

OUR ADVENTURE IN TUB CAVE. 159

might still more enrage the dam. We wished to save
them alive, and asked old Conwell to stay with them
and quiet them and to make a fire, while we went after
the old one. Conwell sat down, and soon quieted them
by giving them a finger to suck.

About ten feet from the lair the cave divided into two
passages of equal size. The fresh marks showed that
the bear had taken the one to the right. Presently the
cubs began to cry again with renewed force, which ra-
ther alarmed us, for we should have been in an awkward
predicament if the bear had endeavored to hasten to
their help, and found the way blocked up by our bodies ;
for, with the best will in the world, she could neither
pass over us, nor by our sides, and there was no other
way left than to kill us, and eat her way through. While
we were consulting together about this matter, in a low
voice, the cry suddenly ceased, and we pushed on silently
in better spirits ; for, from all that we had seen, thia
bear was rather more cowardly than usual.

We went on and on, to the great annoyance of our
ribs and elbows, and there seemed to be no end to the
cave. There was a peculiarity about it, which I never
found in any other, namely, several flat stones about
one and two inches thick, which rang like steel when
slightly struck with the finger. One place was very re-
markable. It was about fifty or sixty feet long, with
similar flat stones on each side, approaching to within
six inches of each other in the middle, so that one could
have passed through in a sitting posture, with the neck
in the narrow part, and the head in the upper compart-
ment ; but to say the least, this would have been a rather

160 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

inconvenient position for receiving the attack of an en-
raged bear.

After clearing this double passage, we arrived at a
spring, which had worn itself a channel of about eigh-
teen inches deep, and eight or nine wide. After work-
ing our way through another difficult pass, as I was in
the act of drawing a long breath, I heard a deep growl
very near me. Although I had been listening for this
sound every foot of the way for several hours, yet, on
hearing it so suddenly and so close, I was rather star-
tled, and nearly let fall the torch ; but quickly recover-
ing, and raising the torch as high as possible, to the dis-
comfort and horror of several innocent bats, I could
make out Mrs. Bruin, about ten yards off, sitting up-
right, gnashing her teeth, digging into the ground with
her sharp claws, and apparently in the worst possible
humor.

Young Conwell, who was close behind me, laid his
hand lightly on my foot, and whispered that he heard
the bear. As I had obtained this intelligence for myself,
I whispered to him to be quiet, and creeping forward a
couple of paces, I came to a place from whence I thought I
could fire with effect. I placed my right foot in the
channel of the stream, raised myself as well as I could
on my left knee, and brought up the rifle. Young Con-
well, who was anxiously watching all my motions, whis-
pered me for God's sake to aim carefully, for if I made
a bad shot we were both done for. Although I was
nearer the danger than he was, I would not have changed
places with him, as he could not see what was going en,
and must naturally fear the worst ; and in such cases, ii

ATTACK AND RETREAT. 161

\8 preferable to be in the post of danger, than to remain
in a state of suspense.

The bear, by no means pleased with our intrusion, laid
back her ears, snapped her teeth, and kept constantly
swinging to and fro ; as she did not sit quite upright I
had no other choice than to aim at the head, in the hope
that if I missed my aim, the ball might pierce the breast.
As I was taking aim, the thought crossed my brain for a
moment (why should I deny it?) how helpless I was if
the shot failed ; but it lasted only a moment, and, in the
excitement of the present, I forgot both past and fu-
ture.

I took a long aim, and yet, as the bear was not still for
one second, I pulled the trigger too soon. The cave was
filled with thick smoke ; a fearful groan announced that
the beast was wounded ; we did not wait to examine the
state of affairs, but crept back as fast as the narrow
space would allow, to a spot where there was more room
to move, in order to reload and return to the attack.

We had retreated, backwards, for about a hundred
yards, and had halted in a more convenient part of the
cave, when we heard the bear coming towards us snort-
ing and snapping her teeth, till the cave echoed with
the sound. My first thought was " Good-bye to the
li^ht of the sun." But I had not much time for consi-
deration, and called to young Conwell to make haste if
he valued our lives, for the old one was coming. He
did not require much pressing, and I never saw crabs
crawl backwards quicker than we tried to do ; yet, how-
ever great our hurry, and imminent our danger, it waa
11

162 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

very slow work, and the snorting came nearer and
nearer.

I had dropped my rifle, as it very much hindered my
retreat, and keeping a sharp look-out in front, where I
constantly expected to see the bear, I suddenly disco-
vered the glowing eyes, only a few paces off. Just at
this moment, my left elbow struck against a projecting
bit of rock ; the torch fell out of my hand, and all waa
dark as pitch ; for although young Conwell had a second
torch, my body filled up the space so completely that
not a ray of light could pass. I took up the glimmer-
ing splinter, and threw it at the bear, which checked her,
but only for a moment. Suddenly young Con well
stopped, and said he could not find the passage, and
making a slip with his right hand, which held the torch,
he dropped it in the water. I could not answer for the
bear, who had followed us slowly, as if she knew that we
were doing our best to get out of her way ; she must
have been so near, that I felt sure that if I stretched
out my arm to its full extent, I should touch her, for I
could feel her hot breath on my face. With my left
arm a little in advance, the right with the hunting-knife
drawn back, I awaited, with every stroke of the pulse,
the beast's attack, thinking of nothing else than selling
my life as dearly as possible ; for I had no hopes of get-
ting out alive.

Meantime, young Conwell had not been idle. Aware
that we could do nothing without a light, he had felt for
his tinder-box, and the noise of his flint and steel was
the only sound that broke a silence like that of the

PURSUED BY A WOUNDED BEAR. 163

grave, for at the first blow, the bear had ceased growling
to listen tc the strange sounds.

After a painful and anxious pause, he called out, u I
have got a light, give me the powder-horn and a rag."
I cut avvy the first from its sling, then tore off a piece
of my hunting-shirt, and passed them behind me. In
a few minutes he recovered his splinter ; this gave us,
or rather me, new hopes, for he had no fear — firstly,
because he could not know how near the bear was ; and,
secondly, because, as he assured me afterwards, he was
so intent on striking a light, that he could think of no-
thing else. He had also succeeded in turning himself
round, and his voice sounded to me like an angel's song
when he called out that he had found the passage. He
had now the advantage of creeping forwards, while I
was still obliged to show front to the bear ; but he gave
ine a few more splinters of fir, and a light, and we again
began our slow retreat towards the entrance.

As I held the torch forwards, the bear gave a deep
growl, gnashed her teeth, and retreated a pace or two,
but followed again as soon as she saw that I was retir-
ing. Necessity sharpens invention, I laid a couple of
burning sticks crosswise on the ground, and saw. to my
inexpressible delight, that she did not venture to pass
them. Shuffling back as fast as I could, I heard Jim
(young C.) call out to his father to go back, as the beai
was coming. No other words were spoken, and indeed
the growling came nearer ; the fire had probably gone
out on the moist ground, and then she followed us
again,

I now crawled over the place where we had first di*-

HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

covered her, and found out the reason why the cubs hart
so suddenly ceased their cry. When we stopped, uncer-
tain what to do, old C. had dashed their heads against
the rock, and thus, most likely, saved our lives ; for a
cry from the cubs when our torches had gone out, would
have enraged the wounded animal so much, that she
would certainly have attacked us, and we should have
been either killed, or so dreadfully crippled, that we
must have perished miserably in the cave.

At about a hundred paces from the lair, I stopped to
listen again, but could hear nothing. I now called to
the others to wait for me, and when we came to a more
roomy place, which had also been the retreat of a bear,
we held a consultation. Old C. thought that the bear
had lain down by her dead cubs, and that one of us had
better return to the mouth of the cave, and fetch ano-
ther rifle, as it was out of the question trying to pass
the furious animal to get at mine. However, before at-
tempting the long and difficult way back to the entrance,
I resolved to creep again to the lair, and see if she was
not dead, for I could not but think that my ball must
have had some effect. When I got there I could see
nothing of her. My shout brought the others to the
spot ; so, advancing a little, and examining closely, we
saw thick dark blood, and found, that instead of return-
ing to her lair, she had taken the left-hand passage. I
instantly proceeded to regain my rifle, which I found
covered with blood and slime, about three hundred
yards off. I returned as fast as I possibly could, cleaned
it, and reloaded, when we all started again for a fresh
attack.

VICTORY AT LAST. 163

The left-hand passage was as bad as the right, but
luckily the bear had not gone far. We soon reached
the place where, grinding her teeth, she awaited our ap-
proach. I halted about eight or nine feet from her,
raised myself as high as the space would allow, laid the
rifle over my left arm, in which I held the torch, and
seizing the time when her head was quiet for an instant,
I fired. Again the cave echoed the crack of the rifle,
and all was enveloped in thick smoke. I heard the bear
groan and move, but stood my ground, as this time I
knew that my ball had struck the right place : as the
smoke cleared away, she lay dead before me.

Young Con well and I were half dead from our exer-
tions, and it would have been impossible for us to get
the bear out ; — for the time we had been crawling in the
close air of the cave and smoke of the torches, and the
long-continued excitement of constant danger, were al-
most too much for the constitution of any man ; so we
decided on returning to the fresh air as fast as we could.
It took us about naif an hour to do so, and I shall never
forget the effect of the delightfully cool night air, as I
drew it in long inspirations, and gazed on the bright-
blue starry skies.

Young Smith and the schoolmaster were fast asleep,
but as the dogs barked they both jumped up, and almost
fell down again from fright, for they swore that they had
never seen such horrible figures as we looked in the red
light of the torches, covered with blood and slime, and
blackened with smoke. Judging by the stars, it must
have been about two o'clock in the morning. Although
as hungry as lions, we were too exhausted to touch any

106 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

tiling; so we lay down and slept till daybreak. We
made a good breakfast, and then, leaving old Conwell be-
hind, who had done rather too much for his time of life,
we four again entered the cave to bring out our prizes.
We fastened a cord round the old bear's neck ; I squeezed
past, and shoved from behind, while Smith and the school-
master pulled, and young Jim Conwell held the light.
\\ e gained ground inch by inch, and about noon, amid a
general hurrah, we cast down the carcase by the camp
fire, where it was instantly taken possession of by Bears-
grease, who laid himself growling by its side.

As we had some way to go home, we only opened
and cleaned her, and broke the spine, so that the carcase
might lay better across a horse. We reached home by
the evening ; I took a plunge in the river, and then set-
tled down to sleep.

We rose refreshed the next morning ready for further
efforts, and concluded to try some caves that old Conwell
knew of. We provided ourselves wi^th cords and food,
and made two large wax candles, which are less disagree-
able in a close cave than pine torches, give a better light,
and are not so liable to go out. We arrived at the place
in the afternoon, and found eight or nine caves, from forty
to eighty feet deep, but all empty. We now separated to
try different paths, and agreed that as soon as any one
found a trail, he was to make a signal so that all might
join in the chase.

I found a small cave with fresh marks, but no bear.
On returning to the mouth, I heard the dogs, and listen-
ing attentively for a minute or two, I felt sure they were
coming towards me. Presently the noise of rushing

SHOOTING THE BEAU.

ANOTHER BRUIN IN HIS LAIR. 169

through breaking branches was very distinct, and at last
a bear broke cover. Throwing himself without hesitation
down a precipice of about ten feet, he came towards me
as fast as his legs would carry him. I stood still to see
how near he would come. At about fifty paces distance
he winded me, stopped short in his career, snuffed the air
for an instant, and then made off in a different direction.
[ seized the opportunity offered, and sent him a ball ;
but 1 was not quite cool enough, and only wounded him in
the hip. Meantime, the dogs having been stopped by the
bluff which Bruin had so unceremoniously dispose^ of, he
gained a good space in advance ; but the wound checked
his speed, and I could soon distinguish by the dogs' bark
that they had come up with him again, but they were
keeping out of reach of -his paws. A young man named
Erskine, who was shooting near us, attracted by the re-
port of my gun and the barking of the dogs, came up
and gave the mortal wound. The two Conwells joined
soon after, and we broke him up together.
• Erskine told us that he had found a cave, which he
was sure contained a bear, and asked one of us to go
with him and try it, as he had neither torches or wax
candles. I was ready at once, took one of the candles,
and explaining to the others where they might find us,
we set off, and reached the place about sunset. We first
made a large fire before the entrance of the cave, and
then crept into it, Erskine preceding. Further on, the
passage grew larger, so that we could walk upright, side
by side. After going some distance, we heard the regu-
lar low whine of the bear, who was sucking his paws, and
Erskine, also a regular bear-hunter, asserted that he waa

170 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

fast asleep. Passing a sharp turn in the cave, we dis-
covered him at our feet, and, as my comrade had stated,
fast asleep, his head between his paws, uttering a low
monotonous whine. Erskine set the muzzle of the rifle
to the back of his head, and fired ; he gave a convulsive
start, and lay dead. I probed the wound with my fore
finger to see how far the ball had penetrated ; the rifle
threw a ball of twenty-two to the pound ; the skull was
completely shattered.

We now decided on getting out of the cave for a little
repose and refreshment, and to await the Conwells. We
found them sitting by the fire, and young Conwell offered
at once to take the cord and fasten i,t round the bear's
neck, and try and pull him out alone. Lighting one of
the candles, he soon disappeared in the cave. They had
examined several other caves, but had not found any
more signs. Extraordinary to relate, we had not seen a
single deer during the course of our hunt; the forest
seemed deserted, excepting by a bear or two in the caves,
and a very few turkeys.

We had rested and talked for about half an hour, when
young Conwell reappeared without the bear, having found
it too heavy, and requiring help. We went, one and all,
taking fresh torches with us, to the scene of action, and
dragged him out, though with considerable difficulty, as
many parts of the route were ill-adapted for the trans-
port of such a mass of flesh. Lying down by the fire,
we slept comfortably till late next morning. It was neai
noon ere we could tear ourselves away from our couches
of soft leaves, but as we all agreed that we must move
sooner or later, we got up, loaded the horses with our

BACKWOODS DEBATING SOCIETY^ 171

prizes, and moved off towards Conwell's dwelling in a?
direct a line as the nature of the country would allow.
We kept no look-out for game on our way home, having
meat enough, and being almost tired to death.

We received a hearty welcome from Conwell's family,
and we resolved to enjoy a little repose after all our hard
work. In spite of the bears and bats that I encountered
in my dreams, I awoke quite refreshed, and did full jus-
tice to the beautiful breakfast of bear-collops, milk, and
maize bread. Perhaps the wild out door life which we
had been leading may have lent more charms to the quiet
life of this happy home, than under other circumstances
I should have been sensible of; but, be that as it may, I
shall never forget this amiable family. Old Conwell and
I sat the whole day by the fireside, mending our leggings
and moccasins. He was certainly the last man in the
world to neglect spinning a yarn when he had a good op-
portunity, and he told me so many anecdotes, and related
80 many adventures, that the day passed away only too
soon.

About an hour before sunset, a neighbor came in to
inquire whether we would go with him to the debates.
"Debates!" I asked, quite astonished, "what does that
mean?" He seemed still more astonished at my ig-
norance, and explained that, on every Friday, it was the
custom to hold a meeting at the school-house, about two
miles off, to debate on any subject which might be pro-
posed, and in which the scholars took part. The account
excited my curiosity still more, and I decided on no ac-
count to miss such an opportunity. Old Conwell had
frequented these meetings too often to be induced to

172 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

leave his comfortable fireside ; but I saddled a horse v.
once, and was soon at the school.

Imagine a large smoky building in the n.idst of a forest,
with dark, dusty windows ; a broad, well-worn door-
stone ; a heavy iron-bound door ; and rules and regula-
tions pasted here and there in the room. A number of
horses, fastened to the surrounding trees, showed that
several of the debaters were already assembled. A
bright fire burned in the chimney, and the room '#as
nearly full, and almost everybody was talking. At
length order was established, and the company proceeded
to the business of the evening. Two judges and two
leaders were selected. The judges took their places in
the centre, while the leaders stationed themselves on op-
posite sides, each taking it in turns to choose a follower
from the persons present. The question to be decided
was this : " In a thickly inhabited district, where much
cattle was reared, there was only one parish bull. The
district was on the bank of a broad river, and the inhabi-
tants were obliged to cross it very often, as all the mills
and tanneries were on the other side — but there was only
one ferry-boat, passed to and fro by a single rope. The
bull got down to the ferry, and on board the boat, and
gnawed the rope in two ; the boat floated down the river
with the bull, and boat and bull were never seen again."
These were the facts, now comes the question, " Who is
to pay the damage for the loss ? The own^r of the boat
for carrying off the bull, or the owner of the bull, because,
from some malicious though undiscovered intention, he
stole the boat ? "

It was highly amusing to see one after another stand

KNOTTY POINTS OF DEBATE. 173

up, and seriously defend the cause of the bull, or the
boat ; others again talked all sorts of nonsense for a
quarter of an hour, and then sat down with the remark
that it was unnecessary to say more, as the case was^so
clear that the judges could not do otherwise than give a
decision in their favor. After all had been heard, my-
self included, the judges consulted together, and the-
owner of the bull was condemned to pay the expenses.
The next question was : " Which is better, a single or a
married life?" The judges were not quite impartially
chosen. The wife of one had run off with a young man
to Texas, three years ago ; the wife of the other had
three times borne twins. I was chosen on the married
side with the schoolmaster, three or four other young
men, and six or seven of the scholars. We defended our
cause with glowing animation — but one judge thought of
Texas, and the other of the twins, and our scale kicked
the beam. Several other questions were discussed ;
among them, u Which is worse, a smoky chimney or a
scolding wife ? " Left undecided. At last I was invited
to propose a subject, but I would not consent until I re-
ceived assurance that it should be discussed : " Which
enjoys life most, has fewer cares, and lighter sorrows — a
short or a long-tailed dog? " But by this time it was
late, and time to adjourn ; so the house was soon left to
its solitude in the forest, and the party dispersed in all
directions to their dwellings.

On the morning of the 22nd January, old Conwell
and I shouldered our rifles, and each provided with
meat and bread, we wandered towards the waters of the
liichland. Lucky was it that we took provisions, for

174 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

not a shot did we fire. Next day was almost as bad,
and if Conwell had not knocked over a turkey, we should
have been reduced to chew sassafras. At length on the
third day, he shot a deer, and I a turkey, which put a
little life into the dogs. Disgusted with our bad luck,
we decided on returning home next day, besides, the
weather was bad, and threatened to be worse. To our
inexpressible joy, snow fell during the night, and all
thoughts of return vanished. We took different direc-
tions, with the agreement to return to camp in the
evening. I had not gone far when I saw footsteps of a
young buck in the four-inch deep snow, followed him up
and shot him. I heard the report of Conwell's rifle
about the same time. Hanging up the deer, I walked
on. After lounging along slowly for above an hour,
without seeing anything, I came across the track of
Conwell, who, with his dog, had been following up the
bloody trail of a panther ; I gathered from the signs
that he had broken his left hind leg. I followed it up
on the instant, as fast as my legs could carry me;
in rather more than an hour, I arrived at the mouth of
a cave, where Conwell was awaiting me, knowing that I
should cross his trail, and follow it up as soon as I saw
the marks of the panther.

The wounded brute had taken refuge in the cave,
leaving us to act as we pleased, probably thinking him-
self quite safe. We held a short consultation — Conwell
Baid that he had hidden a bundle of kindlers in a hole,
and that if I would keep watch here, he would go and
fetch them. I consented, of course, and laid myself
down before the cave, with bare knife and cocked rifle.

A PANTHER IN A CAVE. 175

Lying in the snow, however, was any thing but agreeable ;
at first, when I was warm with running, I thought no-
thing of it, but by degrees I became colder and colder,
tiL my teeth chattered. I could not venture to lay
aside the rifle to make a fire, for fear the panther
should escape. I managed to keep up a little warmth,
by running and jumping, but was very glad when my
old friend returned and made a good fire.

As soon as we were well warmed, we made torches,
and entered the cave as cautiously as possible, each with
a burning torch in his left hand, and a rifle in the right.
I went first, but the cave was soon roomy enough to
admit of our walking upright, beside each other. Some
distance in, it took a turn to the left, and about two
hundred paces in advance, we saw the fiery eyeballs of
the beast, who kept shutting them from time to time.
Conwell, taking my torch, stepped behind me, while I
took aim and fired. We heard a noise after the shot,
but could not make out the result ; I reloaded as fast as
possible, while Conwell went in advance, but we could
see nothing more of the animal's eyes. We went on
with cocked rifles on our left arm. Moving silently and
cautiously forward, we suddenly discovered the panther
in a little hollow close to our feet, a beautiful but alarm-
ing sight, his ears laid back, his teeth gnashing in wild
rage, and his glowing eyes so wide open, that they
seemed half out of their sockets. Inspired by one im-
pulse, we both fired so exactly together, that neither
knew that the other had done so. Our enemy was hit,
but whether mortally or not was more than we could
tell. Dropping our rifles like lightning, we drew <~va

176 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

knives ; a sore need we had of them, for before the sound
of the rifles expired, we felt the weight of the panther
upon us. I drove my knife into him, and sprang back ;
our torches were extinguished ; it all passed so quickly,
that I did not recover full possession of my senses, till I
stood beside my old friend, in the fresh air, at the mouth
of the cave. I can only remember that, in the impene
trable darkness and thick smoke, I did not know which
way to turn, and that Conwell dragged me out. When
we came into the light of day, we found ourselves co-
vered with sweat and blood, and our clothes all torn.

Conwell complained of pain in the breast. Tearing
open his shirt, we found two deep gashes from the left
shoulder to the pit of the stomach ; I had escaped with
only a few scratches. We had neither of us felt when
we were wounded ; but before we troubled ourselves
about it, we made a fire in the mouth of the cave to pre-
vent the panther from coming out; then washed p1-
bound up our wounds, and sat by the fire to consider
what was next to be done. There was the panther in
the cave, whether alive or dead we knew not. At any
rate he was badly wounded, for both our knives, with
blades nine inches long, were bloody to the hilt. But
indeed we had no choice ; our rifles, and Conwell's ball-
pouch, which the brute had torn away, were still in the
cave.

It might, perhaps, have been possible to suifocate the
panther with smoke, but there might have been another
opening, and then we should have had our trouble for
nothing. We soon made up our minds, and entered the
save again with fresh torches and bare knives, but not

WATCHFIRE AND WOUNDS. 177

without beating hearts. We moved silently and cau
tiously on, holding the torches well before us, so as not
to be so agreeably surprised a second time. We reco-
vered our rifles without seeing the enemy. I held both
the torches while Conwell loaded his rifle, and then gave
them to him while I loaded mine, and having our faith-
ful weapons once more in our hands, we stepped forward
again still slowly and silently, but with lighter hearts.
" There !" suddenly called out C., holding his torch
aloft, and staring before him. It was the first word
spoken since we re-entered the cave. The panther lay
stretched on the ground, no longer dangerous, for the
last convulsions were over. We skinned him and cut
him up ; all the balls had taken effect, and both our
knives had pierced his body, so that it was only in his
death-struggle that he sprang upon us. We took the
skin, although it almost looked like a sieve, and returned
to our fire.

It was night by the time we came out of the cave,
and, writh hungry stomachs, lay all four by the fire ; for
neither we nor the dogs had any fancy to eat the panther.
Conwell suffered very much from his wound, but towards
morning he fell into a tolerably quiet slenp. We moved
off with the first gleam of day to the place where I had
hung up the buck, breakfasted there, and started for
Tresh game.

Meantime it had become warmer. The snow had dis-
appeared, but all the game seemed to have gone on their
travels ; for although we saw signs enough, not a shot
could we get. In the night we were awakened by a thin
cold rain, and having no mind to get wet through, we

178 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

jumped up, cut poles with our heavy knives, and spread-
ing my blanket, which was the largest, over them, and
laying ourselves on the other, underneath it, after making
up the fire afresh, that the rain might not put it out, we
were soon fast asleep.

Next morning brought fresh troubles, but no reward.
Dispirited, we wandered the whole day through the wet
forest, without seeing a turkey. The meat we had
brought with us was getting low, as we had not been very
saving of it, and had given the larger share to the dogs ;
after breakfast there was one small piece left for each to
share with his dog at night ; still hoping, we walked on
cautiously and attentively till late at night, without see-
ing even so much as a vulture.

On the morning of the 29th of January, we sat by the
fire with empty stomachs, and stared sorrowfully at the
crackling flames. At length Conwell burst out with a
loud laugh, and asked whether we were forced to remain
in this deserted spot, and why we should not go home.
But I would not give it up yet ; to go home with noth-
ing but a panther's skin full of holes was too bad, and
I begged for one more day ; at any rate, if we found no-
thing before twelve o'clock, we could then meet at the
camp and return home. In silence, and on the watch
for the merest trifles, I wandered with Bearsgrease
through all the places where hitherto I had almost al-
ways found game, without meeting a sign ; and my hun-
ger was quite painful. How I thought of shooting parties
at home, where one was sure of finding some sort of a
house every half hour ; here, was only thick forest, where
ene wet dripping tree looked exactly like another. And

OFF AGAIN AFTER GAME. 179

yet it was not without its charms. For instance, every
now and then you were entangled by the thorns of the
black locust, or if your slippery moccasins caused you
to fall, you might be sure of finding some of them con-
veniently placed to receive you.

I returned to the camp about noon, exhausted and dis-
pirited, and found my old comrade stretched quietly by
the fire. He said he had been waiting for me about a
couple of hours ; that it was very clear there was no
game to shoot ; and I was now of the same opinion.
Heartily sick of the useless fatigue, we shouldered the
skin and our blankets, and left the place with heavy
hearts and weary limbs.

It was long after dark when we arrived at Conwell's
home, and received the usual kind welcome, and wre were
heartily laughed at, when, instead of bringing provisions,
we fell, like famished wolves, upon every thing eatable
that came in our way. A long draught of fresh milk
did me, above every thing else, an immensity of good.

