The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-11-09

have already received an account OF them
from the party who have so recently an
rived at Ems. rll
"Of course, am ready to admit the
wondrous effect of the stalactites con-
tanned therein-these possess charm
for the excursionist, but they have none
for me. 1 do not usually indulge in idle,
groundless fears, but must, nevertheless,
frankly confess that soon after our first
entrance 1 had serious thoughts of en-
deavoring to persuade our party to re-
turn; indeed, l should have done 80 had
it not been that Mr.. Nettlefold was at
the time too far ahead. Marcus, who
never for moment anticipated the COM
ing danger, urged US on toward the
ponds. Both his sisters seconded the
proposition, 80 there was no help for it.
"On we went. We were obliged to
thread our way with the utmost caution,
having to crawl through a miserably
small opening. shuddered, but said
nothing, lest should be accused of cow
ardice. At length we reached the de-
sired spot without any serious mishap,
and found ourselves, in the deepest re-
cesses of the cavern, far removed from
the external world. We became aware
of draught of wind by the Pickering of
our torches, and discovered to the right
of the pond narrow passage which evil
IDENTIFY led further into the cave. Taken
altogether, the cave presented most
cherries aspect. The lurid glare of the
torches on the dark surface of the deep,
stagnant water, in which neither sun nor
moon had ever been reflected; the damp,
dripping lime walls; the rough, and, in
many parts, slippery ground, so filled us
with dismay that we determined upon
retracing our steps, and in very short
time had the satisfaction of finding our
selves near the narrow passage through
which we had passed. Mr.. Nettlefold,
who led the way, suddenly came to a
halt, and made sign for us to remain
quiet. We stopped and listened; our
feelings at this time-at least can an
swer for myself-were not of an envi-
able nature. We looked anxiously at
each other, and cold shudder came
over all upon our hearing loud roar,
as of some beast of prey. The fright
full cries were repeated several times.
"'Speak, Marcus ! 1 calculated, in
an extremity of fear; from whence pro-
ceed these sounds2'
ga bear, without doubt 7 he NUT
tered, in deep detection.
"His two sisters turned pale, and
with fear
"'W We must meet the danger as best
we can, said Marcus, CHANGING at the
girls. BE of good cheer, and let us pa
tlently await the result
SO 1t is the growl of bear, / sup
pose?' said I, addressing myself to Mr..
Nettlefold.
"There is no mistaking it, answered
our English friend. Some days ago,
the villagers hunted shaggy monster
who had committed great devastation
among the farming stock. They did
not succeed in hitting the bear, who
made his escape; and
what p 1 inquired, anxiously.
GO much fear that the animal may
have sought shelter in these caverns.
"Such, afterward, was but too clearly
demonstrated" said Haller, seating
himself on a messy bank, at the rear of
which hung the luscious grapes of a
luIBc VI
followed his example, and sat down
by his side.
Before conclude the disasters of
that fatal day." said my companion, 1T
will be as well, perhaps, to give you
some idea of the mode of hunting bears.
SIN the more remote and less Guilt
waited districts of Hungary and Bohemia,
a ,e,
the terror of the shepherds, and hunting
him is almost as favorite a pastime with
the people of those countries as bull
fighting with the inhabitants of Spain
or Portugal. 1t is only in the spring
that the bears do most mischief, when
the hard frost has straitened them for
several weeks of their forest prey; they
then make raids by broad daylight
into the hamlets and villages, and it is
not at all uncommon for peasant
from his labor in the field
to find furred and whiskered marauder
in possession of his hut, and ransacking
it, from the meal-chest to the corner cup
board, in quest of provision. If tracked
with hounds, which is easy at this sea-
son, because his footsteps In the snow
betray him, the bear retreats, but by no
means in disorder, or with any special
celebrity. For the chase, the villagers go
out in parties of three or four together,
and armed with a small ak, made after
the manner of an American tomahawk;
and the first work is to beat the places
where the bear is likely to be found, or
10 lay bait for him, consisting of dead
sheep, near which they wait until he is
by the smell. When bruin APP
pears, the hunter who is to make the at
tack-having grappling-hooks fitted to
lis knees in order to climb more easily
advances boldly to within fifty or sixty
yards, and commences the quarrel by
throwing stone. This done, he makes
or. tree which he has selected; and
hen, according to agreement with his
the affair becomes trag-
,dy, or is to terminate as farce.
"As soon as the bear finds himself
struck, he starts at a smart trot in pur-
,uit of his molester, seldom offering to
neddle with any one else unless his venge-
,nce is interfered with and, when he
caches the tree, he straightway begins
% ascend with as much expedition as his
labitual gravity or movement will permit.
This is the moment, if the game is to die,
t which the forester begins to bestir
,;p,aalf Seated among the leaves and