136 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



The country in which the Osage finds a home pos- 

 sesses abundantl}' the grizzly bear, an animal formidable 

 beyond any other inhabitant of the North American 

 forests — an animal seemingly insensible to pain, uncer- 

 tain in its 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 hon- 

 orable to be worn as one formed of the claws of this 

 gigantic animal, slain by hLs 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 break the monotony of a dull 

 and idle day. On such occasions, the old " brave " will 

 sometimes relax from his natural gravity, and grow lo- 

 quacious over his checiuered life. But no recital com- 

 mands such undivided attention as the adventures with 

 the grizzly bear — even 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 — 