I would willingly have enjoyed a day's rest ; but Con-
well — who, in spite of his deep gashes, which were not
yet healed, was as fresh and strong as ever aaer his first
meal, and could not remain quiet under the circum-
stances— impressed on me the necessity of trying again,
otherwise people would believe that we had lost the power
of shooting a deer. So we were off again before noon,
gained the source of the Hurricane, rode across the
" Devil's Stepping Path," a narrow rock with a precipice
on each side, left the Pilot-rock on our left, and came
towards evening into the pine forests, where we were sure
of finding kindlers. Descending the steep side of a

180 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

mounta?*, we observed a column of thin blue smoke by
the side of a stream, showing that some hunters were en-
camped there. We went straight towards it, and found
it to b( an Indian camp, and our former acquaintance,
young Erskine, among them. They were Cherokees
with three young Choctaws, these two tribes being on
good terms. Like ourselves, they were out bear-hunting,
but had had better luck. A quantity of bear meat was
hanging about the camp, and even the dogs could eat no
more. Casting ourselves down by the fire, one of the
squaws — for there were several women in the camp — im-
mediately cooked some bear for us, with which we duly
regaled ourselves.

Night came on, and soon all were sunk in deep repose.
I was not inclined to sleep, and Bearsgrease, who had
tired himself with chasing a gang of turkeys, which
escaped at last by flying across a ravine, lay close to
me, with his head on my left arm. Soon he began to
dre-am, scrambling with his feet as if running, and bark-
ing in a low voice. Watching him brought to my mind
a story which was told me by an old bear-killer, to the
effect, that if a man lays his pocket-handkerchief over
the head of a dreaming dog, letting it stay till the dream
is out, then lays it under his own head, and falls asleep,
lie will have the same dream that the dog had. A poc-
ket-handkerchief was a luxury I had dispensed with, but
I laid my Scotch cap on my dog's head, under which he
went on dreaming, and when he awoke I laid it under my
own head, and was soon asleep. It was perhaps owing to
the idea under which I fell asleep, although in general I
can never dream what I wish, but, be that as it may, 1

HUNTING WITH THE INDIANS — SKELETONS. 181

soon found myself running desperately after turkeys, and
never stopped, till I had chased them into a tree, when I
stood looking up at them without thinking of shooting.
Just then my dog gave a loud bark, and I jumped up.
One of the Indians had risen to look to the fire, and
Bearsgrease thought it rather suspicious. My beautiful
dream was gone, and I could no longer recollect whether
I barked or not. I fell asleep again, but the dream never
returned.

Early in the morning we began to move, dividing into
two parties, for the better chance of finding game.
Conwell went with some of the Indians, amongst whom
he had found an old acquaintance, to make a circuit
round the Pilot-rock, while Erskine and I, with three
Cherokees proceeded to the sources of the Frog bayou.

About ten o'clock we came to a cave, which seemed
worth examining. We made torche.s, there being plenty
of strips of pine lying about ; it was settled that I should
try my luck, with one of the Indians. Erskine re-
mained with the two others by the fire, saying he had
searched so many caves within the last four days with-
out finding anything, that he was tired of it. The en-
trance was rather small, but it became gradually larger,
and we went a long way in. There were evidences of
its having been tried before, as we found moccasin
marks, and pieces of burnt wood. An unexpected
sight suddenly arrested our progress — the skeletons of a
man and of a bear, lying peaceably within three feet of
each other. A rifle thickly covered with rust, and a
corroded knife, lay by the side of the first, and some
glass beads convinced us that it was the skeleton of an

182 HUNTING* SPORTS OF THE WEST.

Indian, who had bravely attacked the bear single
handed, and had fallen in the struggle, the skeleton of
the bear proving that he had sold his life dearly.

The skeleton was perfect, except some of the small
bones which rats or snakes might have carried off.
The Indian pointed in silence to the upper bone of the
right arm, which was broken, and the knife was lying
on the left side.

The sight of these remains of a human being, which
may have lain there for years, while his footsteps were
Btill so fresh in the moist earth, was deeply affecting.
As I was about to pass on, the Indian laid his hand on
my arm, and shook his head, saying, in broken English,
" The spirit of the red man is in the cave, and Wachiga
goes no further." Nothing could induce him to go on,
all my persuasions were fruitless ; pointing to the bones,
he said, " The bones of the red man belonged to a great
chief; the bear seeks no bed where the hunter sleeps."
As this last remark seems well founded, and as the sight
had shaken me too much for me to go alone, we turned
back without touching the remains.

We found Erskine alone, and told him what we had
seen, but he did not seem at all inclined to visit the re-
mains. We found three other caves, but no bear : Ers
kine and the Indians tried the two first, Erskine and I
the last. The cave separated into two passages ; Ers-
kine took the right, I the left, and as I proceeded I
found plenty of marks. The cave was so small that I
was obliged to leave everything but a torch and my
knife ; I could not even turn myself from one side to
the other, to change my attitude. I had taken off my

NARROW QUARTERS — WACHIGA. 183

hunting-shirt, and had on nothing but a cotton shirt and
leggings, and was working on inch by inch, with tolera-
ble certainty of finding a bear. The passage was quite
round, and in many places as smooth as glass, from
being rubbed by wild beasts. In one place I found the
skin of a rattlesnake.

At length I got so completely jammed in, that I could
neither move backwards nor forwards. The perspira-
tion burst from every pore, and for a minute' or two I
lay motionless. Then I again exerted all my efforts to
force myself backwards, and to my indescribable satis-
faction, at length succeeded, leaving, however, the
greater part of my shirt behind me, and my delight may
be imagined when I again inhaled the fresh air. My
hair stood on end at the fearful thought of sticking fast
in such a hole, buried alive, and dying of hunger.

Night found us far from our camp, so we made one
for ourselves where we were. Wachiga, who had become
very pensive, sat smoking his tomahawk and staring at
the fire. Notwithstanding that he had been converted
to Christianity, he had still some remains of the old su-
perstition. Erskine was in high good humor, and told
one droll story after another.

On the next morning, February 1st, we had hardly
started ere we heard the dogs. Wachiga declared in-
stantly that they were his brother's, and disappeared be-
hind the rocks without another word. As we stood
listening, the sound seemed to take a different direction ;
we ascended the mountain as fast as we could, to cut
off the chase, but found that we must have been mis-
taken, for in a few minutes all was silent as the grave ;

184 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

once wo thought we heard a shot, but could not be cei
tain. Yv7e ascended to the highest terrace and walked
slowly on, looking out for fresh signs, and listening to
catch the sound of the dogs ; below, amongst the broken
masses of rock, they might be near without being heard,
while on the mountain tops, they are audible at a great
distance.

It may have been about two in the afternoon, and we
had hitherto seen nothing, when Bearsgrease raised his
nose in the air, remained for an instant or two in a fixed
position, then giving a short smothered howl, dashed
down the mountain side. Listening attentively, we
heard the chase coming down the Hurricane river.
Erskine called out triumphantly, " We shall have plenty
of bear this evening," and dashed after the dog. I was
soon by his side. I must observe by the way, that we
were both very hungry. Presently a bear broke through
the bushes; a projecting rock stopped him for an in-
stant, when Erskine saluted him with a ball: he received
mine as he rushed past, and disappeared. The dogs,
encouraged to greater efforts by our shots and the stronger
scent, followed him out ; Bearsgrease, who was quite fresh,
leading the van. They soon came^ up with him and stopped
him. We rushed to the spot without waiting to reload,
and arrived in time to see the beast, excited to the greatest
fury, kill four of our best dogs with as many blows of
his paws ; but the others only threw themselves on him
with the greater animosity, and if our rifles had been
loaded, we could not have used them. Just as a large
powerful brown dog, which had furiously attacked the
bear, was knocked over bleeding and howling, Erskine

OUR FATAL TEMERITY — ERSKINE'S DEATH. 187

called out, "Oh, save the dogs," threw down his rifle,
and rushed on with his knife among the furious group ;
I followed on the instant. When the bear saw us com-
ing, he exerted still more force to beat off the dogs, and
meet us. Seizing his opportunity, my comrade ran hia
«teel into his side. The bear turned on him like light-
ning, and seized him ; he uttered a shrill piercing shriek.
Driven to desperation by the sight, I plunged my knife
three times into the monster's body with all my force,
without thinking of jumping back ; at the third thrust,
the bear turned upon me. Seeing his paw coming, 1
attempted to evade the blow, felt a sharp pang, and
sunk senseless to the ground.

When I recovered my senses, Bearsgrease was licking
the blood from my face. On attempting to rise, I felt a
severe pain in my left side, and was unable to move my
left arm. On making a fresh effort to rise, I succeeded
in sitting up. The bear was close to me, and — less than
three feet from him lay Erskine, stiff and cold. I sprang
up with a cry of horror, and rushed towards him. It was
too true : he was bathed in blood, his face torn to pieces,
his right shoulder almost wrenched away from his body,
and five of the best dogs ripped up and with broken limbs
lying beside him. The bear was so covered with blood
that his color was hardly discernible. My left arm ap-
peared to be out of the socket, but I could feel that no
bones were broken.

The sun had gone down, and I had hoped that the
other hunters might have heard our shots and the bark-
ing and howling of the dogs. It grew dark. No one
came. I roared and shouted like mad ; no one heard

188 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

me. I tried to light a fire, but my left arm was so
swelled that I gave up the attempt. But as it would have
been certain death to pass the night under these circum-
stances without a fire, I tore away part of the back of
my hunting shirt, the fore part being saturated with
blood, sprinkled some powder on it, rubbed it well in, all
with my right hand, shook a little powder into my rifle,
and placing the muzzle on the rag, I fired, when it began
to burn immediately. Blowing it up to a flame, I piled
on dry leaves, twigs, &c., and succeeded in making a
good fire, though with great pain and trouble. It was
now dark. I went to my dead comrade, who was lying
about five yards from the fire. He was already stiff, and
it was with great difficulty that I could pull down his
arms and lay him straight ; nor could I keep his eyes
closed, though I laid small stones on him.

The dogs were very hungry, but as it was impossible
for me to break up the bear, I only ripped him up, and
fed them with his entrails. Bearsgrease laid himself
down by the corpse, looking steadfastly in its face, and
went no more near the bear. In the hope of obtaining
help, I loaded and fired twice, but nothing moved : the
forest appeared one enormous grave.

I felt very ill, vomited several times, and my shoulder
was excessively painful. Winding my blanket round me
as well as I could, I laid myself down beside the fire, and
lost all consciousness of my wretched situation ; whether
I slept or fainted is more than I can tell, but I know that
I dreamed I was at home, in bed, and my mother brought
me some tea and laid her hand on my breast ; I heard
the children in the street making a noise, and saw the

A TERRIBLE NIGHT. 189

Bnow on the roofs of the houses, and thought it must be
very cold out of doors.

Such an awakening as I had was worse than I could
wish to my bitterest enemy. Bearsgrease had pressed
close to my side, laying his head on my breast ; the fire
was almost out, I was shivering with cold, and the wolves
were howling fearfully around the dead, keeping at a dis-
tance for fear of the living, but by no means disposed to
lose theii prey. I rose with difficulty, and laid more
wood on the fire. As it burnt up, the face of the corpse
seemed to brighten. I started, but found it was only an
optical delusion. Louder and fiercer howled the wolves,
and the dogs, of whom five were alive besides Bears-
grease, answered them ; but the answer was by no means
one of defiance — rather a lament for the dead. Partly
to scare away the wolves, partly in the hope of finding
help, I loaded and fired three times ; my delight was in-
expressible as I heard three shots in return. I loaded and
fired till all my powder was expended, As morning
broke, I shot two shots not far off, and soon after, a
third. A shipwrecked mariner, hanging on to a single
plank, could not raise his voice more lustily to hail a
passing ship, than I did then — and, joy upon joy, I heard
a human voice in answer. The bark of the dogs an-
nounced a stranger, and Wachiga advanced out of the
bush. " Wah ! " he exclaimed, starting at the shocking
spectacle. He felt poor Erskine, and shook his head
mournfully. He then turned to me. I showed him my
swollen arm, which he examined attentively, without
speaking. Forming a hollow with his two hands, and
placing them to his lips, he gave a loud piercing shout.

190 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

The answer came from no great distance, and in a fe-vt
minutes my dear old Conwell, and most of the Indians,
were at my side. I grasped Conwell's hand sorrowfully,
and told him in few words how it had all happened. The
old man scolded, and said it served us right ; there was
no great danger in sticking a knife into a bear's paunch,
when he is falling, with the dogs upon him, but if he has
been thrown, and then catches sight of his greatest enemy,
man, he exerts all his force to attack him, and woe to him
who comes within reach of his paws. It was all very
well talking ; he had not been present, and seen one dog
after another knocked over never to rise again ; five
minutes more, and not one would have been saved, and
who knows whether the enraged beast would not have
attacked us, then.

Meantime, the Indians had been digging a grave with
their tomahawks. Wrapping the body in a blanket, they
laid him in it, and covered him with earth and heavy
stones. Conwell cut down some young stems, and made
a fence round the solitary grave. I could not avoid a
shudder at the quiet coolness of the whole proceeding, as
the thought struck me, that the same persons, under the
same circumstances, would have treated me in the same
cool way, had I fallen instead of Erskine. Like me, he
was a lonely stranger in a foreign land, having left Eng-
land some years before, and his friends and relations
will probably never know what has become of him.
Thousands perish in this way in America, of whom no-
thing more is heard, and perhaps in a few months the
remembrance of them has entirely passed away.

After the dead was quietly laid in the grave, Wachiga

A PRIMITIVE OPERATION.

came with an elderly Indian to look at my arm. Wachiga
moved it, while the other looked steadfastly in my face :
the pain was enough to drive me mad, but I would not
utter a sound. Next the old Indian took hold of my
arm, laying his left hand on my shoulder, and while
Wachiga suddenly seized me round the body from behind,
the other pulled with all his force. The pain at first was
so great that I almost fainted ; but it gradually dimi-
nished ; in spite of my resolve to show no signs of it, I
could not suppress a shriek. Conwell soon after asked
if I could ride. On my answering "Yes," he helped me
on a horse ; then throwing the bear's skin and some of
the meat on his own, we moved slowly homewards. My
sufferings on the way were very great, but I uttered no
murmur. I only longed for repose. At nightfall we had
still four miles to go. He asked me if I could support
the pain and fatigue, or if we should camp where we
were, as there was plenty of wood and water. I would
rather have ridden forty miles, let alone four, with the
hope of rest at the end of them. We arrived in about an
hour. I was so stiff that I could hardly get off the horse.
On entering the room I threw myself on a bed, and had
a violent fever during the night, and talked wildly — for-
tunately in German. Towards morning I began to feel
better, had a quiet sleep, and woke up about noon much
refreshed. Meantime, old Conwell had related all that
had occurred, and they attended me like a son. It took
two more days before I could move out of bed and was
able to stand.

I was hardly so far recovered as to be able tc crawl
about, when Conwell proposed another hunt, and although

HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

J had suffered so much, I could not say "No." On the
3th of February we rode out again, but there was no
longer any life in the thing ; we found the same Indians,
hunted with them a few days, shot a few deer, some tur-
keys, and a young bear, returning on the 12th, Con well
with two deer-skins and some haunches, I with a turkey.
By this time my arm was quite healed. Nevertheless,
I had made up my mind to leave the mountains and go
southwards, partly from a returning fit of my old love of
change, partly because I longed for news from home, not
having received any letters for several months, and partly
also because game had become so scarce through the
number of hunters, that there was hardly enough to sub-
sist on. We heard that a party of twelve men had been
along the Richland and killed or driven away everything,
and that during the last three days not a turkey was to
be seen. The news of game from other quarters was no
better ; in short there was nothing for it but off ! off !
When I was once more surrounded by my old friend's
amiable family, and passed another evening amongst
them, my resolution was indeed shaken ; however, during
the night I gave it mature consideration, and in the
morning I told them that I should that day take my de-
parture. Attempts were immediately made to dissuade
me from it, and old Conwell asked in downright earnest
if I could not stay with them always, and take the school
The present schoolmaster was ignorant and a drunkard,
and they would have been glad to be rid of him. For
% moment, indeed, but only for a moment, my fancy de-
picted the delights of a home amongst the mountains,
then the image of my old village schoolmaster flashed

I DECLINE TAKING A FARM. 193

acruss my mind, with his threadbare black coat, false
collars, and shirt-front, and his frame as thin as a skele-
ton. I shook my head mournfully. He changed his
plan, and proposed that I should take a farm. But that
I had also reflected on : I was too poor, and although
the kind people would have done every thing in their
power to help me, I should have been too dependent ;
for although much is not required to set up farming in
America, still there must be something, and it does not
look well for the beginner to be always borrowing horse
or plow, axe, spade, saw — in short, every farming and
household utensil, until at last the most patient man
would be worn out, and everybody would be alarmed the
moment they saw the borrower coming. I was once
witness of such a beginning: a family that came to the
forest without any means, were at first most liberally as-
sisted by their neighbors ; they helped them with their
fences, in building their house, in clearing and ploughing
the land, and lent them every thing, even to flour and
pork ; but how could people who began thus ever become
independent? It took years before they could procure
the most necessary articles for themselves.

My old friend acknowledged the truth of the picture,

and my journey was settled for the morrow.
13

194 HUNTING SPeKTS OF THE WEST

DRIVES.

THE following graphic and very interesting account
of the drives, common in newly settled countries, is ex-
tracted from " A Sketch of the Settlement of the Town-
ship of Tallmage, in Summit county, Ohio," by Charles
Whittlesey.

This region was originally very well stocked with
bear, wolves, deer, and turkeys. The flesh of the two
last was not only a luxury, but a necessary article of
food. Deer skin breeches, and deer skin facings to
woolen pantaloons, (after one season's service,) were the
height of fashion. Red foxes were not common. The
wolf made great havoc with the few sheep introduced
here ; committing depredations at the same time upon
the wild deer. He has been known to attack cows.
The bear confined himself to hogs, and many instances
are given of his boldness in capturing and carrying
away provisions of this kind. He springs suddenly
upon his victim, grasps him in his arms or forelegs, with
a force which is irresistible, erects himself upon his hind
legs like a man, and makes off in an instant with his
load. The piercing squeal of the hog is the first warn-
ing of his presence to the owner. A large bear, who
meets with no obstruction, will make his way through a
thick wood in this manner, with a hog of good size, faster
than a man on foot can follow. The groans and strug-
gles of the animal in his embrace, become weaker and
weaker, and soon cease entirely. One of these creatures

DRIVES. 195

took a slioat from a drove belonging to captain J. Hart,
of Middlebury, in his presence. The captain followed
him closely, but the bear evidently gained in the race,
till he came to a brush fence, and not being able to
climb it with sufficient expedition, dropped the dying
pig in order to secure himself. Mr. Edmund Strong was
chopping on his land, when one of his hogs was taken
near by. After a severe contest with clubs, Mr. Strong
recovered the body of his hog ; and, using it as a bait,
afterwards caught the offender in a trap. Another
seized a full grown hog belonging to A. Whittlesey, near
the centre, and, notwithstanding men were near by, and
made close pursuit, he carried it off without difficulty.

When Mr. Ephraim Clark lived in a log-house, a few
rods north of the parsonage, on the same side, his hogs
were fed across the road at a trough in the field. One
morning, as he returned from feeding them, a large bear
fell upon the hogs before he had reached the house. By
the time he had seized his rifle, and re-crossed the road,
the bear had secured one, and as he rose preparatory to
a retreat, received a bullet in the chest. He then let
the hog fall, and made fiercely toward Mr. Clark, but
in making an effort to scale the bars, fell backward and
died.

Mr. John Caruthers and his dogs fell in with one of a
moderate size, while traversing the woods near the east
line of the township, in search of horses. An engage-
ment followed, in which the bear had apparently the
advantage. To an early settler, the loss of a dog, his
companion and faithful sentinel, was a misfortune that
affected, not only his interest, but the best feelings of

196 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

his heart. Mr. Caruthers had nothing in his hand but
a bridle, and could therefore bring no weapon to the as-
sistance of his friends, but such dry clubs as lay about
him. The animal paid very little attention to these ;
but at length finding a young sappling, he broke it into
a good stick, and managed to give several hard knocks,
repeatedly on the same spot, just behind the ear. By
this means he was killed, and the dog released.

By the assistance of a large and valuable wolf dog,
Mr. D. Preston and Mr. Drake Fellows killed one with
clubs and stones, at the south end of " Stony Hill."

If the body of a hog was recovered partly eaten, the
same bear could generally be taken in a trap, within
the next twenty-four hours. He invariably returned
for the remainder, and showed little or no sagacity in
avoiding his fate. For this purpose, a heavy steel trap
was used, with smooth jaws and a long drag chain, with
iron claws at the extremity. It was not fastened to the
spot, because the great strength of the animal would
enable him to free himself, but as he ran, after being
caught, the claws would catch upon the brush, retarding
his flight, and leaving a distinct trail. He was gene-
rally overtaken within two miles, exhausted of strength.
Here the dogs were first allowed an opportunity to ex-
hibit their courage and natural animosity, before the
rifle put an end to his degradation and sufferings. In
these conflicts if the shackles were upon his hind legs,
leaving the fore paws free, there were but few dogs de-
sirous of a close combat the second time.

In the winter of 1824-5, the inhabitants of this and
the adjoining townships, determined to make an effort to

DRIVES. 197

clear the country of the bear, and of the wolf at tin,
same time. There were four drives, or large hunts, or-
ganized during the winter ; two in Brimfield, one in
Springfield, and one in Portage. They were frequently
got up in the new country by those who were not pro-
fessed hunters, for the purpose of taking a few dee/ and
turkeys, then so common. A large tract of wild land,
the half or fourth of a township, was surrounded by
lines of men, with such intervals that each person could
see or hear those next to him, right and left. The whole
acted under the command of a captain and at least four
subordinates, who were generally mounted. At a signal
of tin horns, or trumpets, every man advanced in line
towards the centre, preserving an equal distance from
those on either hand, and making as much noise as
practicable. From the middle of each side of the exte-
rior line, a blazed line of trees was previously marked
to the centre as a guide, and one of the sub-officers pro-
ceeded along each as the march progressed. About
a half or three-fourths of a mile from the central point,
a ring of blazed trees was made, and a similar one at the
ground of meeting, with a diameter at least equal to the
greatest; rifle range. On arriving at the first ring, the
advancing lines halted till the commandant made a cir-
cuit, and saw the men equally distributed and all gaps
closed. By this time a herd of deer might be occasion-
ally seen driving in affright from one line to another.
At the signal, the ranks move forward to the second
ring, which is drawn around the foot of a eminence, or
the margin of an open swamp or lake. Here, if the
drive has been a successful one, great number? of tur-

198 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

keys m,iy be seen flying among the trees away from the
spot ; deer in flocks, sweeping round the ring, under an
incessant fire, panting and exhausted. When thus
pressed, it is difficult to detain them long within the
ring. They become desperate, and make for the line at
full speed. If the men are too numerous and resolute
to give way, they leap over their heads, and all the
sticks, pitchforks, and guns, raised to oppose them. By
a concert of the regular hunters, gaps are sometimes
made purposely to allow them to escape. The wolf is
now seen skulking through the bushes, hoping to escape
observation by concealment. If bear are driven in, they
dash through the brush in a rage, from one part to an-
other, regardless of the shower of bullets playing upon
them. After the game appears to be mostly killed, a
few good marksmen and dogs scour the ground within
the circle, to stir up what may be concealed or wounded.
This over, they advance again to the centre, with a
shout, dragging along the carcasses which have fallen,
for the purpose of making a count.

It was at the hunt in Portage, that the bear were either
exterminated or driven away from this vicinity. It em-
braced the "Perkins' Swamp," and several smaller ones,
rendered passable by ice. At the close of this "drive"
twenty -six were brought to the centre ground and others
reported.

Wolves were taken with difficulty in steel traps, but
more readily in log pens, prepared like the roof of a
house, shelving inwards on all sides, and containing the
half devoured carcass of a sheep, upon which they had
made a previous meal. The wolf easily clambered up

DRIVES. 199

the exterior" side of the cabin, and entered at the top,
which was left open ; but once fairly within it, he could
neither escape or throw it down.

Turkeys were taken in square pens, made of lighter
timber, and covered at the top. They entered at an
open door in the side, which was suspended by a string
that led to a catch within. This string and catch were
covered with chaif, which induced them to enter, and
while engaged in scratching about the chaff to get at the
grain mingled with it, some unlucky companion would
strike the catch, and let the door down behind them
all.

This town was much infested with rattlesnakes,
during the first ten years of its settlement, though but
one instance is known of a bite among the inhabitants.
There were two kinds, the large yellow, (crotalus duris-
sus of naturalists,) and the small venomous black rattle-
snake, (crotalus miliarius^) or massassauga. The mas-
sassauga frequented the low grounds, to the terror of
all: cranberry hunters. The yellow rattlesnake, which
was very large and more numerous, kept the open dry
ground, particularly fields of standing grown wheat. It
is said that eleven were killed in one day in a wheat-
field, one mile north of the centre. They resorted in
the winter to a den in the rocks, at the southwest part
of Stony hill. On the approach of spring, attracted by
the warmth of the atmosphere, they would come out in
a half torpid state, and were killed by the inhabitants
by scores. At this day, a rattlesnake, a bear, or a wolf,
would be equally an object of curiosity.

