The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-04-04

side heard his father scream for assis-
tance, and attempted to drag out the
bear, but found his strength insufficient.
After many unavailing efforts, he be-
came much terrified. and mounted his
fathers horse with the determination of
seeking assistance. There was no road |
through the wilderness, but the saga
cious horse, taking the direction to St.
Louis, carried the alarmed youth to
that place, where'a party was soon
raised and despatched to the relief of
the hunter. But they searched in vain
for the place Of his captivity. From
some cause not now recollected, the
trace of the horse was obliterated, and
the boy, in his agitation, had so far for
gotten the landmarks, as to be totally
unable to lead them to the spot. They
returned after weary and unsuccess-
full search: the hunter was heard OF no
more, and no doubt remained of his
having perished miserably in the cave
Some years afterwards, the aperture of
the cavern was discovered, in a spot
so hidden and and difficult of access, as
to have escaped the notice of those
who had passed near it. Near the
mouth was found the skeleton Of the
bear, and within the cave, that ofihe
Frenchman, with his gun and equip
ments, all, apparently, in the same con-
ditionas when he died. That he should
have perished ofhunger, from mere ina
bility to effect his escape by removing
the body of the bear, seems improbable,
because, supposing him to have been
unable by main strength to effect this
object, it would have cost him but little
labor to have cut up and removed the
animal by piecemeal. 1t is most likely,
either that he was suffocated, or that
he had received some injury which dis
abled him from exertion. The cave
bears name which commentaries the
event.
The other circumstance to which we
alluded, occurred in Monroe county
Illinois. There are in many parts o
this country. singular depressions Oh
basins, which the inhabitants call sink
holes. They are sometimes very deep
circular at the top, with steep side!
meeting in a point at the bottom, pre-
cisely in the shape of a funnel. AT the
bottom of one of these, party of hun
ters discovered the den of a she wolf
and ascertained that it contained lit
ter of whelps. For the purpose of des
troying the latter, they assembled at the
place. On examining the entrance tc
the den, it was found to be perpendic
ular, and so narrow as to render it I'M
possible or very difficult for man tc
enter; and as notion prevails among
the hunters, that the female wolf only
visits her young at night, 1t was pro
posed to send in a boy to destroy thu
whelps. A fine, courageous boy, arm
ed with knife, was accordingly thrus
into the cavern, where, to his surprise
he found himself in the company of tn,
she wolf, whose glistening eye-balls
/, white teeth, and surly voice, sufficient
: ly announced her presence. The bo,
! retreated towards the entrance, an
called to his friends, to inform them tina
the old wolf was there. The men toll
him that he was mistaken; that the oil
, wolf fnever staid with her young in day
+ light; and advised him to go boldly u
to the bed and destroy the litter. Th
boy, thinking that the darkness of til
cove might have deceived him, returne
advanced boldly, and laid his hand upc
the she wolf, who sprang upon him, an
bit him very severely, before he coul
is effect his retreat, and would probabl
i have killed him, had he not defende
q himself with resolution. One or tv
!. of the men now succeeded in efectir
J. an entrance, torches were introduce
n the wolf shot, and her offspring de
IS troyed.