Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-01-23
Great Bear Hunt in Southinqton
Thrilling Night Adventure.

SOUTHINGToN, Jan. 10 1867.
EDITOR CHRONICLE are many
Of our good people who neverrehectup-
on the fact that it is but little more
than half century since not a single
trace of improvement or cultivation
could be found any where in all the
great territory known as the Western
Reserve. The unbroken forests of old
Trumbull were the homes of the red
man, and the scenes of his very inno-
cent amusement; such as decoying the
wolf, hunting the bear and other wild
game; together with the still more at
tractiVe little psstime of relieving the
pale-faces of their scalps, whenever op-
portunity presented.
Their game with what little vege-
tables the fairer sex of this genus homo
was able to produce, was sufficient to
supply all the demands of his physical
organism. The wild wood was his
drawing room, his sanctuary and his
school house. The laughing wood
lawn rivulet, with its pure limpid wa
ters mingled with the myriads of Heav-
| ems featkery songsters, was his orches-
ira which with the wild moan of the
wind through the tree tops for the
chorus, made that variety ofmusic nee
essary to charm and sooth the heart of
ye gentle savage. Ye very virtuous,
and accommodating aborigines did, you
ever, ever dream, that so soon the
wicked dencroachments of the pale faces
would break in upon your fun and
"spile" all your literary and intellectu-
al pursuits Did you think as time
rolled on, .hat it would bring to your
ears the sound of the axe, and as it
echoed, and re-echoed through the for
ests, it was only death knell," q re-
QUEEN to all your fun and high living
in these parts? Dreadful sound to
big Ipjun," hard to be driven away
from his hunting grounds, and the
graves of his fathers, by the wicked
hand of civilization. Butye are gone,
ye faithful saVages! gone to the far
west, to clear up and improve our
frontier, and encounter big black bear.
Good byei a long farewell, to vel ye
gentlemanly race of copperheads! Had
you taken all your game with you, it
would have saved the discontinue of
many of your elder brothers, the pale
faces. We, your successors, while we
admire your pretty feathers, and your
general personal appearance, don't ex-
actly fancy some of your little habits
aud sports, such as alping white folks
and hugging bears. We have a ma
tional popularity about this monster,
SO excuse US, if you please.
My sweet Indian, l feel thankful
that you left behind you the deer and
other small game, but forgive me for
chiding you for not taking along with !
you the bear and the wolf. They are
unpleasant animals, especially at night. |
They have been the subject of a great !
many unpleasant stories, which have |
terrified women and children; and, 10 !
tell you the truth, some of those bear !
stories have made strong hearts quail; |
particularly at night when it was quite |
dark. But they (that is the bears) are
nearly all gone now, and think l can |
safely say to you, and especially to ye |
Mohawks and Senecas, that the pale |
faces. with few exceptions, have free
ly forgiven you. So adieu, to you, ye
almost extinct race of the tan colored |
persuasion.
Speaking of bear stories and bears,
reminds me of a great many fearful en-
counters which occurred in this |
county during the early period of its
history. Of late years however but few
bears have been seen in this vicinity. |
many of the younger citizens have new
er seen wild one, and let me here add
by way of calculating my subject, and
e., 81. = r Al