200 HUNTING SPOUTS OF THE WEST.

HUNTING ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD MERRITT,

ICHABOD MERRITT was born in Massachusetts, in
June, 1796. In 1804 his parents removed to the dis-
trict of Three-Rivers, in Lower Canada. At that time
there was an abundance of game in that part of Canada,
and also in the adjoining parts of Vermont. For many
months during the fall and winter, hunting and trapping
was a regular, and also a profitable business. It was
here, and in his youthful days, that Mr. Merritt inured
himself to hardship, and self-possession in case of diffi-
culty. He usually spent his winters in the woods, either
trapping the martin and sable for their fur, or hunting
the bear, moose, or deer, with which those woods
abounded. In the fall of 1815, he, with a brother,
killed ten bears, the skins of which they sold for one
hundred dollars. I give his account of his killing one
of them, as something of a specimen of the rest. " The
dogs," (for a hunter in those days could not hunt with-
out two, and sometimes with more dogs) he remarked,
" had started a bear, and it appeared to be coming
partly towards me. I moved in a direction to head it.
Soon it came in sight, and when about twelve rods from
me it jumped upon a log, and turned to look and listen
for the dogs. At this time I fired at it. The ball
struck the jawbone, and glancing, lodged in the skin in
its neck. The bear was hurt but little, and continued
in her course, coming near where I was loading. Tho
dogs overtook and seized it. In my haste to load, I had

HUNTING ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD MERRITT. 201

not watched them ; but the moment I had finished load-
ing I looked up, and the bear had got clear of the doga
and was pitching at me. She was not eight feet off,
I sprang and ran a short distance, every step of which
I could not help cringing, for I almost felt the embrace
of the bear, and expected every instant to see her huge
paws coming around me. As soon as I dared to look
behind me. I found my faithful dogs had seized the bear,
and she had turned to fight them. This gave me the
very chance I wanted, and I let drive at her head, and
shot her square through. She died instantly."

In'that climate (Canada) the bears usually den up in
the winter, and lie in something of a torpid state.
During a thaw, they sometimes venture out, but that is
seldom. In warmer climates, they ramble more while
the snow is upon the ground.

During those winter hunts, to find and kill the moose,
was quite an object with the hunters. The moose is an
animal similar to the deer or elk, except vastly larger.
Their color is dark gray. The horns of the male are
pronged, and very large in proportion to the size of
their bodies. The body is thick-set, tail short, and they
have a very large upper lip. Their usual gait is a trot,
swinging their legs out so as to form a half circle in the
snow when it was three or four feet deep. " I have
often," says Merritt, " measured their steps in the snow,
and found them seven feet apart." A man, five and a
half feet high, could walk under the belly of a full
grown one. They usually bring two young at a time.
In winter, they herd together, and as the snow increases,
they form yards, living upon browse, the twigs and bark

202 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

of trees. Sometimes they will take a strip, following
some ridge or swamp, feeding upon the brush until they
fill themselves, and then lie down, the next day pro-
gressing on further.

"The last moose which I killed," said Merritt, "was
out back of Brompton lake, in Canada. I was hunting
with J. Bonney. It was near night, when we came upon
a moose-yard. We had taken provisions but for one
day. We were not expecting then to chase them, but
merely to find their place of yarding, and then wait
until the snow became deeper before we disturbed them.
When the snow was deep, and particularly when there
was an icy crust, we could soon run them down and
shoot them. Bonney was for giving immediate chase.
I persuaded him to camp that night, and in the morning
to ascertain where we could get some provisions before
we started them, as the chase might last, as it frequently
did when there was but little snow, five or six days.
The next day, it took us until about noon before we
could find anything to eat. We then obtained three
quarts of Indian-meal, and about four pounds of bull-
beef. We had with us a small kettle, with the aid of
which we made our meal into porridge. Our dog3
shared our provisions with us. We did but little this
day, the second of our trip, except to get back upon the
trail. The third day we gave chase ; but, before night,
Bonnoy was for giving up the pursuit. I persuaded
him to continue, told him that he had been fierce to
begin the pursuit when we had nothing to eat, and now
when we had beef and porridge, I was for going ahead.
Near night the dogs came up with them, but too late for

HUNTING ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD MERRITT. 203

us to get a sh^t at them. We again encamped. The
next day, after following five miles further, we overtook
them back of a hill, which by the sound, they appeared
to be going around. I immediately ran to the opposite
side of the hill to meet them. They came around as I
expected, and I partly met them. As they turned, a
large one ran upon the ice of a creek and broke in. As
he rose upon the ice, I was ready, and cut loose upon
him, and shot him square through. This stopped his
running. After securing our prize, and getting a hearty
meal of fresh meat, we returned."

When Merritt came to the State of Ohio, in 1815,
there were numerous elk in the forests of this State.
The elk is of the deer species, although much larger,
the male, like that of the deer, only having horns. They
usually go in droves. "In 1823," says Merritt, "I
started three in the northwest corner of this township ;
after following them around awhile, one separated from
the others. I followed that one, and at night came
within two miles of home. I went home and slept, and
the next morning I took my brother with me, and a
rope, determining to catch and bring it in alive. We
took its track, there being a little snow, and often came
in sight of it. Many times we might have shot it, but
we were determined to halter it. The next night found
us about fifteen miles from home. The third day the
elk became worried and hungry, as we had not allowed
it to eat. During the day it ran into a cleared field,
and the dogs there stopped and held it. It was a cow
elk. I came up and caught my right arm over its neck,
and with my left hand I took it by the nose. She soon

204 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

cleared herself from the dogs, and I found that I had a
wild colt to handle. She carried me with ease — fre-
quently striking at me with her fore-feet. I managed
so that her feet usually went one upon each side of me,
when she reared and struck, so that I was but little
hurt. I would then have been glad to be out of that
scrape ; but the difficulty was in letting go. We soon
arrived at the opposite side of the field, where was
a high and strong fence. With my weight, the elk
could not jump the fence, and I here, with my left hand,
caught around a rail, and I found I was able to hold the
creature down, until my brother came up with the rope.
When this was fastened to her, both of us could hold
her. With the aid of a crotched stick, to keep her off,
we led her to a log stable, and there confined her. Af-
ter getting help so as to have one with a halter upon each
side, and one behind to whip up, we succeeded to lead her
home, a distance of twenty-eight miles." Merritt says,
that he has killed or caught with ropes, over thirty elk,
in and near this place. They have now, for more than
eighteen years, all disappeared from these parts, and it
will soon only be known by tradition, or from history,
that such animals ever roamed our forests.

PERILOUS ADVENTURES OF ROSS COX. 205

PERILOUS ADVENTURES OF MR. ROSS COX.

MR. Cox's book is entitled " Adventures on the Col-
umbia river, including the narrative of a residence of six
years on the west side of the Rocky Mountains among
various tribes of Indians ; together with" a journey across
the Rocky Mountains." It is exceedingly entertaining;
and as it abounds with curious hunting adventures, we
shall make some extracts from it. Mr. Cox left Astoria
with a trading party, (June 29th, 1812,) and went up the
Columbia river to visit and trade with the Indians. The
following extract gives an account of his most perilous
adventure.

On the 17th of August we left our encampment a little
after four A. M. During the forenoon the sun was in-
tensely hot. Occasional bright green patches, inter-
mixed with wild flowers, and gently rising eminences,
partially covered with clumps of small trees, gave an
agreeable variety to the face of the country ; which we
enjoyed the more, from the scorched and sterile uniformity
of the plains through which we had passed on the two
preceding days. We got no water, however, until twelve
o'clock, when we arrived in a small valley of the most
delightful verdure, through which ran a clear stream
from the northward, over a pebbly bottom. The horses
were immediately turned loose to regale themselves in
the rich pasture ; and as it was full of red and white
clover, orders were given not to catch them until two
o'clock, by which time we thought they would be biif-
ficentlj refreshed for the evening's journey.

206 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

After walking and riding eight hours, I need not say
we made a hearty breakfast; after which I wandered
some distance along the banks of the rivulet in search of
cherries, and came to a sweet little arbor formed by
sumach and cherry trees. I pulled a quantity of the
fruit, and sat down in the retreat to enjoy its refreshing
coolness. It was a charming spot, and on the opposite
bank was a delightful wilderness of crimson haw, honey-
suckles, wild roses, and currants ; its resemblance to a
friend's summer-house, in which I had spent many happy
days, brought back home, with all its endearing recollec-
tions ; and my scattered thoughts were successively oc-
cupied with the past, the present, and the future. In
this state I fell into a kind of pleasing, soothing revery,
which, joined to the morning's fatigue, gradually sealed
my eyelids ; and unconscious of my situation, I resigned
myself to the influence of the drowsy god. Imagine my
feelings when I awoke in the evening, I think it was
about five o'clock from the declining appearance of the
sun ! All was calm and silent as the grave. I hastened
to the spot where we had breakfasted : I ran to the place
where the men had made their fire : all, all were gone,
and not a vestige of man or horse appeared in the valley.
My senses almost failed me. I called out, in vain, in
every direction, until I became hoarse ; and I could no
longer conceal from myself the dreadful truth that I was
alone in a wild, uninhabited country, without horse or
arms, and destitute of covering.

Having now no resource but to ascertain the direction
.n-liich the party had taken, I set about examining tho
ground, and at the northeast point of the valley diseov-

AUTHOR LOSES THE PARTY. 207

ered the tracks of horses' feet, which I followed for some
tiue, and which led to a chain of small hills, with a rocky
gravelly bottom, on which the hoofs made no impression.
Having thus lost the tracks, I ascended the highest of
the hills, from which I had an extended view of many
miles around ; but saw no sign of the party, or the least
indication of human habitations. The evening was now
closing fast, and with the approach of night a heavy dew
commenced falling. The whole of my clothes consisted
merely of a gingham shirt, nankeen trousers, and a pair
of light leather moccasins, much worn. About an hour
before breakfast, in consequence of the heat, I had taken
off my coat, and placed it on one of the loaded horses,
intending to put it on towards the cool of the evening ;
and one of the men had charge of my fowling-piece. I
was even without my hat ; for in the agitated state of
my mind on awaking, I had left it behind, and had ad-
vanced too far to think of returning for it. At some
distance on my left, I observed a field of high, strong
grass, to which I proceeded, and after pulling enough to
place under and over me, I recommended myself to the
Almighty, and fell asleep. During the night confused
dreams of warm houses, feather-beds, poisoned arrows,
prickly-pears, and rattlesnakes, haunted my disturbed
imagination.

On the 18th I arose with the sun, quite wet and chilly,
the heavy dew having completely saturated my flimsy
covering, and proceeded in an easterly direction, nearly
parallel with the chain of hills. In the course of the
day I passed several small lakes full of wild-fowl. The
general appearance of the country was flat, the soil light

208 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

and gravelly, and covered with the same loose grass al-
ready mentioned ; great quantities of it had been recently
burned by the Indians in hunting the deer, the stubble
of which annoyed my feet very much. I had turned into
a northerly course, where, late in the evening, [ observed,
about a mile distant, two horsemen galloping in an easterly
direction. From their dresses I knew they belonged to
our party. I instantly ran to a hillock, and called out
in a voice, to which hunger had imparted a supernatural
shrillness ; but they galloped on. I then took off my
shirt, which I waved in a conspicuous manner over my
head, accompanied by the most frantic cries : still they
continued on. I ran towards the direction they were
galloping, despair adding wings to my flight. Rocks,
stubble, and brushwood were passed with the speed of a
hunted antelope ; but to no purpose ; for arriving at the
place where I imagined a pathway would have brought me
into their track, I was completely at fault. It was now
nearly dark. I had eaten nothing since the noon of the
preceding day : and, faint with hunger and fatigue, threw
myself on the grass, when I heard a small rustling noise
behind me. I turned round, and, with horror, beheld a
large rattlesnake cooling himself in the evening shade.
I instantly retreated, on observing which he coiled him-
self. Having obtained a large stone, I advanced slowly
on him, and taking a proper aim, dashed it with all my
force on the reptile's head, which I buried in the ground
beneath the stone.

The late race had completely worn out the thin soles
cf my moccasins, and my- feet in consequence became
much swollen. As night advanced, I was obliged to look

DESTITUTE SITUATION. 209

out for a place to sleep, and after some time, selected
nearly as good a bed as the one I had the first night.
My exertions in pulling the long coarse grass nearly ren-
dered my hands useless, by severely cutting all the. joints
of the fingers.

I rose before the sun on the morning of the 19th, and
pursued an easterly course all the day. I at first felt
very hungry, but after walking a few miles, and taking
a drink of water, I got a little refreshed. The general
appearance of the country was still flat, with burned grass,
and sandy soil, which blistered my feet. The scorching
influence of the sun obliged me to stop for some hours in
the day; during which I made several ineffectual attempts
to construct a covering for my head. At times I thought
my brain was on fire from the dreadful effects of the heat.
I got no fruit those two days, and towards evening felt
very weak for the want of nourishment, having been
forty-eight hours without food ; and to make my situation
more annoying, I slept that evening on the banks of a
pretty lake, the inhabitants of which would have done
honor to a royal table. With what an evil eye, and a
murderous heart, did I regard the stately goose, and the
plump waddling duck, as they sported on the water, un-
conscious of my presence ! Even with a pocket-pistol 1
could have done execution among them. The state of
my fingers prevented me from obtaining the covering of
grass which I had the two preceding nights ; and on this
evening I had no shelter whatever to protect me from
the heavy dew.

On the following day, the 20th, my course was nearly

northeast, and lay through a country more diversified by
14

210 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

wood and water. I saw plenty of wild geese, ducks,
cranes, curlews, and sparrows, also some hawks and cor-
morants, and at a distance about fifteen or twenty small
deer. The wood consisted of pine, birch, cedar, wild-
cherries, hawthorn, sweet-willow, honey-suckle, and
Bumach. The rattlesnakes were very numerous this day,
with horned lizards, and grasshoppers : the latter kept
me in a constant state of feverish alarm, from the similarity
of the noise made by their wings to the sound of the
rattles of the snake, when preparing to dart on its prey.
I suffered severely during the day from hunger, and was
obliged to cKew grass occasionally, which allayed it a
little. Late in the evening I arrived at a lake upwards
of two miles long, and a mile broad, the shores of which
were high, and well-wooded with large pine, spruce, and
birch. It was fed by two rivulets, from the north and
northeast, in which I observed a quantity of small fish ;
but had no means of catching any, or I should have made
a Sandwich Island meal. There was, however, an abun-
dant supply of wild cherries, on which I made a hearty
supper. I slept on the bank of the nearest stream, just
where it entered the lake, but during the night the how-
ling of the wolves, and growling of bears, broke in terri-
bly on my slumbers, and "balmy sleep" was almost
banished from my eyelids. On rising the next morning,
the 21st, I observed on the opposite bank, at the mouth
of the river, the entrance of a large and apparently deep
cavern, from which I judged some of the preceding night's
music had issued. I now determined to make short jour-
neys, for two or three days, in different directions, in the
hope of falling on some fresh horse tracks; and in the

ATTACK ON A WOLF. 211

event of being unsuccessful, to return each night t<?
the lake, where I was at least certain of procuring cherries
and water sufficient to sustain nature. In pursuance of
this resolution I set out early, in a southerly direction,
from the head of the lake, through a wild barren country,
^ ithout any water or vegetation, save loose tufts of grass,
like those already described. I had armed myself with
a long stick, with which, during the day, I killed several
rattlesnakes. Having discovered no fresh tracks, I re-
turned late in the evening hungry and thirsty, and took
possession of my berth of the preceding night. I col-
lected a heap of stones from the water-side ; and just
as I was lying down observed a wolf emerge from the
opposite cavern, and thinking it safer to act on the of-
fensive, lest he should imagine I was afraid, I threw some
stones at him, one of which struck him on the leg : he
retired yelling into his den ; and after waiting some time
in fearful suspense, to see if he would reappear, I thre\f
myself on the ground, and fell asleep ; but, like the night
before, it was broken by the same unmusical noise, and for
upwards of two hours I sat up waiting in anxious expec-
tation the return of daylight. The vapors from the lake,
joined to the heavy dew, had penetrated my frail cover-
ing of gingham ; but as the sun rose, I took it off, and
stretched it on a rock, where it quickly dried. My ex-
cursion to the southward having proved abortive, 1 now
esolved to try the east, and after eating my simple
eakfast, proceeded in that direction : and on crossing
the two small streams, had to penetrate a country full
of " dark woods and rankling wilds," through which,
owing to the immense quantities of underwood, my pro-

212 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

gress was slow. My feet too were uncovered, and, from
the thorns of the various prickly plants, were much lace
rated ; in consequence of which, on returning to my late
bivouack, I was obliged to shorten the legs of my trousers
tc procure bandages for them. The wolf did not make
his appearance ; but during the night I got occasional
Btarts from several of his brethren of the forest.

I anticipated the rising of the sun on the morning of
the 23d, and having been unsuccessful the two preceding
days, determined to shape my course due north, and if
possible not return again to the lake. During the day I
skirted the wood, and fell on some old tracks, which re-
vived my hopes a little. The country to the westward
was chiefly plains, covered with parched grass, and occa-
sionally enlivened by savannas of refreshing green, full
of wild flowers and aromatic herbs, among which the bee
and humming-bird banqueted. I slept this evening by a
small brook, where I collected cherries and haws enough
to make a hearty supper. I was obliged to make farther
encroachments on the legs of my trowsers for fresh band-
ages for my feet. During the night I was serenaded by
music which did not resemble " a concord of most sweet
sounds ; " in which the grumbling bass of the bears was
at times drowned by the less pleasing sharps of the wolves.
I partially covered my body this night with some pieces
of pine bark which I stripped off a sapless tree.

The country through which I dragged my tired limbs
on the 24th was thinly wooded. My course was nortli
and northeast. I suffered much from want of water,
having got, during the day, only two tepid and nause-
ous draughts from stagnant pools which the long drought

MIDNIGHT WATCHINGS. 213

Lad nearly dried up. About sunset I arrived it a small
stream, by the side of which I took up my quarters fo^
the night. The dew fell heavily ; but I was too much
fatigued to go in quest of bark to cover me ; and even
had I been so inclined, the howling of the wolves would
have deterred me from making the dangerous attempt.
There must have been an extraordinary nursery of these
animals close to the spot ; for between the weak, shrill
cries of the young, and the more loud and dreadful
howling of the old, I never expected to leave the place
alive. I could not sleep. My only weapons of defence
were a heap of stones and a stick. Ever and anon,
some more daring than others approached me. I pre-
sented the stick at them, as if in the act of levelling a
gun, upon which they retired, vented a few yells, ad-
vanced a little farther, and after surveying me for some
time with tbeir sharp, fiery eyes, to which the partial
glimpses of the moon had imparted additional ferocity,
retreated into the wood. In this state of fearful agita-
tion I passed the night ; but as daylight began to break,
Nature asserted her supremacy, and I fell into a deep
sleep, from which, to jtidge by the sun, I did not awake
until between eight and nine o'clock on the morning of
the 25th. My second bandages having been worn out,
I was now obliged to bare my knees for fresh ones ; and
after tying them round my feet, and taking a copious
draught from the adjoining brook for breakfast, I re-
commenced my joyless journey. My course was nearly
north-northeast. I got no water during the day, nor
any of the wild cherries. Some slight traces of men's
feet, and a few old horse tracks occasionally crossed my

214 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

path: they proved that human beings sometimes, at
least, visited that part of the country, and for a moment
served to cheer my drooping spirits.

About dusk, an immense sized wolf rushed out of a
thick copse, a short distance from the pathway, plan ed
himself directly before me, in a threatening position,
and appeared determined to dispute my passage. He
was not more than twenty feet from me. My situation
was desperate, and as I knew that the least symptom of
fear would be the signal for attack, I presented my
stick, and shouted as loud as my weak voice would per-
mit. He appeared somewhat startled, and retreated a
few steps, still keeping his piercing eyes firmly fixed on
me. I advanced a little, when he commenced howling
in a most appalling manner ; and supposing his inten-
tion was to collect a few of his comrades to assist in
making an afternoon repast on my half-famished carcass,
I redoubled my cries, until I had almost lost the power
gf utterance, at the same time calling out various names,
thinking I might make it appear I was not alone. An
old and a young lynx ran close past me, but did not stop.
The wolf remained about fifteen minutes in the same
position ; but whether my wild and fearful exclamations
deterred any others from joining him, I cannot say.
Finding at length my determination not to flinch, and
that no assistance was likely to come he retreated into
the wood, and disappeared in the surrounding gloom.

The shades of night were now descending fast, when
I came to a verdant spot, surrounded by small tr^-es,
and full of rushes, which induced me to hope for water ;
but after searching for some time, I was still doomed to

APPALLING SITUATION. 215

bitter disappointment. A shallow lake or pond had
been there, which the long drought and heat had dried
up. I then pulled a quantity of the rushes and spread
them at the foot of a large stone, which I intended for
my pillow, but as I was about throwing myself down, a
rattlesnake coiled, with the head erect, and the forked
tongue extended in a state of frightful oscillation, caught
my eye immediately under the stone. I instantly re-
treated a short distance ; but assuming fresh courage,
soon despatched it with my stick. On examining the
spot more minutely, a large cluster of them appeared
under the stone, the whole of which I rooted out and
destroyed. This was hardly accomplished, when up-
wards of a dozen snakes of different descriptions, chiefly
dark brown, blue, and green, made their appearance ;
they were much quicker in their movements than their
rattletailed brethren, and I could only kill a few of
them.

This was a peculiarly soul-trying moment. I had
tasted no fruit since the morning before, and after a
painful day's march, under a burning sun, could not
procure a drop of water to allay my feverish thirst. I
was surrounded by a murderous brood of serpents, and
ferocious beasts of prey, and without even the consola-
tion of knowing when such misery might have a proba-
ble termination. I might truly say, with the royal
psalmist, that " the snares of death compassed me round
about."

Having collected a fresh supply of rushes, which I
spread some distance from the spot where I massacred
the reptiles, [ threw myself on them, and was permitted,

216 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

through Divine goodness, to enjoy a night of undisturbed
repose.

I arose on the morning of the 26th considerably re-
freshed, and took a northerly course, occasionally di-
verging a little to the east. Several times during the
day, I was .induced to leave the path, by the appearance
of rushes, which I imagined grew in the vicinity of
lakes, but on reaching them, my faint hopes vanished •
there was no water, and I in vain essayed to extract a
little moisture from them. Prickly thorns and small
sharp stones added greatly to the pain of my tortured
feet, and obliged me to make farther encroachments on
my nether garments for fresh bandages. The want of
water now rendered me extremely weak and feverish,
and I had nearly abandoned all hopes of relief, when,
about half-past four or five o'clock, the old pathway
turned from the prairie grounds into a thickly wooded
country, in an easterly direction ; through which I had
not advanced half a mile, when I heard a noise resem-
bling a waterfall, to which I hastened my tottering steps,
and in a few minutes was delighted at arriving on the
banks of a deep and narrow rivulet, which forced its
way with great rapidity over some large stones that ob-
structed the channel.

After offering up a short prayer of thanksgiving for
this providential supply, I threw myself into the water,
forgetful of the extreme state of exhaustion to which I
was reduced : it had nearly proved fatal, for my weak
frame could not withstand the strength of the current,
which forced me down a short distance, until I caught
the bough of an overhanging tree, by means of which I

ATTKWARD RENCOUNTER. 217

regained the shore. Here were plenty of hips and
cherries; on which, with the water, I made a most de-
licious repast. On looking about for a place to sleep, I
observed lying on the ground the hollow trunk of a large
pine, which had been destroyed by lightning. I re-
treated into the cavity; and having covered myself
completely with large pieces of loose bark, quickly
fell asleep. My repose was not of long duration ; for
at the end of about two hours I was awakened by the
growling of a bear, which had removed part of the bark
covering, and was leaning over me with his snout, hesi-
tating as to the means he should adopt to dislodge me ;
the narrow limits of the trunk which confined my body
preventing him from making the attack with advantage.
I instantly sprung up, seized my stick, and uttered a
loud cry, which startled him, and caused him to recede
a few steps, when he stopped and turned about, appa-
rently doubtful whether he would commence an attack.
He determined on an assault; but feeling I had not
sufficient strength to meet such an unequal enemy, 1
thought it prudent to retreat, and accordingly scrambled
up an adjoining tree. My flight gave fresh impulse to
his courage, and he commenced ascending after me. I
succeeded, however, in gaining a branch, which gave me
a decided advantage over him ; and from which I was
enabled to annoy his muzzle and claws in such a manner
with my stick, as effectually to check his progress.
After scraping the bark some time with rage and disap-
pointment, he gave up the task and retired to my late
dormitory, of which he took possession. The fear of
falling off, in case I was overcome by sleep, induced me

218 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

to make several attempts to descend: but each attempt
aroused my ursine sentinel; and after many ineffectual
efforts, I was obliged to remain there during the rest of
the night. I fixed myself in that part of the trunk
from which the principal grand branches forked, and
which prevented me from falling during my fitful slum-
bers.

On the morning of the 27th, a little after sunrise, the
bear quitted the trunk, shook himself, "cast a longing,
lingering look" towards me, and slowly disappeared in
search of his morning repast. After waiting some time,
apprehensive of his return, I descended and resumed
my journey through the woods, in a north-northeast
direction. In a few hours, all my anxiety of the pre-
ceding night was more than compensated, by falling in
with a well-beaten horse-path, with fresh traces on it,
both of hoofs and human feet; it lay through a clear
open wood, in a northeast course, in which I observed
numbers of small deer. About six in the evening, I
arrived at a spot where a party must have slept the pre-
ceding night. Round the remains of a large fire which
was still burning, were scattered several half-picked
bones of grouse, partridges, and ducks, all of which I
collected with economical industry. After devouring
the flesh, I broiled the bones. The whole scarcely
sufficed to give me a moderate meal, but yet afforded a
most seasonable relief to my famished body. I enjoyed
a comfortable sleep this night, close to the fire, uninter-
rupted by any nocturnal visiter. On the morning of the
28th, I set off with cheerful spirits, fully impressed with
the hope of a speedy termination to my sufferings. My

HOPE RENEWED. 219

course was northerly, and lay through a thick wood.
Late in the evening, I arrived at a stagnant pool, from
which I merely moistened my lips ; and having covered
myself with some birch bark, slept by its side. The
bears and wolves occasionally serenaded me during the
night, but I did not see any of them. I rose early on
the morning of the 29th, ^and followed the fresh traces
all day, through the wood, nearly northeast by north.
I observed several deer, some of which came quite close
to me; and in the evening I threw a stone at a small
animal resembling a hare, the leg of which I broke. It
ran away limping, but my feet were too sore to permit
me to follow it. I passed the night by the side of a
small stream, where I got a sufficient supply of hips and
cherries. A few distant growls awoke me at intervals,
but no animal appeared. On the 30th, the path took a
more easterly turn, and the woods became thicker and
more gloomy. I had now nearly consumed the remnant
of my trousers, in bandages for my wretched feet; and,
with the exception of my shirt, was almost naked. The
horse-tracks every moment appeared more fresh, and fed
my hopes. Late in the evening, I arrived at a spot
where the path branched off in different directions ; one
led up rather a steep hill, the other descended into a
valley, and the tracks on both were equally recent. I
took the higher; but after proceeding a few hundred
paces through a deep wood, which appeared more dark
from the thick foliage which shut out the rays of the
sun, I returned, apprehensive of not procuring water
for my supper, and descended the lower path. I had
not advanced far, when I imagined I heard the neighing

220 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

of a horse. I listened with breathless attention, and
became convinced it was no illusion. A few paces farthei
brought me in sight of several of those noble animals,
sporting in a handsome meadow, from which I was sepa-
rated by a rapid stream. With some difficulty I crossed
over, and ascended the opposite bank. One of *,he
horses approached me: I thought him the "prince of
palfreys ; his neigh was like the bidding of a monarch,
and his countenance enforced homage."

