84 Spring Street made the most favorable impression, so T had the 
expressman deliver my furs to Pence & Clawson. They treated me 
well, and made me a good price which amounted to over $1600.00 (One 
Thousand Six Hundred Dollars.) This was lots of money in those days 
for a Ruben like me. I was well impressed with the “Yankees” as the 
Southern people call them. They were very courteous, knowing from 
my lingo that I was a real Southerner. I was invited to some of the 
best shows, and by some of the best people in New York. I returned 
this courtesy by taking whole families at my expense. I remained in 
New 1 ork until the latter part of August, and returned to Arkansas 
to look up George Robinson, and prepared for another winter’s 
trapping. Having boats, tents and outfits in general, it was but little 
trouble to make the start. 
George and I did fine as I had trained him the previous winter 
and I offered to take George as a partner, but he preferred wages. 
The winter’s trapping was more than a success, and there was but one 
unusual thing which happened during the winter. My friend, John 
Litell, had a pack of bear hounds, with the help of which he had killed 
many bear. Litell had an old nigger that used to hunt with him. or 
rather to dress the bear. This nigger he called Uncle Ned. I went 
with my friend several times, as there w T as quite a “kick” in a real 
live chase. Often the dogs would bring them to bay in a very short 
chase, at w T hich time we would get close enough to shoot the bear. 
Sometimes the bear would climb a tree when pressed hard by the 
hounds. I noticed that Uncle Ned never came near until he was sure 
that the bear was dead. One day the dogs jumped a bear, and brought 
him to bay at once. The bear had backed himself against a large log 
to prevent the dogs from getting in his rear. Uncle Ned said: “Right 
here I’se gwine to stay until youse kill dat bear,” at the same time 
taking a large tree to hide behind. Litell and I made to where the 
dogs had brought the bear to bay and as we rode up, the bear became 
frightened, and ran and went straight to where Uncle Ned had dis¬ 
mounted. The dogs were pressing the bear hard and just before the 
bear reached the tree that Uncle Ned was hiding behind, Uncle Ned 
jumped and ran and ran the same way the bear was headed. Of all the 
amusing pictures—this would cap them all—to see the nigger running 
for dear life, the bear at his heels, and the bawling hounds at the 
heels of the bear. Uncle Ned hung his foot in a vine and fell. The 
bear and the dogs passed over him. Uncle Ned jumped up (he had 
turned an ashey white) and as soon as he could speak, he said, “You 
see dat, no nigger has got any use for foilin’ around a’year—dat bear 
knew I was out here, and if the Lord hadn’t been with me he would 
have got me. De Lord caused that vine to trip, me, so dat the bear 
would pass on.” 
George and I did well, and I had the biggest catch I had ever 
made. This time I rented a suitable room in which to exhibit my furs, 
and notified all of the principal fur buyers and asked them to make 
me a sealed bid, which I would keep confidential and the biggest bidder 
would get the furs. This worked fine. I believe that I sold that bunch 
— 71 — 
