All three--old bear and cubs--now lay stretched along the grass dead as
may be. A rare-looking trio they were. The old one could not have
weighed less than five hundred pounds. Her long, rough coat was of a
fawn, or cinnamon colour, while the cubs were of a uniform black. This,
however, is quite a common thing; and, what is still more singular, the
cubs of the black bear are often seen of a reddish or cinnamon colour,
while the mother herself is pure black. No doubt the cubs when
full-grown change to the colour of their own species; but even at all
ages bears of the same species are found varying in colour from
difference of climate or other circumstances.
On the continent of North America, say the naturalists, but three
species of bears are found, viz the "black," the "polar," and the
"grizzly." This is not certain, however, for the cinnamon bear, of
which we have been speaking, is probably a species distinct from the
black. If so, there are four kinds on that continent, and, perhaps, a
fifth; as the brown bear of the Hudson's Bay furriers, hitherto set down
as a variety of the black, is more likely the Russian or brown bear of
Europe. It may have reached the American continent by Kamschatka, where
it is a common species.
The polar bear is found only in the snowy regions that border the Arctic
Ocean; and never ranges above one hundred miles from the sea. The
"grizzly," for strength, courage, and ferocity, takes the first place
among the bear family--outranking even his white cousin of the north.
We shall have more to say of him by-and-bye. The _black_ bear is our
present subject; and as all that is known of the cinnamon variety goes
to show that its habits are similar to those of the black, what is here
said of the one may be considered applicable to both.
The black bear (_Ursus Americanus_) is said to resemble the brown bear
of Europe. I can see no resemblance. There is enough of difference,
certainly, to constitute them separate and distinct species. The former
has one molar tooth more than the latter; besides, the profile of the
black bear is not so much arched, or convex, as that of the brown. In
every respect, except habits, they are unlike each other. Their habits
are nearly similar.
The whole American continent is the range of the black bear. He can
live, and no doubt enjoy life, in all climates. He is equally at home
in the icy regions of Canada and the tropic swamps of Louisiana. He is
found from the shores of the Atlantic to the Pacific. He inhabits thick
forests, and ranges in rocky desert regions, where scarcely any timber
grows. He prefers wooded districts, however; and in these is most
commonly met with.
Black bears were very plentiful in America previous to its colonisation
by the whites. The demand for their skins caused them to be much hunted
since that event; and of course they are growing less numerous every
day. The fur companies during the last hundred years have obtained
thousands upon thousands of their skins both from white and Indian
hunters. There are still many of these animals found in wild, unsettled
parts; and even in the old and long-inhabited states they are
occasionally met with in secluded and mountainous districts. You would
wonder that they have not been extirpated long ago--being such large
creatures, easily discovered and easily tracked; besides, it is always
an ambition with the settlers and amateur-hunters to kill them.
Moreover, but two cubs are produced at a litter, and that only happens
once a-year. The fact is, that during winter, when the snow is on the
ground and the bear might be easily tracked and destroyed, he does not
show himself, but lies torpid in his den--which is either a cave in the
rocks or a hollow tree. This happens only in the northern countries,
where there are snows and severe winters. In these he disappears for
several months, hiding himself in his dark lair, and living, as the
hunters assert, by "sucking his paws." This assertion, however, I will
not attempt to corroborate. All I can say is, that he retires to his
lurking-place as "fat as butter," and comes out again in early spring as
"thin as a rail."
There is another curious fact about bears, that, to some extent,
explains why they are not easily exterminated. It is this: the old
she-animals are never killed during the period of gestation--for they
are never met with at that time. It has been said there is no hunter to
be found in all America who remembers having killed a she-bear with
young, either of the black or grizzly species. Now this is not the case
with most other animals--such as foxes and wolves--which are often
killed with a whole litter of young, many of their species being thus
destroyed at once.
The she-bear brings forth in winter in the deep recesses of some cave,
where she has lain hid during the whole period of her gestation; and on
this account while with young, she rarely, if ever, falls a victim to
the hunters. When the cubs are large enough to go abroad, she takes
them out, treating them with as much tenderness as a mother would her
children. She will lay down her life for them at any time, defending
them with great courage when attacked. It has been said that, like the
alligator-mother, she is sometimes called upon to protect them from
their savage fathers, who would devour them if they could. This I do
not believe.
The black bears are omnivorous. They will eat fish, flesh, fowl, and
vegetables. They are fond of all kinds of berries and sweet fruits.
They "go crazed" after honey, climbing bee-trees and robbing the nests.
They dig for roots--such as groundnuts and prairie-turnips. They lick
up the larva of insects greedily, turning over great logs to get at
them. In the south they tear open the nests of turtles and alligators,
and devour the eggs; and, where there are settlements, they steal into
the fields and eat quantities of young corn and potatoes, making sad
havoc with the crops. They will devour pigs and other animals, eating
their flesh--it might be said, alive--as they do not stop to kill them,
but eat while tearing them to pieces. They will satisfy their hunger
with putrid carcass, or, in short, with anything that is eatable by any
other creature.
Notwithstanding the disgusting variety of his food, the flesh of the
black bear is very palatable. It is a treat among the Indians and white
hunters--particularly the large fat paws, which are esteemed the
"tit-bits." It is, perhaps, because these people are so fond of them,
that they are led to believe the bear himself must be so, and therefore
during his winter retirement entertains himself by sucking them.
