66 Some New Voyages 



which the Bears Neftie. I could not but admire 

 their knowledge in that Point, when, as we were 

 walking up and down in a Foreft, at the diftance 

 cf an hundred Paces one from another, I heard one 

 Savage call to another, Here's a Bear. I askt 5 em how 

 he knew that there was a Bear upon the Tree which 

 he knocked with his Axe ; and they all reply'd, that 

 'twas as eafily diftinguifh'd as the print of an Elks 

 foot in the Snow. For five or fix times they never 

 mifs'd ; for after they had knocked two or three 

 times upon the Trunk of the Tree, the Bear came 

 out of its hole, and was prefently fhot. The Cana- 

 da Bears are extream black, but not mifchievous, 

 for they never attack one, unlefs they be wounded 

 or fir'd upon. They are fo fat, efpecially in the 

 Autumn, that they can fcarce walk : Thofe which 

 we kill'd were extream fat, but their fat is good for 

 nothing but to be burnt, whereas their Flefli, and, 

 above all, their Feet are very nice Victuals. The 

 Savages affirm, that no Flefli is fo delicious as that 

 of Bears ; and indeed, I think they are in the right 

 of it. While we rang'd up and down in queft of 

 Bears., we had the pleafure of fpying fome Martins 

 and wildCacs upon the branches of the Trees, which 

 the Savages Pnot in the Head to preferve their Skin. 

 But the rnoft Comical thing I faw, was the Stupi- 

 dity of the Wood- hens, which fit upon the Trees 

 in whole Flocks, and are kiil'd one after another, 

 without ever offering to ftir. Commonly the Sa- 

 vages {hoot at 'ens with Arrows, for they fay they 

 are not worth a (hoot of Powder, which is able to 

 kill an Elk or an Hart. I have ply'd this fort of 

 Fowling in the Neighbourhood of our Cantons or 

 Habitations in the Winter time, with the help of a 

 Dog who found out the Trees by fcent, and then 

 bark'd ; upon which lapproach'd to the Tree, and 

 found the Fowls upon the Branches. When 

 the thaw came.* I went two or three Leagues fur- 



