EPISODES 483 



munication from a neighbor, requesting my friend and 

 myself to join him as soon as possible, and assist in kill- 

 ing some Bears at that moment engaged in destroying his 

 corn. I was not long in dressing, you may be assured, 

 and, on entering the parlor, found my friend equipped 

 and only waiting for some bullets, which a negro was 

 employed in casting. The overseer's horn was heard 

 calling up the negroes from their different cabins. Some 

 were already engaged in saddling our horses, whilst others 

 were gathering all the cur-dogs of the plantation. All 

 was bustle. Before half an hour had elapsed, four stout 

 negro men, armed with axes and knives, and mounted on 

 strong nags of their own (for you must know, kind reader, 

 that many of our slaves rear horses, cattle, pigs, and poul- 

 try, which are exclusively their own property), were fol- 

 lowing us at a round gallop through the woods, as we 

 made directly for the neighbor's plantation, a little more 

 than five miles off. 



The night was none of the most favorable, a drizzling 

 rain rendering the atmosphere thick and rather sultry; 

 but as we were well acquainted with the course, we soon 

 reached the house, where the owner was waiting our 

 arrival. There were now three of us armed with guns, 

 half a dozen servants, and a good pack of dogs of all 

 kinds. We jogged on towards the detached field in which 

 the Bears were at work. The owner told us that for some 

 days several of these animals had visited his corn, and 

 that a negro who was sent every afternoon to see at what 

 part of the enclosure they entered, had assured him there 

 were at least five in the field that night. A plan of attack 

 was formed : the bars at the usual gap of the fence were 

 to be put down without noise; the men and dogs were 

 to divide, and afterwards proceed so as to surround the 

 Bears, when, at the sounding of our horns, every one was 

 to charge towards the centre of the field, and shout as 

 loudly as possible, which it was judged would so intimi- 



