Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-05-30
From the Connecticut Mirror.

.4nfelope.-" The Antelope has strange
propensity, by which both the hunters
and The wolves easily decoy it to its ru-
in. AT first sight this fleet aud quick
eyed animal takes fright and sets off full
speed the hunter lies down and lifts up
his arm, or his feet, and then the creature
returns 90 light trot to look at him, aud
see what he is, going off and returning
two or three times, till it comes within
reach of the rifle. In like manner the
wolves crouch down, and, If the antelope
be frightened, they repeat the man@uvre;
sometimes, it is said, relieving each other
(for they hunt in company till they
have decoyed their victim from the herd"
Whether the wolves learned the art Of
beguiling the antelope from the Indians, or
the Indians from the wolves, is question
that seems rather difficult to decide
However, there is practiced another STRAIT
agem, of which The Indians appear fairly
entitled to the exclusive honor.
From the same work, namely, Lewis
and Clarke's travels to the source of the
Missouri river, aud across the American
Continent 10 the Pacific oceans taken
the following curious story Of the manner
in which the Indians out-wit their peace
able neIghbors the buffaloes So" An To-
dian covers himself with the skin of one
of these animals, the ears and horns fas-
tened Oh his owe head SO as to deceive the
unsuspecting herd. Thus accoutred, he
hofxu ktar nEt hn
precipices his companions in the mean
time get on the rear and side of the herd,
and, at concerted sig0aL give chase.
The buffaloes take the alarm, and run TO-
wards the decoy he leads them as fast
as possible to the precipice, and secures
himself in some crevice which he has
marked; those at the brink are driven on
by the hindermost, who see no danger but
from the hunters, and the whole are thus
precipitated down in such numbers that,
after the Indians have taken as many as
they can dispose Of aud the wolves glutted
themselves, the air is tainted with the
carcases which remain"
In those regions of forest, 10 which is
divided empire of man and brute, the
most puissant aud most dreaded monarch |
is the brown bear. The Indians were
sorely afraid Of Bruie, and in a manner
did fealty 10 him. g They never yentur-
ed to attack him but in parties of six or
eight, and before they went out TO give
him battle painted themselves, and per-
formed the same ceremonies as if they
were going to war; even with all this adj
vantage of numbers they were often de-
feated and obliged to retreat. p" We |
had rather" says Captain Clarke, en-
counter two Indians than meet single |
brown bear; their very track in the mud
or sand, which we have sometimes found
eleven inches long and seven and quar-
Ter wide, exclusive OF the talons is alarm
ing. The wonderful power Of life which
they possess renders them dreadful; there
is no chance Of killing them by single
shot unless the ball goes through the
BRAIN" Six of the exploring party at
tackled one of the breed; and even after
they had broke his shoulder and sent
eight balls through his lungs, he pursued
them so closely that two Of the number
very narrowly escaped with their lives.