On advancing a short distance into the meadow, the
cheering sight of a small column of gracefully curling
smoke, announced my vicinity to human beings, and in
a moment after, two Indian women perceived me: they
instantly fled to a hut which appeared at the farther end
of the meadow. This movement made me doubt whether
I had arrived among friends or enemies ; but my appre-
hensions were quickly dissipated by the approach of two
men, who came running to me in the most friendly man-
ner. On seeing the lacerated state of my feet, they
carried me in their arms to a comfortable dwelling, cov-
ered with deer skins. To wash and dress my torn limbs,
roast some roots, and boil a small salmon, seemed but
the business of a moment. After returning thanks to
that great and good Being in whose hands are the issues
of life and death, and who had watched over my wan-
dering steps, and rescued me from the many peril >us
danger^ I encountered, I sat down to my Salmon, of
which 11 is needless to say I made a hearty supper.

The family consisted of an elderly man, and his son,
with their wives and children. I collected from their
signs that they were aware of my being lost, and that

PLEASURES OF SOCIETY. 221

they, with other Indians and white men, had heen out
several days scouring the woods and plains in search of
me. I also understood from them that our party had
arrived at their destination, which was only a few hours'
march from their habitation. They behaved to me with
affectionate solicitude; arid while the old woman was
carefully dressing my feet, the men were endeavoring to
make me comprehend their meaning. I had been four-
teen days in a wilderness without holding "communion
kind" with any human being; and I need not say I
listened with a thousand times more real delight to the
harsh and guttural voices of those poor Indians, than
was ever experienced by the most enthusiastic admirer
of melody from the thrilling tones of a Catalani, or the
melting sweetness of a Stephens. As it was too late,
after finishing my supper, to proceed farther that night,
I retired to rest on a comfortable couch of buffalo and
deer skins. I slept soundly : and the morning of the
31st was far advanced before I awoke. After break-
fasting on the remainder of the salmon, I prepared to
join my white friends. A considerable stream, about
ninety yards broad, called Cceur d' Alene river, flowed
close to the hut. The old man and his son accompanied
me. We crossed the river in a canoe ; after which they
brought over three horses, and having enveloped my
body in an Indian mantle of deer skin, we mounted, and
set off at a smart trot in an easterly direction. We had
not proceeded more than seven miles, when I felt the
bad effects of having eaten so much salmon after so long
a fast. I had a severe attack of indigestion, and for
two hours suffered extreme agony ; and, but for the great

222 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

attention of the kind Indians, I think it would have
proved fatal. About an hour after recommencing our
journey we arrived in a clear wood, in which, with joy
unutterable, I observed our Canadians at work hewing
timber. I rode between the two natives. One of our
men, named Fran§ois Gardepie, who had been on a
trading excursion, joined us on horseback. My deer
skin robe and sunburnt features completely set his
powers of recognition at defiance, and he addressed me
as an Indian. I replied in French, by asking him how
all our people were. Poor Frangois appeared electrified,
exclaimed "iSatnte Vierge!" and galloped into the wood,
vociferating, " 0 mes amis! mes amis! il est trouve! —
Oui, oui, il est trouve!" — " Qui? qui?" asked his com-
rades. " Monsieur Cox ! Monsieur Cox /" replied Fran-
9ois. "Le voild! le voild!" pointing towards me.
Away went saws, hatchets, and axes, and each man
rushed forward to the tents, where we had by this time
arrived. It is needless to say that our astonishment
and delight at my miraculous escape were mutual. The
friendly Indians were liberally rewarded; the men were
allowed a holiday, and every countenance bore the smile
of joy and happiness.

HUNTING ON THE COLUMBIA RIVEE. 223

HUNTING ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER.

IN the great plains on the east side of the Columbia,
says Mr. Ross Cox, between Oakinagan and the Spokan
lands, there are, during the autumnal months, plenty of
deer, grouse, wild ducks, and geese.

I spent a great portion of this period with a few of my
men and some Indians, on shooting excursions, and had
excellent sport.

"We stopped one very sultry day about noon to rest our
horses, and enjoy the cooling shade afforded by a clump
of sycamore-trees with a refreshing draught from an ad-
joining spring. Several large hawks were flying about
the spot, two of which we brought down. From their
great size, immense claws, and large hooked beaks, they
could have easily carried off a common-sized duck or
goose. Close to our resting-place was a small hill, round
the top of which I observed the hawks assemble, and
judging that a nest was there, without communicating
my intention to any of the party, I determined to find it
out.

I therefore cautiously ascended the eminence, on the
summit of which I perceived a nest larger than a com-
mon-sized market-basket, formed of branches of trees,
one laid regularly over the other, and the least of 'which
an inch in circumference. Around it were scattered
bones, skeletons, and half-mangled bodies of pigeons,
sparrows, humming-birds, &c. Next to a rattlesnake
and shark, my greatest aversion is a hawk ; and on this
occasion it was not diminished by observing the remains

224 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

of the feathered tribe, which had, from to tim 3, fallen a
prey to their voracious appetite. I therefore .determined
to destroy the nest, and disperse its inhabitants ; but I
had scarcely commenced the work of demolition with my
dagger, when old and young flew out and attacked me
in every direction, but particularly about my face and
eyes ; the latter of which, as a punishment fcr my teme-
rity, they seemed determined to separate from their
sockets.

In the mean time I roared out lustily for assistance,
and laid about me with the dagger. Three men promptly
ran up the hill, and called out to me to shut my eyes,
and throw myself on the ground, otherwise T should be
shortly blinded, promising in the mean time to assist me.
I obeyed their directions ; and just as I began to kiss the
earth, a bullet from one of their rifles brought down a
large hawk, apparently the father of the gang. He fell
close to my neck, and in his expiring agonies made a
desperate bite at my left ear, which I escaped, and in
return gave him the coup de grace, by thrusting about
four inches of my dagger down his throat. The death
of their chieftain was followed by that of two others,
which completely dispersed them ; and we retired after
breaking up their den.

Red foxes and wolves are also in great numbers about
the plains ; but their skins are not now purchased by the
Company, as the price given for them would not defray
the expense of their carriage.

The prairie wolves are much smaller than those which
inhabit the woods. They generally travel together in
numbers, and a solitary one is seldom met with. Two or

WOLVES. 225

three of us have often pursued from fifty to one hundred,
driving them before us as quickly as our horses could
charge.

Their skins are of no value, and we do not therefore
waste much powder and ball in shooting them. The In-
dians, who are obliged to pay dear for their ammunition,
are equally careful not to throw it away on objects that
bring no remunerating value. The natural consequence
is, that the wolves are allowed to multiply ; and some
parts of the country are completely overrun by them.
The Indians catch numbers of them in traps, which they
set in the vicinity of those places where their tame horses
are sent to graze. The traps are merely excavations
covered over with slight switches and hay, and baited
with meat, &c., into which the wolves fall, and being un-
able to extricate themselves, they perish by famine, or
the knife of the Indian. These destructive animals an-
nually destroy numbers of horses ; particularly during
the winter season, when the latter get entangled in the
snow ; in which situation they become an easy prey to
their light-footed pursuers, ten or fifteen of which will
often fasten on one animal, and with their long fangs in
a few minutes separate the head from the body. If,
however, the horses are not prevented from using their
legs, they sometimes punish the enemy severely; as an
instance of this, I saw one morning the bodies of two of
our horses which had been killed the night before, and
around were lying eight dead and maimed wolves ; some
with their brains scattered about, and others with their

limbs and ribs broken by the hoofs of the furious animals
15

226 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

in their vain attempts to escape from their sanguinary
assailants.

While I was at Spokan I went occasionally to the
horse prairie, which is nearly surrounded by partially-
wooded hills, for the purpose of watching the manoeuvres
of the wolves in their combined attacks. The first an-
nouncement of their approach was a few shrill currish
barks at intervals, like the outpost firing of skirmishing
parties. These were answered by similar barking from
an opposite direction, until the sounds gradually approxi
mated, and at length ceased on the junction of the dif-
ferent parties. We prepared our guns, and concealed
ourselves behind a thick cover. In the mean time, the
horses, sensible of the approaching danger, began to paw
the ground, snort, toss up their heads, look wildty about
them, and exhibit all the symptoms of fear. One or two
stallions took the lead, and appeared to wait with a de-
gree of comparative composure for the appearance of the
enemy.

The allies at length entered the field in a semicircular
form, with their flanks extended for the evident purpose
of surrounding their prey. They were between two arid
three hundred strong. The horses, on observing their
movement, knew from experience its object, and dreading
to encounter so numerous a force, instantly turned round,
and galloped off in a contrary direction. Their flight
was the cignal for the wolves to advance ; and immedi-
ately uttered a simultaneous yell, they charged after the
fugitives, still preserving their crescent form. Two or
three of the horses, which were not in the best condition,
Were quickly overtaken by the advanced guard of the

HORSES ATTACKED. 227

enemy. The former, finding themselves unable to keep
up with the band, commenced kicking at their pursuers,
several of which received some severe blows ; but these
being reinforced by others, they would have shortly des-
patched the horses had not we, just in time, emerged
from our place of concealment, and discharged a volley
at the enemy's centre, by which a few were brought down.
The whole battalion instantly wheeled about, and fled to-
wards the hills in the utmost disorder; while the horses,
on hearing the fire, changed their course and galloped up
to us. Our appearance saved several of them from the
fangs of their foes ; and by their neighing they seemed
to express their joy and gratitude at our timely inter-
ference.

Although the wolves of North America are the most
daring of all the beasts of prey on that continent, they
are by no means so courageous or ferocious as those of
Europe, particularly in Spain or the south of France,
in which countries they commit dreadful ravages, both
on man and beast:* whereas, an American wolf, except
forced by desperation, will seldom or never attack a hu-

* Daring the late Peninsular war, the Duke of Wellington had oc-
casion to send despatches by a mounted dragoon, to a general of di-
vision not quite a day's march distant from headquarters. Th3
inswer not having arrived at the period it was expected, his Grace
despatched three others to ascertain the cause. They found the
mangled remains of their unfortunate comrade lying beside those of
his horse, and the greater portion of the flesh eaten off their bodies
His sword was firmly grasped in his mutilated hand, and the dead
carcasses of seven or eight wolves which lay about him, exhibited
strong marks of the sabre, and of the desperation with which he
fought before he was overpowered by numbers.

228 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

man being; a remarkable instance of which is men-
tioned in the detail of my wanderings in the previous
article. The lynxes are by no means so numerous as
the wolves, but they are equally destructive, and indi-
vidually more daring. They generally travel alone, or
iu couples, and seldom fly as the wolves do on the first
approach of man. The largest American lynx, does not
exceed in size, an English mastiff.

Bears are scarce about the plains, but they are found
in considerable numbers in the vicinity of the woods and
lakes. Their flesh is excellent, particularly in the sum-
mer and autumnal months, when roots and wild fruit are
had in abundance. They are most dangerous animals
to encounter, especially if they are slightly wounded, or
that any of their cubs are in danger, in which case, they
will rush on a man, though he were armed at all points ;
and wo to him if Bruin should once enfold him in his
dreadful grasp.

I have seen several of our hunters, as well as many
Indians, who had been dreadfully lacerated in their en-
counters with bears; some have been deprived of their
ears, others had their noses nearly torn off, and a few
have been completely blinded.

From the scarcity of food in the spring months, they
are then more savage than at any other season, and
during that period it is a highly dangerous experiment
to approach them.

The following anecdote will prove this, and, were not
the fact confirmed by the concurrent testimony of ten
more, I would not have given it a place among my me-
morabilia.

KIDNAPPING. 229

In the spring of this year, (1816) Mr. M'Millan har1
despatched ten Canadians in a canoe, down the Flat-
head river, on a trading excursion. The third evening
after quitting the fort, while they were quietly sitting
round a blazing fire, eating a hearty dinner of deer, a
large half-famished bear cautiously approached the group,
fioni behind an adjacent tree; and before they were
aware of his presence, he sprang across the fire, seized
one of the men (who had a well-furnished bone in his
hand) round his waist, with the two fore paws, and ran
about fifty yards with him on his hind legs, before he
stopped. His comrades were so thunderstruck, at the
unexpected appearance of such a visitor, and his sudden
retreat with pauvre Louisson^ that they for some time
lost all presence of mind ; and, in a state of fear and
confusion, were running to and fro, each expecting in
his turn to be kidnapped in a similar manner ; when at
length, Baptiste Le Blanc, a half-breed hunter, seized
his gun, and was in the act of firing at the bear, but
was stopped by some of the others, who told him he
would inevitably kill their friend, in the position in
which he was then placed. During this parley bruin re-
laxed his grip of the captive, whom he kept securely
under him, and very leisurely began picking the bone
which the latter had dropped. Once or twice Louisson
attempted to escape, which only caused the bear to watch
him more closely ; but on his making another attempt, he
again seized Louisson round the waist, and commenced
giving him one of those infernal embraces which gene-
rally end in death. The poor fellow was now in great
agony, and vented the most frightful screams ; and ob-

230 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

serving Baptiste with his gun ready, anxiously watching
a safe opportunity to fire, he cried out, Tire ! tire ! mon
eher frere, si tu m dimes. Tire, pour T amour du bon
Dieu ! A la tete ! d la tete ! This was enough for Le
Blanc, who instantly let fly, and hit the bear over the
right temple. He fell, and at the same moment dropped
Louisson ; but he gave him an ugly scratch with his
claws across the face, which for some time afterwards
spoiled his beauty. After the shot, Le Blanc darted to
his comrade's assistance, and with his couteau de chasse,
quickly finished the sufferings of the man-stealer, and
rescued his friend from impending death ; for, with the
jxception of the above-mentioned scratch, he escaped
uninjured. They commenced the work of dissection with
right good will ; but on skinning the bear, they found
scarcely any meat on his bones ; in fact the animal had
been famishing, and in a fit of hungry desperation, made
one of the boldest attempts at kidnapping ever heard
of in the legends of ursine courage.

SHOOTING WILD TURKEYS,

WHILST speaking of the shooting of turkeys, says Mr.
Audubon, I feel no hesitation in relating the following
occurrence, which happened to myself. While in search
of gam1, one afternoon late in autumn, when the males
go together, and the females are by themselves also, I
heard the clucking of one of the latter, and immediately

SHOOTING WILD TUEKEYS. 231

Ending her perched on a fence, made towards her. Ad-
vancing slowly and cautiously, I heard the yelping notes
of some gobblers, when I stopped and listened in order
to ascertain the direction in which they came. I then
ran to meet the birds, hid myself by the side of a large
fallen tree, cocked my gun, and waited with impatience for
a good opportunity.* The gobblers continued yelping
in answer to the female, which all this while remained
on the fence. I looked over the log, and saw about
thirty fine cocks advancing rather cautiously towards
the very spot where I lay concealed. They came so
near, that the light in their eyes could easily be per-
ceived, when I fired one barrel, and killed three. The
rest, instead of flying off, fell a strutting around their
dead companions ; and had I not looked on shooting
again as murder without necessity, I might have secured
at least another. So I showed myself, and marching to
the place where the dead birds were, drove away the
survivors. I may also mention, that a friend of mine
shot a fine hen, from his horse, with a pistol, as the poor
thing was probably returning to her nest to lay.

Should you, good natured reader, be a sportsman,
and now and then have been fortunate in the exercise
of your craft, the following incident, which I shall relate
to you as I had it from the mouth of an honest farmer,
may prove interesting. Turkeys were very abundant in
his neighborhood, and, resorting to his cornfields, at the
period when the maize had just shot up from the ground,
destroyed great quantities of it. This induced him to
swear vengeance against the species. He cut a long
* See vignette on the title page.

232 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

trench in a favorable situation, put a great quantity of
corn in it, and having heavily loaded a famous duck gun
of his, placed it so as that he could pull the trigger by
means of a string, when quite concealed from the birds.

The turkeys soon discovered the corn in the trench,
and quickly disposed of it, at the same time continuing
their ravages in the fields. He filled the trench again,
and one day seeing it quite black with the turkeys,
whistled loudly, on which all the birds raised their
heads, when he pulled the trigger by the long string
fastened to it. The explosion followed of course, and
the turkeys were seen scampering off in all directions, in
utter discomfiture and dismay. On running to the
trench, he found nine of them extended in it. The rest
did not consider it expedient to visit his corn again for
that season.

During spring, turkeys are called, as it is termed, by
drawing the air in a peculiar way, through one of the se-
cond joint bones of a wing of that bird, which produces a
sound resembling the voice of the female, on hearing
which, the male comes up, and is shot. In managing
this, however, no fault must be committed, for turkeys
are quick in distinguishing counterfeit sounds, and when
half civilized, are very wary and cunning. I have
known many to answer to this kind of call, without
moving a step, and thus entirely defeat the scheme of
the hunter, who dared not move from his hiding-place,
lest a single glance of the gobbler's eye should frustrate
all further attempts to decoy them. Many are shot
when at roost, in this season, by answering with a roll

HUNTING WILL> TURKEYS. 235

ing gobble to a sound in imitation of the cry cf th*
Barred Owl.

But the most common method of procuring wild tur-
keys is by means of pens. These are placed in parts of
the woods where turkeys have been frequently observed
*,o roost, and are constructed in the following manner.
Youug trees of four or five inches diameter are cut down,
and divided into pieces of the length of twelve or four-
teen feet. Two of these are laid on the ground parallel
to each other, at a distance of ten or twelve feet. Two
other pieces are laid across the ends of these, at right
angles to them, and in this manner, successive layers
ire added, until the fabric is raised to the height of
about four feet. It is then covered with similar pieces
of wood, placed three or four inches apart, and loaded
with one or two heavy logs to render the whole firm.
This done, a trench about eighteen inches in depth and
width, is cut under one side of the cage, into which it
opens slantingly and rather abruptly. It is continued
on its outside to some distance, so as gradually to attain
me level of the surrounding ground. Over the part of
tnis trench within the pen, and close to the wall, some
sticks are placed so as to form a kind of bridge about a
;oot in breadth. The trap being now finished, the
owner places a quantity of Indian corn in its centre, as
well as in the trench, and as he walks off, drops here
and there a few grains in the woods, sometimes to the
distance of a mile. This is repeated at every visit to
tne trap, after the turkeys have found it. Sometimes
two trenches are cut, in which case the trenches enter on
opposite sides of the trap, and are both strewn with

234 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

corn, No sooner has a turkey discovered the train of
corn, than it communicates the circumstance to the flock
by a cluck, when all of them come up, and searching for
the grains scattered about, at length come upon the
trench, which they follow, squeezing themselves one af-
ter another through the passage under the bridge. In
this manner the whole flock sometimes enters, but more
commonly six or seven only, as they are alarmed by the
least noise, even the cracking of a tree in frosty weather.
Those within, having gorged themselves, raise their
heads and try to force their way through the top or
sides of the pen, passing and repassing on the bridge,
but never for a moment looking down, or attempting to
escape through the passage by which they entered.
Thus they remain until the owner of the trap arriving,
closes the trench, and secures his captives. I have
heard of eighteen turkeys having been caught, in this
manner, at a single visit to the trap. I have had many
of these pens myself, but never found more than seven
in them at a time. One winter I kept an account of the
produce of a pen which I visited daily, and found that
seventy-six had been caught in it, in about two months,
When these birds are abundant, the owners of the pens
sometimes become satiated with their flesh, and neglect
to visit the pens for several days, in some cases for
weeks. The poor captives thus perish for want of food :
for, strange as it may seem, they scarcely ever regain
their liberty, by descending into the trench s^d r*-
tracing their steps. I have more than once fo'jnd four
or fire, and even ten dead in a pen, through inattention.
Where wolves or lynxes are numerous, they are apt to

HUNTING THE COUGAR. 235

securo the prize before the owner of the trap arrives.
One morning, I had the pleasure of securing in one of
my pens, a fine black wolf, which, on seeing me, squat-
ted, supposing me to be passing in another direction.

HUNTING THE COUGAR*

THERE is an extensive Swamp in the section of the
State of Mississippi which lies partly in the Choctaw
territory. It commences at the borders of the Missis-
sippi, at no great distance from a Chickasaw village,
situated near the mouth of a creek known by the name
of Vanconnah, and partly inundated by the swellings of
several large bayous, the principal of which, crossing
the swamp in its whole extent, discharges its waters not
far from the mouth of the Yazoo river. This famous
bayou is called False river. ' The swamp of which I am
speaking, follows the windings of the Yazoo, until the
latter branches off to the northeast, and at this point
forms the stream named Cold Water river, below which
the Yazoo receives the draining of another bayou in-
clining towards the northwest, and intersecting that
known by the name of False river, at a short distance
from the place where the latter receives the waters of
the Mississippi. This tedious account of the situation
of the Swamp, is given with the view of pointing it out
to all students of nature who may chance to go that

* .Audubon's Ornithological Biography.

236 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

and whom I would earnestly urge to visit its interior, as
it abounds in rare and interesting productions: birds,
quadrupeds, and reptiles, as well as molluscous animals,
many of which, I am persuaded, have never been de-
scribed.

In the course of one of my rambles, I chanced to
meet with a squatter's cabin on the banks of the Cold
Water river. In the owner of this hut, like most of
those adventurous settlers in the uncultivated tracts of
our frontier districts, I found a person well versed m the
chase, and acquainted with the habits of some of the
larger species of quadrupeds and birds. As h j who is
desirous of instruction ought not to disdain listening to
any one who has knowledge to communicate, however
humble may be his lot, or however limited his talents,
I entered the squatter's cabin, and immediately opened
a conversation with him respecting the situation of the
swamp, and its natural productions. He told me he
thought it the very place I ought to visit, spoke of the
game which it contained, and pointed to some bear and
deer skins, adding, that the individuals to which they had
belonged formed but a small portion of the number of
those animals which he had shot within it. My heart
swelled with delight, and on asking if he would accom-
pany me through the great morass, and allow me to be-
come an inmate of his humble but hospitable mansion, I
was gratified to find that he cordially assented to all my
proposals. So I immediately unstrapped my drawing
materials, laid up my gun, and sat down to partake of
the homely but wholesome fare intended for the supper
of the squatter, his wife, and his two sons.

HUNTING THE COUGAR. 237

The quietness of the evening seemed in Tier feet ac-
cordance with the gentle demeanor of the family. The
wife and children, I more than once thought, seemed to
look upon me as a strange sort of person, going about,
as I told them I was, in search of birds and plants ; arid
were I here to relate the many questions which they put
to me in return for those which I addressed to them, the
catalogue would occupy several pages. The husband, a
native of Connecticut, had heard of the existence of
such men as myself, both in our own country and abroad,
and seemed greatly pleased to have me under his roof.
Supper over, I asked my kind host what had induced
him to remove to this wild and solitary spot. " The
people are growing too numerous now to thrive in New
England," was his answer. I thought of the state of
some parts of Europe, and calculating the denseness of
their population compared with that of New England,
exclaimed to myself, "How much more difficult must it
be for men to thrive in those populous countries!" The
conversation then changed, and the squatter, his sons
and myself, spoke of hunting and fishing, until at length
tired, we laid ourselves down on pallets of bear skins,
and reposed in peace on the floor of the only apartment
of which the hut consisted.

Day dawned, and the squatter's call to his hogs,
which, being almost in a wild state, were suffered to
seek the greater portion of their food in the woods,
awakened me. Being ready dressed, I was not long in
joining him. The hogs and their young came grunting
at tho well known call of their owner, who threw them
a few ears of corn, and counted them, but told me that

238 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

for some weeks their number had been greatly diminished
by the ravages committed upon them by a large Panther,
by which name the Cougar is designated in America,
and that the ravenous animal did not content himself
with the flesh of his pigs, but now and then carried off
one of his calves, notwithstanding the many attempts
he had made to shoot it. The Painter, as he sometimes
called it, had on several occasions robbed him of a dead
deer; and to theae exploits the squatter added several
remarkable feats of -audacity which it had performed, to
give me an idea of the formidable character of the beast.
Delighted by his description, I oifered to assist him in
destroying the enemy, at which he was highly pleased,
but assured me that unless some of his neighbors should
join us with their dogs and his own, the attempt would
prove fruitless. Soon after, mounting a horse, he went
off to his neighbors, several of whom lived at a distance
of some miles, and appointed a day of meeting.

The hunters, accordingly, made their appearance, one
fine morning, at the door of the cabin, just as the sun
was emerging from beneath the horizon. They were five
in number, and fully equipped for the chase, being
mounted on horses, which in some parts of Europe might
appear sorry nags, but which in strength, speed, and bot-
tom, are better fitted for pursuing a cougar or a bear
through woods and morasses than any in that country.
A. pack of large ugly curs were already engaged in mak-
ing acquaintance with those of the squatter. He and
myself mounted his two best horses, whilst his sons were
bestriding others of inferior quality.

