TREEING A BEAR. 19 



and that a dull one, they could not accomplish that day, and 

 if left over night the bear would escape. The sailor pro- 

 posed that if a smaller tree could be felled and lodged against 

 the larger one, he would climb to the top and shoot the bear. 

 A beech tree was then cut and lodged agreeably to their 

 wishes. The sailor, who had often ascended the waving 

 mast, had now a chance of showing his intrepidity upon a 

 forest tree. He prepared himself for the enterprise, and now 

 he began to think should he succeed in gaining the top, and 

 miss his first shot, his situation would be dangerous in the 

 extreme. The enraged bear would undoubtedly claim the 

 premises, especially should it be a she one with her cubs, 

 she would doubtless claim her right and title to that elevated 

 position, and a battle would ensue. In this case all would 

 agree that the bear would have its choice of location and the 

 advantage of position. In the struggle, too, the beech might 

 be dislodged from the white-wood, and he would either fall 

 with it to the ground, or be left at the top of the tree. The 

 first would be certain death, and the other would be no en- 

 viable situation. These were solemn thoughts for the sailor, 

 and they probably weakened his nerves so much that it was 

 found when he attempted to climb, that he could not ascend, 

 after repeatedly trying, one inch beyond the assistance qf his 

 own companions. 



This so vexed Merritt, that he told him to come down, and 

 he would try what he could do towards climbing the tree. 

 He then slung his rifle to his hunting belt, with the muzzle 

 downwards and began to ascend the tree. This he succeeded 

 in doing, and in getting from the topmost branches of the 

 beech upon the limbs of the white-wood, just high enough to 

 look over into the hollow. It was dark, and all he could see 

 was a pair of eyes several feet below him'. After informing 

 his companions and charging them to shoot the bear the mo- 

 ment it came out of the tree, and that he should depend upon 

 them for protection if he missed, he fired into the tree, and 



