196 History of the Dividing Line [October
The Grapes we commonly met with were black, tho' there be two or
three kinds of White Grapes that grow wild. The Black are very Sweet,
but Small, because the Strength of the Vine spends itself in Wood; tho'
without Question a proper Culture would make the same Grapes both
larger and Sweeter. But, with all these Disadvantages, I have Drunk
tolerably good Wine prest from them, tho' made without Skill. There is
then good Reason to believe it might Admit of great Improvement, if
rightly managed.
Our Indian kill'd a Bear, of two years old, that was feasting on these
Grapes. He was very fat, as they generally are in that season of the
year. In the fall, the Flesh of this Animal has a high Relish, different
from that of other Creatures, tho' inclining nearest to that of Pork, or
rather of Wild Boar.
A true Woodsman prefers this Sort of meat to that of the fattest Venison,
not only for the Hautgout but also because the Fat of it is well tasted,
and never rises in the stomach. Another proof of the goodness of this
meat is, that it is less apt to corrupt than any other we are acquainted
with. As agreeable as such rich Diet was to the men, yet we who were not
accustom'd to it, tasted it at first with some sort of Squeamishness, that
Animal being of the Dog-kind; tho' a little Use soon reconcil'd us to
this American Venison. And that its being of the Dog kind might give
us the less disgust, we had the Example of that Ancient and polite People,
the Chinese, who reckon Dog's Flesh too good for any under the Quality
of a mandarin.
This Beast is in truth a very clean Feeder, living, while the Season lasts,
upon Acorns, Chestnuts and Chinkapins, Wild-Hony and Wild-Grapes.
They are naturally not carniverous, unless Hunger constrains them to it,
after the Mast is all gone, and the Products of the Woods quite exhausted.
They are not provident enough to lay up any Hoard, like the Squirrels,
nor can they, after all, live very long upon licking their Paws, as Sr
John Mandevil and some Travellers tell us, but are forct in the Winter
Months to quit the Mountains, and visit the Inhabitants.
Their Errand is then to Surprise a poor Hog at a Pinch to keep them
from Starving, And to shew that they are not Flesh-Eaters by Trade,
they devour their Prey very awkwardly.
They don't kill it right out, and feast upon its Blood and Entrails, like
other ravenous Beasts, but having, after a fair pursuit, seiz'd it with their
Paws, they begin first upon the Rump, and so devour one collop after
another, till they come to the Vitals, the poor Animal crying all the
while, for several Minutes together. However, in so doing. Bruin acts a
little imprudently, because the dismal outcry of the Hog alarms the Neigh-bourhood,
and 'tis odds but he pays the forfeit with his Life, before he can
Secure his Retreat.
But Bears soon grow weary of this unnatural Diet, and about January,
when there is nothing to be got in the Woods, they retire into some cave or
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