flashes the gloom of the forest round about。
CHAPTER II。
THE BLACK BEAR。
Next to the whitetail deer the black bear is the commonest and most
widely distributed of American big game。 It is still found quite
plentifully in northern New England； in the Adirondacks； Catskills；
and along the entire length of the Alleghanies； as well as in the
swamps and canebrakes of the southern States。 It is also common in the
great forests of northern Michigan； Wisconsin； and Minnesota； and
throughout the Rocky Mountains and the timbered ranges of the Pacific
coast。 In the East it has always ranked second only to the deer among
the beasts of chase。 The bear and the buck were the staple objects of
pursuit of all the old hunters。 They were more plentiful than the
bison and elk even in the long vanished days when these two great
monarchs of the forest still ranged eastward to Virginia and
Pennsylvania。 The wolf and the cougar were always too scarce and too
shy to yield much profit to the hunters。 The black bear is a timid；
cowardly animal； and usually a vegetarian； though it sometimes preys
on the sheep； hogs； and even cattle of the settler； and is very fond
of raiding his corn and melons。 Its meat is good and its fur often
valuable； and in its chase there is much excitement； and occasionally
a slight spice of danger； just enough to render it attractive； so it
has always been eagerly followed。 Yet it still holds its own； though
in greatly diminished numbers； in the more thinly settled portions of
the country。 One of the standing riddles of American zoology is the
fact that the black bear； which is easier killed and less prolific
than the wolf； should hold its own in the land better than the latter；
this being directly the reverse of what occurs in Europe； where the
brown bear is generally exterminated before the wolf。
In a few wild spots in the East； in northern Maine for instance； here
and there in the neighborhood of the upper Great Lakes； in the east
Tennessee and Kentucky mountains and the swamps of Florida and
Mississippi； there still lingers an occasional representative of the
old wilderness hunters。 These men live in log…cabins in the
wilderness。 They do their hunting on foot； occasionally with the help
of a single trailing dog。 In Maine they are as apt to kill moose and
caribou as bear and deer； but elsewhere the two last； with an
occasional cougar or wolf； are the beasts of chase which they follow。
Nowadays as these old hunters die there is no one to take their
places； though there are still plenty of backwoods settlers in all of
the regions named who do a great deal of hunting and trapping。 Such an
old hunter rarely makes his appearance at the settlements except to
dispose of his peltry and hides in exchange for cartridges and
provisions； and he leads a life of such lonely isolation as to insure
his individual characteristics developing into peculiarities。 Most of
the wilder districts in the eastern States still preserve memories of
some such old hunter who lived his long life alone； waging ceaseless
warfare on the vanishing game； whose oddities； as well as his courage；
hardihood； and woodcraft； are laughingly remembered by the older
settlers； and who is usually best known as having killed the last wolf
or bear or cougar ever seen in the locality。
Generally the weapon mainly relied on by these old hunters is the
rifle； and occasionally some old hunter will be found even to this day
who uses a muzzle loader； such as Kit Carson carried in the middle of
the century。 There are exceptions to this rule of the rifle however。
In the years after the Civil War one of the many noted hunters of
southwest Virginia and east Tennessee was Wilber Waters； sometimes
called The Hunter of White Top。 He often killed black bear with a
knife and dogs。 He spent all his life in hunting and was very
successful； killing the last gang of wolves to be found in his
neighborhood； and he slew innumerable bears； with no worse results to
himself than an occasional bite or scratch。
In the southern States the planters living in the wilder regions have
always been in the habit of following the black bear with horse and
hound； many of them keeping regular packs of bear hounds。 Such a pack
includes not only pure…bred hounds； but also cross…bred animals； and
some sharp； agile； hard…biting fierce dogs and terriers。 They follow
the bear and bring him to bay but do not try to kill him； although
there are dogs of the big fighting breeds which can readily master a
black bear if loosed at him three or four at a time； but the dogs of
these southern bear…hound packs are not fitted for such work； and if
they try to close with the bear he is certain to play havoc with them；
disemboweling them with blows of his paws or seizing them in his arms
and biting through their spines or legs。 The riders follow the hounds
through the canebrakes； and also try to make cutoffs and station
themselves at open points where they think the bear will pass； so that
they may get a shot at him。 The weapons used are rifles； shotguns； and
