The question was, how he was to be got out? Perhaps by making a noise
he might issue forth?
This plan was at once tried, but without success. While the negro
rasped the bark with a pole, and struck the stick at intervals against
the trunk, the hunters stood, with guns cocked, watching the hole, and
ready to give the bear a reception, the moment he should show himself
outside.
It was all to no purpose. Bruin was too cunning for them, and did not
protrude even the tip of his snout out of his secure cavity.
After continuing the rasping, and repeating the blows, till the woods
echoed the sonorous concussions, they became convinced that this plan
would not serve their purpose, and desisted from it.
On examining the track more closely, they now perceived spots of blood
mixed among the mud which the bear had rubbed off upon the bark. This
convinced them that the animal was wounded, and therefore there would be
no chance of starting him out from his hole. It was no doubt the wound
that had led him to retreat to this tree, so near the place where he had
been attacked, otherwise he would have led them a longer chase through
the woods before attempting to hide himself. When, severely wounded,
the black bear betakes himself to the first hollow log or tree he can
find; and taking refuge in it, will there remain--even to die in his
den, if the wound has been a fatal one.
Knowing this habit of the animal, our hunters perceived that they had no
chance of again setting their eyes upon the bear, except by cutting down
the tree; and they resolved to adopt this method, and fell the great
sycamore to the ground.
The darkey was despatched to the plantation; and soon returned with half
a dozen of his brethren, armed with axes--Pouchskin heading the sable
band. Without further delay the chopping began; and the white chips
flew out from the great trunk in all directions.
In about an hour's time the sycamore came crashing down, carrying a
number of smaller trees along with it. The hunters, who expected that
the bear would at once spring forth, had taken their position to cover
the mouth of the cavity with their guns; but, to their surprise, the
tree fell, and lay as it had fallen, without any signs of Bruin. This
was strange enough; for, as the negroes alleged, in all similar cases
the bear is certain to charge out upon the fall of a tree that contains
him!
A sapling was now obtained, and inserted into the cavity--at first with
caution, but after a time it was punched in with all the force that
Pouchskin could put into his arm. He could feel the bear quite
distinctly; but poke the animal as he might, it would not stir.
It was suggested that they should cut into the trunk--at a place
opposite to where the bear was encased--and then they could drag him out
at will; and, although this would cost a good deal of trouble, it
appeared to be the only mode of reaching the obstinate animal.
This course was followed, therefore; and a cross section being made of
the hollow trunk, the shaggy hair was at length reached, and then the
body of Bruin, who was found to be dead as a nail!
They no longer wondered that he had paid no heed to the punching of the
pole. The bullet of Alexis had traversed his huge body in a
longitudinal direction, until it had lodged in a vital part, and, of
course, it was this that had deprived him of life. He would, therefore,
have died all the same, and in his tree-den, too, whether they had
pursued him or not.
Our hunters learnt from their negro assistants a singular fact in
relation to the black bear: and that is, that the tree-cavity in which
the animal often takes shelter, or goes to sleep, is rarely of greater
width than his own body! In most cases it is so narrow, that he cannot
turn round in it, nor has it any lair at the bottom wide enough for him
to lie down upon. It follows, therefore, that he must sleep in a
standing position, or squatted upon his hams. It is in this attitude he
makes his descent into the cavity, and in the same way comes down the
trunk of the tree, when at any time making his departure from his den.
From this it would appear that the upright attitude is as natural to
this animal, as that of resting on all-fours, or even lying prostrate on
the ground; for it is well-known that, farther to the north--where the
winters are more severe, and where the black bear hybernates for a short
season--he often takes his nap in a tree-cavity, which his body
completely fills, without the possibility of his turning round in it!
One precaution he takes, and that is, to scrape off all the rotten wood
around the sides of the cavity; but for what purpose he exercises this
curious instinct, neither hunter nor naturalist can tell. Perhaps it is
that the projections may not press against his body, and thus render his
couch uncomfortable?
Our young hunters found this bear one of the largest of his species, and
his skin, after the mud had been washed off, proved to be an excellent
specimen.
Of course, they coveted no other; but for all that, they had the
pleasure of being present at the death of several bears, killed in the
great hunt that came off on the appointed day.
A deer-chase was also got up for their special entertainment--during
which a cougar was "treed" and killed--an event of rarer occurrence than
even the death of a bear; for the cougar is now one of the scarcest
quadrupeds to be met with in the forests of North America.
Another entertainment which the planter provided for his guests was a
"_barbecue_"--a species of festival peculiar to the backwoods of
America, and which, on account of its peculiarity, deserves a word or
two of description.