USA > New York > A history of the state of New York, from the first discovery of the country to the present time: with a geographical account of the country, and a view of its original inhabitants > Part 4
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" 'The glen, or ravine, into which he had disappeared the evening before, was eighty or ninety feet from the top of the - bank to the brook below. Down this precipice a stream of three or four yards in breadth is pitched in one unbroken sheet, and, forming a circular basin or pool, winds away among the thick underwood. After reconnoitring every probable place of retreat, he at length discovered the bear, who had made his way up the other side of the ravine, as far as the rocks would admit, and sat under a projecting cliff, steadfastly eyeing the motions of his enemy.
" ' Mayborne, desiring his boy to remain where he was, took the pitchfork, and, descending to the bottomn, determined, from necessity, to attack him from below. The bear kept his po- sition until the man approached within six or seven feet, when, on the instant, instead of being able to make a stab with the pitchfork, he found himself grappled by the bear, and both together rolled towards the pond, at least twenty or twenty-five feet, the bear biting on his left arm, and hugging him almost to suffocation. By great exertion, he thrust his right arm partly down his throat, and, in that manner, endear- ored to strangle him, but was once more hurled headlong down through the bushes, a greater distance than before, into the water. Here, finding the bear gaining on him, he made one desperate effort, and drew the animal's head partly under water, and, repeating his exertions, at last weakened him so much, that, calling to his boy, who stood on the other side in a
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
state little short of distraction for the fate of his father, to bring him the hatchet, he sunk the edge of it, by repeated blows, into the brain of the bear. This man, although robust and muscular, was scarcely able to crawl home, where he lay for nearly three weeks, the flesh of his arm being much crushed, and his breast severely mangled. The bear weighed upwards of four hundred pounds.'
" The black bear, in common with other species of this - genus, endeavors to suffocate an adversary by violently hugging and compressing its chest. A man might end such a struggle in a few instants, if one hand be sufficiently at liberty to grasp the throat of the animal with the thumb and fingers, externally, just at the root of the tongue, as a slight degree of compression there will generally suffice to produce a spasm of the glottis, that will soon suffocate it beyond the power of offering resistance or doing injury."*
SEC. VI. The Wolf was frequently met with, and also the most noxious of our native animals. The color of the wolf is a dirty gray, and in general form he resembles the dog, or is, perhaps, more properly, that animal in its natural state. It is carnivorous, extremely fierce and sangui- nary. Ile is now found only in the northern and unsettled parts of the state.
The wolf has a long head, pointed nose, sharp and erect cars, a short thick neck, with sharp and strong teeth. His eyes generally appear sparkling, and his countenance is ex- pressive of great wildness and ferocity. He lives in a state of constant warfare with all other animals, and has, in some instances, ventured his attacks upon'men. Ilis greatest weight is about ninety-two pounds.
" The common wolf of America is considered to be the same species as the wolf of Europe, and, in regard to habits and manners, gives every evidence of such an identity. Like all the wild animals of the dog kind, they unite in packs to hunt
* Godman.
التشكيل مع ب
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NATIVE ANIMALS.
down animals which individually they could not master, and, during their sexual season, engage in the most furious com- bats with each other for the possession of the females.
" The common wolf is possessed of great strength and fierce- ness, and is what is generally called a cruel animal, tearing the throat of his victim, drinking its blood, and rending it open for the purpose of devouring its entrails. The great strength of its jaws enables the wolf to carry off with facility an animal nearly as large as itself, and makes its bite exceed- ingly severe and dangerous. Aged or wounded individuals, as well as the hinds and fawns of the deer, sheep, lambs, calves and pigs, are killed by these wolves, and the horse is said to be the only domestic animal which can resist them with success. They gorge, with much greediness, upon all sorts of carrion, which they can discover at great distances ; and, where such provision is to be obtained in great plenty, they become fat, and lose their ferocity to a singular degree.
