AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



91 



nothing else) which weighed about sixty pounds, and was 

 projected over the bow of a little, frail machine, which 

 scarcely deserved the name of a boat, whilst he stretched 

 himself in the bottom and paddled in the direction of the 

 o-ame, which floated in dense masses on the waters of the 

 Potomac. The time chosen by this Nimrod of aquatic cele- 

 brity, for carrying on his murderous operations, was night, 

 and being guided chiefly by the noise of tlie birds, he 

 moved silently along until he conceived that he was at a 

 proper distance to speed the fatal messengers. Experience 

 had made him perfect in his art, his boat was previously 

 trimmed so as to allow his gun to range about one degree 

 above the level of the water; thus equipped, he would direct 

 his piece carefully towards his intended and unsuspecting 

 victims, with his finger on the fatal trigger. He would then 

 arouse them and make them take flight, by kicking the boat 

 with his toes, but no sooner did he hear the noise of their 

 wings, than the work of destruction was done. In one 

 instance, this sable adventurer picked up sixty-three canvass 

 back ducks, part of which he offered for sale the next 

 morning in Washington, the balance having been claimed 

 by the parties who furnished the gun, according to certain 

 Stipulations entered into between them and the black. This 

 gun was secured to the boat by a long cord, so that, in case 

 of the upsetting of the boat, it might be found. I did not 

 hear whether the parties alluded to, had used the same 

 precautionary steps in regard to the man, in case he should 

 have fallen overboard and got drowned. By repeated 

 slaughter of this kind, how reasonable it is to imagine, that 

 in a short time, this valuable luxury of the table will en- 

 tirely disappear, and how salutary would be some law, 

 which should regulate its introduction into market, &c. 



Leaving this mode of killing wild fowl to negroes and 

 their quod companions, we will return to our former text, 

 and to better associates. Having spoken of those guns best 

 adapted for sjiortsmen, we would merel}"- ofler a remark 

 respecting the advantage which the shot gun possesses 

 over the rifle, in the hands of an expert shot, and who is 

 an adept in the art of shooting on the wing, and whenever 

 the backwoodsman can handle the shot gun to the per- 

 fection he has managed the rifle, I know that his opi- 

 nion will coincide with mine, for the execution amongst 

 game, will be proof sufficient to remove the most settled 

 prejudices. 



In the first place, his chances are multiplied in propor- 

 tion to the number of buck and other shot, and it is much 

 easier to move a gun of ten or twelve pounds weight, and 

 keep it in a line with a moving object, than a rifle, which 

 will weigh from fifteen to twenty pounds. With respect 

 to those who may occasionally indulge in aquatic specula- 

 tions, I would suppose that a piece of twelve or fourteen 



pounds, single or double, and carrying a charge of three 

 or four ounces, would be sufficiently large for all sports- 

 man-like operations. A. 



A BEAR HUNT. 



Messrs. Editors, 



A FEW years since, when a resident of the town of Han- 

 cock, Delaware County, State of New York, among my 

 many hunting excursions, I experienced the following 

 Bear Hunt, which, if you think sufficiently interesting for 

 insertion in your Work on Rural Sports, you are welcome 

 to it. 



In making hunting excursions, I always preferred the 

 period when the ground was first covered with snow, and 

 before the severity of the weather became so intense as to 

 drive most of the wild animals to their dens, which is more 

 particularly the case with Bears, where there is a scarcity 

 of food; then they retire early to their winter quarters, 

 and remain in a dormant state until the opening of spring. 

 The season, however, to which I allude, afforded so plen- 

 tiful a supply of beech and chesnuts, that the Bears roamed 

 at large much longer than in ordinary cases, and seemed 

 averse to den, although snow had fallen to a considerable 

 depth. 



When this is the case they become exceedingly fat, and 

 with them it is a period of much persecution, as many 

 persons are actuated to pursue them, in consequence of 

 considerable profit being yielded by the sale of their fat, 

 whilst others do it to secure a necessary supply for the 

 winter season. This fat is twofold more rich than lard, and 

 is used in preference to it for various culinary purposes, 

 but more especially for dough-nuts, an article greatly in 

 vogue in newly settled countries, being convenient to carry, 

 and usually adopted by hunters for their daily food, when 

 on the chase. 



During the above period, I had a plentiful supply of 

 good dogs; the number varying from five to nine, and 

 most of the smooth cur breed. This description of dogs 

 are much the best for hunting Bears; for, being active and 

 ferocious, they worry their antagonist to such a degree, 

 that he is compelled either to make a stand to defend him- 

 self, or take a tree in order to avoid them. Their manner 

 of attack is to seize, and spring back, whenever the Bear 

 attempts to fight, and the moment he runs, seize him 

 again; in this way, they surround him, and, although 

 they cannot vitally affect him, do often compel him to 

 climb a tree, or resort to other measures to rid himself of 

 them. 



