EPISODES 481 



SCIPIO AND THE BEAR 



The Black Bear (Urstts americanus), however clumsy in 

 appearance, is active, vigilant, and persevering; possesses 

 great strength, courage, and address ; and undergoes with 

 little injury the greatest fatigues and hardships in avoiding 

 the pursuit of the hunter. Like the Deer, it changes its 

 haunts with the seasons, and for the same reason, namely, 

 the desire of obtaining suitable food, or of retiring to the 

 more inaccessible parts, where it can pass the time in 

 security, unobserved by man, the most dangerous of its 

 enemies. During the spring months, it searches for food 

 in the low rich alluvial lands that border the rivers, or by 

 the margins of such inland lakes as, on account of their 

 small size, are called by us ponds. There it procures 

 abundance of succulent roots, and of the tender juicy 

 .stems of plants, upon which it chiefly feeds at that season. 

 During the summer heat, it enters the gloomy swamps, 

 passes much of its time in wallowing in the mud, like a 

 hog, and contents itself with crayfish, roots, and nettles, 

 now and then, when hard pressed by hunger, seizing on a 

 young pig, or perhaps a sow, or even a calf. As soon as 

 the different kinds of berries which grow on the mountains 

 begin to ripen, the Bears betake themselves to the high 

 grounds, followed by their cubs. In such retired parts of 

 the country where there are no hilly grounds, it pays visits 

 to the maize fields, which it ravages for a while. After 

 this, the various species of nuts, acorns, grapes, and other 

 forest fruits, that form what in the western country is 

 called mast, attract its attention. The Bear is then seen 

 rambling singly through the woods to gather this harvest, 

 not forgetting meanwhile to rob every Bee-tree it meets 

 with. Bears being, as you well know, expert at this oper- 

 ation. You also know that they are good climbers, and 



VOL. II. — 31 



