New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-05
ma Bear Dance.

provided the bears did not catch Won at H. I have
seen such thing, M. EdtSr and if you think q
your service.
think it was in the year '34 or s5-atleast i was
short time before the removal Of the Creek JndianB
from the State Of Alabama and after many white
families had settled amongst them that was invited
over and made visit to friend aud his family who
had settled in what in row Macon county on creek
some eight or ten miles to the south OF southwest Of
where the 1Ourishing village Of Tuskegee is nov 10
csted then in erysalis and just bursting into being.
The country around was one vast wilderness where
the wild savage roamed unmoested, and rs yet con
tended for the mastery with the prowling panther and
bear Here and there, in some isolated nook, mostly
in rich fork at the junction Of two creeks the a-
ventuFous white pioneer had made his clearing and
built his cabin, pTesaging the time when the ab0-
rigne should be expelled, the white man come il,
the wilderness blossom as the rose, and he and his
posterity be rich.
It was in such nook, and ID such Cabin, at the
head OF such a fork my friend and his family were
located. OF course did not look for or expect to
find many Of the uXuries Of life, and Of the spbstan
tiai necessaTies found be had plenty. Game had
not disappeared from the forest and his iaTder WIS
well stored with Venison. This was one luxury nj
least. Then the creeks supplied him with an aBnnd-
ance Of fish which his boys did not hesitate to hook,
whenever convenient much more appfehensjve ofth
clutches Of " varmintf which they might possibly
meet with in their peregrnations than the clutches
OF the law. This was another luxury. N Y visit was
about roasting ear times and the young sweet potato
| had also made its appearance. He had Sugar and
coffee, meal and grlts milk and butter. In word
according to my notion, Jared sumptuously eyeTy
day"
But did not make my visit to indulge ID satipg,
and drinking even altogether for the enjoymenk
| OF my friends society He had promised me some
sport in hunting, was this that lured re ID The
wilderness.
had taken up my rife early one morning, and, in
company with half grown boy, twelve or thirteen
years of age, my friends son. had taken ny course
down the creek, in hope of an early shot al deeE
or turkey. Luck was against us.s No game could we
find not even squirrel was 10th to give Ii mp so,
and kept on in my course down the creek, my l5ttIe
companion trailing on behind me, no doubt wonder
ing where was going and anxious to return for his
breakfast The sun had now risen, and we were two
or three miles from the cabin approaching the june
ton Of the creeks. The land vas low and sHampy
on the sides Of the creeks but elevated and Gr n
the center. kept on the ridge.
All at once / heard unaccountable noise N Of
/ half a dozen persons or more throwing abgut the
dead leaves of the Forest looked towards the point
whence the sound came but could discover nothing
| The sky was calm and serene not breath Of wind
| blowing. What could It be at this moment fbe
lad stepped up to me and pointing ia the direction
| in which had heard the sound and had looked, bat
not far enough, he said in an nndertone, Bar, dont
| you see.n
1 did see then, aud sight which shall never
forget. Five living and grown black bears, all iD
group, at large, and not sixty yards in advance Of
| My first impulse was to slip off quietly and fee for
home and help, reeolectng there were but two
shots between me and my young comprehension be-
also had rife; my next was to bring down one Of
the bears and chance the others to circumstances
should remark here that the bears were Qnige toe
much taken up with each other to see aught 81 MS
While was thus bordering, my young companion
called ont again, still IN his under tone, Look lpok r.
shaking me violently by the sheul err Bat I Was
looking very steadasty, and had been for moment
or two, with all the eyes and sight could command.
Two of the bears, and apparently two Of the small
est and most youthful, had reared on their hind legs
stepped ont into a small opening in the woods, and
prancng about like raw pupils taking their first les
sons in the art OF dancing under Justices CUaTa.
pDCber- BparS and hFUta beasts thEv " their
madness was not without method First they a3-
vanced side by side, extending their sinister and
dexter paws to each other, right and lett with all
imaginable politeness, convincing me that one must
be lady bear and the other gentleman. After Turn
two around the area they had chosen for the ball
ROOM they set to their partners laid their paws md
arms lovingly over each other shoulders, and sneR
huggng and kissing you never did see. 1t beat the
waltz and the schottsche all hollow. II my young
friends IS in the settlements, male or female, had
seen it, they would have hid their diminished heads
for shame and would never attempt either again.
