A hunter's 1.1FE. 145 



off the turkey's head, and we went home. He received no 

 more injury from his swim and race than what he experi- 

 enced from a sore and much scratched skin, and from his 

 feet being torn with snags and sharp stones. So ended 

 the turkey race. 



Sam being now most anxious to see a bear killed, we 

 set out for the beech ground, and arrived there in good 

 time to hunt that evening. As we entered the outskirts, 

 I saw an old bear and three yearlings feeding on nuts, 

 when I pointed to a large lynn tree within ten steps of the 

 bears, and told Sam that if he would keep the dogs quiet, 

 I would go to that tree and kill the old one, after which it 

 would be an easy matter to kill the young ones. I got 

 very close to the tree, when the old bear moved somewhat 

 nearer, and, as she approached at one side, I stepped back 

 to hide myself behind the tree again ; but setting my foot 

 on a high hellibore, which fell, she raised her head to look, 

 and as she thus stood, her nose ranging in a line with her 

 body, I aimed at the end of her nose, and fired, when down 

 she fell. I immediately ran up and stabbed her to the 

 heart. Sam and the dogs were soon on hand. I sent the 

 dogs after the young ones, two of which then ran up a 

 tree, when Sam shot one and I shot the other. The third 

 ran to a large spruce-pine, that had a hole in it, in which 

 they had laiu all winter, and there we left him. 



We went to another bottom of beech, where the dogs 

 started up another small bear. He had climbed a tree 

 before we saw him ; therefore we had no fight, and conse- 

 quently but little sport. We then returned for assistance 

 to take our bears home, where we got them all in good 

 time. 



Sara having agreed to help me to make hay, while we 

 were eating our dinner we heard another hog squealing in 

 the same place where I had killed a bear on one the pre- 

 vious summer. I 'an to the spot, and there found another 

 13 K 