occasionally revolvers。
Sometimes； however； the hunter uses the knife。 General Wade Hampton；
who has probably killed more black bears than any other man living in
the United States； frequently used the knife； slaying thirty or forty
with this weapon。 His plan was； when he found that the dogs had the
bear at bay； to walk up close and cheer them on。 They would instantly
seize the bear in a body； and he would then rush in and stab it behind
the shoulder； reaching over so as to inflict the wound on the opposite
side from that where he stood。 He escaped scathless from all these
encounters save one； in which he was rather severely torn in the
forearm。 Many other hunters have used the knife； but perhaps none so
frequently as he； for he was always fond of steel； as witness his
feats with the 〃white arm〃 during the Civil War。
General Hampton always hunted with large packs of hounds； managed
sometimes by himself and sometimes by his negro hunters。 He
occasionally took out forty dogs at a time。 He found that all his dogs
together could not kill a big fat bear； but they occasionally killed
three…year…olds； or lean and poor bears。 During the course of his life
he has himself killed； or been in at the death of； five hundred bears；
at least two thirds of them falling by his own hand。 In the year just
before the war he had on one occasion； in Mississippi； killed sixty…
eight bears in five months。 Once he killed four bears in a day； at
another time three； and frequently two。 The two largest bears he
himself killed weighed； respectively； 408 and 410 pounds。 They were
both shot in Mississippi。 But he saw at least one bear killed which
was much larger than either of these。 These figures were taken down at
the time； when the animals were actually weighed on the scales。 Most
of his hunting for bear was done in northern Mississippi； where one of
his plantations was situated； near Greenville。 During the half century
that he hunted； on and off； in this neighborhood； he knew of two
instances where hunters were fatally wounded in the chase of the black
bear。 Both of the men were inexperienced； one being a raftsman who
came down the river； and the other a man from Vicksburg。 He was not
able to learn the particulars in the last case； but the raftsman came
too close to a bear that was at bay； and it broke through the dogs；
rushed at and overthrew him； then lying on him； it bit him deeply in
the thigh； through the femoral artery； so that he speedily bled to
death。
But a black bear is not usually a formidable opponent； and though he
will sometimes charge home he is much more apt to bluster and bully
than actually to come to close quarters。 I myself have but once seen a
man who had been hurt by one of these bears。 This was an Indian。 He
had come on the beast close up in a thick wood； and had mortally
wounded it with his gun； it had then closed with him； knocking the gun
out of his hand； so that he was forced to use his knife。 It charged
him on all fours； but in the grapple； when it had failed to throw him
down； it raised itself on its hind legs； clasping him across the
shoulders with its fore…paws。 Apparently it had no intention of
hugging； but merely sought to draw him within reach of his jaws。 He
fought desperately against this； using the knife freely； and striving
to keep its head back； and the flow of blood weakened the animal； so
that it finally fell exhausted； before being able dangerously to
injure him。 But it had bitten his left arm very severely； and its
claws had made long gashes on his shoulders。
Black bears； like grislies； vary greatly in their modes of attack。
Sometimes they rush in and bite； and again they strike with their
fore…paws。 Two of my cowboys were originally from Maine； where I knew
them well。 There they were fond of trapping bears and caught a good
many。 The huge steel gins； attached by chains to heavy clogs；
prevented the trapped beasts from going far； and when found they were
always tied tight round some tree or bush； and usually nearly
exhausted。 The men killed them either with a little 32…calibre pistol
or a hatchet。 But once did they meet with any difficulty。 On this
occasion one of them incautiously approached a captured bear to knock
it on the head with his hatchet； but the animal managed to partially
untwist itself； and with its free fore…arm made a rapid sweep at him；
he jumped back just in time； the bear's claws tearing his clothes
after which he shot it。 Bears are shy and have very keen noses； they
are therefore hard to kill by fair hunting； living； as they generally
do； in dense forests or thick brush。 They are easy enough to trap；
however。 Thus； these two men； though they trapped so many； never but
once killed them in any other way。 On this occasion one of them； in
the winter； found in a great hollow log a den where a she and two
well…grown cubs had taken up their abode； and shot all three with his
rifle as they burst out。
Where they are much hunted； bear become purely nocturnal； but in the
wilder forests I have seen them abroad at all hours； though they do