FOREST LIFE. 135 



animal in New England of which they stand iia dread. You 

 may speak of the moose, the bear, and the wolf even, and the 

 red man is ready for the chase and the encounter. But name 

 the object of his dread, and he will significantly shake his head, 

 while he exclaims,^ "He all one dehil V 



An individual by the name of Smith met with the following 

 iadventure in an encounter with one of these animals on the Ar- 

 romucto, while on his way to join a crew engaged in timber- 

 making in the woods. 



He had nearly reached the place of encampment, when he 

 came suddenly upon one of these ferocious animals. There was 

 no chance for retreat, neither had he time for reflection on the 

 best method of defense or escape. As he had no arms or other 

 weapons of defense, the first impulse, in this truly fearful position, 

 unfortunately, perhaps, was to spring into a small tree near by ; 

 but he had scarcely ascended his length when the desperate 

 creature, probably rendered still more fierce by the promptings 

 of hunger, sprang upon and seized him by the heel. Smith, how- 

 ever, after having his foot badly bitten, disengaged it from the 

 shoe, which was firmly clinched in the creature's teeth, and let 

 him drop. The moment he was disengaged. Smith sprang for a 

 more secure position, and the animal at the same time leaped to 

 another large tree, about ten feet distant, up which he ascended 

 to an elevation equal to that of his victim, from which he threw 

 himself upon him, firmly fixing his teeth in the calf of his leg. 

 Hanging suspended thus until the flesh, insufficient to sustain 

 the weight, gave way, he dropped again to the ground, carry- 

 ing a portion of flesh in his mouth. Having greedily devoured 

 this morsel, he bounded again up the opposite tree, and from 

 thence upon Smith, in this manner renewing his attacks, and 

 tearing away the flesh in mouthfuls from his legs. During this 

 agonizing operation. Smith contrived to cut a limb from the tree, 

 to wliich he managed to bind his jack-knife, with which he could 



