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 game, 
which floated in dense masses on the waters of the Poto- 
mac. The time chosen by this Nimrod of aquatic celebrity, 
for carrying on his murderous operations, was night, and 
being guided chiefly by the noise of the 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 trim- 
med 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 vic- 
tims, 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 sportsmen , we would merely offer 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 pew 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 fighr, 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. 
