Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-07-02
Slonth' 8 Column.
THE BOATING BEAR.


wild cats and other WARNINGS" as they
called them.
One day they were boating up the
river, and half mile off, they saw
big black bear come down to the edge of
the water to get his breakfast off from
the body of deer that had got stuck
fast in the mud while he was licking up
salty water-which the deer like very
much-and died there. They tried every
way to get near enough to have a shot
at him, but the old fellow was to cum
ming for them. If they tried to row the
boat up to where he was, he would trot
off into the woods before they got any,
where near enough to shoot. Or if they
left the boat and tried to creep up along
the shore, he would smell the powder in
their guns long before he could hear
them, and would give mad kind of a
growl and run away.
The hunters were very soon tired of
this sort of fooling and thought they'd
try another game on him. So they took
what was left of the deer and threw it
into the river, and it hoated out into the
stream. Then they took an old boat
that they hadn't used in long time,
and put on the seat in the middle big
cake of honey they had got out of a bee
tree few days before. They drew the
boat up on the sand at the waters edge,
and laid the rope down and covered it
with sand and stone just heavy enough
to keep it from floating off, but not
enough to anchor it very tight.-Every
bit of the work they did standing in
the water, or in their own boat, so as
not to leave any tracks or scent to scare
away the bear Then they rowed over
across the river, half a mile or more
away, and got ready to watch with their
spy glass.
Along about shutdown the old bear
came trottlng down out of the woods to
get another "venison steak, rare, with
salt water sauce" Before be got there
he smelled the honey, and began to lick
his chops, as much as to say "Good
enough! Wild honey for dessert p.
But in a minute he found his venison
was gone, and made as much flying
around and growing as your father did
last Sunday when the cat carried off the
quails he had brought home for dinner.
But as the deer was gone, and he was
hungry, he started to smell out the hon.
ey. Very soon he found the boat, and
saw the big cake of honey on the seat.
He started back, scared at first, but as
there were no guns nor oars, nor any
sign or smell of man, he came back
and began to peek around.
Bears are deal like boys in some
things.-They love to play; they have
sweet tooth they are cross when they
are hungry, and they are very curious.
So the old fellow, whose mouth fairly
watered for the honey, looked all around
like mischievous youngster going for
his mama's preserves, and then jumped
into the boat. But in less than a jiffy
he wished he hadn't, for his weight
loosened the rope, and his jump into the
boat sent it out upon the stream, and as
the current was real swift there Mr..
Bear was soon floating down the river.
He couldn't swim, and was too much
afraid of the water to jump in, and too
scared to eat his honey. So he did
again and again just what boy would
do. What's that? Why, he howled.
The hunters had seen everything he did
and they jumped into their boat and be-
gan to pull for him lively. One of them
sat in the middle and rowed, and the
other sat in the bow with his rifle. AS
soon as they got near enough, the first
hunter began to laugh and talk at the
bear; Where are you driftin' to you old
contraband? he called out-and what
are ye running off with my boat for
Why don't ye lay down and paddle with
your fore paws, and steer with that ali
stub tail as rudder? An how do yoU
like honey, anyhow? When the beal
heard the hunters voice he turned hi
head, and was as mad as he had beer
scared before. He showed all his grea
e savage teeth, and growlcd enough t.
make his hair stand on end. But tn
! hunters weren't afraid, and rowed VI
E quite close. You don't seem bit glac
y to see US, said the other one, though
3 dare say you'd hug us if you had
q chance. Are you 6shin', or boating 70
p pleasure ?-and with that he firtet
some water toward the bear with bi
q oar, and the old fellow came near tippin
!, the boat over, be was SO hopping mad
q The hunter with the gun was afraid b
r would get into the water and be LOST
and so he took aim and fired ball int
Il the bears head right back of his cal
y and another right between his eyes, an
killed him dead. And then they towe
him ashore, and took off his skin for a
y overcoat, and hung up the meat to CT