THE BEAR "MONARCH. " 191 



boys rode about looking for bear, and one 

 of them lassoed an eagle that had water 

 logged himself and was sitting stupidly on 

 a rock by the creek. The bird measured 

 nine feet across the wings. Messrs. Louis 

 and Taylor, owners of the Mutaw, received 

 the party hospitably and assisted in the 

 work of preparing the trap. But Mr. Tay 

 lor forgot where he had put some of his 

 poison, and in forty-eight hours all the 

 dogs in the place, including the Examin 

 er's two hounds, were stiffened out and 

 turned up their toes. Chopping off their 

 tails and pouring sweet oil down their 

 throats did not restore them. 



No chance to lasso a bear presented it 

 self, and as soon as the trap was completed 

 and baited with two live pigs the party 

 returned to Pine Mountain. 



At last it became evident that the bears 

 on Mount Pinos could not be enticed into 

 a trap while they had their pick and choice 

 of the thousands of sheep that grazed on 

 the mountain. They preferred to do their 



