74 Bear-Hunting in the South. 



a fallen tree. As the bear leaped the log, Rogers fired. Although 

 a bear is a large animal, yet when he is running he is not so good a 

 target as one would think. If the reader will attempt to put a ball 

 through the center of a barrel-head while it is in rapid motion he will 

 have some idea of shooting at a running bear. Rogers missed, but 

 the dogs, encouraged by the report of his gun, attacked with renewed 

 vigor. Across the open woods, in plain view, we beheld a grand 

 sight. As the dogs charged at the report of Rogers's gun, Rocket, a 

 large, active fellow (a cross between a mastiff and a greyhound), 

 seeing the way clear, made a dash, and catching one of the bear's 

 hind feet, tripped him so adroitly that he rolled over on his back, 

 and before he could recover was covered with dogs. But a sweep of 

 his huge paws scattered his foes in every direction. A few leaps and 

 he again reached the canebrake, and soon we heard the dogs at bay. 

 We dismounted, hitched our horses, and proceeded on foot to the 

 scene of action. But it was slow work, for the bear always seeks the 

 heaviest canebrake for his battle-ground. We had to creep and 

 crawl, sometimes prostrate upon the ground, under the tangled mass 

 of cane and vines, often having to use our hunting-knives in disen- 

 tangling ourselves. 



Except old Asa, who carried a rifle, we were all armed with 

 short, double-barrel shot-guns, loaded with buck and ball. This, in 

 my judgment, is the most effective weapon for bears, as they are 

 generally shot in a tree or on the ground at close quarters ; and 

 after the labors of a bear-chase the nerves are apt to be a little shaky 

 for drawing a fine bead with a rifle. 



Cutting our way through the mass of cane, we reached the outer 

 circle of dogs and beheld the bear sitting with his back against the 

 trunk of a tree, his fore paws just touching the toes of his hind ones 

 as they projected up in front of him. Thus, with his rear protected, 

 he stood at bay, occasionally making a rush for a dog who had vent- 

 ured too near, and when he had scattered his foes, returning to his 

 position, pressed again in turn by the dogs he had pursued. It was 

 a splendid picture — the huge beast, shaggy and grim, with the white 

 froth dripping from his red lips and lolling tongue, beset on every 

 side, fighting a host, relying alone upon the strength of his mighty 

 arm to keep his foes at bay. At length, greatly worried, he resolved 

 to do what a large, fat bear greatly dislikes, viz., take a tree. 



