THL HK. UKAK OF ARKANSAS. 83 



The evening was nearly spent by the ineidcuts wc 

 have detailed ; and conscious that my own association 

 with so singular a personage would probably end before 

 morning, 1 asked him if he would not give me a descrip- 

 tion of some particular bear hunt ; adding, that I took 

 great interest in such things, though I was no sports- 

 man. The desire seemed to please him, and he squared 

 himself round towards me, saying, that he could give me 

 an idea of a hear hunt that was never beat in this world, 

 or in any other. His manner was so singular, that half 

 of his story consisted in his excellent way of telling it, 

 the great peculiarity of which was, the happy manner he 

 had of emphasizing the prominent parts of his conversa- 

 tion. As near as I can recollect, I have italicized the 

 words, and given the story in his own way. 



"Stranger," said he, "in bear hunts I am 7iu?Jierot(s^ 

 and which particular one^ as you say, I shall tell, puz- 

 zles me. 



" There was the old she devil I shot at the Hurri- 

 cane last fall — then there was the old hog thief I pop- 

 ped over at the Bloody Crossing, and then — Yes, I have 

 it ! I will give you an idea of a hunt, in which the 

 greatest bear was killed that ever lived, nofie excepted ; 

 about an old fellow that I hunted, more or less, for two 

 or three years; and if that aint a. 2mrticifh(r bear hiifU, 

 I ain't got one to tell. 



" But in the first place, stranger, let me say, I am 

 pleased with you, because you aint ashamed to gain in- 



