491 



HUXTKD WITH FLAILS AND PITCHFORKS. 



This hunt was engaged in by many men who col- 

 lected from far and near on a given day. The majority 

 were armed with flint-lock guns, but many in the ranks 

 were armed with no such weapons, and llu^y carried 

 axes, pitchforks, clubs, and even flails. These rude 

 weapons were made good use of on the march and in 

 the round up one man, Sj'lvant Decker, covered him- 

 self with honor by despatching two Bears with his 

 flail, but only after a liard battle with each animal. A 

 flail in the hands of Jacobus VanSickle, vv^as used to 

 crush the head of an immense buck as it attempted to 

 rush by; gaunt, snapping Wolves, and gauie-devouring 

 Foxes were killed in numbers with clubs and pitch- 

 forks. 



COL. STEVENS' FAMOUS HUNT. 



In 1818 Colonel Adin Stevens conceived the idea of 

 a big hunt. He collected together early in the morning 

 of December 4th. about 1,000 settlers, who formed in 

 line and marching from all directions, covering a large 

 circle of ton-itory. they proceeded, making all the noise 

 possible by blowing horns, etc., to a high knoll of 

 about three acres, which was reached late in the aftei'- 

 noon. 



"As the hunters drew in around this knoll they killed one 

 hundred and fifty deer, fifteen bears, fifty wolves, and no end 

 of foxes. Thirty deer escaped through one gap in the ranks. 

 .\mong Colonel Stevens" hunters was Major Thereon Darling, 

 a veteran of the Revolution. He was a man over six feet 

 tall. In the chase of one of the deer on the knoll, a big doe. 

 Major Darling stood still, waiting for the deer to be driven his 

 way. He stood with his long legs wide apart. Suddenly the 

 doe started toward him. ducked her head and rushed between 

 the ATajor's legs, that being the most available opening she 

 saw for escape. The contact threw the Major forward on the 



