BEAR Hr>'TING. 27 



Our bear-hunting season seldom began before Oc- 

 tober, except when we were called upon to punish 

 the depredations of some shaggy brute, who had 

 become too bold and persevering in his sj^stematic 

 robberies. The still-hunters, or stalkers, would very 

 frequently see Bruin, during the mast season, sitting 

 on his haunches under some oak tree, far too much 

 interested in his employment to take the slightest 

 notice of the stealthy tread of the hunter, who intended 

 to give him some more solid food in the shape of a 

 bunch of lead. 



The first wild bear I ever had the pleasure of seeing 

 was up in a tree, feasting upon wild grapes. When 

 he heard my footsteps he began to descend in the 

 cautious manner observed by stout old ladies in 

 descending to the cabin of a steamboat ; that is, he 

 came down gently, stern foremost for half his way. 

 But a charge of buck-shot in the side of his neck 

 disturbed his equilibrium, and he suddenly fell to the 

 ground ' in a heap.' 



In the w^inter months the wild hogs and peccaries 

 are in their best condition after feeding plentifully 

 upon the mast, together with nearly every kind of 

 beast and bird that make up the list of Texan game. 



Every man in the camp was expected to do his 

 share of work. The hunters had to kill two deer or 

 two turkeys each before breakfasting, and one deer 

 before returning to supper, when possible. Turkey- 



