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That may be the tongue of a bee, for anything I know to the
contrary."
By this time le Bourdon seemed to be satisfied, and let the bee go;
the savages murmuring their wonder and admiration.
"Do my brothers wish to hunt?" asked the bee-hunter in a voice so
loud that all near might hear what he had to say.
This question produced a movement at once. Skill in hunting, next to
success on the war-path, constitutes the great merit of an Indian;
and it is ever his delight to show that he possesses it. No sooner
did le Bourdon throw out his feeler, therefore, than a general
exclamation proclaimed the readiness of all the young men, in
particular, to join in the chase.
"Let my brothers come closer," said Ben, in an authoritative manner;
"I have something to put into their ears. They see that point of
wood, where the dead basswood has fallen on the prairie. Near that
basswood is honey, and near that honey are bears. This my bees have
told me. Now, let my brothers divide, and some go into the woods,
and some stay on the prairie; then they will have plenty of sweet
food."
As all this was very simple, and easily to be comprehended, not a
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moment was lost in the execution. With surprising order and
aptitude, the chiefs led off their parties; one line of dark
warriors penetrating the forest on the eastern side of the basswood,
and another on its western; while a goodly number scattered
themselves on the prairie itself, in its front. In less than a
quarter of an hour, signals came from the forest that the battue was
ready, and Peter gave the answering sign to proceed.
Down to this moment, doubts existed among the savages concerning the
accuracy of le Bourdon's statement. How was it possible that his
bees should tell him where he could find bears? To be sure, bears
were the great enemies of bees--this every Indian knew--but could
the bees have a faculty of thus arming one enemy against another?
These doubts, however, were soon allayed by the sudden appearance of
a drove of bears, eight or ten in number, that came waddling out of
the woods, driven before the circle of shouting hunters that had
been formed within.
Now commenced a scene of wild tumult and of fierce delight. The
warriors on the prairie retired before their enemies until all of
their associates were clear of the forest, when the circle swiftly
closed again, until it had brought the bears to something like close
quarters. Bear's Meat, as became his appellation, led off the dance,
letting fly an arrow at the nearest animal. Astounded by the great
number of their enemies, and not a little appalled by their yells,
the poor quadrupeds did not know which way to turn. Occasionally,
attempts were made to break through the circle, but the flight of
arrows, aimed directly at their faces, invariably drove the
creatures back. Fire-arms were not resorted to at all in this hunt,
spears and arrows being the weapons depended on. Several ludicrous
incidents occurred, but none that were tragical. One or two of the
more reckless of the hunters, ambitious of shining before the
representatives of so many tribes, ran rather greater risks than
were required, but they escaped with a few smart scratches. In one
instance, however, a young Indian had a still narrower SQUEEZE for
his life. Literally a SQUEEZE it was, for, suffering himself to get
within the grasp of a bear, he came near being pressed to death, ere
his companions could dispatch the creature. As for the prisoner, the
only means he had to prevent his being bitten, was to thrust the
head of his spear into the bear's mouth, where he succeeded in
holding it, spite of the animal's efforts to squeeze him into
submission. By the time this combat was terminated, the field was
strewn with the slain; every one of the bears having been killed by
hunters so much practised in the art of destroying game.
CHAPTER XXI.
She was an only child--her name Ginevra,
The joy, the pride of an indulgent father;
And in her fifteenth year became a bride,
Marrying an only son, Francesco Dona,
Her playmate from her birth, and her first love.
--ROGERS.
During the hunt there was little leisure for reflection on the
seemingly extraordinary manner in which the bee-hunter had pointed
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