16 



which sometimes are very large, often covering many acres. It is 

 perhaps needless to say, that when ripe, a field of sugar-cane is 

 almost as dark and dense a mass of vegetation as even the tropics 

 can produce. 



Into these luscious thickets come the bears at night, silently 

 when en route, for then they might be turned back, and at once 

 proceed to business, utterly regardless of the vile noise of the sugar 

 mills ; one of which, at least, is in the corner of every field, two or 

 three in a large one, working while the cane is ripe by day and night 

 for weeks together without intermission except perhaps for an hour 

 at dawn, on rude wooden screws, which roughly hewn out of logs 

 of timber, make a woful creaking to be heard for an immense dis- 

 tance on a still night, and, as an old Ooriah farmer once expressed 

 himself, causing the bears to " feel as if they had stones in their 

 ears," t. e., as if they were deaf. 



It is very easy to find where the bears are, as if sought for, they 

 sometimes three together, (dam and two nearly full-sized cubs to 

 wit) may be heard making their way through or pulling down and 

 munching the canes, but it is almost impossible to get a shot, for 

 the brighter the moon outside the blacker and nearer the color of 

 Bruin's coat is the impenetrable gloom within, while he is quite 

 cunning enough to keep perfectly still when any one approaches 

 him, and to look out for a clear line of country when he chooses his 

 starting place to the nearest safe cover at daybreak,- therefore 

 although the temptation to go out is not often resisted, the results 

 are seldom satisfactory. 



Often after mess on a moonlight night during the cold season 

 some excited Ooriah would run into Russelcondah to tell us that 

 bears were in his field perhaps so close that we could hear his mills 

 at work. Guns, horses and blankets were forthwith ordered out ; 

 and one, or perhaps two or three of us would start for the mill 

 which, the detestable creaking set aside, was a pleasant spot to visit. 



The cane was crushed between two large screws working 'by 

 means of bullocks, three or four relays of which, fed on the refuse 

 cane were always on the spot. The expressed juice was led into 

 large earthen pots which as soon as filled were set upon a roaring 

 fire, always burning at the mill, and thus the coarse sugar 