Few words were uttered by the party until we had

HUNTING THE COUGAR. 239

reachod the edge of the Swamp, where it was agreed that
all should disperse and seek for the fresh track of the
Painter, it being previously settled that the discoverer
should blow his horn, and remain on the spot until the
rest should join him. In less than an hour, the sound
of the horn was clearly heard, and, sticking close to the
squatter, off we went through the thick woods, guided
only by the now and then repeated call of the distant
huntsman. We soon reached the spot, and in a short
time the rest of the party came up. The best dog was
sent forward to track the Cougar, and in a few moments
the whole pack were observed diligently trailing, and
bearing in their course for the interior of the Swamp.
The rifles were immediately put in trim, and the party
followed the dogs, at separate distances, but in sight of
each other, determined to shoot at no other game than
the Panther.

The dogs soon began to mouth, and suddenly quick-
ened their pace. My companion concluded that the beast
was on the ground, and putting our horses to a gentle
gallop, we followed the curs, guided by their voices.
The noise of the dogs increased, when all of a sudden
their mode of barking became altered, and the squatter,
urging me to push on, told me that the beast was treed,
by which he meant that it had got upon some low branch
of a large tree to rest for a few moments, and that should
we not succeed in shooting him when thus situated, we
might expect a long chase of it. As we approached the
spot, we all by degrees united into a body, but on seeing
the dogs at the foot of a large tree, separated again and
galloped off to surround it.

240 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

EacK hunter now moved with caution, holding his gun
ready, and allowing the bridle to dangle on the neck of
his horse, as it advanced slowly towards the dogs. A
shot from one of the party was heard, on which the
Cougar was seen to leap to the ground, and bound off
W'th such velocity as to show that he was very unwilling
to stand our fire longer. The dogs set off in pursuit with
great eagerness and a deafening cry. The hunter who
had fired came up and said that his ball had hit the mon-
ster, and had probably broken one of his fore-legs near
the shoulder, the only place at which he could aim. A
slight trail of blood was discovered on the ground, but
the curs proceeded at such a rate that we merely noticed
this, and put spurs to our horses, which galloped on to-
wards the centre of the Swamp. One bayou was crossed,
then another still larger and more muddy ; but the dogs
were brushing forward, and as the horses began to pant
at a furious rate, we judged it expedient to leave them
and advance on foot. These determined hunters knew
that the Cougar being wounded, would shortly ascend
another tree, where in all probability he would remain
for a considerable time, and that it would be easy to fol-
low the track of the dogs. We dismounted, took off the
saddles and bridles, set the bells attached to the horses'
necks at liberty to jingle, hoppled the animals, and left
them to shift for themselves.

Now, reader, follow the group marching through the
swamp, crossing muddy pools, and making the best of
their way over fallen trees and amongst the tangled rushes
that now and then covered acres of ground. If you are
a hunter yourself, all this will appear nothing to you ; but

HUNTING THE COUGAR. 241

if crowded assemblies of "beauty and fashion," or the
quiet enjoyment of your "pleasure-grounds," alone de-
light you, I must mend my pen before I attempt to givo
you an idea of the pleasure felt on such an expedition.

After marching for a couple of hours, we again heard
the dogs. Each of us pressed forward, elated at the
thought of terminating the career of the Cougar. Some
of the dogs were heard whining, although the greater
iminber harked vehemently. We felt assured that the
Cougar was treed, and that he would rest for some time
to recover from his fatigue. As we came up to the dogs,
we discovered Jthe ferocious animal lying across a large
branch, close to the trunk of a cotton-wood tree. His
broad breast lay towards us ; his eyes were at one time
bent on us and again on the dogs beneath and around
him ; one of his fore legs hung loosely by his side, and
he lay crouched, with his ears lowered close to his head, as
if lie thought he might remain undiscovered. Three balls
wore fired at him, at a given signal, on which he sprang
a few feet from the branch, and tumbled headlong to the
ground. Attacked on all sides by the enraged curs, the
infuriated Cougar fought with desperate valor ; (See
Frontispiece ;) but the squatter advancing in front of the
party, and almost in the midst of the dogs, shot him im-
mediately behind and beneath the left shoulder. The
Oougar writhed for a moment in agony, and in another
lay dead.

The sun was now sinking in the west. Two of the
hunters separated from the rest, to procure venison,
whilst the squatter's sons were ordered to make the best

of their way home, to be ready to feed the hogs in the
16

242 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

morning. The rest of the party agreed to camp on the
spot. The Cougar was despoiled of its skin, and its car-
cass left to the hungry dogs. Whilst engaged in preparing
our camp, we heard the report of a gun, and soon after
one of our hunters returned with a small deer. A fire
was lighted, and each hunter displayed his pone of Hbread,
along with a flask of whisky. The deer was skinned in
a trice, and slices placed on sticks before the fire. These
materials afforded us an excellent meal, and as the night
grew darker, stories and songs went round, until my com-
panions, fatigued, laid themselves down, close under the
smoke of the fire, and soon fell asleep.

I walked for some minutes round the camp, to contem-
plate the beauties of that nature, from which I have cer-
tainly derived my greatest pleasures. I thought of the
occurrences of the day, and glancing my eye around, re-
marked the singular effects produced by the phosphores-
cent qualities of the large decayed trunks which lay in
all directions around me. How easy, I thought, would
it be for the confused and agitated mind of a person be-
wildered in a swamp like this, to image in each of these
luminous masses some wondrous and fearful being, the
very sight of which might make their hair stand erect on
his head ! The thought of being myself placed in such a
predicament burst over my mind, and I hastened to join
my companions, beside whom I laid me down and slept,
assured that no enemy could approach us without first
rousing the dogs, which were growling in fierce dispute
over the remains of the Cougar.

At daybreak we left our camp, the squatter bearing
on his shoulder the skin of the late destroyer of his stock;

THE TRAVELER AND THE POLE-CAT. 245

and retraced our step until we found our horses, which
had not strayed far from the place where we had left
them. These we soon saddled, and jogging along, in a
direct course, guided by the sun, congratulating each
other on the destruction of so formidable a neighbor as
the Panther had been, we soon arrived at my host's cabin.
The five neighbors partook of such refreshment as the
house could afford, and dispersing, returned to their homes,
leaving me to follow my favorite pursuits.

THE TRAVELER AND THE POLE-CAT.

ON a journey from Louisville to Henderson, in Ken-
tucky, says Mr. Audubon,* performed during very
severe winter weather, in company with a foreigner, the
initials of whose name are D. T., my companion spying
a beautiful animal, marked with black and pale yellow,
and having a long and bushy tail, exclaimed, "Mr. Au-
dubon, is not that a beautiful squirrel?" "Yes," I an-
swered, " and of a kind that will suffer you to approach it,
and lay hold of it, if you are well gloved." Mr. D. T. dis-
mounting, took up a dry stick, and advanced toward the
pretty animal, with his large cloak floating in the breeze. I
think I see him approach, and laying the stick gently
across the body of the animal, try to secure it; and I
can yet laugh almost as heartily as I then did, when I
plainly saw the discomfiture of the traveler. The Pole-

* Ornithological Biography.

246 HJNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

cat,* (for a true Pole-cat it was, the Mephitis Americana
of zoologists,) raised its fine bushy tail, and showered
such a discharge of the fluid given him by nature as a
defence, that my friend, dismayed and infuriated, began
to belabour the poor animal. The swiftness and good
management of the Pole-cat, however, saved its bones,
and as it made its retreat towards its hole, it kept up at
every step a continued ejectment, which fully convinced
the gentleman that the pursuit of such squirrels as these
was at the best an unprofitable employment.

This was not all, however. I could not suffer his ap-
proach, nor could my horse ; it was with difficulty he
mounted his own; and we were forced to continue our
journey far asunder, and he much to leeward. Nor did
the matter end here. We could not proceed much
farther that night; as, in the first place, it was nearly
dark when we saw the Pole-cat, and as, in the second
place, a heavy snow-storm began, and almost impeded
our progress. We were forced to make for the first
cabin we saw. Having asked and obtained permission
to res* for the night, we dismounted and found ourselves
amongst a crowd of men and women who had met for
the purpose of corn-shucking.

To a European who has not visited the western part
of the United States, an explanation of this corn-shuck-
ing may not be unacceptable. Corn (or you may prefer
calling it maize) is gathered in the husk, that is, by
breaking each large ear from the stem. These ears are
first thrown into heaps in the field, and afterwards car-
ried in carts to the barn, or, as in this instance, and in
* In most parts of the country, this animal is called Skunk.

THE TRAVELER AND THE POLE-CAT. 247

such portions of Kentucky, to a shed made of the blades
or lohg leaves that hang in graceful curves from the
stalk, and which, when plucked and dried, are used in-
stead of hay, as food for horses and cattle. The husk
consists of several thick leaves rather longer than the
corn-ear itself, and which secure it from the weather.
It is quite a labor to detach these leaves from the ear,
when thousands of bushels of the corn are gathered and
heaped together. For this purpose, however, and in the
western country more especially, several neighboring
families join alternately at each other's plantations, and
assist in clearing away the husks, thus preparing the
maize for the market or for domestic use.

The good people whom we met with at this hospitable
house, were on the point of going to the barn, (the
farmer here being in rather good condition,) to work
until towards the middle of the night. When we had
stood the few stares to which strangers must accustom
themselves, no matter where, even in a drawing-room,
we approached the fire. What a shock for the whole
party! The scent of the Pole-cat, that had been almost
stifled on my companion's vestments by the cold of the
evening air, now recovered its primitive strength. The
cloak was put out of the house, but its owner could not
be well used in the same way. The company, however,
took to their heels, and there only remained a single
black servant, who waited on us until supper was
served.

I felt vexed at myself, as I saw the traveler displeased.
But he had so much good breeding as to treat this im-
portant affair with great forbearance, and merely said

248 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

he was sorry for his want of knowledge in zoology.
The good gentleman, however, was not only deficient in
zoological lore, but, fresh as he was from Europe, felt
more than uneasy in this out-of-the-way dwelling, and
would have proceeded towards my own house that night,
had I not at length succeeded in persuading him that he
was in perfect security.

We were shown to bed. As I was almost a stranger
to him, and he to me, he thought it a very awkward thing
to be obliged to lie in the same bed with me,, but after-
wards spoke of it as a happy circumstance, and requested
that I should suffer him to be placed next the logs,
thinking, no doubt, that there he should run no risk.

We started by break of day, taking with us the frozen
cloak, and after passing a pleasant night in my own
house, we parted. Some years after, I met my Ken-
tucky companion in a far distant land, when he assured
me, that whenever the sun shone on his cloak, or it was
brought near a fire, the scent of the Pole-cat became
so perceptible, that he at last gave it to a poor monk in
Italy.

The animal commonly known in America by the name
of Pole-cat, is about a foot and a half in length, with a
large bushy tail, nearly as long as the body. The color
is generally brownish-black, with a large white patch on
the back of the head ; but there are many varieties of
coloring, in some of which the broad white bands of the
back are very conspicuous. The Pole-cat burrows, or
forms a subterranean habitation among the roots of
trees, or in rocky places. It feeds on birds, young
hares, rats, mice, and other animals, and commits great

MR. AUDUBON HUNTING.

DEER HUNTING. 251

depredations on poultry. The most remarkable pecu-
liarity of this animal is the power, alluded to above, of
squirting for its defence a most nauseously scented fluid
contained in a receptacle situated under the tail, which
it can do to the distance of several yards. It does not,
however, for this purpose, sprinkle its tail with the fluid, as
some allege, unless when extremely harassed by its enemies.
The Pole-cat is frequently domesticated. The removal
of the glands prevents the secretion of the nauseous
fluid, and when thus improved, the animal becomes a
great favorite, and performs the offices of the common
cat with great dexterity.

DEER HUNTING.

THE different modes of destroying Deer, says Mr. Au-
dubon,* are probably too well understood, and too suc-
cessfully practiced in the United States ; for, notwith-
standing the almost incredible abundance of these beau-
tiful animals in our forests and prairies, such havoc is
carried on amongst them, that in a few centuries^ they
will probably be as scarce in America, as the Great
Bustard now is in Britain.

We have three modes of hunting deer, each varying in
some slight degree, in the different States and Districts.
The first is termed Still Hunting, and is by far the most
destructive. The second is called Fire-light Hunting,

* Ornithological Biography.

252 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

and is next in its exterminating effects. The third,
which may be looked upon as a mere amusement, is
named Driving. Although many deer are destroyed by
this latter method, it is not by any means so pernicious
as the others. These methods I shall describe sepa-
rately.

Still Hunting is followed as a kind of trade, by most
of our frontier men. To be practiced with success, it
requires great activity, an expert management of the
rifle, and a thorough knowledge of the forest, together
with an intimate acquaintance with the habits of the
deer, not only at different seasons of the year, but also
at every hour of the day, as the hunter must be aware
of the situations which the game prefers, and in which
it is most likely to be found, at any particular time. I
might here present you with a full account of the habits
of our deer, were it not my intention to lay before you,
at some future period, in the form of a distinct work,
the observations which I have made on the various
quadrupeds of our extensive territories.

Illustrations of any kind require to be presented in
the best possible light. We will therefore suppose that
we are about to follow the true hunter, as the Still Hun-
ter is also called, through the interior of the tangled
woods, across morasses, ravines, and such places where
the game may prove more or less plentiful, even should
none be found there in the fir«t instance. We will allow
our hunter all the agility, patience, and care, which his
occupation requires, and will march in his rear, as if we
were spies, watching all his motions.

His dress, you observe, consists of a \eather hunting-

DEER HUNTING. 253

shirt, and a pair of trowsers of the same material. His
feet are well moecasoned : he wears a belt round his
waist, his heavy rifle is resting on his brawny shoulder ;
on one side hangs his ball-pouch, surmounted by the
horn of an ancient buffalo, once the terror of the herd,
but now containing a pound of the best gunpowder ; his
butcher-knife is scabbarded in the same strap, and be-
hind is a tomahawk, the handle of which has been thrust
through his girdle. He walks with so rapid a step, that
probably few men could follow him, unless for a short
distance, in their anxiety to witness his ruthless deeds.
He stops, looks at the flint of his gun, its priming, and
the leather cover of the lock, then glances his eye to-
wards the sky, to judge of the course most likely to lead
him to the game.

The heavens are clear, the red glare of the morning
sun gleams through the lower branches of the lofty
trees, the dew hangs in pearly drops at the top of every
leaf. Already has the emerald hue of the foliage been
converted into the more glowing tints of our autumnal
months. A slight frost appears on the fence-rails of his
little cornfield. As he proceeds, he looks to the dead
foliage under his feet, in search of the well known traces
of a buck's hoof. Now he bends toward the ground, on
which something has attracted his attention. See ! he
alters his course, increases his speed, and will soon reach
the opposite hill. Now he moves with caution, stops at
almost every tree, and peeps forward as if already within
shooting distance of the game. He advances again, but
how very slowly ! He has reached the declivity, upon
which the sun shines in all its growing splendor ; but

254 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

mark him ! he takes the gun from his shoulder, has
already thrown aside the leathered cover of the lock, and
is wiping the edge of his flint with his tongue. Now he
stands like a monumental figure, perhaps measuring the
distance that lies between him and the game which he
has in view. His rifle is slowly raised, the report fol-
lows, and he runs. Let us run also. Shall I speak to
him, and ask him the result of his first assay ? Assur-
edly, reader, for I know him well.

."Pray, friend, what have you killed ?" for to say,
" What have you shot at ?" might impl} (lie possibility
of his having missed, and so might hurt lus feelings.
" Nothing but a buck." " And where is it ?" " Oh, it
has taken a jump or so, but I settled it, and will soon be
with it. My ball struck, and must have gone through
his heart." We arrive at the spot where the animal
had laid itself down among the grass, in a thicket
of grape vines, sumachs, and spruce bushes, where it in-
tended to repose during the middle of the day. The
place is covered with blood, the hoofs of the deer have
left deep prints in the ground, as it bounced in the ago-
nies produced by its wound; but the blood that has
gushed from its side, discloses the course which it has
taken. We soon reach the spot. There lies the buck,
its tongue out, its eye dim, its breath exhausted: it is
dead. The hunter draws his knife, cuts the buck's
throat almost asunder, and prepares to skin it. For
this purpose he hangs it upon the branch of a tree.
When the skin is removed, he cuts off the hams, and
abandoning the rest of the carcass to the wolves and
vultures, reloads his gun, flings the venison, enclosed by

DEER HUNTING. 256

the skin, upon his back, secures it with a strap, and
walks off in search of more game, well knowing that in
the immediate neighborhood, another at least is to be
found.

Had the weather been warmer, the hunter would have
sought for the buck along the shadoiuy side of the hills.
Had it been the spring season, he would Tiave led us
through some thick cane-brake, to the margin of some
remote lake, where you would have seen the deer im-
mersed to his head in the water, to save his body from the
tormenting attacks of moschettoes. Had Tri^ter over-
spread the earth with a covering of SHOW, lie would have
searched the low damp woods, where the mosses and
lichens, on which at that period the deer feeds, abound,
the trees being generally crusted with them for several
feet from the ground. At one" time, he might have
marked the places where the deer clears the velvet from
his horns by rubbing them against the low stems of bushes,
and where he frequently scrapes the earth with his fore-
hoofs ; at another, he would have betaken himself to
places where persimons and crab-apples abound, as be-
neath these trees the deer frequently stops to munch their
fruits. During early spring, our hunter would imitate
the bleating of the doe, and thus frequently obtain both
her and the fawn ; or, like some tribes of Indians, he
would prepare a deer's head, placed on a stick, and
creeping with it amongst the tall grass of the prairies,
would decoy the deer within reach of his rifle. But wo
have seen enough of the still hunter. Let it suffice for
me to add, that by the mode pursued by him, thousands
of deer are annually killed, many i

256 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

these animals merely for the skin, not caring for even
the most valuable portions of the flesh, unless hunger, or
a near market, induces them to carry off the hams.

The- mode of destroying deer by fire-light, or, as it is
named in some parts of the country, forest-light, nevei
fails to produce a very singular feeling in him who wit-
nesses it for the first time. There is something in it
which at times appears awfully grand. At other times, a
certain degree of fear creeps over the mind, and even
affects the physical powers, of him who follows the hun-
ter through the thick undergrowth of our woods, having
to leap his horse over hundreds of huge fallen trunks, at
one time impeded by a straggling grape-vine crossing his
path, at another squeezed between two stubborn saplings,
whilst their twigs come smack in his face, as his compa-
nion has forced his way through them. Again, he every
now and then runs the risk of breaking his neck, by be-
ing suddenly pitched headlong on the ground, as his
horse sinks into a hole covered over with moss. But I
must proceed in a more regular manner, and leave my
reader to judge whether such a mode of hunting would
suit his taste or not.

The hunter has returned to his camp or his house, has
rested and eaten of his game. He waits impatiently for
the return of night. He has procured a quantity of pine-
knots filled with resinous matter, and has an old frying-
pan, that, for aught I know to the country, may have
been used by his great-grandmother, in which the pine-
knots are to be placed when lighted. The horses stand
saddled at the door. The hunter comes forth, his rifle
slung on his shoulder, and springs upon one of them,

DEER HUNTING. 257

while his son, or a servant, mounts the other, with the
frying-pan and the pine-knots. Thus accoutred, they
proceed towards the interior of the forest, When they
have arrived at the spot where the hunt is to begin, they
stiike fire with a flint and steel, and kindle the resinous
wood. The person who carries the fire moves in the
direction judged to be the best. The blaze illuminates
the near objects, but the distant parts seem involved in
deepest obscurity. The hunter who bears the gun keeps
immediately in front, and after a while discovers before
him two feeble lights, which are procured by the reflec-
tion of the pine fire from the eyes of an animal of the
deer or wolf kind. The animal stands quite still. To
one unacquainted with this strange mode of hunting, the
glare from its eyes might bring to his imagination some
lost hobgoblin that had strayed from its usual haunts.
The hunter, however, nowise intimidated, approaches the
object, sometimes so near as to discern its form, when
raising the rifle to his shoulder, he fires and kills it on
the spot. He then dismounts, secures the skin and such
portions of the flesh as he may want, in the manner al-
ready described, and continues his search through the
greater part of the night, sometimes until the dawn of
day, shooting from five to ten deer, should these animals
be plentiful. This kind of hunting proves fatal, not to
the deer alone, but also sometimes to wolves, and now
and then to a horse or a cow, which may have straggled
far ijito the woods.

Now, reader, prepare to mount a generous, full blood
Virginian Hunter. See that your gun is in complete

order, for, hark to the sound of the bugle and horn, and
M

258 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

the mingled clamor of a pac\ of harriers ! Your friends
are waiting you, under the shade of the wood, and we
must together go driving the light-footed deer. The dis-
tance over wkich one has to travel is seldom felt, when
pleasure is anticipated as the result : so, galloping we
go pell -mell through the woods, to some well-known place,
where many a fine buck has drooped its antlers under
the ball of the hunter's rifle. The servants, who are
called the drivers, have already begun their search. Their
voices are heard exciting the hounds, and unless we put
spurs to our steeds, we may be too late at our stand, and
thus lose the first opportunity of shooting the fleeting
game as it passes by. Hark again ! the dogs are in
chase, the horn sounds louder and more clearly. Hurry,
hurry on, or we shall be sadly behind !

Here we are at last ! Dismount, fasten your horse to
this tree, place yourself by the side of that large yellow
poplar, and mind you do not shoot me ! The deer is
fast approaching ; I will to my own stand, and he who
shoots him dead wins the prize.

The deer is heard coming. It has inadvertently
cracked a dead stick with its hoof, and the dogs are now
so near it that it will pass in a moment. There it comes .
How beautifully it bounds over the ground ! What a
splendid head of horns ! How easy its attitudes, depend-
ing, as it seems to do, on its own swiftness for safety !
All is in vain, however : a gun is fired, the .animal
plunges and doubles with incomparable speed. There
he goes ! He passes another stand, from which a second
shot, better directed than the first, brings him *,o the
ground. The dogs, the servants, the sportsmen are now

DEER HUNTING. 259

ms)iing forward to the spot. The hunter who has shot
it is congratulated on his skill or good luck, and the chase
begins again in some other part of the woods.

A few lines of explanation may be required to convey
a clear idea of this mode of hunting. Deer are fond of
following and retracing the paths which they have for-
merly pursued, and continue to do so even after they
have been shot at more than once. These tracks are
discovered by persons on horseback in the woods, or a
deer is observed crossing a read, a field, or a small stream.
When this has been noticed twice, the deer may be shot
from the places called stands by the sportsman, who is
stationed there, and waits for it, a line of stands beh.g
generally formed so as to cross the path which the game
will follow. The person who ascertains the usual pass of
the game, or discovers the parts where the animal feeds
or lies down during the day, gives intimation to his
friends, who then prepare for the chase. The servants
start the deer with the hounds, and by good management,
generally succeed in making it run the course that will
soonest bring it to its death. But, should the deer be
cautious, and take another course, the hunters, mounted
on swift horses, gallop through the woods to intercept it,
guided by the sound of the horns and the cry of the dogs,
and frequently succeed in shooting it. This is ex-
tremely agreeable, and proves successful on almost ever}
occasion.

Hoping that this account will be sufficient to induce
you, kind reader, to go driving in our western and
southern woods, I now conclude my chapter on Deer
Hunting by informing you, that the species referred to

260 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

above is the Virginian Deer, Oervus Virginianus ; and
that, until I be able to present you with a full account
of its habits and history, you may consult for information
respecting it the excellent Fauna Americana of my es-
teemed friend Dr. Harlan, of Philadelphia.

SCIPIO AND THE BEAR,

THE Black Bear, (Ursus Americanus^) says Mr.
A^udubon,* however clumsy in appearance, is active,
vigilant, and persevering; possesses great strength,
courage, and address; and undergoes with little injury
the greatest fatigues and hardships in avoiding the pur-
suit of the hunter. Like the deer, it changes its haunts
with the seasons, and for the same reason, namely, the
desire of obtaining suitable food, or of retiring to the
more inaccessible parts, where it can pass the time in
security, unobserved by man, the most dangerous of its
enemies. During the spring months, it searches for food
in the low, rich, alluvial lands that border the rivers, or
by the margins of such inland lakes as, on account of
their small size, are called by us ponds. There it pro-
cures abundance of succulent roots, and of the tender
juicj stems of plants, upon which it chiefly feeds at that
season. During the summer heat, it enters the gloomy
swamps, passes much of its time in wallowing in the

* Ornithological Biography.

BCIPIO AND THE BEAR. 261

mud, like a hog, and contents itself with crayfish, roots,
and nettles, now and then, when hard pressed by hunger,
seizing on a young pig, or perhaps a sow, or even a calf.
As soon as the different kinds of berries which grow on
the mountains begin to ripen, the Bears betake themselves
to the high grounds, followed by their cubs. In such
retired parts of the country where there are no hilly
grounds, it pays visits to the maize fields, which it rav-
ages for awhile. After this, the various species of nuts,
acorns, grapes, and other forest fruits, that form what in
the western country is called mast, attract its attention.
The Bear is then seen rambling singly through the woods
to gather this harvest, not forgetting meanwhile to rob
every bee-tree it meets with, Bears being, as you well
know, expert at this operation. You also know that they
are good climbers, and may have been told, or at least
may now be told, that the* Black Bear now and then
houses itself in the hollow trunks of the larger trees for
weeks together, when it is said to suck its paws. You
are probably not aware of a habit in which it indulges,
and which, being curious, must be interesting to you.

At one season, the Black Bear may be seen examining
the lower part of the trunk of a tree for several minutes
with much attention, at the same time looking around,
and snuffing the air, to assure itself that no enemy is
near. It then raises itself on its hind legs, approache*
the trunk, embraces it with its fore legs, and scratches
the bark with its teeth and claws for several minutes in
continuance. Its jaws clash against each other, until a
mans of foam runs down on both sides of the mouth.
After this it continues its rambles.

