The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-03-15
AN ARKANsAw BEAR HUNT.

IlScr anu insSsuBdtc me Couuiuon VI thC flood sufferers, related to us the following story of an Arkansaw bear hunt:
 had been stopping at the house of old Andy Patterson, famous bear hunt CT. One morning he came to me and said:
 "Cap'n, this is the finest time in the world for bear hunt. The high water has driv them from the lower bottoms and we won't have any trouble in gittin' at 'em. I'd like to show you a genuine hunt among the cane, but reckon we can find enough of it to serve our pur- pose"
 "I should like very much to accom- pany you.r replied. :" should think that it would be fine sport to ride around and shoot bears. Ever since read the life of Davy Croc<ett, l have longed to kill such noble game"
 You're right about the noble game" he said, |" but you're sorter off about rid in round an shootin' 'em."
 "Is it necessary to walk ~
 Wall, if you see thicket where a bear hangs up you'd wonder how man could git through it, let alone horse"
 "Makes no difference, I'm with you"
 All right. I'll make the prepara- ,ions."
 The next morning we started. A we'll known lover of big game, an odd looking genius named Ben Lyle, familiarly called Hoe Handle, on account of his physical architecture, and short, fat fellow known as Blow, joined the party. At first thought that Mir. Blow was so christ ened on account of shortness of breath, m infliction which comes with excess of flesh, but l soon discovered that the name suited him in another way, and that he had any amount of breath, inso- much that he could tell of the most re- markable adventures and hair breadth escapes from horrible deaths by wolves, snakes and high water. We had fifteen dogs, twelve militia and three regulars. Bose, Pete and Caper wete the veterans, and went about the campaign as system a,ically as German general alter having studied map drawn by the famous Non Moltke We entered forest covering a low tract of marshy land, and the density of the undergrowth soon convinced me that old Andy was right in saying that we could not ride around and shoot the bears. Occasionally we would stop and let the old regular dogs seou, around. We had to keep the impatient militia in check and was amused at old Caper one of the regulars. While young hound was attempting to break away and join the scouting party, Caper looked around at him. surveyed him carefully and seemed to say to himself, "Never mind. young fellow: the next time you come. if you should be so fortunate, you'll be will ing to lie in camp and gnaw bone while the other dogs are out.
 While was standing some distance from the party, with ny Winchester rifle ready for immediate action. Mir. Blow approached and said:
 "Sorer new business to you. I rccknY'
 "les. my first hunt"
 He looked at me compassionately and continued: "Of course mans got to make beginnin'. There was time when didn', know any more about such sport than you do, but I'm an old-,imer now.
 Have you killed many bears s''
 "You've heard of the Brooks. Baxter war, haven't you ,"
 "Ees."
 Well, all the time tha, business was goin on, the Baxter government kept me in the woods, killin' bears for the sol diers."
 Were beeves so scarce as that."
 "oh, no plenty of cattle. bu, Baxter wanted bear meat Nothin' makes a soldier want to saat like good size hunk of bear meat three times day. Durin' the war of the rebellion, com pany of infantry deserted the confederate army. The men were known every where as the bigges; towards in the country. heard of their desertion. found 'em in the woods where they were skulkins around. killed an enormous bear and invited em to help me cat it. Well sir, the first man that got through, hopped up and cooked his gun. The nex, man pu, fresh caps on his revolver and whetted his knife on his boot. Every one of 'em went back to the army. Alter that they was known as the braves, company in the regiment. Sorter of soldier yourself ain't you ?n