162 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



to say only that I had gone out with my gun. I made a 

 whole pen, set ii . and came home during the night, so that 

 no person had tiny knowledge of my day's work. It is a 

 good day's work for two men ; but its eft'ect was felt for 

 many weeks. 



In good time, I again slipped out before day to hunt, 

 went to my pen, there found a fine fat bear of middle size, 

 shot him in the head, took him on my back, and carried 

 him home by nine o'clock. There being but few acorns 

 that year, bears were scarce ; and when I was asked how 

 I found the bear I killed, I told them that my old dog- 

 having winded, I saw the bear very near me, between two 

 fallen logs. This was all true ; for the pen was made of 

 logs, and the dog did smell him before I saw him. Thus 

 I kept up my name as a great bear hunter, and left no 

 clue to those who might be ill disposed, to look for the 

 trap, and either throw it down, or take the game. 



At the proper time, I again went out before day, and 

 liiidiiig another small bear in my pen, killed him as before. 

 By skinning the bear's legs, and tying the skins together 

 I forrtied a strong loop, and then laying him on my back, 

 I put my head through the loop, which passed over my 

 left shoulder and under my right arm, and thus conveyed 

 my prize home. I have carried so much meat in this way, 

 that if I should name the amount, probably I would not 

 be believed. Suffice it to say, however, that, for two or 

 three years, I so carried home, for the use of my family, 

 all the meat I killed within from one to six miles of home. 



As I was walking home with my second, and, I believe, 

 the last bear I ever caught there, when within a mile of 

 the house, I saw a fine young buck, which was as red as a 

 calf It was the first red deer I had seen that spring. He 

 had been to the river, and was then returning to the moun- 

 tain. I had plenty of time to lay down my bear and get 

 ready for him ; and, when he came to the right place, 1 



