The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26

A srRUGGEB BBTIVBEN KIHszEr
IN a CABIN IN THE woods

ana nearu, apd Lewis Practical Experience
-Bruin Stole . nuntsr's Traps. PouEht
Him. asa was Lost % Min IN the Esd.
P-AssAMAoUoDDv. Me-, Dec. 25.-The Indians
for whom this village was named preserve an
ancient tradition that q Maine bear was for
merly a kindly disposed and gentle animal. who
came out of tho woods on warm winter days
and went ~coastinR with the half-grown papooses
of the settlement, hauling the young folks up
hill on his shaggy back and sliding down the
icy banks among the laughing children for half
a day at a time without raising his fur or show.
ing his teeth TO anybody. In this innocent
manner he and his wives and children
disported themselves among the tribes of red
men for many moons and many winters.
As the bear Is naturally q vegetarian,
preferring ripe berries to all other foods. and, as
there were berries to give away on all the hills,
tho Indians rather encouraged the friendly rela-
tions that had grown up between the members
Of the tribe and their animal allies. The Indians
hated the wolves. and had good reason to do 30,
because whenever q pack came across a party of
children or o stray squaw in tho woods there
was nothing left after the meeting but q few
polished bones and great splashes of human
blood. As the bears drove tho wolves away and
occasionally killed o few when they got too bold,
tho Indians rewarded the good work by feeding
their protectors on fish offal and providing them
with warm dens, in which they slept all winter.
The arrival Of tho pale.faced Europeans at
once wrought o great change in the conduct Of
tho bears. Though tho Indians were quick in
learning how to drink rum and fairly indus.
trious in acquiring most of the imported vices
It was q long time before they became treach.
erous or cruel. Believing that a good friend
should receive good treatment they refused to
kill bears or eat bears meat or wear bearskin
garments for many years. waiting until most of
the bears had been killed off by the white men
before they could DO induced to take up arms
against their old allies. About the time Louis
burg was captured by the British troops and
French and English soldiers were raiding the
Eastern country, right and left. most Of the
Maine and New Brunswick tribes Jared badly
and were glad enough to eat bears meat or any
kind OF meat they could get. but during all those
evil days the Passamaauoddies held fast to
their ancient faith. and could not DO starved or
bullied into preying upon an animal which
stood for the totem sign Of their race. In these
later times of peace. when soap and civilization
are continuing the work of tho rife and toma.
hawk, they refuse to sit OF q table where bears
meat is served, saying that tho bear was their
brother in war. and is now entitled to brotherly
protection.
Though the faith Of the Passa maquodd bravo
Is deep rooted, he sometimes has an experience
with his four-footed brethren which strains
brotherly love until 1t is ready to break. Nick
Levi of Peter Dana's point, a famous hunter
and q bravo who has slain and eaten q great
many angry toups-cerrfers in his day, met q
bear under peculiar circumstances last week
and IL sorry that he didn't regulate his
conduct with moro caution. Since the
State put a 80 bounty on wildcats Lewi
has been earning good wages trapping
bobcats and ioups-cerviers, getting So for
every scalp. selling the skins at from so
cents to $3.50 each. according to the
thickness Of the fur. and having the skinned
carcasses left to take home and make into hot
stews for the children. Late in tho fall q bear
began to get into his traps and carry them of.
By the time the bear had q half dozen traps at.
tached to his person and made as much nose as
n tin peddler's cart when he strolled through
the woods. Levi was beginning to get angry,
saying that any bear was q hog to want 80
many sampler of hardware for which he could
have no use. 1t was all right to have q passion
for collecting traps so long as the collector was
able to pay for them. but no creature. he de-
clared. should have q monopoly of the trap bust.
ness while he was able to carry q gun and knew
how to shoot 1t.
For a month Levi went looking for his traps
and the bear that had taken them away. He
heard him nearly every night, as bruin went
crashing and rafting through the woods, towing
the traps behind him. and twice he met him face
to face, but had no gun, and was therefore un.
certain about tho result Of o pitched battle.
After that levi carried an old army rifle for q
week, Juggling it many miles. and he never SO
much as saw a bears track. One cold night In
December Levi was going home late, when a
Shelter in Pat1ongafl's 'e camp, Which, h'% Stood 90 S neer
by. Finding plenty of dry boughs IN the bunk.
ElnGn without Rfnnnin0 IN Linda N Arn nnrA
that he heard somebody snoring at the foot of
was was the Wind. and droppsd 81 70 : sl sope aeain. IL
1t was broad daylight when he woke up. Tho
the closed door. and a long drift Of new snow
stretched away from a crack in the door to the
cold stove. it having filtered down BY the side
Of the funnel, In one corner Of the camp was
an overturned pork barrel. with fragments Of
the inside Of the door was q hairy black object,
which Levi took for a fur oyercoat. Levi
strongly that he concluded he would try It on
and see how it fitted. As he reached to pick it
as he leaped back out OF range the coat stood
on end, revealing g big lem bear with a steel
treated to the corner Of the bunk and began r to
talk to the bear In Indian. reminding him of the
ing that the old treaty be continued. The bear
did not melt a bit, but stood there in the shadow
81 erd 5Si GGF1 oat sepIies which hts s fsMi ornaments anaIS na, and and
derstand, but which he know were unfavorable
to his plans.
The loaded rifle stood erect by the door lamb.
where Levi had loft IL the night before. The
bear could reach It easily. but Levi was no bet
would have been II the rifle had been, hanging
moving to the other side OF the camp without
riling him enough to show fight, and thus secure
the rifle, there would be no doubt as TO the result.
with, this end in view Levi began to rat
tie the stove covers and finally lighted
a fire by putting In some brush from
the bunk. Then he threw hot Goals
at this bear. Whenever one hit the bear it
burned a hole In his fur and made him Rrowl
wickedly. After a dozen futile attempts to make
fne peal M move eyev on LEVI picked up a hot kettle
strength straight into the bears face. There
and the bear was after him.
Instead OF waiting where he was and lodging
his enemy by getting behind the stove and then
falling back upon his rifle. the scared Indian
fed to the further corner Of the camp, where
there was no chance for escape. When the bear
came on Lewi jabbed him in the open mouth
with a long hunting knife and began to climb
alOft on the mega which yypra driyap int thn