456 " YELLOW BEAR. 



character is established ; after which his alliance 

 is as much courted as that of the most valiant 

 captain. 



" They now proceed on their way in a direct 

 line ; neither rivers, marshes, or any other impe- 

 diments, stop their course; driving before them 

 all the beasts which they find in their way. When 

 they arrive in the hunting-ground, they surround 

 as large a space as their company will admit, and 

 then contract their circle, searching, as they con- 

 tract, every hollow tree, and every place fit for 

 the retreat of the Bear, and continue the same 

 practice till the time of the chase is expired. 



te As soon as a Bear is killed, a hunter puts 

 into its mouth a lighted pipe of tobacco, and, 

 blowing into it, fills the throat with the smoke, 

 conjuring the spirit of the animal not to resent 

 what they are going to do to its body, nor to 

 render their future chases unsuccessful. As the 

 beast makes no reply, they cut out the string of 

 the tongue, and throw it into the fire: if it 

 crackles and runs in (which it is almost sure 

 to do), they accept it as a good omen; if not, 

 they consider that the spirit of the beast is not 

 appeased, and that the chase of the next year will 

 be unfortunate. 



" The hunters live well during the chase, on 

 provisions which they bring with them. They 

 return home with great pride and self-sufficiency ; 

 for to kill a Bear forms the character of a com- 

 plete man. They give a great entertainment, 

 and now make a point to leave nothing. The 



