"Two men going a fowling, appointed at evening to meet at a certain
pond side, to share equally, and to return home; one of these gunners
having killed a Seal or Sea-calf, brought it to the pond where he was
to meet his comrade, afterwards returning to the sea-side for more
game, and having loaded himself with more Geese and Ducks he repaired
to the pond, where he saw a great Bear feeding on his seal, which
caused him to throw down his load, and give the Bear a salute; which
though it was but with goose-shot, yet tumbled him over and over;
whereupon the man supposing him to be in a manner dead, ran and beat
him with the handle of his gun. The Bear perceiving him to be such a
coward to strike him when he was down, scrambled up, standing at
defiance with him, scratching his legs, tearing his cloaths and face,
who stood it out till his six foot gun was broken in the middle; then
being deprived of his weapon, he ran up to the shoulders into the
pond, where he remained till the Bear was gone, and his mate come in,
who accompanied him home."
The author gives a peculiar description of the animals named. Of the lion,
he says he had never seen one; but others "lost in the woods have heard
such terrible roarings as have made them much agast: which must be either
Devils or Lions;" so lions have it. The moose "is as big as an ox, slow of
foot, headed like a Buck, with a broad beam, some being two yards wide in
the head; their flesh is as good as beef, their hides good for cloathing."
He describes deer, rabbits, squirrels, &c. The small squirrel troubles the
planters so, that they have "to carry their Cats into the corn-fields till
their corn be three weeks old." "The beasts of offence be Squncks,
Ferrets, Foxes, whose impudence sometimes diverts them to the good Wives
Hen-roost, to fill their paunch." He gives a fearful account of the
wolves, which set on swine, goats, calves, &c., and care nothing for a
dog.
Equally curious with these are his descriptions of the "beasts living in
the water," as the otter, musquash, &c., and of "the birds and fowls, both
of land and water."
"The princely Eagle, and the soaring Hawk,
Whom in their unknown ways there's none can chalk;
The Humbird for some Queen's rich cage more fit,
Than in the vacant wilderness to sit;
The swift-winged Swallow sweeping to and fro,
As swift as arrows from Tartarian bow;
When as Aurora's infant day new springs,
There th' morning mounting Lark her sweet lays sings;
The harmonious Thrush, swift Pigeon, Turtle Dove,
Who to her mate does ever constant prove;
The Turkey-pheasant, Heathcock, Partridge rare,
The carrion-tearing Crow, and hurtful Stare."
The raven, screech-owl, heron, cormorant, and so on to geese, gulls,
mallards, teal, ducks, snipes, and many others. The fish also are
rehearsed in verse:--
"The king of waters, the sea-shouldering Whale,
The snuffing Grampus, with the oily Seal;
The storm-presaging Porpus, Herring-Hog,
Line shearing Shark, the Catfish, and Sea Dog;
The scale-fenc'd Sturgeon, wry-mouth'd Hollibut,
The flouncing Salmon, Codfish, Greedigut;
Cole, Haddick, Hake, the Thornback, and the Scate,
Whose Slimy outside makes him seld' in date;
The stately Bass, old Neptune's fleeting post,
That tides it out and in from sea to coast;
Consorting Herrings, and the bony Shad,
Big-bellied Alewives, Mackrels richly clad
With rainbow colour, the Frostfish and the Smelt,
As good as ever Lady Gustus felt;
The spotted Lamprons, Eels, the Lamperies,
That seek fresh-water brooks with Argus eyes;
These watery villagers, with thousands more,
Do pass and repass near the verdant shore."