46 FIFTY YEARS A HUNTER AND TRAPPER. 



and soon became separated and it so happened that I was the only 

 one to get a deer during the day. When I got to camp I found 

 Benson was not in yet, so I did not tell, that I had killed a deer, 

 but thought I would wait until Benson came in and see what 

 luck he had. If -he had not killed anything I would give, him the 

 hint and let him have the credit of killing the deer that I got as 

 '. sort of off-set on Hill on the bear hunt. I stayed outside gath- 

 ering dry limbs for wood until I saw Benson coming and I 

 planned to meet him before Hill got to talk to him. I learned 

 that Benson had not killed anything, so I told him where I had 

 killed the deer and that if he cared to he could claim the deer as 

 his game. Benson was much pleased with the idea and as I had 

 told him just where I had killed the deer it was easy for Benson 

 to explain to Hill where the deer was shot. Hill did not believe 

 that Benson had killed a deer and said he would not believe he 

 (Benson) had killed one if he did not know that he had been 

 alone and anyway he must see the deer before he would believe 

 it. I took the first opportunity when Hill was out to tell Benson 

 which way to go so that he would be sure to find the deer and 

 the next morning the boys went out and brought in the deer while 

 I went to look after some traps. The boys stayed a day or two 

 longer and then went home declaring that they had had the best 

 hunt of their lives. 



I will now tell of some of my hunting and trapping with Mr. 

 Nelson and my first experience with a big cat. About 1860, when 

 I was a mere chunk of a boy, a man by the name of Perry Hoi- 

 man was camping on the extreme headwaters of Pine Creek, hunt- 

 ing and trapping. Early one morning Mr. Holman came out of 

 the woods after groceries and other necessaries. On his way out 

 he saw where a small bear had crossed the road just at the top 

 of the hill on the old Jersey Shore turnpike and about five miles 

 from Mr. Nelson's place.' Mr. Nelson at that time always kept 

 one or two good bear dogs. Mr. Holman told Mr. Nelson of the 

 bear's track and said that the bear had gone into a laurel patch 

 on the west side of the road and that the track was very fresh. 

 He thought if Mr. Nelson would take his dogs and go out that 



