The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-08-15
CHAPTER s.
THE HUNTING SEASON.
Continuation

Continuation
On such an occasion Tulhhas and
two or three with him, among them
Angus, found a large elm bearing the
unmistakable scratches but there was
no sapling near enough to reach the
hole, which was about forty feet from
the ground, except tree that leaned
the wrong way. Perceiying no means
of getting this particular bear the
hunters were about to leave him in
peace, but Angus formed a plan and
ran eagerly to put it in motion. He
found long, slender pole: near its
small end he fastened small fOrked
branch so as to make a sort. of hook
and at the end he tied a piece of dry,
rotting wood which would shoulder
like punk: and to his belt he attached
a quantity of dry wood and some dry
leaves He then set the punk on fire,
and climbed the sapling, passing his
pole up ahead of him and hanging it
to the limbs by the hook until he was
high enough. Tying some of the
wood about the punk with bark
strips he kindled blaze by the aid of
the leaves and quickly thrust it into
the bears hole where he scratched it
off and left it in flames while he drew
the pole back and in like manner
placed more dry wood in the hole, the
Indians standing below admiring his
ingenuity.
Presently he heard the bear shutting
and scratching. which told him
his work was done, SO he regained
the ground and awaited the develop
ments. The Indians all agreed that
he should have the first shot as a re-
ward for his efforts.
Mr.. Bear speedily made his appear
ance, with his eyes and nostrils full of
smoke, and climbed awkwardly toward
the ground with much sneezing and
SnOrting. When the animal was low
enough the boy took cool aim, pull
led the trigger and the game dropped
heavily to the ground, bullet in its
vitalS. The chief patted Angus on
the head and said he was good hun
ter and would become a great warrior.
Being several DAYS from the cabin
and very hungry the Mohicans at
once built fire and, opening the bear
took out the liver, wrapped some of
the fat around it and stuck it on a
wooden spit to roast. While the liver
was cooking they skinned the carcass
and put some chunks Of flesh into the
kettle to boil, upon which the savages
gorged themselves until they could
hardly move, but fell asleep instead.
Angus was more easily satisfied and
while they slept he built little shell
ter of poles and bark against large
fallen tree, with its back to the north
west wind, and before Il he piled a
heap of dry boughs and heavier wood,
which he lighted, then shook the Ind
ians and got them sufficiently aroused
to lead them to the more comfortable
place he had prepared. Lying with
their feet to the Gre and their heads
under the wind-break they all slept
soundly until morning.
One of the painful fasts of this win
ter was relieved in a remarkable man.
ner. An Indian hunting alone pop
ped upon an elk SO suddenly that it is
impossible to say which was the more
surprised. The animal bounded away
through the woods and the hunter
fired SO hastily that he missed his
mark. He stretched out after the
elk at full speed, not knowing what
favorable chance might occur, the
chase leading to frozen creek This
the elk crossed but in his fright he
went upon thin piece of ice at the
margin, which broke beneath him and
one of his heels was caught in the tan
gled roots of tree standing at the
waters edge and held him fast. and
at the same time he threw up his
head and enmeshed his antlers in the
branches above.
The pursuing hunter ran swiftly up
and despatched the buck with his
knife before it could extricate itself.
1t did not take long to notify the
camp of the stroke of fortune and
shortly the discovered carcass was
borne to the cabin with great rejoic-
ing and the usual feast ensued. This
time there was sauce with the fat
meat. for a little cranberry marsh had
been discovered and the squaws and
boys had picked and brought in con-
siderable quantity of the tart and
juicy fruit that was easily found in
the tangled vines and moss under the
snow.
CHAPTER g.