44 BEAES AND BEAR-TRAPS. 



miles ; and the ingenuity and constructive talent of my 

 friend and companion, Mr Brown, had another oppor 

 tunity of manifesting themselves. By the aid of ropes 

 and young pines from the woods, the body of the car 

 riage was, after the lapse of some time, propped up, and 

 we were able to recommence our unprosperous journey. 



While wandering in the woods, during our detention 

 on the high-road, I stumbled upon a bear-trap, which 

 some of the settlers had fitted up, and baited with a 

 bit of salt-fish. It was very simply constructed with 

 newly-felled trees, and so contrived that a tug at the 

 bait would bring down a heavy log across the neck of 

 the animal, and kill or strangle him on the spot. There 

 are many bears still in the woods of New Brunswick, 

 all, according to Dr Gessner, of the species known as 

 the black bear of Canada, (Ursus americanus.) They 

 live chiefly on berries in summer, but will sometimes 

 attack cattle, sheep, and hogs. A reward of three dol 

 lars (15s. currency) is therefore offered by the province 

 for every bear s nose / and the sum paid out of the pro 

 vincial treasury for these noses amounted, in 1846, to 

 300 ; in 1847, to 225 ; and in 1848, to 385. From 

 400 to 500 of these animals, therefore, must be killed 

 every year.* 



It is a curious circumstance, in connection with the 

 wild animals of New Brunswick, that the fallow-deer 

 (Cervus virginianus) was not known in the province prior 

 to the year 1818, when it and the wolf (Lupus occi- 

 dentalis] appeared together. The deer is supposed to 

 have been driven and followed into the province by the 

 wolves, which have since been at times very numerous, 

 and destructive to the flocks. The first wolf seen in 



; - &quot; The flesh of the bear is savoury, but rather luscious, and tastes 

 not unlike pork. It was once so cojnmon an article of food in New 

 York as to have given the name of Bear Market to one of the principal 

 markets in the city.&quot; l)e Kay. 



