The Western World: Picturesque Sketches of Nature and Natural History in North; and South AmericaKingston, William Henry Giles
History
The Western World: Picturesque Sketches of Nature and Natural History in North; and South America
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Natural history -- North America; Natural history -- South America
The black bear possesses wonderful strength--said to be fully equal to
that of ten men. Experiments have been tried, in which so many persons
have attempted to drag off a cask baited with molasses, or other sweet
stuff, secured to a rope, when the bear has carried it away with perfect
ease, in spite of their united efforts to draw it from him.
The most dangerous time to attack a she-bear is in the spring; when she
is accompanied by her cubs. If she has time, she will lead them off to
a place of safety; but if not, she will chase the intruder from her
domains--and woe betide him if he cannot manage to escape her claws!
Bears are easily taken in traps, baited with small bundles of sticks
smeared with molasses. They are hunted in the "fall," when they have
become fat with the ample supply of blue and whortle berries or
beech-mast on which they have been feeding. To obtain the beech-mast,
Bruin will frequently climb a tree, and sometimes, like the orang-outang
of Eastern seas, will build a rough platform for himself among the upper
branches, where he can lie concealed and munch his food at leisure. The
most certain way to obtain the animal in this case is to cut down the
tree and shoot him as he reaches the ground, for, as may be supposed, he
is in no amiable mood when thus disturbed, and, unless speedily killed,
would attempt to wreak a fearful vengeance on his assailants. The black
bear springs on his prey in the same way as does the tiger or panther of
the southern part of the continent. He thus frequently kills the young
moose, though the full-grown animal is too active and powerful to be
thus caught. He will even attack horses in the same way, though the
latter animal often receives him with a furious kick.
In the summer, the black bears unite and hunt in gangs, making the
forest resound with their fearful snarling and loud moaning cries. They
give warning to the hunter to pile fuel on his camp-fire, and to take
his rifle in hand, for, strong in numbers, they will not hesitate to
approach him, and, if pressed by hunger, to make an assault on his camp.
THE GRIZZLY BEAR.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account