Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-05-24

might have got down. and either es-
capped or possibly entrapped them by
closing the door, though 1t is doubtful
whether so slight structure as our
pole shanty would have held them
long. They were great strong brutes,
as heavy as an OK.
II kept as quiet as l could, hoping
that they would soon satisfy their curl
osity, and proceed on their travels,
but they appeared to be in no haste,
and after they had smelled around for
an hour or more, heard the under
brush snap a little way off, and soon
saw two more bears, small one and a
big chap, coming up.
AS soon as the three at the camp
discovered these two later arrivals,
they ran out to meet them and arched
up their backs as if intending to fight,
but made peace after a few minutes,
and told them about me.
THE big old gray fellow came close
up beneath the fir and smelled me for
some time. He did not approve of me
at all, but wrinkled his nose and
growled. Then he returned to inves-
tigate the camp, and the whole party
had fine time paving things over.
by and by, still another bear-the
smallest one yet-came in sight and
stood listening. Then he sneaked up
to see what was going On. Pretty
soon one of the large bears saw him,
and made dash at him. The little
fellow covered and tried to conciliate
the other, but the big one knocked
him down and rolled him about for
coming univited, l suppose. Two or
three Of the others also came out and
took hand in the fun.
Finally they let him up, and told
him to cast his eye into the fir where
1 was roosting. At that the little chap
tried to show Off before the rest.
He strutted out toward the fir and
arched his back at me- The others all
stood looking on, and l imagined that
they were winking at one another.
"They then all sat down and ex-
tended their muzzles toward me, and
snuffed in concert. Iwould have given
hundred dollars for one of our re-
peating carbines for just five minutes !!
Suddenly they all turned and ran
for the fir woods below the camp,
where, for some moments, heard a
frightful growing.
'Now's my time" l thought, and be-
gan to Chamber down, being SO cramped
by this time that l could scarcely
stir. But before my toes touched
the bowlder, saw them coming back
as hard as they could race. There
was nothing for it but to climb again,
they were sure to get to the camp be-
fore / could. Resuming my old perch
l looked down, and instead of six saw
nine bears three new ones!
The latest arrivals had to be intro
duced to me- and one of them made q
great show of growing and tearing
up the turf. \ man was evidently a
novel creature to these remotely bred
bears, and they failed to see anything
in me save a small, timorous looking
biped up in tree. Having acquitted
themselves duly in the matter of max.
ing an impression on me, they turned
to other ways of entertaining them
selves - perhaps they intended the
show for my benefit as we'll.
"They We're out for lark that day.
Their behavior reminded me of par
eel of boys on a picnic. They RAJ
here and there examining everything
that attracted their attention Two Oh
three of them would gather round one
of the larger bears as if to talk ovel
some choice piece of gossip; some
times, it seemed to exchange some
sighting remarks about me. Int
this group a waggish bear would in
{ trude, nOsing the others aside anC
starting an impromptu scutfle. Aftel
giving and taking a few good natur
ed but hearty cuffs with some feint
|, at biting, he would turn and lumber
clumsily away pursued by the others
Had my situation been less haz
ardous and painful, might hav,
been amused at the uncouth antics o
, these creatures At one time the,
i came together, and four of them exc
{ cuted walk around" III the presenc
:, of the rest. The biggest bear acted a
y leader, and in spite of my precariou
= and unpleasant position, | could no
. refrain from laughing outright, as tn
y great brutes shambled past each othe
. and turned to repass, as if to til
. strains of some ursine breakdown.
i II now lost all hope of the bear
d leaving before my companions return
u ed, and settled myself on the stick
. fir boughs, to pass the time as easil
:, as possible.
~ THE sun was getting low, and TO
!, was setting in. They would get bac
n to camp by nightfall, l supposed, o
- account Of the difficulties of the way
~ The bears had begun rummagin
y, about the camp again. suppose the
% were getting hungry.
u "On sudden l heard noise in tn
Il woods up to the north of my tree
crash ON crash of the brush and sticks
=. 1t drew nearer momentarily.
., Good graciousp / thought, Ca
;! there be more bearsf
\ AN instant later there burst out {
y the frs into the little open large ell
~ He was running at full spring, an
y had scarcely emerged into view whe
7 seven or eight gray creatures, which
! at first took to be wolves, came obun'
T ing out at his heels.
- "In an instant the elk was clos
70 upon the camp, when three or four {
70 the bears rushed to meet him wit
". w loud roars. The poor animal, thus sa'
re l. 70