Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-02-05
THE LOST BEAR- HUNTERS.

1t was December in the early part Of the
present century. The winter had commeno-
ed in good earnest, although the fall of snow
was less than usual in Canada. Time has
wrought changes in the district OF London,
Ontario, since then. At the date Of our sto-
ry it was very thinly peOpled the settle
ments were few and far between. Facilities
for emigration were few there we're no
steamships to bridge the Atlantic railroads
had not been dreamed of the British gov
ernmeDt was less liberal with nd-grants,
and there were fewer inducements for that
varied enterprise which is now making the
wilderness to blossom as the rose.
Some gentlemen "in reduced oircum-
stances" whom necessity had driven to seek
to repair their fortunes in that land of deep
SHOWS and long winters, had obtained pos
session of large tracts of land, which they
sought to let at a very low rental to the poor
er class of settlers, in order to found for
thems, Ives or their successors extensive es-
tates as landed proprietors after the English
model Mr. T held one of these exten.
sive tracts, almost equal to a modern.s sized
county in dimensions. Among the few who
accepted his terms az settlers were John Ho.
way and Thomas Howlan. Howay was an
Englshman by birth, and had been some
years 10 Canada Nowlan was an American,
and had spent the whole Of his long life as a
backwoodsman, which means that he was
Injured to all kinds of difficulties and dangers,
and that he was not lacking in the ordinary
resources OF man who bad spent his best
years in the wilds Howsy, though young.
er man, was past the middle age.
Early on a December morning, Howay
started from his log hut for day at wood
cutting Besides his axe he had his gun and
his dog Lion. He soon discovered the tracks
of three bears, which they traced to a large
tree three miles distant. Bears are not COM
Portable neighbors, and COWS and sheep and
pigs are not safe within their reach besides
which, their skins could be utilized for vari-
GUS purposes; while, il young, their flesh
would prove an acceptable addition to the
winters stock of food and moreover, the
fat il not sold for bears grease, would be
useful for many other purposes.
Perhaps it was his eagerness to secure one
OF the bears, or even all three, as his own
| prize. which led him on to i'm ediate attack
instead of returning to the settlement for
help, as he should have done. He began,
therefore, at once to cut down the tree But
as the tree was at least sixteen feet in circum.
ference, this was no light work. 1t was
needtul, too, that he should keep lookout,
in case his movements should disturb the
| bears. This he began to do, but slackeninR
his attention. he was presently put on the
|
Looking up into the tree, he discovered, to
| his no small condemnation, the largest of the
| bears descending the tree tail foremost. The
| appearance of the bear warned him to pre-
| pare for the worst SO, putting down his axe,
he seized his gun with the intention of FIR
ing. Second thoughts, however, led him to
hesitate. He might wound, but not kill the
animal, and 80 exasperate him, and increase
| his own danger While he was thus deliber-
n, H.. 4 .k.l sHor
when the dog set up such a furious barking
that the bear worked swiftly up the tree
again. Ga reaching the top Of the trunk
where the limbs branched out, he paused,
and turning round, surveyed both man and
dog with 6erceness which was truly alarm.
ing.
Howay wished now that he had sought the
help Of his neighbors, for his position seem.
ed more aud more perilous Rallying his
courage, however, he seized his gun and
lodged ball in the animals neck, which
brought him lifeless to the ground. But,
strange to say, this success rather excited
the fears than stimulated the courage of Ho-
way. He could not make sure of killing the
others, and in turn be might be their prey.
Instead, therefore, Of Telling the tree, be
made the best OF his way to call in the aid OF
some neighbors. He returned with two men,
three dogs, and another axe. The tree was
soon cut through, but, in falling, it struck
against another, and broke off Just about the
middle. at the identical part where the bears
had stationed themselves. Stunned and con
fused, the animals ran so close to one Of the
men that be actually put the muzze Of his
gun close TO the shoulder of the larger bear,
and lodged two balls in it's body. The Other
made of aud escaped unhurt, while the dogs
engaged the wounded one until he shooh
them of with their flesh badly torn.
1t was now nearly sunset, and the men re
turned to their homes for the night. The
next morning Howay was again on the trach
of the bears, having now only one compan.
ion, Thomas Nowlan. They we're provided
each with a rifle, an axe about six charges oi
POWDER aud bread and meat sufficient for
one meal hoping to be back before night
fall.
The manner of hunting bears in Canada is
that of tracking their footsteps through the
snow to their winter retreats and the knowl
edge that these tracks sometimes take tn,
hunter forty or even fifty miles from hi
starting point, should have forewarned tn,
men to have been better provisioned, know
ing also that their return must be on thei
own footprints, and that if there should com,
a thaw, or a snowfall, they would be lef
without trail of any kind.
The 18th of December passed, and the ad
next day, and the next, came and went il
like manner, and still they did not appear
the only tidings of them being that abou
two o'clock on the l2,h they had been OBJ
served crossing a river, which, in accordance
with the name of London given to the dis
trict, is called the Thames. 1t ia a consider
able river, and flows in a direction south
west-by west into Lake st. Clair.
Their friends and neighbors now beoam
| LII, l.lt tk.Na al, k,l t,k
ed With hunger aud cold, or had been killeC
by the wounded bear. A son of the proprie
tor of the district under whom some Of then
held their farms and lots, therefore assem-
bled large party of the settlers pertaining
to the townships of London aud Missouri
with the purpose of seeking the lost men
, They doubted not, however that they haI
fallen prey to the weather, even il they ha'
escaped harm from the bears, for the coll
was intense, their clothing was slight for th'
winter season, they had no finder box, ant
were entirely without means of any kind Il
= protect them from the severity of the wealth
er. The party in quest prepared themselve
} in every way for their hazardous undertak
J ing They stocked themselves we'll wit
provisions, pocket compasses, trumpets
abundance of ammunition, sufficient cloth
ing, and the apparatus for lighting fires
and, in addition, they took with them SOM
of the best dogs in the country.
; There was one thing which added to thei
dffioulties-a thaw had taken place, and tht
snow had wholly disappeared from tn
ground, excepting in low and swsmpy situS
tions They had therefore, no tracks what
ever, aud no idea of the direction the 10,
men might have taken, only the hint Obtain
ed from the men who had seen them crossin
the river on the day of their departure. The
4 had, as a consequence, no very sanguin
( hopes of finding them. They continue
!, their search however, for two days, explo
4 ing thousands of acres of forest and swami
where they saw no trace OF the foot of mar
2 Giving up all hope of finding them, eithS
a living or dead-for they had not once CON
: upon their track-the party returned hom,
8 There was one consideration which tende
: to mitigate the distress of the situation,
] render the event less distressing than II migl