There are many ways of capturing the bear. He is hunted by trained
hounds. When thus attacked he will run straight on for ten miles, if
his pursuers do not press him too close. When overtaken, however, he
turns upon the dogs; and, should one of the latter come near enough, a
single blow of his paws will usually send it sprawling. He runs
awkwardly on his plantigrade feet; but, although from his great length
and size he appears to move but slowly, it is not so. He manages to
shuffle over the ground much more rapidly than one would suppose. He
can overtake a man on foot--although a mounted hunter, with his dogs,
will easily overtake _him_. When he finds that he cannot escape by
running, he takes to a tree; and, having clambered high up, tries to
hide himself among the leaves. He does not often succeed in this, as
the keen noses of the hounds guide them to the right tree, where they
stand barking and howling until the hunters come up. These finding the
bear "treed," rarely fail to bring him down with their rifles. He will
then, if only wounded, fight fiercely both with dogs and hunters; but it
is only at such times that the black bear will contend with man; as,
when not attacked by the latter, he will never attack him. When
wounded, however, or assailed by the hunter, he becomes a dangerous
antagonist; and men have been dreadfully mutilated and torn on such
occasions, escaping only with their lives. Some there are who have been
nearly crushed to death by his "hug."
The black bear is often trapped and snared, in various ways--such as by
log-traps, nooses tied to bent saplings, dead-falls, and steel-traps--
and he is thus caught much more readily than either the lynx, the fox,
or the wolf.
It would be easy to fill a volume with anecdotes and adventures in which
the black bear figures as the hero. Many stories of his peculiar habits
are related in the back settlements of America, some of which are true,
while others partake largely of exaggeration. We have not room for
these, however; and I have given you only _facts_, such as will enable
you to form some idea of the general habits of this animal.
Most of these facts were communicated by Lucien to his brothers, while
they were engaged in preparing their breakfast; and, as all three were
very hungry, this was the first thing that occupied them after the bears
had been killed.
The breakfast consisted of part of a cub, which was cleared of the hair
by being singed, and then roasted. They knew that bear-meat, like pork,
is spoiled by skinning; and they followed the Indian fashion of
preparing it. They made a hearty meal, as the cub-meat proved both
tender and juicy--having a flavour something between young pork and
veal. Of course, Marengo had his breakfast as well, coming in for
refuse bits enough to have filled a large basket. The feet, however,
which would have fallen to his share, had it been a deer or a buffalo,
he did not get. Our young hunters had eaten bear-paws before; and, of
coarse, reserved these delicate morsels to themselves.
As soon as breakfast was finished, and their animals had been led to the
water, the brothers met together in a "council of three." It was
necessary to take into consideration how they should now act. Their
circumstances were very much altered. The whole of their provisions of
dried meat, flour, and coffee, had been dropped by Jeanette in her
flight, and, of course, eaten up or destroyed by the javalies.
Henceforth they would have to depend entirely on their guns to supply
them. The loss of their tent did not vex them, as in the fine summer
weather, which they then had, they thought nothing of sleeping in the
open air. But to be deprived of their coffee, that much-prized luxury
of the prairie traveller, was a great chagrin. However, as Basil
observed, they would have to get along without it. It would not be long
before they should come across the buffalo, and with the delicious
"hump-ribs" in plenty, hunters rarely long for other luxuries. All
three felt satisfied that the buffalo-range was not far off, and that by
keeping due westward they would soon be gratified with the sight of
large droves of these animals. They resolved, however, to act with
caution. They had heard that many tracts of the prairies are almost
barren of game. With this fact before their minds, they were not going
to leave so much good food behind them as appeared to be in the carcass
of the bear. She therefore must be "jerked," and packed upon Jeanette,
in lieu of the load which the latter had kicked off. So, with these
intentions, Basil and Francois set to skinning her, while Lucien
commenced collecting dry wood for a large fire. Of course they intended
staying another night in the same camp, as it would take a day, at
least, to "jerk" the bear-meat.
The bear was soon skinned and cut up into thin slices and strips--for
that is the mode adopted in "jerking," or preserving without salt. It
is usual to cure the meat by simply hanging it over poles or lines, in a
hot sun; where it will dry sufficiently in three days, so that there
will be no risk of its spoiling afterwards. But our adventurers did not
wish to be detained so long, and therefore adopted another mode of
curing it--that was by "barbecueing" it slightly over a fire. This was
the plan:--A shallow pit was scooped out in the ground, and across it
were laid green saplings, parallel to each other. Into the pit were
thrown embers and red cinders, so as to give up a considerable heat.
Upon the saplings thin slices of the meat were laid--as on a gridiron--
so that they might become dried and slightly toasted at the same time.
Meat cured in this way will keep for months; and the Indians and hunters
usually adopt this plan, when they have no time to wait for a regular
"jerking."
The second cub was singed, and cut up without skinning, as pork usually
is. It was roasted, to be ready for eating at once--as they designed
bringing it "to the table" before many hours.
While the meat was drying, Basil melted some of the fat in the kettle,
which fortunately was one of the utensils that still remained. With
this fat--which beyond a doubt was genuine _bear's grease_--he anointed
poor Jeanette's shanks, that had been almost clean skinned by the teeth
of the javalies. She had been suffering with them ever since, and the
application of the bear's grease seemed to give her great relief.