Fourty-Four Years, or, the Life of a Hunter. Meshach Browning

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Fourty-Four Years, or, the Life of a Hunter - Meshach Browning

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N T E N T S.

      —————————

      CHAPTER I.

      Birth and Parentage—Difficulties of his widowed Mother—Moves to the West—Ac cident on the Road—Settles on Flintstone—Induced by an Aunt, John Spurgin's wife, to leave the maternal roof—Removes to Allegany County, and settles in a small Cabin—Great abundance of Game — Again removes, with his Uncle, to Mo- nongahela County, Virginia—Then again back to the " Blooming Rose "—Becomes acquainted with Mary McMullen, his future Wife—Goes one quarter to School, being all his Education—Falls in love with Mary—Goes to see her at night, and the old man, her Father, sets the Dog on him, supposing him to be a prowling Wolf—Ludicrous scene in escaping—Aunt has an Heir, after twenty years' mar- riage, and treats the Author unkindly—First success in Deer-Hunting—Aunt, in an ill-humor, strikes him with a heavy wooden Shovel—Leaves his Uncle and Aunt—Goes Hunting again, and kills a tine Buck, but gets his Feet nearly Frozen —Takes leave of his Betrothed—Both much affected……………………………………..

      CHAPTER II.

      Starts for Wheeling, and reaches his Uncle James Spurgin's—Good Advice by Uncle, suited to all Young Men—Determines to be guided by it—Continues his Journey—Reaches Union Town—Meets with his Grandfather, and also his Mo- ther—Affecting Interview — Relates the bad usage of his Aunt—Spends a week there—Meets with General Bigg—Good Rifle-shooting—The General wishes him to go to Ohio — Declines going—Reaches Wheeling, and is hired by John Caldwell —Gets acquainted with Daughter Nancy— His first Bear Hunt — Nancy describes an Indian Attack—Old Lady does not treat him kindly—Stays four months — Leaves, to the regret of the family — Misfortunes of Caldwell's family……………….

      CHAPTER III.

      Returns to his Mother's—Is employed by Mr. Foot, at a dollar a day, to shoot Squir-

       rels in his Corn-field — Shoots nine days, killing hundreds- Goes to see his Be-

       trothed at "Blooming Rose" —Interesting meeting — Engagement, but to wait

       until older — Has a hunt and Trout-fishing with Uncle Spurgin — Good success—

       1 * ( xi )

       xii T A B L E OF C O N T E N T S .

      Meets Mary at Uncle's — Accompanies her nearly home, with a dozen fine Trout and some Venison — Fear of her Father — Removed near the McMullen's — Goes Hunting, and kills a Panther, measuring eleven feet three inches— .Marries Mary at eighteen, in the year 1799—Roughly treated by her Father— Actually turned out of doors — Mary's noble conduct and Christian spirit — Affecting Incidents Poverty in setting out in life — Succeeds in shooting a Wild Turkey and trapping a Bear their first Meat…….. ……………………………...…………………………………

       CHAPTER IV.

      Sells his Rifle to procure a Cow — Procures another, and takes a Bear Hunt — Kills one after a desperate Fight, and stabbing him several times — Author and Mary go for Chestnuts — Dogs start a Bear — Whipped by Dogs, and is shot in a Tree — Hunting for a Colt, finds a very large Bear Track — Pursues him and kills him — Another Hunt — Kills a fine Bear after an exciting Chase — Kills a large Buck — Another Hunt, and kills two Bucks — Takes a Hunt on Negro Mountain — Kills a small Buck and a Bear — Hunting Season ended — In February took the Dogs to have a Fox Chase — Finds a Wolf Track — Pursues and kills him — Scalp worth eight dollars premium — False Claimant for his little Property — But, fearing a law-suit, gives it up — Removes to the Glades — Settles in un old Cabin, partly torn down by Hunters — Finds a Rattlesnake in the House — Another found near the House — Mary goes for Water to the Spring, and starts five Wolves — Beautiful Appearance of the Glades — Watches a Deer lick — But kills a Bear — Repairs Cabin — Mary and Sister Jane go Trout fishing — Kills a Bear on the Way — Serious Accident — Col. John Lynn — His noble Character — Wm. Hoye and James Drane, kind neighbors — Goes Hunting and kills two Deer before Breakfast — Hunts again, and is lost in the Woods — Made a fire, and laid between two Logs — Snowing and hailing all Night — Kills a Bear next morning— Joke about a deviled Turkey — Starts for Camp to hunt — Kills a Bear, but had to sleep in the Woods — Hunts with Hugh McMullen — Dogs tree a Bear — Comes down the Tree, and is killed with the Knife while fighting the Dogs — One of the Dogs crippled — Kills nine Wild Turkeys in an hour or two — Finds Game in the Rocks, supposed a Bear — Sends Dog in the Den, and out bounds a Panther — Threatens an attack, but is killed — Next day kills a fine Buck Goes after Coons, but starts a Bear and kills him — Ran a Bear near to Col. Lynn's, and killed him in presence of Gen. Lee, a Revolutionary Officer — Kills a Buck asleep — Mode of packing Bear on a Horse — Desperate Fight with Bear and Cubs — Killed two — Same Hunt killed two more — Wolf kills a Heifer — Kills the Wolf — Scalp and Skin worth two Calves — Kills a Bear on a Hog — Hunts on a Wager — Killed three Bears, one Back, and two Turkeys ……………………………..

       CHAPTER V.

      Desperate Fight with a Bear in a Den — Kills him — Measures six inches of clear Fat — Dog badly wounded — Went after Turkeys, but killed a Bear — Van Sickle's ludicrous Turkey Race — Kills an old Bear and three Cubs — Kills another Bear on a Hon, in sight of his Cabin — Sells his Property to Dr. Brooke, and loses

       TABLE OF CONTENTS. xiii

      nearly all — Mary's firmness and decision of Character — Family nearly broken

      up— Buys some Powder and Lead on Credit — lie desponds, but goes to the Woods

      — Kills three Bears in about four hours………………………………………………..…

      CHAPTER VI

      Visits the Camp— Exciting time with Wolves— Kills one — Kills a Bear at the Hole — Buys fifty acres of Land, all in Forest — In the mean time, Parents and four Children live in a House ten by twelve feet — Makes Sugar from the Maple — Mary has a Paralytic Stroke — Gloomy prospect — House to build, Ground to be cleared, and Mary's case pronounced hopeless— Colonel Lynn calls to see him — Through his kind aid, Mary is restored to Health-— Noble act of Generosity by Colonel Lynn to an Enemy — Sets a Bear-Trap — Soon catches two bears — Has a severe attack of Rheumatism, lasting three months — On recovering, sets off after a very large Bear — After a desperate Fight, kills him — Has to camp out — Finds a Bear in the Rocks — Smokes him out, and kills him — Hunts with four Hunters in the Glades — makes a Bet to kill two Deer — Decoys a Deer — Kills five Deer, and wins the Bet……………………………………………………………………………………………...…..

      CHAPTER VII.

      Hunts with John and Charles Friend in the Glades — Finds a Bear in a Den — Au- thor enters the Den with Candle and Rifle — Tries to coax him out— Goes in again, and shoots him — Returns a third time into the Den. and kills him with another shot in the Head — Finds another Bear in a Hole or Den —

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