100 THE PINE-TREE, OR 



ance of a natural knot, but the dissecting process at the saw- 

 mill exposes the imposition. 



Much of this timber is hollow at the butt, affording in some 

 instances fine winter retreats for bears, where they den. We 

 have a high time of it when we chance to make such a discov- 

 ery. "A few rods from the main logging road, where I worked 

 one winter," said Mr. Johnson, " there stood a very large Pine- 

 tree. We had nearly completed our winter's work, and it still 

 stood unmolested, because from appearances it was supposed to 

 be worthless. While passing it one day, not quite satisfied with 

 the decision that had been made upon its quality, I resolved to 

 satisfy my own mind touching its value ; so, wallowing to it 

 through the snow, which was nearly up to my middle, I struck 

 it several blows with the head of my ax, an experiment to test 

 whether a tree be hollow or not. When I desisted, my attention 

 was arrested by a slight scratching and whining. 



" Suspecting the cause, but not quite satisfied, I thumped the 

 tree again, listening more attentively, and heard the same noise 

 as before : it was a bear's den. Examining the tree more close- 

 ly, I discovered a small hole in the trunk, near the roots, with a 

 rim of ice on the edge of the orifice, made by the freezing of the 

 breath and vapor from the inmates. 



" Satisfied now of the character of the prisoners, I communi- 

 cated my discovery at once to the rest of the crew, who imme- 

 diately left their work and ran like a pack of hounds, jumping 

 and leaping through the deep snow. We kicked the snow away 

 from the roots to learn the place of entree, which we plugged up 

 with bits of wood, after removing the frozen dirt and turf with 

 which it was closed. We next cut a hole into the tree, about four 

 feet from the ground, some eight or ten inches in diameter ; into 

 this a pole was thrust, to ' stir them up' and prepare them to 

 thrust their heads out below when the hole should be opened 

 again 



