BEAR HUNTING. 



taken from the comb of wild bees, softened by the grease of the 

 Bear. This candle has a large wick, and emits a brilliant 

 flame. Nothing else is needed but the rifle ; the knife and the 

 belt are useless, for if a struggle should ensue that would make 

 it available, the foe is too powerful to mind its thrusts before 

 the hand using it would be dead. Bearing the candle before 

 him, with the rifle in a convenient position, the hunter fearlessly 

 enters the cave, he is soon surrounded by darkness, and is totally 

 unconscious where his enemy will reveal himself Having 

 fixed the candle on the ground in a firm position, with an appa- 

 ratus provided, he lights it, and its brilliant flame soon pene- 

 trates into the recesses of the cavern, its size of course render- 

 ing the illumination more or less complete. The hunter now 

 places himself on his belly, having the candle between theback 

 part of the cave, where the Bear is, and himself; in this posi- 

 tion, with the muzzle of the rifle protruding out in front of him, 

 he patiently waits for his victim. A short time only elapses 

 before bruin is aroused by the light ; the noise made by his 

 waking from sleep attracts the hunter, and he soon distinguishes 

 the black mass, moving, stretching and yawning, like a person 

 awakened from a deep sleep. The hunter moves not, but pre- 

 pares his rifle ; the Bear, finally roused, turns his head towards 

 the candle, and with slow and waddling steps approaches it. 

 Now is the time that tries the nerves of the hunter ; too late to 

 retreat, his life hangs upon his certain aim and the goodness of 

 his powder. The slightest variation in the bullet, or a flashing 

 pan, and he is a doomed man. So tenacious of life is the com- 

 mon Black Bear, that it is frequently wounded in its most vital 

 parts, and still will escape, or give terrible battle. But the 

 Grizzly Bear seems protected by an infinite greater tenacity of 

 life ; his skin, covered by matted hair, and the huge bones of 

 his body, protects the heart as if encased in a wall, while the 

 brain is buried in a skull compared to which adamant is not 

 harder. A bullet striking the Bear's forehead would flatten if 

 it struck squarely on the solid bone, as if fired against a rock ; 

 and dangerous indeed would it be, to take the chances of 

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