166 pioneer life; 01?, 



scent of any thing lie desires, x ae takes it, regard- 

 less of traps, and thus falls an easy prey. I have 

 described the manner of constructing bear-houses, 

 in another chapter. When berries and nuts are to 

 be found, he doe? not leave the woods, but in the 

 absence of these he helps himself without ceremony 

 to any sheep, calf or hog that may come within his 

 reach. If a bait is hung even within a few rods of 

 a dwelling, they will come for it, if they scent it. In 

 one instance a bear took a hog weighing one hundred 

 and fifty pounds from a sty within four rods of the 

 dwelling. The bear came in the early part of the 

 evening, and broke down the roof of the sty, the 

 hog protesting so loudly against the proceeding that 

 the man in the house heard his squeals, but suspect- 

 ing the cause, he did not dare to venture out and 

 face the bear, as he had no gun. About half an 

 hour after, I passed the place, and the man informed 

 me of what had occurred. I told him he should 

 have attacked the bear with an axe, if he had no 

 gun. He replied that he did not wish to risk him- 

 self in such company, without a good weapon. On 

 my way I passed the residence of a young naan 

 whom I sent back with a gun. The two went in 

 pursuit of the bear, and found him feasting on the 

 hog, in a thicket, not more than twenty-five rods 

 from the house. They fired and the bear rushed 

 with a loud growl out of the thicket. Men and dogs 

 took to their heels, but on visiting the spot in the 

 morning the bear was found dead. He was very 

 largo, and the skin was valuable, and as he had 



