Bear- Hunting in the South. 



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Old Asa turned from the lake and boldly entered a canebrake, we 

 following. Here the foremost horse has the hardest time, for he 

 must break the way for the rest through cane and bamboo-vines. 

 Old Asa's horse, however, like his master, was a trained hunter, and 

 would wait the stroke of the hunting-knife which cut the vines, to 

 push on through the tangled mass. Going through cane, every one 

 is required to take the cartridge from his gun ; or, if he has a muzzle- 

 loader, to take the cap from the tube. 



A hunter's paradise. 



After crossing a canebrake ridge of half a mile, we entered a 

 large, open wood, where we found a quantity of overcup acorn mast, 

 upon which bear and deer feed during the winter months. Under 

 the limb of a pawpaw we saw a fresh buck-scrape. This is made 

 by the male deer, while scratching his antlers amid the branches 

 above ; he scrapes the earth with his feet, as a sign for his tawny 

 mate. A little farther on, within easy range, we startled the antlered 

 monarch from his lair; but not a gun was raised to arrest his flight. 

 As the deer lifted his white flag and bounded off, the younger dogs 

 pricked up their ears and looked anxiously forward, ready to burst 

 forth in full cry; but a word in a harsh tone from old Asa caused 

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