Bear Hunting In Hungary A...
The Times, 1824-12-02T00:00:00

In the more remote and less cultivated districts of Hungary -and Bohemia, the brown or black bear is in winter the terror of the shepherds ; and hunting him is almost as favourite a pastime with the people in those countries, as bull-fighting with the inhabitants of Portugal or Spain. It is early in the spring that the bears generally do most mischief, when the hard frost has straitened them. for several weeks of their forest prey; they then make "raids," b broad day-light, into the hamlets and villages; and it is not at a unconimon tbr a peasant, returning from his labour in the field, to find a furred and whiskered marauder in possession of his hut, and ransacking it, from the meal-chest to the corner cupboard in quest of provision. If tracked with hounds, whieh is easy at this season, because his footsteps in the snow betray him. the bear retreats, but by no means ir disorder, or with any especial celerity, stopping now and then to discuss any over troublesome assailant, which he does with as niuch coolness and meLhod as a ponlterer would truss a chicken; when pressed with fire-arms, or in danger from numbers, he rolls himself over at hazard among the rocks and precipices; and unless the first bullet which strikes hin shoald be mortal, there is an end of the chase generally for that day. In the sumnmer, however, when the bear is less ferocious, there are two modes (without either dogs or fire-arms) of hunting him, both of which are sufficiently diverting, and both require great bodily acti- vity, joined to courage and presence of mind. At this time the ani- mal ieeds a good deal upan grain and vegetable, and Is frequently seen in wood paths, and even open roads; it you staud aside, and give the pas in these encounters, he seldom molests you; but if wounded or affronted, the aggressor has work enough upon his bands. For the chase, the villagers go out in parties of 3 or 4 togc- tier, each man armed with a small axe made in the manner nearly of the American tomahawk; and the first work is to beat theplaces where a bear is likely to be found. or to lay a bait for him, consist- ing of a tiead sheep, near wbich the;y wiait until he is attracted by the smell. lVhen Brain appears, the hunter who is to make the attack (having grappling hooks fitted to his knees in order to climb more easily) advances boldly within fifty or sixtY yards, and commences the quarrel by throwing a stone: this done, he makes for a tree which lhe has selected, and then, according to agreement with his companions, the affair becomes a tragedy, or is is termi- nate as a farce. As soei as the bear finds hiniself struck, he startt, at a smart trot, in pursuit of his molester; seldom oftering to med- dle witlh any one else unless his vengeance is interfered with; and when he reaches the tree, he straightway begins to ascend, vith as much expaetition as his habitual gravity of inovement will permit. T hts is the moment, if the game is tO die, at whicn the forester be- ins tO bestir himself. Seated amnong tlte lowest aDd strongest branches of the tree, ha rapidly cuts away with his axe any small twigs wrhich might impede the full 9sseep and play of his arm;* then taking a firm hold with his left hand twisted in tlte boughs, M ith his weapon in the right, he awaits tbe approach of the enemy. The bear, by the help of his strong claws, climbs slowly up the trunk of the tree; but these dig so deep sometimes into the bark, that he finds it difficult to draw them out again. This gives the man full timne, who waits steadily till the fore- most fore paw comes within his reach, when, with one vigorous blow of the axe, he either strikes it off, or mutilates it so as to stop aU cliance of fartker progress. The position here for striking is so fa- vourable, and babit maltes the btnters so expert, that many of them, in twenty blows, would not miss once dividing the paw, bone and all entirely; but whether this be done or not, the stroke is usually fatal to the aninmal, who faUs to the ground, and is despatched while still stunned with the force of his descent. Sometimes he remains cling- ing with his second paw to the tree; but in that case, tbe second Daw is immediately cut off likewise, when of necessity he rolls over back- wards, and reinains at the mercy of the hunters. In the second manner of summer hunting, the bear frequently does not die; and it is followed by the shepherds, with no other arms than their crooks, reinforced, perhlaps, by a few hedge-stakes, or an occasional valley of stornes. For the purpose of this chase, when the beast approaches a flock of sbeep, its keepers immediately face him ; and one, having commenced hostilities by throwing his stone, takes to his post of security, the tre..; this time, however, instead of using his axe, he raerely gets astride upon the largest and lowest bough that he can find, and in that posture awaits the combat, which becomes highlly lutlierous and entertaining. The bear, awarln- ing up the trunk of the tree bv the help of his claws, arrives easily enough at thLe branch in wlhich the hunter sits. but by this time the latter has retired perhaps a couple of yards from the stem; and, when it becomes necessary to walk along to get at him, instead of climbing, the matter changes something of position. If the bough is large, tbe pursuer commonly gets upon it, and advances, as well as he may, holding by some of the upper ones, towards his foe; but the ether still getting backward, where the branch is weaker, keeps, with the moot peTmfect security, within three feet ot his head. A buriesque kind of' dialogue then commences, in which the hunter invites the bear to approach, offers to shake hands with him, pro- mises a loaf of bread, &c.; but in the mean timc, the latter, wbo dislikes the narrow footing, and moreover feels the branch bend un- der him, remains somewhat embarrassed as to the disposal of his own person, and begins to think of backing in again towards the trunk of the trce. iHferc he becomes perfcctly harmless, for, to de- scend the trunk, as he mast go backwards, is a more tedious opera- tion than ascending was; and in the mean time the hunter, sliding out to the extremity of his brancl, drops off, holding by both hands, into the arms of his comrades below. The joke then tnds with a shower of stones, or of lighted firebrands, at the bear, who sits discoRsfited in the tree very much at a loss what course to pursue. If enraged too far, however, he will soMetimen roll his body up, and so cast himself down headlong *ith wiat fortune he may, in which case, should he alight not seriously hurt, his tornRentoms find it convenient to disperse as quickly as possible. BEAR HUVnYNG IX HUNGARY AND BOHEMIA.