Fourty-Four Years, or, the Life of a Hunter. Meshach Browning
by and by Nancy returned with the cow and calf, though she had been gone less time than I had.
"Browning," said the old lady, "take off the saddle, put the mare away, and then turn the cow into the meadow."
" Very well, madam," said I; and I soon had all done.
Neither the old lady nor Nancy said a word to me about my not finding the cow, till I went into the kitchen to make up the fire ; when Nancy said to me, with a playful smile, "You are surely a great soldier, to be scared at an old woman!" and then she enjoyed a good laugh at my expense till her mother came in and relieved me.
Next morning, being Sunday, I rose betimes and made the fires; which I had scarcely done when in came Nancy. Now, thought I, we shall hear of the cow again. But ] was pleased to find that she sympathized with me, by her saying she had told her mother it was not to be expected that a stranger should find them, who knew nothing of the woods, nor of the range of the cows. "And," said she, "you were going the right way till you took the left branch; the cow having strayed along the other."
We passed some little time in agreeable conversation, till the old lady made her appearance, when I left the kitchen.
After breakfast, which was later than usual, the old lady told Nancy to take Dinah, the black woman, and go to the
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meadow and milk the heifer. In a little while the negro fame back and said that Nancy could not do anything with the cow, she was so cross.
"Go down, Browning, and help them," said the old woman.
I was far more willing to go than I wished her to un- derstand. However, off I went, and we tried to get the cow into a fence-corner; but she would always break by us. At length, as she was passing, I seized her by one horn and by the nose, i)y which I held her until she was milked. Nancy then laughed at me again, and said, " You are no coward, Browning, though mother did scare you so last night. That heifer was dangerous: did you sec- how she ran at me with those sharp horns ?"
"Oh, to be sure I saw her run at you, and was afraid she would catch you; but I was determined to stop her." By this time we were on our way to the house ; and hear- ing a great noise there, I said to Nancy, "What docs nil that mean? "
"Why," said she, "they called out 'a bear, a bear!' Run, Browning, and see what is the matter among them."
I went off at the top of my speed; and on arriving at the house, I found that four or five gentlemen, who, with their ladies, had come to visit Mrs. Caldwell, and had brought with them their bird-guns and little dogs, had seen a very large bear passing through the field in front of the house, and had started in pursuit with those little animals, two of which would make but a mouthful for the bear. Mr. Caldwell was a successful bear-hunter, and had two fine dogs, which were well trained to fight bears. I called the dogs, took the old man's gun, and ran in the direction of the noise till I overtook the party; they hav- ing halted as soon as the bear had reached the woods. The little dogs would not leave their masters; as if they
52 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF
were afraid the bear would tear them to pieces. As soon, however, as Mr. Caldwell's animals scented the bear, off they went, heads down and tails up. I scarcely stopped to say anything to the back-track gentry, but followed after the dogs, so that if they overtook the bear I would be near to help them in the fight, if need be. As I passed the party, they gave me many curses for being such a fool as to follow the bear after he had got out of sight.
But on went the noble dogs, and I after them. At length, hearing them in full fight, I made all the haste I could, till I saw them all turning somersets down a very steep hill. Over and over, and down, down, towards me they came, until what I made up the hill and they made down brought me within shooting distance. By this time the fight became so desperate that the bear, finding his hind-quarters were suffering severely, thought it better to try and save his breeches from being torn any worse than they were. He concluded to climb a large tree ; but see- ing me coming up the hill, puffing like a locomotive, he was frightened, and attempted to come down. As he de- scended I fired at him, and sent a small rifle-ball through the middle of his body Down he came, making two or three somersets; but finding no quarter, he immediately ascended another very large oak.
This tree being forked, and very high, he went up to the first fork, and, being sick, laid himself down in it and refused to move. By this time the back-track gentlemen had ascended the hill, pulling themselves up by the bushes. Many of them had never seen a bear before, and they began to consult as to what was to be done.
I had no more balls for my little rifle, and they had no- thing but small shot, while there lay the bear. It was agreed, against my advice, to try what a load of shot would do with him ; though I argued that it was an im- possibility to kill him with that. I told them to let him
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alone until they could go for more balls, or get some one to come and shoot him. But my advice was not listened to ; and I was directed to stand back and keep my mouth shut, or I should have it shut for me. I am free to ac- knowledge that I felt like resenting the insult, but was de- terred from it by being among strangers; and I submitted to it without making a reply. They then took aim and fired at the bear's head; which only made him give a snort or two, scratch his face, and climb up the tree as far as he could go, where he seated himself in another fork, and all the shooting they could do, he would not budge.
After a long parley, they concluded to send for John Martin, who could shoot a squirrel off the highest tree in the woods. When the sun was about two hours high, the messenger returned with Mr. Martin, who brought his gun, which carried nearly an ounce ball. He had also plenty of ammunition. Great anxiety was manifested for the mo- ment to come when Mr. Bear was to get the fatal shot; and after Martin had had full time to recover his breath, which climbing the high hill had rendered rather short, he placed himself in a good position, and let drive. The bear, however, kept his place. Several more shots were fired with the same success, when it was agreed to let Cap- tain Morris, an old Revolutionary officer, who had killed many an Englishman, have a shot. The brave captain gave notice that he would not shoot him in the body; but blow his brains out, or not kill him at all.
The gun being cleaned and loaded, the captain took aim, and off went the rifle. But, though the bear snorted, and groaned, and made a great fuss, yet he remained in his place. Another load was made ready, and the captain tried his luck again; when the bear, provoked with such treatment, rose from his resting-place, and made a bold offer to come to the ground. But on arriving at the lowest fork, and seeing a many enemies together, and the dogs
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54 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF
standing at the root of the tree, ready for the fight, his courage failed him, and he quietly lay down again. Then Mr. Martin again took the gun, and tried two or three more shots. It may be remembered that I often asked them to let me have one more shot at him ; but in return I only got curses, was asked what I knew about a gun, and told to stand out of their way, or they would knock me out.
It was by this time getting dark, and I had been at that tree from ten or eleven o'clock, and many of the others had been there quite as long. It now became so dark that Martin could not see the powder in the pan. The gun missing fire, the powder was thrown out ; and in his great confusion, he did not think of the situation of his lock, but snapped and cursed, cursed and snapped, till I saw he was discouraged.
I then went up to him in the dark, and told him I could set the gun off. He gave me some curses, and told me to take it and be; at the same time handing it to me. I felt for the powder in the pan, and found it empty; but having some in a horn, I placed it carefully in the gun, and was ready to try my luck. By this time there were fourteen men round that tree. I could only see the bear by getting him between myself and the sky. I took the best aim I could, and fired; when down he came, and at him went the dogs. Then a shout of horror arose from the back-track party for every man to climb a tree, or the bear would tear them to pieces; and at it they went, climbing as best they could. Among the number was an Irishman, called Burk, who, in the