Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-08-07
CHAPTER VII.
Tanning a Bearskin.

dOUlHS SOo'
In the morning the first thing l de-
termined to do was to get that skin
into some sort of condition. l laid 1t
out on some cedar logs and fleshed it
clean by scraping it off with rocks and
pulling it over the logs.
Next I took a sheet of birch bark
and made a water tight dish. Filling
this with water, threw in some small
pieces of rotten wood and began TO
steep it over the fire. A birch bark
dish will never burn below the water
line
When the mixture had stepped
enough l spread the bear hide flat on
the ground with the hair side down
and poured the liquid from the birch
bark dish upon it. BY repeating this
process several times the skin became
tanned to a certain extent.
A thorough drying was needed now
l singled out two sapplings about the
proper distance apart, and, stretching
the skin as much as could. 1 laced 1t
to the slender trunks with cedar bark.
1 had yet to work the skin and make
it pliable and soft.
OFF and on 1 worked on that hide
for about three days. During those
days 1 walked back to the trap and
brought the remainder of the meat to
my camp.
Tearing with the grain, 1 ripped the
meat into strips with my hands, roast
ing some for immediate use and put
ting the rest in the smoke hole. l used
quantities of dirty wood in this smok-
ing process, as 1 could get up lot of
smoke that way. This smoked meat
wasn't particularly pleasing to look at,
but it would keep and was nourishing.
While this was not the first time
had ever trapped a bear in my life, it
was the first time had ever eaten any
of the meat.
In my years of experience as aguide.
l had hunted and trapped all kinds of
game-animals and birds. But l had
never eaten a pound of wild meat in
my life, because 1 never liked it par
ticularly. In fact, had never eaten
much fresh meat.
Now I was compelled to eat it. 1
didn't relish it bit. but after l de-
voured some 1 always felt stronger
and 1 knew that it was just what
needed
Aside from the comfort Of having
that bearskin to throw over me at night
and the supply Of food l had obtained
/ had secured in the sinews Of that
creature a lasting cord for my fire
kinder The inner bark Of the cedar,
while ii had answered the purpose aft
er fashion, was not the best thing for
saving back and forth 1t wore out too
quickly.
With the sinew string 1 would not
have to use any care for fear of its
breaking. l could work the bow with
all my strength and the cord would not
be affected in any way, producing the
friction in much less time.
There is no known substance for
sinew that can equal it's toughness and
lasting qualities. The Indians have u
way of chewing II and stripping 1t into
thin fibers, which they use as thread
to sew moccasins and rawhide.
l hadn't reached the sewing stage
just yet.
Since l had trapped the bear some
thing had been prowling around my
camp at night. l could tell by the
sound that it wasn't a very large ami
NAL, but as it kept coming l became
curious to see what it might be.
First l thought that the meat in my
lean-to might have attracted a wild
cat. Then the idea of bear cub came
into my mind
Anyway, I was bound to find out jus:
what it was, so one night just before
getting ready to turn in let my fire
burn pretty low and sat up watching
for some signs of the visitor.
On the other nights the sound Of