THE BLACK BEAR. 231 



ei^icure, and he expected to pick up upon tlie road 

 a bear or so, and to gather a stock of wihl honey. 

 The captain had an excessive fondness for this 

 sweetmeat. 



The prospect of getting the honey also proved 

 sufficiently tempting to a stout little man who, like 

 myself, had only recently arrived in the States, and 

 on the day fixed for starting, he presented himself 

 before the party figged out in the most extraordinary 

 fashion, armed with two old pistols and a spear, 

 which he maintained was the best possible weapon 

 against a bear. From his saddle-bow depended a 

 large tin box, destined to receive the honey which 

 he expected to gather on the mountains. Thus 

 equipped he appeared to be the most determined 

 of us all. It was in vain that we endeavoured to 

 persuade him to replace his spear by a rifle ; he 

 obstinately refused to do so, and in spite of our 

 jokes he maintained that he would do such wonders 

 with the spear that he would put to shame all those 

 who carried fire-arms. So saying, he drove liis 

 spurs into the sides of his short-tailed pony and 

 started off at a gallop, with all the party at his heels. 



It doesn't take long for artillerymen to get ready 

 for such an expedition. Every man was indeed 

 fully equipped for whatever might happen. A rifle, 

 a brace of pistols, a hunting-knife, a tin porringer, 

 a gourd-bottle, a buffalo robe, a lasso, a bridle, 

 saddle, and spurs, formed the necessary provision. 



