138 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



of all nations (not always the cream of the nations either) 

 have a right to play with the English language, which is 

 not their exclusive property. 



While looking for game on the shores of one of the 

 small lakes, we suddenly came on a large bear, which 

 must have been lying asleep amid the bushes. Bruin 

 went off with such a rush that before we recovered 

 our startled nerves he had almost got completely under 

 cover again. Several random shots were sent after him, 

 but I suspect that he suffered but little hurt. At all 

 events he got away. Subsequent experience convinced 

 me that this is the usual conduct of the black bear when 

 surprised. He bolts, and sometimes cuts a remarkably 

 comical figure in his haste to escape. On the other hand, 

 it is beyond question that he does occasionally turn 

 aggressor, and make attacks on men. I think this only 

 happens where he has not been much disturbed, and has 

 not yet learned how formidable an antagonist man is ; or 

 perhaps the maddening effects of extreme hunger may 

 account for these occasional displays of rash ferocity. I 

 think I have forgotten to remark that the black bear 

 (and I believe all other bears) neither sees nor hears 

 well ; and yet, by means of some sense or instinct, he can 

 discover when there is a nest of wild bees in a tree, and 

 will ascend to plunder it, taking absolutely no notice of 

 the angry owners, which, it is clear, are incapable of 

 stinging him to any great purpose. I suspect the bear 

 also climbs trees in search of raccoons ; but, on the 

 whole, bears in America rarely leave the ground. When 

 the nest of the bees is placed on a branch, away from the 

 trunk, the bear will not venture, after it unless he is 

 quite assured that the branch is strong enough to sustain 

 his weight. If taken when a cub the black bear will become 

 as tame and attached to its owner as a dog ; and though 

 apt to be rather rough in play, never develops any of its 

 natural ferocity. I have known several settlers who kept 

 such bears for years. 



