CONNECTION WITH ASTROLOGY, ETC. 171 



but pulled out as if by some beast, but that appeared a 

 little improbable, as several loads were lost in the space of 

 a few nights ; a circumstance so alarming to the farmers 

 induced them to offer a considerable reward to any who 

 should discover how their hay was destroyed. 



A company of soldiers quartered then at Yeovil, some 

 of them for the sake of the reward, undertook to find out 

 the affair. They made their intention known to the 

 people injured, who readily accepted their offer ; and a 

 night was fixed on, to begin their watching, in order to 

 make a discovery. The appointed time came, and a 

 dozen of the soldiers after eating and drinking plenti- 

 fully at the respective farmer's houses, went on their 

 new enterprise with bayonets fixed, and muskets charged, 

 as if going to engage an enemy. They had not been long 

 in ambush before one of them espied a monstrous creature, 

 crawling from the side of the river, towards one of the 

 stacks of hay ; he instantly told his comrades. A council 

 was immediately called, and they all unanimously agreed, 

 if the bear devoured any of the hay, that two of them 

 should get behind the stack, and fire at it, while the others 

 dispersed themselves at different parts of the field, in order 

 to intercept it, if it escaped their comrades vigilance ; 

 but the precaution was needless, for the soldiers fired 

 their pieces with such dexterity that they soon laid the 

 monster sprawling. This done all ran to see what was 

 slain; but the moon not shining very bright, their curi- 

 osity could not be satisfied; though some of them said 



