PREPAKATIONS FOE A BEAR-HUNT. 159 



past, aDcl by a stretch of imagination cany myself back 

 once more to those greenwood aisles. 



When the day has been fixed for the bear-hunt, the 

 neighbours are invited to meet at the planter's house 

 an hour before daybreak, and thither they all repair, 

 each man bringing with him every dog he can procure. 

 The first operation to be performed after meeting is 

 one in which all acquit themselves tolerably well, the 

 consumption of a hearty breakfast, the principal features 

 of which are venison, steaks, hot cakes, and coffee, 

 followed by just a mere trifle from the whisky flask to 

 counteract the effects of the mornino- air. This done, 

 they mount their nags and proceed to the woods with 

 their motley crew of dogs, who instinctivel}^ divine that 

 something of importance is in the wind, and are less 

 quarrelsome than on ordinary occasions. They have 

 indeed good need to preserve all their pugilistic 

 qualities for the serious business on hand. 



The method in which a bear-hunt is arranwd is 

 generally this. Amongst the dogs are to be found two 

 or. three trained exclusively to hunt bear and nothing 

 else. The owners of these animals ride round the out- 

 skirts of a field where it approaches the forest, accom- 

 panied by their hounds, the other hunters keeping with 

 the main pack from fifty to a hundred yards behind. 

 As soon as the track of a bear is crossed, where the 

 animal has either entered or left the field, the start-dogs 

 at once detect the scent, and open on the trail, followed 