262 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

In various portions of our country, many of our
woodsmen and hunters who have seen the Bear perform-
ing this singular operation just described, imagine that
it does so for the purpose of leaving behind it an indica-
tion of its size and power. They measure the height at
which the scratches are made, and in this manner can,
in fact, form an estimate of the magnitude of the indi-
vidual. My own opinion, however, is different. It
peems to me that the Bear scratches the trees, not for
the purpose of showing its size or its strength, but merely
for that of sharpening its teeth and claws, to enable it
better to encounter a rival of its own species during the
amatory season. The Wild Boar of Europe clashes its
tusks and scrapes the earth with its feet, and the Deer
rubs its antlers against the lower part of the stems of
young trees or bushes, for the same purpose.

Being one night sleeping in the house of a friend, I
was awakened by a negro servant bearing a light, who
gave me a note, which he said his master had just re-
ceived. I ran my eye over the paper, and found it to
be a communication from a neighbor, requesting my
friend and myself to join him as soon as possible, and
assist in killing some bears, at that moment engaged in
destroying his corn. I was not long in dressing, you
may be assured, and on entering the parlor, found my
friend ^quipped, and only waiting for some bullets, which
a r^gro was employed in casting. The overseer's horn
was heard calling up the negroes from their different
cabins. Some were already engaged in saddling our
horses, whilst others were gathering all the cur-dogs of
the plantation. All was bustle. Before half an hour

BCIPIO AND THE BEAR. 263$

had elapsed, four stout negro men, armed with axes and
knives, and mounted on strong nags of their own, (for
you .must know, kind reader, that many of our slaves
rear horses, cattle, pigs, and poultry, which are exclu-
sively their own property,) were following us at a round
gallop through the woods, as we made directly for the
neighbor's plantation, a little more than five miles off.

The night was none of the most favorable, a drizzling
rain rendering the atmosphere thick and rather sultry ;
but as we were well acquainted with the course, we soon
reached the house, where the owner was awaiting our
arrival. There were now three of us armed with guns,
half a dozen servants, and a good pack of dogs of all
kinds. We jogged on towards the detached field in which
the bears were at work. The owner told us that for
some days several of these animals had visited his corn,
and that a negro who was sent every afternoon to see
at what part of the enclosure they entered, had assured
him there were at least five in the field that night. A
plan of attack was formed: the bars at the usual gap
of the' fence were to be put down without noise; the men
and dogs were to divide, and afterwards proceed so as
to surround the bears, when, at the sounding of our
horns, every one was to charge towards the centre of the
field, and shout as loudly as possible, which it was judged
would so intimidate the animals, as tc induce them to
seek refuge upon the dead trees with which the field was
still partially covered.

The plan succeeded. The horns sounded, the horses
galloped forward, the men shouted, the dogs barked and
howled. The shrieks of the negroes were enough to

264 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

frighten a legion of bears, and those in the field took to
flight, so that by the time we reached the centre, they
were heard hurrying towards the tops of the trees.
Fires were immediately lighted by the negroes. The
drizzling rain had ceased, the sky cleared, and the glare
. of the crackling fires proved of great assistance to us.
The bears had been so terrified, that we now saw several
of them crouched at the junction of the larger boughs
with the trunks. Two were immediately shot down.
They were cubs of no great size, and being already half
dead, we left them to the dogs, which quickly despatched
them.

We were anxious to procure as much sport as possible,
and having observed one of the bears, which, from its
size, we conjectured to be the mother, ordered the ne-
groes to cut down the tree on which it was perched,
when it was intended the dogs should have a tug with it,
while we should support them, and assist in preventing
the bear from escaping, by wounding it in one of the hind
legs. The surrounding woods now echoed to the blows of
the axemen. The tree was large and tough, having been
girded more than two years, and the operation of felling ifc
seemed extremely tedious. However, it began to vibrato
at each stroke ; a few inches alone now supported it ;
and in a short time it came crashing to the ground, in
BO awful a manner, that bruin must doubtless have felt
the shock as severely as if we should feel a shake of the
globe, produced by the sudden collision of a comet.

The dogs rushed to the charge, and harassed the
bear on all sides. We had remounted, and now sur-
rounded the poor animal. As its life depended upon Jte

SCIPIO AND THE BEAR. 265

courage and strength, it exercised both in the most en-
ergetic manner. Now and then it seized a dog, and
killed him by a single stroke. At another time, a well
administered blow of one of its fore-legs, sent an assail-
ant off yelping so piteously, that he might be looked
upon as hors de combat. A cur had daringly ventured
to seize the bear by the snout, and was seen hanging to
it, covered with blood, whilst a dozen or more scrambled
over its back. Now and then the infuriated animal was
seen to cast a revengeful glance at some of the party,
and we had already determined to despatch it, when, to
our astonishment, it suddenly shook off all the dogs, and
before we could fire, charged upon one of the negroes,
who was mounted on a pied horse. The bear seized the
steed with teeth and claws, and clung to its breast. The
terrified horse snorted and plunged. The rider, an
athletic young man, and a capital horseman, kept his
seat, although only saddled on a sheep's skin tightly
girthed, and requested his master not to fire at the bear.
Notwithstanding his coolness and courage, our anxiety
for his safety was raised to the highest pitch, especially
when in a moment we saw rider and horse come to the
ground together ; but we were instantly relieved, on wit-
nessing the masterly manner in which Scipio despatched
his adversary, by laying open his skull with a single well-
directed blow of his axe, when a deep growl announced
the death of the bear, and the valorous negro sprung to
his feet unhurt.

Day dawned, and we renewed our search. Two of
the remaining bears were soon discovered, lodged in a
tree about a hundred yards from the spot where the last

266 HUNriNG SPORTS OF THE WEST.

one Lad been overpowered. On approaching them in a
circle, we found that they manifested no desire to come
down, and we resolved to try smoking. We surrounded
the tree with a pile of brushwood and large branches.
The flames ascended and caught hold -of the dry bark,
At length the tree assumed the appearance of a pillar
of flame. The bears mounted to the top branches.
When they had reached the uppermost, they were seen
to totter, and soon after, the branch cracking and snap-
ping across, they came to the ground, bringing with
them a mass of broken twigs. They were cubs, and the
dogs soon worried them to death.

The party returned to the house in triumph. Scipio's
horse being severely wounded, was let loose in the field,
to repair his strength by eating the corn. A cart was
afterwards sent for the game. But before we had left
the field, the horses, dogs, and bears, together with the
fires, had destroyed more corn within a few hours, than
the poor bear and her cubs had, during the whole of
their visits.

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR.

THE following is an account of two grizzly bears taken
by General Pike, in the Rocky Mountains, and after-
wards exhibited at the Philadelphia Museum :

These bears were taken in rather a southern latitude,
among the Rocky Mountains ; and they are said to have

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR. 267

been littered about the 1st of March, 1807, which, by the
vvuy, shows that this species produces later in the year
than the Brown Bear. They were so young that they
could take only milk, and in that state they were car-
ried a long distance Pike's account of their conduct
on the march, shows both how they might have been
tamed, and how they were not : — u I had a cage," says
he, " prepared for both, which was carried on a mule,
lashed between two packs ; but I always ordered them
to be let out the moment we halted, and not shut up
again till we were prepared to march. By this treat-
ment, they became exceedingly docile when at liberty,
following my men like dogs through our camps, and
the small villages and forts where we halted. When
well supplied with sustenance, they would play like
young puppies with each other and the soldiers ; but the
instant they were shut up, and placed on the mule, they
became cross, as the jolting of the animal knocked them
against each other, and they were sometimes left ex-
posed to the scorching heat of a vertical sun for a day,
without food or a drop of water, in which case, they
would worry and tear each other, till nature was ex-
hausted, and they could neither fight nor bawl any
longer."

The following is the account of their conduct in the
museum : — " When first received, they were quite small,
but speedily gave indications of that ferocity for which
this species is so remarkable. As they increased in
size, they became exceedingly dangerous, seizing and
tearing to pieces every animal they could lay hold of,
and expressing extreme eagerness to get at those acci-

268 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

dentally brought within sight of their cage, by grasping
the iron bars with their paws, and shaking them vio-
lently, to the great terror of spectators, who felt insecure
while witnessing such displays of their strength. In
instance, an unfortunate monkey was walking over the
top of the cage, when the end of the chain which hung
from his waist, dropped through within reach of the
bears ; they immediately seized it, dragged the scream-
ing animal through the narrow aperture, tore him limb
from limb, and devoured his mangled carcass almost in-
stantaneously. At another time, a small monkey thrust
his arm through an opening in the bear cage, to reach
after some object, one of them immediately seized him,
and, with a sudden jerk, tore the whole arm and shoulder
blade from the body, and devoured it before any one
could interfere. They were still cubs, and very little
more than half grown, when their ferocity became so
alarming as to excite continual apprehension lest they
should escape, and they were killed in order to prevent
such an event."

Upon comparing the account of the soldier, who had
no " story " to tell, but simply the truth, with that of
the museum describer, in regard to these, the same ani-
mals, it cannot fail to strike the reader that there is a
wonderful coincidence between these and the accounts
of similar parties respecting the common hyaena. Every
one who knows anything about domestic economy in the
Dukhun, must be aware that the domestication of the
hyaena as a substitute for the dog, is a very common oc-
currence there ; and the memory which the hyaena at the
Zoological Gardens retained of the kindness of colonel

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR. 260

t

Sykes, after the lapse of two years, and the apparent
joy with which it welcomed him, though he gave it no-
thing, are interesting traits in the animal economy. Yet
this same hyaena has, "time out of mind," been the
" ferocious and untameable " — the very ultimate exam-
ple of unrelenting cruelty .

Some of the habits of the bears and the hyaena are
similar : for instance, they both consume dead carcasses ;
but otherwise, the hyaena is by much the more carnivo-
rous animal of the two, especially in the structure of its
teeth,- and therefore the accounts of the untameable dis-
position of the one animal are no more deserving of ra-
tional credence, than those of the other.

We have no intentions of pleading specially for the
grizzly bear, or for any animal whatever ; but, though it
is nearly exploded among all who study natural history,
there is a great deal of the ridiculous exaggeration intro-
duced by the showmen, still current in the country, and
in so far perpetuated by compilers ; and this remaining
delusion, it becomes our duty, writing as we do for the
public, by every means in our power to dispel. It is
also our duty to mention, for the sake of those who have
not the opportunity of seeing animals in a state of na
ture, or in that semi-freedom which they enjoy in zoolo-
gical gardens, that, in the pigeon-holes of a traveling
caravan, they see only the dwarfed or emaciated forms
of the animals, and nothing whatever of their natural
dispositions. Indeed, if the gentlest mouthpiece of the
menagerie that ever told the terrors of a tiger to the
wondering rustics at a fair, were to get only twelve
months of the tenement and treatment of his beast, he

270 HUNTING SPORTS Otf THE tTEST.

would be the more ferocious animal, and therefore the
better spectacle of the two.

But while we must not judge of the character of the
powerful bear, under notice from the museum account, as
lit tie can we do it from the .accounts of the hunters ; for if
the one shows us an animal soured and irritated by cap-
tivity, the other displays it with all its formidable ener-
gies aroused in defence of its life. Of these accounts
by the hunters, we shall, however, give the substance of
one instance from the expedition of Lewis and Clark, on
the Missouri. One evening, the men in one of the hind-
most of the canoes, perceived a grizzly bear lying on the
open ground, about three hundred paces from the river ;
and six of them, good hunters, went to attack it. They
got within forty paces unperceived, when four fired, all
hitting, and two balls passing directly through the lungs.
The bear sprang up and ran furiously at them with open
mouth, upon which the two hunters who had reserved
their fire, gave it, both hitting, and one breaking his
shoulder blade, which somewhat retarded his motions.
But before they could reload, he came so close upon
them, that they were obliged to make directly for the
river, and before they reached it, the bear was aln/ost
within paw's length. Two jumped into the canoe, and
the other four concealing themselves among the willows,
fired as fast as they could load. They struck him seve
ral times, but that only made him proceed more furiously
in the direction whence the wound came. At last they
were obliged to throw down their guns and p<jujhes, and
jump from a bank twenty feet high, into the liver. But
bruin is more expert both at jumping and swimming,

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR.

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR IN HIS DEN. 275

than even a backwoods' rifleman, so he plunged in after
them, and was almost in the act of seizing the hindmost
man, when one of those on shore shot him through the
head, and he expired. When they dragged him on
shore, they found that eight balls had passed through
his body in different directions.

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR IN HIS DEN

THE every-day sports of the wild woods include many
feats of daring that never find a pen of record. Con-
stantly in the haunts of the savage, are enacting scenes
of thrilling interest, the very details of which would
make the denizen of enlightened life turn away with in-
stinctive dread. Every Indian tribe has its heroes, cele-
brated respectively for their courage in different ways
exhibited. Some for their acuteness in pursuing the
enemy on the war-path, and others for the destruction
they have accomplished among the wild beasts of the
forest. A great hunter among the Indians is a marked
personage. It is a title that distinguishes its possessor
among his people as a prince; while the exploits in
which he has been engaged hang about his person aa
brilliantly as the decorations of so many orders. The
country in which the Osage finds a home, possesses
abundantly the Grizzly Bear, an animal formidable be-
yond any other inhabitant of the North American forests:

an animal seemingly insensible to pain, uncertain in its
18

274 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

habits, and by its mighty strength able to overcome any
living obstacle that comes within its reach, as an enemy.
The Indian warrior, of any tribe, among the haunts of
the Grizzly Bear, finds no necklace so honorable to be
worn as the claws of this gigantic animal, if he fell by
his own prowess ; and if he can add an eagle's plume to
his scalp-lock, plucked from a bird shot while on the
wing, he is honorable indeed. The Indian's "smoke,"
like the fire-side of the white man, is often the place
where groups of people assemble to relate whatever may
most pleasantly while away the hours of a long evening,
or destroy the monotony of a dull and idle day. On
such occasions, the old "brave" will sometimes relax
from his natural gravity, and grow loquacious over his
chequered life. But no recital commands such undivided
attention as the adventures with the Grizzly Bear; and
the death of an enemy on the war-path hardly vies with
it in interest.

We have listened to these soul-stirring adventures
over the urn, or while lounging on the sofa; and the
recital of the risks run, the hardships endured, have
made us think them almost impossible, when compared
with the conventional self-indulgence of enlightened life.
But they were the tales of a truthful man; a hunter,
who had strayed away from the scenes once necessary
for his life, and who loved, like the worn-out soldier, to
"fight his battles over," in which he was once engaged.
It may be, and is the province of the sportsman to
exaggerate; but the "hunter," surrounded by the mag-
nificence and sublimity of an American forest, earning
his bread by the hardy adventures of the chase, meets

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR IN HIS DEN. 275

with toe much reality to find room for coloring — too
much of the sublime and terrible in the scenes with which
he is associated, to be boastful of himself. Apart from
the favorable effects of civilization, he is also separated
from its contaminations; and boasting and exaggeration
are " settlements" weaknesses, and not the products of
the wild woods.

The hunter, whether Indian or white, presents one of
the most extraordinary exhibitions of the singular ca-
pacity of the human senses to be improved by cultiva-
tion. The unfortunate deaf, dumb, and blind girl, in
one of our public institutions,* selects her food, her
clothing, and her friends, by the touch alone — so deli-
cate has it become from the mind's being directed to
that sense alone. The forest hunter uses the sight most
extraordinarily well, and experience at last renders it so
keen, that the slightest touch of a passing object on the
leaves, trees, or earth, seems to leave deep and visible
impressions, that to the common eye are unseen as th*
path of the bird through the air. This knowledge gov-
erns the chase and the war-path; this knowledge is
what, when excelled in, makes the master-spirit among
the rude inhabitants of the woods ; and that man is the
greatest chief who follows the coldest trail, and leaves
none behind by his own footsteps. The hunter in pur-
suit of the Grizzly Bear is governed by this instinct of
sight. It directs him with more certainty than the
hound is directed by his nose. The impressions of the
bear's footsteps upon the leaves, its marks on the trees,
its resting-places, are all known long before the bear ii
* Hartford Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb.

276 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

really seen ; and the hunter, while thus following " the
trail," calculates the very sex, weight, and age with
certainty. Thus it is that he will neglect or choose a
trail ; one because it is poor, and another because it is
email, another because it is with cubs, and another be-
cause it is fat, identifying the very trail as the bear
itself; and herein, perhaps, lies the distinction between
he sportsman and the huntsman. The hunter follows
jis object by his own knowledge and instinct, while the
sportsman employs the instinct of domesticated animals
to assist his pursuits.

The different methods to destroy the Grizzly Bear, by
those who hunt them, are as numerous as the bears that
are killed. They are not animals which permit of a
system in hunting them; and it is for this reason the;?
are so dangerous and difficult to destroy. The experi-
ence of one hunt may cost a limb or a life in the next
one, if used as a criterion ; and fatal, indeed, is the
mistake, if it comes to grappling with an animal whose
gigantic strength enables him to lift a horse in his huge
arms, and bear it away as a prize. There is one terrible
exception to this rule ; one habit of the animal may be
certainly calculated on, but a daring heart only can take
advantage of it.

The Grizzly Bear, like the tiger and lion, have their
caves in which they live ; but they use them principally
as a safe lodging-place when the cold of winter renders
them torpid and disposed to sleep. To these caves they
retire late in the fall, and they seldom venture out until
the warmth of spring. Sometimes two occupy one cave,
but this is not often the case, as the unsociability of the

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR IN HIS DEN. 277

animal is proverbial, they preferring to be solitary and
alone. A knowledge of the forests, and an occasional
trailing for bear, inform the hunter of these caves, and
the only habit of the Grizzly Bear that can with certainty
be taken advantage of, is that of his being in his cave
alive, if at a proper season. And the hunter has the
terrible liberty of entering his cave single-handed, and
there destroying him. Of this only method of hunting
the Grizzly Bear we would attempt a description.

The thought of entering a cave, inhabited by one of
the most powerful beasts of prey, is calculated to try
the strength of the best nerves ; and when it is consid-
ered that the least trepidation, the slightest mistake,
may cause, and probably will result in the instant death
of the hunter, it certainly exhibits the highest demon-
stration of physical courage to pursue such a method of
hunting. Yet there are many persons in the forests of
North America who engage in such perilous adventures
with ho other object in view than the " sport" or hearty
meal. The hunter's preparations to " beard the lion in
his den," commence with examining the mouth of the
cave he is about to enter. Upon the signs there exhi-
bited he decides whether the bear is alone ; for if there
are two, the cave is never, entered. The size.of the bear
is also thus known, and the time since he was last in
search of food. The way this knowledge is obtained,
from indications so slight, or unseen to an ordinary eye,
is one of the greatest mysteries of the woods. Placing
ourselves at the mouth of a cave containing a Grizzly
Bear, to our untutored senses there would be nothing to
distinguish it from one that was empty; but if some

278 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

\

Diana of the forest would touch our eyes, and give ua
the instinct of sight possessed by the hunter, we would
argue thus: "From all the marks about the mouth of
the cave, the occupant has not been out for a great
length of time, for the grass and the earth have not been
lately disturbed. The bear is in the cave, for the last
tracks made are with the toe marks towards the cave.
There is but one bear, because the tracks are regular
and of the same size. He is a large bear; the length
of the step and the size of the paw indicate this; and he
is a fat one, because his hind feet do not step in the im-
pressions made by the fore ones, as is always the case
with a lean bear." Such are the signs and arguments
that present themselves to the hunter; and mysterious
as they Beem, when not understood, when explained they
strike the imagination at once as being founded on the
unerring simplicity and the certainty of nature. It may
be asked, How is it that the Grizzly Bear is so formida-
ble to numbers, when met in the forest, and when in a
cave can be assailed successfully by a single man? In
answer to this, we must recollect that the bear is only
attacked in his cave when he is in total darkness, and
suffering from surprise and the torpidity of the season.
These three things are in this method of hunting taken
advantage of; and but for these advantages, no quick-
ness of eye, no steadiness of nerve or forest experience,
would protect for an instant the intruder to the cave of
the Jrizzly Bear. The hunter, having satisfied himself
about the cave, prepares a candle, which he makes out
of the wax taken from the comb of wild bees, softened
by the grease of the bear. This candle has a large wick,

HUNTING THE GRIZZLY BEAR IN HIS DEN. 27fl

tnd emits a brilliant flame. Nothing else is needed but
the rifle. The knife and the belt are useless; for if a
struggle should ensue that would make it available, the
foe is too powerful to mind its thrusts before the hand
using it would be dead. Bearing the candle before him,
with the rifle in a convenient position, the hunter fear-
lessly enters the cave. lie is soon surrounded by dark-
ness, and is totally unconscious where his enemy will
reveal himself. Having fixed the candle in the ground
in firm position, with an apparatus provided, he lights it,
and its brilliant flame soon penetrates into the recesses
of the cavern — its size of course rendering the illumina-
tion more or less complete. The hunter now places him-
self on his belly, having the candle between the back
part of the cave where the bear is, and himself; in this
position, with the muzzle of the rifle protruding out in
front of him, he patiently waits for his victim. A short
t .me only elapses before Bruin is aroused by the light.
Tne noise made by his starting from sleep attracts the
hmter, and he soon distinguishes the black mass, mov-
irg, stretching, and yawning, like a person awaked from
a deep sleep. The hunter moves not, but prepares his
rifle; the bear, finally roused, turns his head towards
the candle, and, with slow and wading steps, ap-
proaches it.

Now is the time that tries the nerves of the hunter.
Too late to retreat, his life hangs upon his certain aim
and the goodness of his powder. The slightest varia-
tion in the bullet, or a flashing pan, and he is a doomed
tnan. £o tenacious of life is the common black bear,
that it is frequently wounded in its most vital parts, and

HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

will still escape or give terrible battle. But the Grizzly
Bear seems to possess an infinitely greater tenacity of
life. His skin, covered by matted hair, and the huge
bones of his body, protect the heart, as if incased in a
wall ; while the brain is buried in a skull, compared to
which adamant is not harder. A bullet, striking the
boar's forehead, would flatten, if it struck squarely on
the solid bone, as if fired against a rock ; and dangerous
indeed would it be to take the chance of reaching the
animal's heart. With these fearful odds against the
hunter, the bear approaches the candle, growing every
moment more sensible of some uncommon intrusion.
He reaches the blaze, and either raises his paw to strike
it, or lifts his nose to scent it, either of which will ex-
tinguish it, and leave the hunter and the bear in total
darkness. This dreadful moment is taken advantage of.
The loud report of the rifle fills the cave with stunning
noise, and as the light disappears, the ball, if success-
fully fired, penetrates the eye of the huge animal — the
only place where it would find a passage to the brain —
and this not only gives the wound, but instantly par-
alyzes, that no temporary resistance may be made. On
such chances the American hunter perils his life, and
often thoughtlessly courts the danger.

CURIOUS METHOD OF HUNTING THE DEER. 281

CURIOUS METHOD OF HUNTING THE DEER.

IN the great plains between Oakinagan and Spokan,
Bays Mr. Ross Cox, there are at particular seasons num-
bers of small deer. The editor of Lewis and Clarke
classes them as antelopes ; but how much soever they
may resemble those animals in swiftness and shape, their
horns, as described by naturalists, are totally different.
Their flesh is sweet and delicate, and they generally go
in small herds. Towards the latter end of the summer
they are in prime condition, and at that season we had
some excellent sport in hunting them. The Indians,
however, are not satisfied with our method of taking them
in detail. On ascertaining the direction the deer have
chosen, part of their hunters take a circuit in order to
arrive in front of the herd, while those behind set fire
to the long grass, the flames of which spread with great
rapidity. In their flight from the devouring element
they are intercepted by the hunters, and, while they
hesitate between these dangers, great numbers fall by the
arrows of the Indians.

The wolves almost rival the Indians in their manner
of attacking the deer: When impelled by hunger, they
proceed in a band to the plains in quest of food. Hav-
ing traced the direction which a herd have taken, they
form themselves into a horse-shoe line, the extreme
points of which they keep open on the grand ravine.
After some cautious manoeuvring they succeed in turning
the progress of the deer in that direction. This object
effected, they begin to concentrate their ranks, and ulti

282 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

mately hem in their victims in such a manner as to leave
them no choice but that of being dashed to pieces dowc
the steep and rocky sides of the ravine, or falling a prey
to the fangs of their merciless pursuers.

BEAR HUNTING ADVENTURE OF ICHABOD MERRITT,

IN December, 1820, there being a light snow, Merritt,
with two other companions, (one of whom had been a
sailor,) while upon a hunting excursion, came upon the
track of a full grown bear, which, after following for a
time, they found had ascended a huge white-wood for
poplar) tree. This had been broken off some seventy feet
from the ground, and it was supposed that the bear must
have secreted itself within its hollow at the top. Un-
willing to lose their game, and ready for any daring en-
terprise, they looked about for ways and means to accom-
plish their object. They first proposed cutting the tree
down. But this at the root was sound and not less than
eighteen feet in circumference. This with only one axe,
and that a dull one, they could not accomplish that day,
and if left over night the bear would escape. The sailor
proposed that if a smaller tree could be felled and lodged
against the large one, he would climb it to the top and
Bhoot the bear. A beech tree was then cut and lodged
agreeable to their wishes. The sailor, who had often
ascended the waving mast, had now a chance to show his
intrepidity upon a forest tree. He prepared himself for

BEAR HUNTING. 283

the enterprise, and now he began to think should he suc-
ceed in gaining the top and miss his first shot, his situa-
tion would be dangerous in the extreme. The enraged
bear would undoubtedly claim the premises, especially
should it be a she-one with her cubs, she would doubtless
claim her right and title to that elevated position, and a
battle would ensue. In this case all would agree that
the bear would have its choice of location and the advan-
tage of position. In the struggle, too, the beech might
be dislodged from the white-wood, and he would either
fall with it to the ground or be left at the top of the tree.
The first would be certain death, and the other would be
no enviable situation. These were solemn thoughts for
the sailor, and they probably weakened his ne^es so
much that it was found when he attempted to climb, that
he could not ascend, after repeatedly trying, one inch
beyond the assistance of his companions.

