CLASS I. MAMMALIA: OKDEK 5. CARXIA^ORA. 
165 
hunters. A blow of its huge paw will lay the largest dog dead in an instant. It is an object of 
keen pursuit by the hunter and trapper, as well on account of its skin, which is greatly prized, as 
for the love of the chase. Scarcely a season passes that the villagers of Maine, and even the 
northern parts of Vermont and Ncav Hampshire, are not iiivited to this sport by the visits of these 
animals within their precincts, coming from the north as winter approaches. 
The Indians, though they kill and eat the bear, by a strange apotheosis, regard the Bear Spirit 
as one of their divinities, before whom they perform wild dances, and other ceremonies, by way 
of propitiation. An instance of this kind of superstition is furnished by Mr. Henry, who gives the 
following curious account : 
" In the course of the month of January, I happened to observe that the trunk of a very large 
pine-tree was nnich torn by the claws of a bear, made both in going up and down. On further 
examination, I saw that there was a large opening in the upper part, near which the smaller 
branches were broken. From these marks, and from the additional circumstance that there were 
no tracks in the snow, there was reason to believe that a bear lav concealed in the tree. On 
returning to the lodge, I communicated my discovery, and it Avas agreed that all the family 
should go together in the morning to assist in cutting down the tree, the girth of which was not 
less than three fathoms. The women at first opposed the undertaking, because our axes, being 
only of a pound and a half weight, Avere not well adapted to so heavy a labor ; but the hope 
of finding a large bear, and obtaining from its fat a great quantity of oil, an article at the time 
much wanted, at length prevailed. 
"Accordingly, in the morning we surrounded the tree, both men and women, as many at a 
time as could conveniently work at it ; and there we toiled like beavers till the sun went down. 
This day's work carried us about half av ay through the trunk, and the next morning Ave renewed 
the attack, continuing it till about two o'clock in the afternoon, Avhen the tree fell to the ground. 
For a fcAV minutes every thing remained quiet, and I feared that all our expectations Avould be 
disappointed; but, as I advanced to the opening, there came out, to the great satisfaction of all 
our party, a bear of extraordinary size, Avhich I shot. The bear being dead, my assistants 
approached, and all, but particularly my ' Old Mother,' as I Avas Avont to call her, took the head 
in their hands, stroking and kissing it several times ; begging a thousand pardons for taking 
aAvay her life ; calling her their relation and grandmother ; and requesting her not to lay the 
fault upon them, since it Avas truly an Englishman that had put her to death. 
" This ceremony was not of long duration, and if it Avas I that killed their grandmother, they 
Avere not themselves behindhand in Avhat remained to be performed. The skin being taken off, 
Ave found the fat in several places six inches deep. This, being divided into two parts, loaded 
two persons; and the flesh parts Avere as much as four persons could carry. In all, the carcass 
must have exceeded fiA^e hundred Aveight. As soon as Ave reached the lodge, the bear's head Avas 
adorned with all the trinkets in the possession of the family, such as silver arm-bands, and Avrist- 
bands, and belts of Avampum, and then laid upon a scaffold set up for its reception Avithin the 
lodge. Near the nose Avas placed a large quantity of tobacco. The next morning no sooner 
appeared than preparations Avere made for a feast to the manes. The lodge was cleaned and 
swept, and the head of the bear lifted up, and a new Stroud blanket, which had never been used, 
spread under it. 
" The pipes Avere noAV lighted, and AVawatam blew tobacco-smoke into the nostrils of the bear, 
telling me to do the same, and thus appease the anger of the bear on account of my having 
killed her. I endeavored to persuade my benefactor and friendly adviser that she no longer had 
any life, and assured him that I Avas under no apprehension from her displeasure ; but the first 
proposition obtained no credit, and the second ga\^e but little satisfaction. At length, the feast 
being ready, AVaw'atam made a speech resembling in many respects his address to the manes of 
his relations and departed companions ; but having this peculiarity, that he here deplored the 
necessity under Avhich men labored thus to destroy their friends. He represented, however, that 
the misfortune Avas unavoidable, since Avithout doing so they could b)'- no means subsist. The 
speech ended, Ave all ate heartily of the bear's flesh ; and even the head itself, after remaining 
three days on the scaffold, Avas put into the kettle." 