After they had Rugged and slabbered each other
satisfactorily, they drew back and began stalking
about again, at first. all this while the three
bears were lying about loose and apparently nnc0n
cerned, unless it was the other young one-foT they
were evidently family of parents and three children
This appeared to be fidgetty and restless and
now either because he could not hold back any longer
or because it called for by the figure or for some
other cause not to the spectators explained he sprung
upon his hinder legs, and cut in with will. His
rival Immediately gave way. He dropped On bis al
folks lay quietly down beside them discounted and
crestfallen, and commenced licking his paws.
But the lady either tired, or she did not feel
herself bound to keep the floor with her partner
Perhaps she had not been regularly introduced 10
him, and looked upon him an inteTl0per. Be that
as it may, she would dance no longer. She paused =
moment perhaps to be led to the ottoman but sesinE
the brute before had not the politeness she ihdig
nantly dropped upon all-fours, like her lBsIEj0as
predecessor, and waddled off in offended dignity.
Bruin, who was left standing solitary and alODes
,,rr lf,,. rT,a tfrr H.
comited ballroom beau has done before him, and
came down also. The dancing was at end, bnt the
party was not yet over.
had forgotten to mention that while this 7aFe
sport going on among the young folks, one Cd
the old ones had disappeared. Myself and my BB19
pRnion had got interested in the Dance that nehGT
of US noticed when he or she went away But il bad
left that was certain. When first missed it, took
it for granted it had gone down to the water, md
would return again after drinking but NOT seeing q
come back as expected, began to be very h1gtsfE
and sensitive about the neither extremities fearing
strategic demonstration from the rear while the
main body should come up in front, and thus piREe
: us between two fires. This suspicion seemed TO be
confirmed by the leisurely manner in which those IN
sigkt seemed to be taking things They were rolling
about toying and playing with each other, but e91-
IDENTIFY against time 1t could be nothing else. 96BE
were waiting for some given signal-seme GBBgTegE
! rocket or blue light Of bear wariare-Yhen they
would up and at us with teeth and claws. ] be-
gan to feel feyerish and faint by turns, bnt perhaps
that because had waited SO long for my break
, fast Every moment would cast fuFtlNe glanae
backwards | could not help it and time seemed as
intermnabe to me as if had Toasted upon hasheesh
for a week. But the bear did not come; ut least na1
from that direction
While in this feverish excitement afraid to move
and afraid to stop was suddenly aFeRsea b.
heavy rusing amongst the leaves and bushes beyond
the side occupied by our entertainers (; and casting
my eyes in that direction, much to my relief saw hi
missing bear strutting along on its hinder pins
. coming from the same direction it must have g0ng
II out at and bearing in its fore arms an enormous oai
p | of green corn
i The secret was out ; the young people had had
+ their ball, and they must have their breakfast
The scene lost none of its interest," but actually be
came more and more exciting The old bear thrRg
n down its load, and the young fell TO Teasing
= Neither of the old touched mouthfn; but 10!
is by, calmly looking on, as if pleased to see the
4 children enjoying themselves
r. What picture this would have been, at this ND
ii ment for HOgarth Myselfin front gazing With eye
+ of fire upon the scene before me- my face halls 3p
t. prehensive the rifle tightly grasped but resting bI
ID the ground The boy alongside OF me- lost TO him
" SELF being wholly absorbed in nstonshmeht and 8oo
: der The bears their little plateau in the distance
the young ones quietly ieastng and the old ones com
co placenty looking on The whole emboWered ID Iii
a depths Of heavy woodland shade What brilliant
10 picture could Hogarth have made OF it.
- At this moment strong masculine voice ring II
nc nv ears from behind Gliding me for suffering ID
breakfast to get cold. My kind host stood Mt E13
a. hack Before could cry hist" the bears had caREb
~ the sound and before my friend could catch the 7i
IF and fro Out q