This so vexed Merritt that he told him to come down
and he would try what he could do towards climbing the
tree. He then slung his rifle to his hunting belt with the
muzzle downwards and began to ascend the tree. This
he succeeded in doing, and of getting from the topmost
branches of the beech upon the limbs of the white-wo(;d
just high enough to look over in the hollow. It was
dark, and all he could see was a pair of eyes several feet
below him. After informing his companions and charg-
ing them to shoot the bear the moment it came out of
the tree, and that he should depend upon them for pro-
tection if he missed, he fired into the tree, and then re-
treated back into the top of the beech and immediately
reloaded. While doing this the bear with two cubs came

284 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

out of the hollow of the tree. At this moment one of
those below fired, but being so much agitated, he missed.
The cubs took to a limb while the old bear made towards
Merritt. She was in a menacing attitude and but a few
feet above him when he made a second fire. This proved
fatal and the bear fell. In falling she just brushed
against him. Another hunter now coming up shot one
of the cubs, and Merritt at his leisure reloaded and shot
the other. He then succeeded in getting safely to the
ground.

UGLY ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR,

About the middle of May, 1803, a man living seven or
eight miles east of Youngstown, had business that called
him to that place. He started in the morning on foot,
and, having accomplished his business, was on his return
home. When within a mile and a half of his home, he
was attacked by a large bear. Being unarmed and un-
able to outrun the bear, he sprang to climb a small tree.
Before he got out of reach the bear caught him by the
foot ; but having got hold of a limb sufficiently strong,
he held on until he drew his foot from her jaws and got
out of reach. But the bear still kept at the root of the
tree. This was about two o'clock, P. M. The man hal-
looed for help, and was heard by two men who were
splitting rails about half a mile distant. They thought
it was the noise of some wild animal and paid no further
attention to it, until they returned to their cabin in the

ADVENTURES IN THE BACKWOODS. 285

evening; but, as the noise continued, and attending to it
more particularly they, concluding it was the voice of a
person ir distress, took each one his axe and ran in the
direction of the voice, and answered the call. As soon
as they got near enough to understand him, he told them
he was badly wounded by a bear then at the root of the
tree, and not to venture up unless they were armed ; but
they rushed on, and the bear ran off. They carried the
man to his home, where he was confined the most of the
summer.

ADVENTURES IN THE BACKWOODS,

IN the autumn of the year, says an old traveler, I wag
on a journey to the frontier portion of the States, but had
a vast track of the " Backwoods " to travel through. I was
in company with a gentleman, a friend of mine, his wife and
sister; also a maid-servant, who was in the capacity of
nurse, formed one of the party. My friend, who was city
bred, had foolishly enough brought a close carriage with
him, to the back settlements, when he first located himself
there. At the time of our journey, he had resided about
five years in the woods, during which his city-built cha-
riot had never been used. The roads, in fact, rendered
it quite unsafe to use a carriage of that description ; but
now that they were about to visit their city friends, he
was anxious to do so in the style they knew he had for-
merly been accustomed to. I, also, had a carriage;

286 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

but mine was a true backwoods' affair, a regular yarikee
Dearborn wagon, with wooden springs, and a variety of
flaming daubs of paint, laid on with true backwoods'
taste, that is, with no taste at all. There was one thing
about it which amused me exceedingly, and that was, a
fl.iring device, or coat of arms, on the most conspicuous
panel of the machine. The artist had undoubtedly in-
tended it for the British lion and unicorn, but for what
purpose I could not devise, as the wagon was not built
"to order," but for whoever might wish to purchase it ;
and as all kings, princes, and potentates are considerably
below par in Yankee land, I was puzzled to account for this
strange whim of the wagon-maker. He had attempted no
motto : but over the cipher were two "bending plumes," but
the third of the prince of Wales' feathers was omitted, for
there was, in fact, no room for it. The unicorn looked
more like an enormous ram, with a single horn stuck on
the top of his head, than the beast it was intended to
represent ; while the lion was in a recumbent position,
looking over his right shoulder at his neighbor, with a
look which seemed to say, " What strange company bro-
ther Jonathan has introduced me to !" But although
the wagon had been somewhat disfigured with this paint-
ing, yet it had been made of the best white oak and
hickory, and was really a tough and useful conveyance.
With my friend's close carriage, and my own open
wagon, we set forward on our journey ; but the roads
were so exceedingly deep, that the chariot stuck fast in
the mud just as night came on ; and although I took the
whole party into my vehicle, in order to lighten it, my
friend's horses were unable to draw it out. A consider-

ADVENTURES IN THE BACKWOODS. 287

ble delay took place in our vain endeavors ; but finding
it could not be moved, we at last proceeded to the next
house, about four miles, leaving the baggage in the cha-
riot. We had now to get assistance, that is, we pre-
vailed upon the person, at whose house we had arrived,
to send off two pair of oxen, (horses he had none,) an^1.
two of his sons, to bring forward the deserted carriage-,
and about midnight they returned, " all safe uud
clever."

The following morning we set out pretty early, i^tl in
about two hours reached the place where we proposed
taking breakfast. When we drove up to the h( use we
had no obsequious landlord running out to welco 'ne us ;
for on alighting and inquiring for him, Mrs. L',' Barre
(the landlady) told us he was not at home. "Who," I
inquired, " will take care of our horses ?"

To which, she very tartly replied, " Yours« Ives, I
guess; for," continued she, "I shall likely have enough
to do indoors."

Having acted my part of ostler, I repaired "indoors "
to give directions about breakfast, as it had been ar-
ranged that I was to manage such matters. u Mrs. Le
Barre," said I, "we shall want breakfast; what could
you let us have?"

" I guess you can have tea if you wish ; but I must
first get baby quieted."

Now it so happened that my friend, who had been in-
disposed, was obliged to breakfast on tea, while the
young lady breakfasted on coffee ; and to sum up the
matter, my friend's wife never drank either tea or coffee,
but always chocolate ! After baby was quieted, and tea

HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

fairly under way, I ventured to hint, that we shouLi
also require a little coffee, although I announced it with
fear and trembling. But the greatest difficulty yet re-
mained ; and it was not until after many attempts that I
got Mrs. Le B. informed, " that we should also want A
little chocolate."

" Tea, coffee, and chocolate !" exclaimed the aston-
ished woman; and lest some disagreeable salutation
should be offered me, I hastened to the other room,
taking shelter amongst my friends. I never shall for-
get the look mine hostess gave me, when I had an-
nounced chocolate in addition to tea and coffee ; nor do
I suspect that she will ever forget the party that had
the unreasonableness to ask for such an unheard of va-
riety. Since that time I have found it necessary to call
on Mrs. Le B., but never dared to hint that we were old
acquaintances.

The North American wolf is naturally shy, and if we
may place confidence in those stories we hear, of the
ravages committed by the wolves inhabiting some of the
mountainous regions of Europe, he is, by comparison with
his brethren of the Old World, a very harmless sort of
creature. This great mildness of disposition is not, how-
ever, owing to any physical deficiency >; for, although
certainly less voracious than the European wolf, he is
somewhat larger and stronger. In America they are
rarely known to attack human beings ; for, during a
long residence in a district where they were rather nu-
merous, I never was able to make out a clear case where
a person had been attacked by tbein. I have indeed

ADVENTURES IN THE BACKWOODS. 289

heard of persons being pursued, or hunted, as the Ame-
ricans call it, by a number of wolves, but in all such
cases the individuals were on horseback ; and therefore
the probability is, that the wolves pursued the horses,
and not the men. However, from the facts I am about
to relate, it would seem otherwise.

A medical gentleman, residing not far from the Che-
mung river, a tributary of the noble Susquehanna. had,
one night in the middle of winter, been visiting a sick
person at a distance of eight or ten miles from nis own
house. The country in that vicinity was then quite new,
and but very few settlers had encroached on the abcrk
nal forests. The doctor had been accustomed for some
years, to travel through those wild regions at all seasons,
and at all hours, by day and by night, but never had
been in any way molested ; nor had he ever had the
slightest apprehension of danger from the wolves that
were known occasionally to inhabit the surrounding
woods. On the night in question, he set off homeward
at a late hour, as he frequently had been wont to do ;
but before he had proceeded far, he became aware of his
beir g pursued by a gang of wolves. The night was ex-
ceedingly frosty, but clear and star-light. For awhile
they were only heard at a distance, but by-and-by the
doctor could clearly distinguish five or six of them in
full chase within less than twenty rods of him. The
BUG w being pretty deep at the time, he found it was im-
possible to leave them, so he made up his mind to quit
his horse, and ascend the first tree which appeared fa-
vorable for such a purpose. It was not long before

such a one offered, and, permitting his horse to go at
19

290 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

large, he was amongst the branches in a few seconds,
and quite out of the reach of his hungry pursuers. He
never doubted but they would continue in pursuit of his
horse, which he flattered himself, would be able, now
that he was relieved from his load, to make his escape.
But to his surprise, he beheld no fewer than eight large
wolves come round the tree on which he had taken shel-
ter, and, instead of pursuing his horse, quietly awaited
his coming down. Although he had no wish to descend
under such circumstances, he was fully aware of the
fate that awaited him should he find it expedient to remain
until morning in his present situation. To escape from
the effects of the keen frost he knew was impossible, and
therefore he determined to maintain his position, in spite
of the occasional serenading of the party below. What
his feelings were during the night, or how the wolves
contrived to amuse themselves for so many hours, I can-
not precisely state ; but about day-dawn they united in
a farewell howl, and left the poor benumbed doctor at
liberty to descend. With great difficulty he succeeded
in reaching the ground, and with still more, he managed
to reach the nearest dwelling, distant about three miles,
from whence he was conveyed to his own house in
a sleigh. Had his family been aware that the horse
had returned without his rider, they undoubtedly would
have gone in search of the doctor, and most probably
have relieved him from his imprisonment at a much
earlier hour. But although the horse had no doubt
galloped straight to its stable door, the family knew no-
thing of its arrival until daylight returned.

The doctor did not escape without experiencing the

ADVENTURES IN THE BACKWOODS. 291

ill effects of roosting for half a dozen hours in a leaf-
less tree, in a severe North American January's frost;
for a mortification ensuing in both his feet, the only
chance jf saving his life, was by amputating both hid
l^gs. However, the doctor yet lives to narrate his ad-
venture, or as he terms it, "his wolf scrape;" and is one
of the few instances on record in his part of the world
of having been in real danger of becoming a supper for
a few of those hungry animals.

The winter was more than usually severe among the
mountains on the north waters of the Susquehanna. The
snow fell pretty early in the month of December, so that
winter might be said to have set in pretty decidedly some
time before Christmas. I had been on a visit for a few

weeks in the vicinity of S L ; but had accepted

of an invitation to meet a party of my own country-
people, at the residence of my kind friends, Mr. and
Mrs. T , on the last day in December, with an under-
standing that we were "to dance in the new year;" for
even in the back settlements of America, we could at
times meet and dance, and enjoy whatever the country
afforded, forgetting for a time the gayer and more splen-
did scenes we had once been familiar with in our dear
native country. The distance I had to travel was but
six miles; yet the road — if a dim track through the
woods might be so called — was at all seasons bad, now
the snow was so deep that it was rendered still worse, so
that it took a considerable time to get through it. At
that season of the year, the wolves occasionally infest the
neighborhood; and although at all seasons depredations
are liable to be committed upon the small flocks of sheep

292 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

in the vicinity, yet it is in winter, when they p^uk and
hunt together, that the greatest danger is to be appre-
hended. The day previous to my proposed visit, a party
of thirteen (for their numbers were easily ascertained
by their tracks in the snow) had issued from their haunts
in the adjoining forest, and destroyed nearly fifty sheep
belonging to the gentleman with whom I was sojourning.
Although they had probably sucked the blood of the
chief part of the sheep they had killed, they of course
had not been able to devour the carcasses of more than
a fourth part ; it looked as if they had slaughtered them
through sheer wantonness. My invitation to my friends
was to dine, at two o'clock; for it is not customary to
keep to the extremes of fashion in the backwoods. I,
however, for some reason or other, saw fit to defer going
until evening, when, as my road lay close along the edge
of the swamp the wolves were known to inhabit, I stood
a good chance of being serenaded by their wild and
melancholy bowlings, and probably might arouse some
of them from their lairs. My friends pressed me to
travel by daylight, but I kept my determination ; and
just as the shades of evening were closing in, I desired
my horse to be got ready; and when the boy brought
him saddled to the door, he called my attention to the
howling of the wolves, which could be distinctly heard
in the exact direction of the road I had to travel,
although the noise seemed to proceed from a swamp at a
couple of miles distance. Being prepared with a stout
cudgel in lieu of a riding- whip, I mounted my horse, and
set forward, already beginning to repent of having de-
layed my journey until so late an hour. By the time I

ADVENTURES IN THE BACKWOODS. 293

Lad passed the scene of carnage of the preceding day,
and was about to enter the dark and almost trackless
woods, daylight had totally disappeared, and nothing
remained for me but to pursue my way, and make the
best of it.

I had not proceeded far, ere I came to a steep descent,
where the water, from an adjoining spring, had over-
flowed the snow, which was consequently formed into a
continued sheet of ice, all the way down the declivity.
My horse being smooth-shod, I deemed it safer to walk ;
therefore, dismounting and taking the bridle in my hand,
I endeavored to lead the way down the slippery path
Before, however, I had got half way to the bottom, awaT
slid both my feet, and down I came. My horse was sj
started at the suddenness of my fall, that he made a
spring to one side of the track, lost his footing, and came
down close beside me. But in the spring he made when
I fell, from my hand being fast in the bridle, I was
jerked back some distance up the hill with such force,
that, when I recovered a little from the shock, I felt fully
persuaded that my shoulder was dislocated. We both,
however, gathered ourselves up as well as we were able ;
and there we stood, in no condition to protect ourselves
from the wolves, should they see fit to attack us ; for
from the way in which my horse stood, I was afraid that
he had suffered still more damage than myself. When
the pain of my shoulder had somewhat subsided, I
examined it more minutely, and convinced myself that it
was not dislocated; but the severe wrench had injured
it so much, that I had no hope of making use of that arm
during the remainder of my ride. And as regarded my

294 HUNTING SPORTS OP THE WEST.

horse, I was pleased to find that he still possessed the
use of his four legs, although one of them moved with less
ease than it had done before. Having contrived to get
to the bottom of the descent, I again mounted, with
extreme difficulty — for I could only use my left hand — •
in which I had to grasp both the bridle and my war-club.
Had the wolves attacked us we should have been in con-
siderable danger ; for I found, on proceeding, that one
of my horse's fore-legs was severely sprained: but either
they were not aware of our condition, or they were in no
need of a supper; for on getting beyond the confines of
the swamp, I aroused several of them from their quiet
hiding-places; and instead of stopping to scrutinise me
and my horse, away they ran through the thick under-
wood, while I hallooed with all my might, giving every
tree within the reach of my club, a good left-handed blow
or two. In this manner, I continued along the dim and
unbroken track, feigning to be a very hero, — although I
candidly confess that I only recollect one or two instances
in my whole life when I felt so thoroughly intimidated.
Afterwards, I could not help thinking that I had only
received the reward of my folly, — for I had sprained my
own shoulder severely, — injured my horse's leg, — disap-
pointed myself of the pleasant society of my friends for
a few hours, — and all this for the credit of being able to
boast of having dared to ride past the "wolf swamp"
after night-fall, when it was known that thirteen ravenous
wolves were inhabiting it.

HINTING A BLACK BEAR IN HIS DEN. 293

HUNTING A BLACK BEAR IN HIS DEN.

ON a cold and cloudy day in January, 1804, I sur-
veyed a tract of one thousand acres of land on the Little
Miami, which included the Old Chillicothe town, about
three miles north of this place, assisted by William and
John Stevenson, or Stinson, as they were commonly
called, as Chainmen, both of whom were old hunters.

In running the back line of the survey, which was
mostly through a large thicket, I was about one hundred
yards in advance of the chainmen and marker. Having
halted to set the compass, my attention was attracted by
a pile of fresh earth at the root of a large white-oak
about twenty yards distant, which had fallen several
years before ; the trunk of which gradually rose from the
root till about twenty-five feet back, it was elevated
several feet from the ground. A small dog which ac-
companied us ran to the place and commenced barking
quite fiercely. I hastened to see what the dog had dis-
covered, and, springing upon the fallen tree, and looking
over it, I discovered a large bear snugly ensconsed in his
den within six feet of where I stood, staring at me with
no very pleasant countenance, which induced me to **e-
treat in double-quick time ; but finding I was not pur-
sued, I halted when I reached the compass that I had
left standing.

The chainmen and marker hastened up, and inquired
what was the cause of my running so fast ? Upon in-
forming that I had found a bear, they accompanied me
back to the log, which we all mounted and had a fair

296 BJNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

view cf him in his den, while he calmly returned our
gaze, without showing any sign of either fear or hostility ;
supposing, no doubt, that his den was impregnable, as the
tree in falling had raised several cart-loads of earth on its
roots, which time had settled in the shape of a regular
mound ; under which he had excavated a cavern several
feet in depth, sufficiently large to turn round in and to
lodge comfortably.

A council of war was held forthwith to devise a plan
for attacking Bruin. One, proposed by John Stinson,
was with the marker's tomahawk and my steel-pointed
Jacob staff; but William Stinson, the oldest and most ex-
perienced hunter of the party, objected, saying, that from
his great size and strength, if the bear was insulted with
such puny weapons, he would certainly be the death of
some of us ; and this plan was abandoned by common
consent. "What then was to be done ? To leave him
undisturbed in his nest was not to be thought of by old
hunters. After further hurried consultation, it was
agreed that John should go home for his gun and dogs,
while the rest remained to keep watch over Bruin's
movements.

Accordingly, John set off at a long trot, while we who
remained kindled a fire and patiently waited for his re-
turn. In about an hour he gave notice of his approach
by a shout, which we promptly answered. He was ac-
companied by William McFarland, a near neighbor, both
on horseback, armed with their trusty rifles, and followed
by some half dozen of dogs of known pluck and eager
for a row. Our armed heroes, on joining us, hastily dis-
mounted and were rejoiced to hear that Cuffey still re-

HUNTINQ A BLACK BEAR IN JUS DEN.

mained in his den. John claimed as his right the honoi
of leading the attack and giving the first shot, and in-
stantly mounted the log, while I at the same moment fol-
lowed his example and stood close behind him. Unfor-
tunately, his nerves had become so much disturbed by his
long race and the excitement of the moment, that when
lie raised " Betty," as he called his rifle, to his shoulder,
he could not hold her steady, but shook and wabbled so
much that he hesitated for some seconds to shoot. See-
ing the tremor which had seized him, I entreated him to
give me the gun ; but this he refused. I then told him
to make a sure shot, and "give it to him" above the
eyes ; he instantly fired, and the ball only glanced the
side of his mouth, although the muzzle of his gun was not
more than three feet f -om the bear's head. " Quick as
wink" he gave a u t emendous " snort and sprang at
John, who at the same moment jumped off the log and
fell at full length on the ground. We all thought his
hour was come, as the bear, with open mouth, flew on
him, but fortunately, McFarland, on seeing John's trepi-
dation before he fired, had cocked his gun and, before
Bruin could seize his prostrate foe, put the muzzle
against his side and shot him through the lungs, while
the dogs seized him at the same instant and saved John's
life. After a brief scuffle with the dogs, whom he
knocked about as if they had been mere puppies, while
the blood flew in streams from his side, mouth, and nose,
he entered his cavern and soon breathed his last. On
dressing him, he was found to be in prime order, and
Weighed near four hundred pounds.

298 HUNTING SPOETS OF THE WEST.

ADVENTURES OF AN ENGLISH SPORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES.

WE found tolerable accommodations in the Charleston
Tavern, and the landlord was civil after a manner — which
means no manners at all. Our advent created some little
sensation, no little questioning, and a monstrous deal of
incredulity as to our motives of travel. Strange, that in
this new world, they won't allow a poor idle Briton to go
gaping about, doing gobe mouche, as he does in the old !
AVe found the little western hamlet not entirely destitute
of amusement on the evening of our arrival ; for in the
next house to our inn, on one side, a most absurd legal
cause was in process of trial before a justice, — a case of
" Fiddlers " versus " Dancers," wherein the former
claimed compensation from the latter for professional la-
bor? at a certain house-warming; and wherein, after
much noisy and nasal balderdash from a couple of rival
attorneys, the steward of the ball was compelled to pay
the piper. And, on the other hand, the neighboring
house was brilliantly lighted up for a phrenological lec-
ture, which was numerously attended. It is somewhat
singular that a practical people like the Americans should
affect so intangible a science, yet they certainly do so in
an extraordinary degree. Most things are good in their
way, and in their place ; and I will confess that the in-
genious theories of Gall and Spurzheim have had their
charms for me ; but to be followed up, and pelted with
skulls and crossbones, is the height of boredom ; and
8uch was the craniological uproar from morn till night in
the Charleston Tavern, as to be perfectly " assommant."

AN ENGLISH SPORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES. 29S

The enthusiastic lecturer, followed by a train of disciples,
carried about with him, whether in bar, bed-room, or
reading-room, a couple of thick skulls — besides his own ;
and had each been furnished with a tongue, a more un-
ceasing gabble of "organs," " developments," "propen-
sities," could not have been sustained. If we entered hia
presence, a dead silence ensued — a score of eyes perused
our craniums — and I verily believe, the singularly ample
brow of one of our party would hardly have escaped for-
cible manipulation, had we not ordered our wagon, and
changed the scene and subject for a most refreshing
drive.

Most beautiful was the course we took down the river,
and through the small village of Geneva, — nowise like
its ancient namesake, unless in its republicanism ! Hav-
ing feasted our eyes upon all the scenic perfections pos-
sessed by a slow silver stream, gliding between high and
woody banks, ruddy with Autumn's tints, and dotted
with lovely islands, we again returned to Charleston,
having during our drive marked our shooting-ground for
the morrow.

The following day, keeping to the woods, we had some
tolerable sport, quail-shooting — not heightened by a tho
rough wetting, — bagging about seventy head of game,
chiefly those birds ; but finding, on inquiry, that there
was no farmer on the neighboring prairie whose dwelling
could accommodate three strangers, — and further, the
weather changing for the worse, and thereby warning us
to change our front to the eastward, we resolved to re-
turn with our friend Barns to Elk Grove, and thus secure
t mode of retreat to Chicago at a moment's notice. On

800 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

regaining our hotel, after a long and wet day's -work, I
looked forward with some complacency to a good night's
rest. Vain hope ! — our ruthless man of skulls had con-
verted the bar-room, separated by a thin deal floor from
my chamber, into his Golgotha, and harangued a half-
drunken audience till long after midnight, to the utter
expulsion of the balmy god. I did not pray for him that
night ! Even the hardy Barns never closed an eye. Had
a dozen whooping "Redskins" of the prairie rushed upon
the nocturnal orgies of the Professor, and commenced their
own peculiar experiments upon his cranium, I would not
have pulled a trigger in his defence !

On the 8th of October, we left Fox River, and, by a
fresh route across the plains, commenced our retreat.
Crossing the "Nine-mile Prairie," there was scarcely a
stick of timber, a hut, or other object, within the range
of vision. Now and then our driver would draw our at-
tention to an almost invisible atom on the " billowy
plain," which proved to be a single horseman hunting for
his cattle, turned out to graze on the fenceless pastures.
Anon, we descried afar off, a heavy canvass-topped
wagon, crawling slowly westward, like a huge white mag-
got— its interior filled with the personnel and materiel
of a migrating family. On approaching us, eager faces
were protruded from the rude vehicle ; and earnest in-
quiries regarding distances, the " chills and fever "
(ague.) or other equally urgent matters, were shouted
out. Many a weary mile had these adventurous people
traveled from their late home towards the setting sun ;
and they were now, perhaps, drawing nigh the bourne
of their pilgrimage !

AN ENGLISH SPORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES. 301

The next object on the boundless waste that attracted
our gaze was a group of tall cranes, or herons — prairie
turkeys, the squatters call them — looming gigantic in
their solitude, and at intervals dancing, with absurd
gravity, a kind of .iiinuet — no! mazourka is the word.
The bowing and pirouetting of these solemn-looking bi-
peds made us all laugh heartily. I fancied them so many
Principals of Colleges, unbending after their academic
labors. Our borderer assured us that the prairie turkeys
seldom meet on the green without getting up a dance.
My attempt to treat them to a ball of another description
proved a failure, for before I arrived within range,
they broke up their party, and swooped heavily away.
How I longed at that moment for my fleet Arab and my
long-winged Bheiree ! * Never saw I a country so per-
fectly adapted to Falconry, — and there flew the quarry
famed for the finest of flights ! The ardent sportsman
might spur his steed for miles over these plains without
once removing his eyes from their aerial chase ; and it
must be his fault if he lose his hawk for want of riding, —
unless, indeed, it should chance to get spitted by its
sharp-billed foe, no uncommon incident in heron-flights.
But "hold hard " Pen ! or I shall soon be in the thick
of a hawking digression. Besides, in a few days I shall
have enough of this ever-prevailing pastime on board a
Yankee steamboat !

Our second appi oach to Elk Grove was greeted
warmly by the ladies of that sylvan retreat; for we
brought back the Padrone with us. During the two fol-

* The bird used in India for long flights,

802 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

lowing days we enjoyed a very good grouse-shooting:
beating fresh ground on the rolling prairie, about three
miles from our temporary home, and sacking fifty-six
brace of prairie hens, and a few quail. The weather was
cool and breezy — the birds plentiful, though wild — and
the undulating form of the ground proved much more
favourable to marking than the uniform flat prairie was
found to be.

