Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-12-26
WEDNESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 26, 1866

i've IHO HuhloA hHeW ny experience,
that the struggles of the RABBIT to escape
would soon attract the attention of the
eagles, and he intended, when the royal
bird would swoop on his prey, to grapple
with him boldly, and, though the bird
might prove a powerful adversary, he
had no doubts Of the ultimate result of
| the battle.
Suddenly the RABBIT is struck, whirling
into the air. and the astonished hunter re-
moving his eyes from the eagles on the
top Of the cliff into his own more imme-
date vicinity, beholds standing over him
an Immense white bear, apparently con-
templating with great curiosity the ex-
posed hand Of the hunter, which grasped
the bleeding leg of thc unfortunate rab-
bit.
Ish-pau-be- instinctively closed his
eyes, and feigncd the death which he had
reason to believe would soon be Lis por-
ton. Meanwhile, the bear was making
further researches; he soon removed all
the grass with which h-pau- he kau had
covered himself, and obtained full view
of the body, which lay before him in its
shallow grave, apparently as devoid of all
life or motion, as though it had been bur-
led there for many days past.
To satisfy his doubts, the bear placed
one of his huge paws under the hunters
body, and tossed him out of the trench,
with as much ease as he had struck the
rabbit from the hunters hand. Ish-pau-
be-kau lay in the same position in which
he fell; he never moved muscle; and
whilst the bear was smelling his mouth
and nostrlls, to ascertain whether or not
he was breathing, and was tossing him
about from side to side, he counterfeited
death so perfectly, that he bcheld before
him nothing but q lifeless carcass.
Nevertheless, he had still some doubts
remaining; and walking off some thirty
or forty PAGES, he concealed himself be-
hind group of the large gopher hills
which are SO common on the western prai-
ries. From this position he would recon-
noitre every few moments the body of the
Indian, which still lay in'the same posture
in which it had fallen last, as motionless
as though life had been extinct for cen
fury. Ish-pau-be- kau, had, however.
raised his eye-lids sufficiently to enable
him to observe the motions Of the bear:
he could see the head of the bear appear
ing at short intervals. from behind the
gopher hill, and after taking slight OBJ
servation, it would be again Withdrawn.
He observed also that the intervals be-
tween these motions of the bears head
gradually increased in length, and once.
when at least fifteen minutes had elapsed
without the bears head re-appearing, Ish-
pau-be-kau determined to effect change
in the relative positions Of the bear and
himself.
Again the bear looked out from behind
the gopher HILL. and again Withdrew his
head; scarcely was this motion performed
before Ish-pau-be- kau was on his feet, and
flying with the feetness of reindeer
across the prairie toward the tamarack
swamp. 1t might have been half hour
before the bear again looked out from his
hiding place, when few bounds brought
him to the spot where he had last seen the
body. Here, taking the track of Ish-pau-
be-kau he was soon in full pursuit, and
when the hunter entered the tamarack
swamp, the bear was close at his heels
lsh-pau-be-kau had just reached the top
most branches ola large tamarack tree,
when the bear took up his position at its
roots. Unlike his black brethren the
white bear is no climber, and Ishpau-be-
kau was now beyond his reach; but deter
mined not to be cheated >of his pray, he
Immediately commenced digging and
gnawing the roots of the tree. A short
time sulliced to bring down the tree with
crash, but the disappointed bear per-
ceived with chagrin that Ish-pau- kau
had canght the limb of another tree, and
was still beyond his reach; and so closely
grew the tamaracks, that if the bear fell
ed the one the Indian now occupied, il
was certain in falling to carry him straight
into the branches Of another.
The bear now resumed his old tactics:
walking some distance from the occupied
tree, he laid down ia place concealed
from the view of the Indian. and where,
by poking out his head from time to time.
he could observe all that was going on in
the tree.
lsh-pau-be-kau now commenced con-
structlng, from the small branches of the
tamarack, an image as much like his own
form as possible; and with the assistance
of his belt, breech-cloth, Logging and head
dress, he soon had figure that at dis
lance would closely resemble a man.
Waiting his opportunity, when the bear
had taken an observation, and had again
withdrawn his head, Ish-pau-be-kau fixed
the image in his place, and gliding swiftly
down the tree. again trusted in his sneed
to save his life.
Unfortunately, the very means he had
taken to secure his escape, became the
cause of speedier pursuit by the bear
A slight gust of wind shook the image
from its position, and down it came to the
ground; Instantly the bear had it in his
grasp, and detecting the cheat, fastened
to the foot of the tree, took Ish-pau.be-
Klaus trail, and was away in pursuit of the
fugitive, who was scarcely 8 half mile In
aasance.