Bear Hunt.

Two youths came over from York state,             Bill Brown and Tom Dawes his mate,             For many months they were wishing             The sport of hunting and of fishing.             They rowed along the lake in punt,             When tired of fishing they would hunt,             At river's mouth they caught fine trout,             In woods close by they saw bear's snout.             In front of her play little chubs,             Fat and slick her darling cubs,             Kind thoughts in their breasts they smother             And cruelly they shoot the mother.             And bullet fearful tore her jaws,             A bloody wound, but with her paws,             Erect in air an awful sight,             She was prepared for her young to fight.             But this did not daunt bold Bill Brown,             With club he tried to knock her down,             But she gave him an awful hug,             With paws she at him fierce did tug.             He would been smothered but for Dawes,             Who rescued him from her great paws,             With club he knocked her on the crown             And thus he saved the life of Brown.             She rose again with savage frown             And quickly broke two ribs for Brown,             His clothes were all torn with her claws,             She smeared with blood both Brown and Dawes.             But Dawes now quick doth end the strife             By stabbing her with hunting knife,             And now around this hunter bold             His bear skin coat keeps out the cold.