240 
BEAR. 
elude the whole. They then sally forth, amidst 
the acclamations of the village, equipped as if for 
war, and painted black. Every able hunter is on a 
level with a great warrior ; but he must have killed 
his dozen great beasts before his character is esta- 
blished ; after which his alliance is as much courted 
as that of the most valiant captain. 
<s They now proceed on their way in a direct 
line; neither rivers, marshes, nor any other impedi- 
ments, stop their course; driving before them all 
the beasts which they find in their way. When 
they arrive in the hunting-ground, they surround 
as large a space as their company will admit, and 
then contract their circle ; searching, as they con- 
tract, every hollow tree, and every place fit for the 
retreat of the bear, and continue the same practice 
till the time of the chase is expired. 
“ As soon as a bear is killed, a hunter puts into 
his mouth a lighted pipe of tobacco, and, blowing 
into it, fills the throat with the smoke, conjuring 
the spirit of the animal not to resent what they are 
going to do to his body ; nor to render their future 
chases unsuccessful. As the beast makes no reply, 
they cut out the string of the tongue, and throw 
it into the fire ; if it crackles and runs in (which it 
is almost sure to do) they accept it as a good omen ; 
if not, they consider that the spirit of the beast is not 
appeased, and that the chase of the next year will be 
unfortunate. 
“ The hunters live well during the chase, on 
provisions which they bring with them. They re- 