A great drawback to prairie grouse shooting, is
the unavoidable waste of game. Four or five brace
of these heavy birds are quite load enough for the
shooter to carry, and will fill to the throat any ordinary
game-bag. Nor do these distant plains afford the vigi-
lant "cad" of the English country village, or the "slip
of a b'y " of the Irish hut, in aid of the sportsman's
shoulders. Not to us was the pleasing importance of
the British grouse shooter, as he packs, directs, and
despatches his valued hamper to some expecting friend !
We had no southron patron, no parliamentary voter, to
propitiate through the palate ! — no cormorant tradesman
to whose monetary impatience a sop might be thrown
from a distant moor ! Occasionally, therefore, when
we were not fortunate enough to fall in with the cottage
of some settler, who was willing to exchange a draught
of milk for a brace or two of birds, we found ourselves
obliged to abandon part of our game to the kite and the
prairie wolf. What else was to be done ? Humanity
and the member for Galway would exclaim, " Kill no
more than you and your friends can eat !" Not more
fruitless is the usual injunction of the careful mamma to
the Indian cadet, to " wear flannel, and save money ! '

AN ENGLISH SPORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES. 303

yet both are most right, most reasonable, most impossi-
ble to obey ! Our only consolation lay in the delight
shown by the farmers at the havoc we made among the
enemies of their grain crops.

In more than one lonely log hut, when driven thereto
for food or shelter, we found young and strikingly
pretty women, spinning or cooking, whilst the good man
worked in the fields ; and although they seemed some-
times a little startled by the unwonted appearance of a
"gentleman sportsman," their cheese, milk, and buck-
wheat bread, were always most liberally offered; nor
could they be persuaded to receive payment. Marryat,
in awarding to the America*! fair the title of the "pret-
tiest women in the world," (the epithet guardedly chosen,
no doubt) does not, so far as I have had occasion of
judging, give them more than their due. On these
savage prairies, even, I noted more than one "western
flower," that, transplanted to more civilized regions,
would not have disgraced the choicest parterre.

I have named the waste of game as a serious draw-
back to the prairie shooter ; but in the opposite scale, I
must throw the delightful sense of independence and
freedom with which he treads the springy sod of the
prairie, and inhales its healthful breezes. He shoota
without leave or "license." He feels himself lord or
Nature's manor, the sporting inheritance of the "younger
son." He flatters no muir-owning laird, he fees no
peculative keeper, and should he see a couple of strap-
ping young fellows, marching straight upon his position,
he expects no rough warning to quit the property ; on
the contrary, one of them (so it happen ^d to me) per-

804 HUNTING SP )RTS OF THE WEST.

haps civilly asks to be allowed to look on at the sport,
as he had never seen "shooting on the wing:" whilst
the other, with a bow that would have been creditable
to a Stanhope, a Cavendish, or a Paget, invites you to
beat the coverts round his domicile on the morrow, and
tc dine at "his poor cottage," at two o'clock, an invita-
tion which the former urges you to accept, with the whis-
pered hint that his friend's " sisters are the finest gurh
in the section, and his pork first rate !"

It was with no little regret, that on the llth of Octo-
ber, forced away by bad weather, we bade adieu to Elk
Grove ; and, turning our backs upon the Far West, were
driven by our faithful friend Barns, through a perfect
hurricane of wet to Chicago. Under such meteorologi-
cal auspices, I cannot say that the prairie wore a plens-
ing aspect. Our horses could hardly be brought to face
the pitiless storm — a mouse could not have found shel-
ter in a dozen miles, and the poor prairie liens, battered
by the storm, and flying about in despair, had no leisure
to rejoice over the retreat of their worst enemies, our
selves. What must be a mid-winter journey on these
plains ? the sleigh-borne traveler steering by com-
pass across a trackless sea of snow, and through a fog
of sleet !

In our return down the lakes, we were most fortunate
in our vessel — the Illinois being a splendid, well-formed,
and extremely fast boat, and the captain precisely the
character fitted to rule the crowds of wild customers who
frequent his decks. Huge in person, and rough and
resolute in manner, though attentive in all essentials to
his passengers ; I don't know that anything could be

AN ENGLISH SPORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES. 305

more characteristic of his style, than the significant sim-
plicity of the single word " Blake," in gold letters over hia
cabin door, instead of the invariable u Captain's Cabin."
It reminded us of all the awful notices, " Spring-guns
Bet here," or "Beware the dog," of the old country. I
thought of our own old Blake, too, and of his famous
apophthegm, " Sailors must not mind politics, but only
keep foreigners from fooling us."

At Mackinaw, that gem of the Lakes, so warmly and
deservedly lauded by Mrs. Jamieson, we enjoyed a stroll
of two hours on shore, visiting the fort, now held by a
small garrison of United States' Artillery, and the
ruined redoubt of the British, on the very pinnacle of
the island, from which a most striking prospect, embracing
an extensive archipelago of wooded isles, lies spread be-
neath the spectator. The beauty of this island is more
remarkable from its possessing so happy a foil in the
hideous and distnal shores, of neighboring Michigan.

Running at the rate of twelve knots down Lake Hu-
ron, and darting like a kingfisher along the rapid stream
of Detroit river, our swift vessel reached the city of that
name, on the evening of the 15th ; a passage of about
sixty-seven hours from Chicago. From Detroit, I was
tempted to accompany my brother-sportsman of the 34th,
to Amherstburgh, the present station of that regiment ;
whilst my regimental friend, whose home was more at-
tractive than mine, pursued his course to the Falls. The
annual races were going on at Amherstburg, on my arri-
val,* and the quail shooting was at its height, so that I

* I had, by my arrival at this place, the great satisfaction of ac-
complishing an object which 1 had long set my heart upon, namely, the
20

306 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

was fortunate as to season, and passed some very pleas
ant days there. The races took place on an excellent
course, formed by the 34th, on the glacis of Fort Mai-
den ; and on the very ground rendered famous by bloody
conflicts, maintained during the last and former wars by
the British, French, Canadians, Americans, and Indians,
a vast concourse of these several people were now met
in amity tc enjoy the sports. The Indians stood some-
what aloof from the crowd, and did not seem much in-
spired by the equestrian exploits ; but the French and
Yankees joined zealously in the amusements. Among
the "Red skins," I noted not a few erect and actively-
made fellows, painted, feathered, and tinselled, and look-
ing as proud as peacocks. In the evening I met one of
the objects of my admiration staggering homeward from
the race-course, uproariously drunk ! Where was now
the proud gait and dignified reserve of the descendant
of Tecumseh ? Where, indeed ! A drunken Indian is,
in iny eyes, almost as loathsome a sight as a drunken
woman ; and of the disgust with which the spectacle im-
presses me, not a little may be placed to the account of
the civilized Briton who first taught the "noble savage"
the brutalizing use of the fire-water. I will hereupon
give the United States government, in two words, a hint
for their conduct of the Florida war. Let them lay
whiskey on the " war-path "of their Indian foes — a more
potent agent than less " villainous saltpetre," or the
West Indian bloodhound, proposed to be employed

visiting of this Ultima Thftle of Her Majesty's Western dominions, as
*. had done, eleven years before, that of her Eastern, the passes of th«
Hiumliya Mountains.

AN ENGLISH Sl-ORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES. 307

against them. Poisoning wells would, to be sure, be
hardly a more unrighteous mode of warfare ; but what
feature of this most unwarantable, and hitherto unsuc-
cessful conflict, is otherwise than unrighteous ?

The sport most novel to me, at the Maiden races, was
a trotting match on horseback, a la Yankee — three
L irses, and heats of three miles — merciless work, ridicu-
lous and ungraceful as a spectacle, and destructive of
all the romance, if there be any, of horsemanship. The
English regulation of backing the wheels in harness, and
turning the horse in riding, should the trot be broken,
is not observed, nor indeed, necessary in this country ;
for an American trotter loses speed by galloping.

Amherstburg is an excellent shooting quarter ; snipe
and wild fowl are in swarms, woodcock and quail abund-
ant, the latter, the finest of the species I have ever seen ;
and wild turkeys and deer are to be had by a little la-
bor. Among the officers of the 34th, there are many
keen sportsmen, arid good shots, and the destruction of
game must be considerable. My best day's sport at
this place, amounted to fourteen brace and a half of quails,
a couple of ducks, a woodcock, and, though last not least, as
my shoulders can testify, a wild turkey. On the follow-
ing day, I got another of this noble kind of feathered
game; and on each occasion was much favored by luck,
for I shot them both in fields of Indian corn — my charge
an ounce of quail-shot — instead of hunting for them in
the woods, to the abandonment of smaller game, and
using ball or slugs, as is usually necessary. A very
uncommon opportunity of killing, right and left, wild
turkeys on the wing, was given to me on the second

308 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

day, and had my second barrel been loaded with an Ely's
cartridge, some of which I had with me, it is probable
that, giving myself credit for ability to hit a haystack at
thirty yards, the gigantic gobbler (the cock bird is so
called by the natives) would, as in life, so in death, have
been united with his feathered, and I may add, fat and
fair partner. The addition to my shooting-book of the
wild turkey, is so far satisfactory, that I believe I may
now boast of having bagged, in their natural state, and
in their native clime and covert, each kind of the " fea-
thered tribes domestic," that strut or flutter in the
English farm-yard, from the royal peacock, now seldom
fieen on festive board, to the diminutive and pie-frequent-
ing pigeon.

The country and soil around Amherstburg, are such
as would please the eye of the tourist, the sportsman,
and the settler. The banks of the river are picturesque,
game is most abundant, the land extremely rich, the
crops plentiful, and the timber, among which, I must
beg to include the mahogany of the 34th mess ! — unex-
ceptionable.

On the 24th of October, at eight P. M. precisely, with-
drawing my legs from under the above-named hospitable
board, I drained a glass of Pickwick's favorite liquor,
(need I particularize " cold punch ?") to the health of
that gallant regiment, at whose mess I was not suffered
to feel, like the worthy philosopher above mentioned,
when in the pound, that I " hadn't got no friends," and
was rowed, in the dark, by the garrison crew, alongside
the Buffalo steamer, up whose lofty side I was hauled,
hand over hand, by the passengers, as she backed her

BEAR HUNTING IN ARKANSAS. 309

paddles, though still going six or eight knots, to pick
me up.

BEAR HUNTING IN ARKANSAS,

The following incidents occurred to Mr. Gerstaecher,
(whose narrative we have already quoted,) while he was
hunting and traveling in Arkansas.

Arkansas was overrun at this time with a number of
bad characters, gamblers, drunkards, thieves, murderers,
who all thought that the simple-minded backwoodsmen
were easier to be cheated than the wary settlers in the
older states. This circumstance had given so bad a name
to Arkansas, that many thought all its inhabitants went
about armed to the teeth with pistols and bowie-knives ;
but I have traversed the State in all directions, and met
whh as honest and upright people as are to be found in
any other part of the Union.

On the 24th of October, two heavily laden carts ar-
rived, each drawn by one horse : they contained all sorts
of things useful for settlers. Their owners are called
peddlers, and they ask high prices for their goods, and
are said to make a good thing of it. S. bought only a
few trifles.

S., having sold most of his cattle, decided on parting
with this farm, and removing to Oiltrove bottom. Our
contract having been dissolved by Uhl's departure and
my frequent sickness, was no longer to be thought of

810 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

Preparations were made for moving ; S. had heen already
to White river and made his purchase. When about to
start, we found that two more oxen were necessary : we
had four, but the load was too heavy with such soft boggy
roads. So we rode into the woods, and drove a couple of
wild bulls into the inclosure, threw nooses over their horns,
and fastened them to trees. They made tremendous ef-
forts to free themselves, jerking the leather thongs with
all their force ; and when they found all their struggles
were in vain, they threw themselves on the ground and
bellowed with rage. Thus they remained all the day and
night, during which we gave them nothing but a little
water to quench their thirst. About nine o'clock next
morning they were yoked each with a steady old hand ;
the whips cracked, voices shouted, and partly from the
shower of blows that fell on them, partly dragged along
by their stout companions, after four or five hours' use-
less opposition, they went as well as if they had done no-
thing all their lives but draw a cart.

The heavy wagon made slow progress along the muddy
tracts, softened by the autumnal rains. We arrived at
White river on the morning of the 4th of November, and
had to wait on the bank till evening, as it was blowing a
storm, and it would have been dangerous to trust the
heavy wagon to the ferry-boat .in such weather.

White river is beyond all dispute the most beautiful
river of Arkansas. Its clear waves form a striking con-
trast to those of the Mississippi and Red rivers; only to-
wards its mouth the banks are low, and the land swampy ;
higher up it is enclosed by picturesque hills. It rises in
the Ozark mountains, in the northwest angle of the State,

WHITE RIVER AND ITS NEIGHBORHOOD. 311

where there is game in abundance ; it divides into two
arms, one of which falls into the Mississippi, and the
other into the Arkansas.

As the wind fell, the dry cold air changed into a damp
fog, which soon turned to rain, and we were glad to find
shelter under the roof of a free negro, wTho kept a sort of
tavern. Merry peals of laughter resounded from the well-
lighted room, where a bright fire was blazing, and very
comfortable did its warmth appear to us after our expo-
sure to the weather. Three jovial looking fellows were
sitting round it, telling stories, and roaring with laughter.
Three long American rifles, with their shot-belts hanging
on them, leaning in a corner, showed that the party, if
not regular woodsmen, were at least out on a shooting
excursion. A half empty whiskey-bottle stood on the
table, and after a short conversation, I learnt that the
little fat man, with sparkling eyes and ruby nose, sitting
enjoying himself in the corner, and making constant love
to the whiskey-bottle, was Magnus the distiller, who,
with a couple of friends, was on his way to the swamps,
from whence we came, for the sake of buffalo hunting.
The little man drank my health, and amused me very
much with his drolleries. He could think of nothing but
buffaloes, swore only by buffaloes, made bets in buffalo-
skins, estimated every thing by their value, and tor-
mented the small modicum of understanding which the
whiskey had left in his brains, to devise how he should
be able to transport at the greatest advantage the skins
of all the buffaloes he meant to kill.

It was all in vain that I attempted to give him an idea
of the almost impenetrable swamps, of the difficulty of

* 12 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

finding the few buffaloes which were there, and of the al-
most impossibility when found of bringing their skins or
any other part away ; his countenance bore the same
joyous, amicable expression as before. When I had
finished my remarks, he handed me the bottle, which 1
put to my lips without drinking. In a voice trembling
with emotion, he assured me that he was prepared to ven-
ture every thing, even life itself, for the sake of killing a
buffalo, and when life was at stake, who could take into
consideration a few insignificant swamp-holes or thorns J
And then, as it struck him that he was a father of a fa-
mily, his voice became weaker and more tremulous, his
emotion increased, a flood of tears gushed from his eyes,
and before I was aware, the little round figure was hang-
ing to my neck. The heavy weight forced from me a
fli^h, which he took for sympathy, and he began to squeeze
go hard that I was afraid I should be suffocated, when
tis two friends, who had been more moderate with the
bottle, sprang to my rescue. But this was no easy matter,
and as he clung to me he cried out, " Let me alone ! he's
my friend — he, he will save me ! " I escaped from him
by a sudden wrench, and his companions carried him off
to bed, he all the while throwing about his little fat arms
and legs, and called them good-for-nothing buffalo dogs.
Then he again began to whine and cry, the sounds
changing gradually, first into a groan and then into a
Snore.

We arrived at the new farm about noon next day,
and found the former proprietors loading their wagon.
They took their leave in the afternoon, and left as a
memorial, an incredible quantity of dirt. As soon as

MAGNUS, THE GREAT BUFFALO HUNTER. 313

our wagon was cleared, and the things under cover, S.
returned with the two drivers for another load, leaving
me in the house alone. It was in the midst of a thick
forest, with a field of about seven acres, surrounded bj
the largest trees. But I had not much time to contem-
plate the beauties of nature, for, in unloading and stow-
ing away, the hours had flown on the wings of the wind.
The sun had set before I had collected wood from the
forest to keep up a fire for the night, or had had time tc
prepare my supper ; the la,tter duty did not take long,
for my whole store of provisions consisted of maize flour,
dried venison, and wild honey.

Darkness, thick darkness, lay upon the slumbering
earth : yielding up my imagination to the memorials of
old times. I drew the solitary chair to the blazing fire,
took out my zither, and with soft mournful tones, soothed
the home-sickness which in loneliness forces itself on the
heart. After a time, overcome by fatigue, I extended
myself on my buffalo skin before the fire, and soon a
succession of fantastic dreams flitted across my brain.
The little fat distiller sat with me and mine in a garden
at Leipzig, relating all the hardships and dangers which
he had undergone at the buffalo hunt, while my dear
mother listened to him with astonishment ; many other
loved forms were sitting round a large table, each with
tlnir coffee before them, when we were all disturbed by
a loud knocking at the gate, and started up to see what
was the matter, except the little distiller, who laugh-
ingly told us it was only a tame buffalo that he had tied
up at the gate. The knocking growing louder and louder,
I jumped up in alarm : the fire was burnt out, thick

314 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

darkness surrounded me, but the repeated loud knocking
shook off the remains of sleep, and I hastened to the
door.

One of the drivers who had left the day before,
stepped into the room, his teeth chattering with ague.
I made haste to light the fire, which soon burnt up
brightly, and then looked to my patient^ who had sunk
down on a chair, telling me with a weak voice that
his last hour was come. Luckily, I had some coffee at
hand, and made him drink a couple of cups, as hot as
possible, sweetened with honey. He then threw himself
on the skin and was soon asleep. Next day he was
somewhat better, and we passed the time as well as we
could, till S. should come with his second load. I
employed myself in collecting wood for the fire, and
in shooting turkeys, to make our provisions last.
After a week, during the last iays of which, we had
lived on turkeys and pumpkins, taking the latter which
were very sweet and delicate, from the field of a neigh-
bor at no great distance, S. arrived with the rest
of his property, cows, horses, pigs, geese, cats, chickens,
and dogs. Then there was all the bustle of arranging
and settling, and then another attack of ague, which
seemed regularly to have fixed itself on me in this un-
healthy country. I bore up against it, but was not well
enough to mount a horse till the 20th of November,
when I took a ride of four or five miles with my rifle,
for a breath of fresh air.

These swamps and morasses partly realize the idea
which Europeans entertain of the primitive forest, but
in which they are frequently deceived, for the simple

SWAMPS. 315

reason, that on th<? higher dry grounds, which are co-
vered with dry leaves and wood, fires are often made,
not only by shooting parties, but by the settlers, for the
sake of the grass, which comes up all the sooner, when
all these enormous quantities of leaves, &c., have been
burnt ; and the fire does not consume the young plants
only, but considerably checks the growth of the oldei
trees, excepting in the marshes, where the ground even
in'surnmer is moist ; and there the trees grow to a colos-
sal grandeur, I have seen some measuring seven, e^ght,
and even nine feet in diameter.

Towards evening I saw a young buck, walking quietly
and circumspectively through the wood ; I dismounted
and left the horse to graze at leisure, while I crept
nearer. He stopped when he saw the horse pawing the
ground, raised his handsome head, and snuffed the air ;
my ball whistled through his ribs, and he fell lifeless to
to the ground. Weak as I was, it was some time before
I could lift the not very large animal on to the horse,
when I rode slowly homewards. Just before dark, I
shot a turkey with the other barrel, and did not load
again, not expecting to get another shot so late in the
evening. The full moon set its soft silvery light among
the dark shadows of the trees, to point out my path. I
might have ridden for about an hour and a half through
the thick forest, on my heavily laden horse, and had
gained a cattle track, which led to the house ; the still-
ness of the night was broken by the cow-bells, the bay-
ing of the dogs, and the neigh of my horse, in expectation
of a good supper, when there was a sudden rustling
among the bushes on my right: I pulled up, and a herd

316 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

of swine rushed in wild haste across the path, just in
front of me. I was about to ride on when I heard fur-
ther rustling amongst the dry leaves, and then one of
largest bears of the swamps stood in the path, not above
six paces from my horse's nose. He did not seem to
to know what to make of the figure looming through the
glade of the forest, by the light of the moon, and began
to snuff the air. My rifle was not loaded, and the
thought flashed upon me that I should have to fight it
out with my knife ; but I resolved first to try and send
him a bit of lead. I placed the butt of my gun on my
left toe, and succeeded in loading ; but as I was about
to place the copper cap, the- horse, who had hitherto
stood quite still, seemed inclined to examine the object
before him a little closer, and giving a snort made a step
forward. Master bruin, however, did not seem to like
this, and with one bound he was in the jungle. Having
finished my loading, I slipped off my horse, and crept
into the bushes to get a shot if possible. I may have
gone about twenty paces over the dry leaves, when I
stood still to listen. Not the slightest sound was to be
heard ; though I was firmly convinced that the bear
could not be above ten paces off, for the leaves were so
dry that if he had gone further I must have heard it.
I raised my foot gently to make another step forward,
when the bear who had been standing so motionless4>e-
fore me, that I took him for the root of a fallen tree,
almost brushed my face, and took himself off with a
growl ; before I could recover from my surprise, he had
disappeared.

I returned, quite disappointed, to my horse, who re-

HUNTING WITH AN UNLOADED GUN. 317

mained quietly grazing, and rode away with two good
resolutions in my head, — first, never to go a step with
my gun unloaded ; secondly, to seek a nearer acquain-
tance with Bruin on the morrow, if possible.

On the 22nd of November, I was early afoot, and al-
though the weather was cold and disagreeable, I set oif
with a neighbor and eleven dogs, full of joyous hopes.

Bear-shooting in America differs according to the time
of the year, and the habits of the animal. It was now
late in the autumn, almost winter, so that they could be
hunted with dogs. Well mounted, with not less than
from four to about eight or ten dogs, the hunters seek in
the thickest and most unfrequented parts of the forest
the favorite haunts of the bear. The men ride slowly
through the thorns and creepers, the dogs seeking in all
directions till they find a fresh trail, or a bear breaks
cover, when they follow up in fall cry. If the bear is
fat he seldom runs far, but takes to a tree, or shows
fight ; if there are not dogs enough to master him, he
knocks them over and continues his flight. If he takes
to a tree, his fate is soon sealed by the rifle.

We had ridden along quietly for about an hour, when
the dogs gave tongue, and started off, we after them as
well as we could. My horse was an old hand at it, and
I had nothing to do but to sit fast as he leaped the fallen
trees, and try to avoid the creepers, which however often
checked, and sometimes threw us.

Keeping up with the dogs was out of the question. I
had long lost sight of my companion ; I listened, and it
appeared that the bear had turned to the left, towards
the river ; could he reach it, he was safe, — it was too

318 HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

cold for the dogs — besides, they would hardly venture
to swim, and we also must have remained on the bank.

I changed my course to cut him off, and luckily hit
upon one of the cattle tracks that cross the wood in all
directions. Once clear of the thorns, we went at a good
pace, and soon heard the pack approaching. Suddenly
the horse swerved to one side with a snort, and the bear
burst out of the thicket. The moment he saw the horse,
he stopped short and gave a deep growl. I had sprung
off, and the bear had hardly stopped, when my ball was in
his shoulder. The pack was close upon him, and he sum-
moned all his strength to escape from the dogs ; but the
wounded shoulder checked his pace, the dogs attacked
him, and he rose on his hind legs to oppose them. I
could not venture a second shot for fear of injuring some
of them, so charged him with my knife, and plunged it
from behind the shoulder into -his heart ; this, with the
furious bites of the dogs, soon ended his life.

My companion arrived at this moment, tired to death,
all torn with the thorns, and his horse covered with foam.
He was not a little vexed at coming too late ; however,
he helped to break up the bear, and strip off his skin, —
and as each of us had a bag under the saddle, we divided
the prize, and rode slowly home. The carcase is always
equally divided amongst the hunters ; the skin belongs
to the first shot.

COL. CROCKETT'S ENCOUNTHR WITH A BSAR. 319

COLONEL DAVID CROCKETT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR.

Itf his autobiography * the Colonel gives the following
story. His dogs had once attracted his attention to a
tree where there was no game. He thus proceeds :

When they saw ine coming, away they went again ;
and, after a little time, began to bark as before. When I
got near them, I found they were barking up the wrong tree
again, as there was no game there. They served me in
this way three or four times, until I was so infernal mad,
that I determined, if I could get near enough, to shoot
the old hound at least. With this intention I pushed on
the harder, till I came to the edge of an open prairie, and
looking on before my dogs, I saw in and about the big-
gest bear that ever was seen in America. He looked, at
the distance he was from me, like a large black bull. My
dogs were afraid to attack him, and that was the reason
they had stopped so often, that I might overtake them.
They were now almost up with him, and I took my gob-
blers from my back and hung them up in a sapling, and
broke like a quarter horse after my bear, for the sight
of him had put new springs in me. I soon got near to
them, but they were just getting into a roaring thicket,
and so I couldn't run through it, but had to pick my way
along, and had close work even at that.

In a little time I saw the bear climbing up a large
black oak tree, and I crawled on until I got within about
eighty yards of him. He was sitting with his breast to

*Life of Colonel David Crockett, published by G. G. Evans,
Philadelphia, 1859.

22° HUNTING SPORTS OF THE WEST.

me ; and so I put fresh priming in my gun, and fired at
him. At this he raised one of his paws and snorted
loudly. I loaded again as quick as I could, and fired as
near the same place in his breast, as possible. At the
crack of my gun here he came, tumbling down , and the
moment he touched the ground, I heard one of my best
dogs cry out. I took my tomahawk in one hand, and
my big butcher-knife in the other, and .run up within
four or five paces of him, at which he let my dog go, and
fixed his eyes on me. I got back in all sorts of a hurry,
for I know'd if he got hold of me, he would hug me al-
together too close for comfort. I went to my gun and
hastily loaded her again, and shot him the third time,
which killed him good.

I now started for home, and got my brother-in-law, and
my young man, and four horses, and went back. We got
there just before dark, and struck up a fire, and com-
menced butchering my bear. It was some time in the
night before we finished it; and I can assert, on my honor,
that I believe he would have weighed six hundred pounds.
It was the second largest I ever saw. I killed one, a few
years after, that weighed six hundred and seventeen
pounds. We got our meat home, and I had the pleasure
to know that we now had plenty, and that of the best ;
and I continued through the winter to supply my family
abundantly with bear-meat and venison from the woods,

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