" When this wolf has been caught in a trap, and is approach- ed by man, it is remarked to be exceedingly cowardly, and occasionally suffers itself to be beaten without offering the slightest resistance. If a dog be set upon a wolf thus cap- tured, the assault is patiently endured, so long as his master is present ; but, as soon as the wolf is freed from the restraint imposed by the presence of his captor, he springs upon and throttles the dog, which, if not speedily assisted, pays the forfeit of his presumption and temerity with his life. When kept in close confinement, and fed upon vegetable matter, the common wolf becomes tame and harmless, but is very shy, restless and timid, expressing the greatest alarm at the ap- proach of a stranger, and striving to escape from observa- tion. The voice of this wolf is a prolonged and melancholy howl, which, when uttered by numerous individuals at once, is discordant and frightful."*
The Cougar has entirely disappeared, or is very rarely met with. This animal was about the size of the wolf, of a gray color, strong, ac- tive, fierce and untamcable.
* Godman.
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
"The following account of the destruction of a large cougar, which is still preserved in the New York museum, was given by the late Mr. Scudder. Two hunters, accom. panied by two dogs, went out in quest of game, near the Kaatskill mountains. At the foot of a large hill, they agreed to go round it in opposite directions, and, when either dis- charged his rifle, the other was to hasten towards him, to aid in securing the game. Soon after parting, the report of a rifle was heard by one of them, who, hastening towards the spot, after some search, found nothing but the dog, dread- fully lacerated, and dead. He now became much alarmed for the fate of his companion, and, while anxiously looking around, was horror-struck by the harsh growl of a cougar, which he perceived on a large limb of a tree, crouching upon the body of his friend, and apparently meditating an attack on himself. Instantly he levelled his rifle at the beast, and was so fortunate as to wound it mortally, when it fell to the ground, along with the body of his slaughtered companion. His dog then rushed upon the wounded cougar, which. with one blow of its paw, laid the poor animal dead by its side. The surviving hunter now left the spot, and quickly returned with several other persons, when they found the lifeless cougar extended near the dead bodies of the hunter and the faithful dogs."*
The Wolverene, in many respects, resembles the cougar, and, like that animal, has ceased to be an inhabitant of our forests.
" This animal has served as a fruitful theme for exaggera- tion and fiction, which has continued the longer in propor- tion to the remoteness of the animal, and the difficulty of ascertaining its real manners. It is true, that ferocity and destructiveness are among its most striking characteristic-, and it is known to feed ravenously and fully when it has secured its prey ; yet in none of these respects is the wolve- rene different from numerous other animals, nor is it at all the prodigy that book makers have heretofore represented it to be.
* Godman.
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NATIVE ANIMALS.
" The strength of the wolverene, joined to its great gust for animal food, causes much trouble to hunters and travellers, who attempt to secure provisions by burying them in the snow, or protect them by covering them with boughs and trunks of trees. It is almost impossible to prevent this crea- ture from finding access to such places of deposit, either by strength or stratagem, and destroying the stock on which the voyager may have counted for his future subsistence and safety. To the hunters, the wolverene is also injurious, by robbing their traps of the animals which are taken in them, before the arrival of the owners. The wolverene is fierce and dauntless, and has been seen to take away from the wolf the carcass of a deer, and, when itself engaged in feeding, has refused to move, though warned of. the approach of an armed hunter, who shot it, while standing as if prepared to maintain its prize.
" It is stated in all the books of natural history, that this animal is in the habit of ascending trees, for the purpose of leaping down upon the necks of reindeer and other similar animals ; and that it has sagacity enough to carry with it, into the top of the tree, some of the moss of which the deer are fondest, and drop this immediately under it, so as to secure the intended victim, by placing it in the most favorable po- sition for being leaped on. When the deer approaches to pick up this moss, the watchful glutton is said to drop from his perch upon the neck of the animal, drive his crooked claws into the flesh, fasten himself firmly, and, from some deep wound, to drink the blood of the unfortunate deer, until exhaustion and death are produced. Such relations are so frequently repeated of this animal, that they have long ago ceased to be doubted, and it may seem like supererogatory scepticism to doubt on the subject at present. Thus much, however, it is due to truth to state, that we have examined, with some interest, the authorities originating such accounts of the sagacity or instinct of the wolverine, and have not been able to find any thing more satisfactory than mere assertions relative to the European glutton. It is not object- ed here, that these assertions are unfounded; but they are gratuitous, at least as applied to the wolverene or American
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
glutton, since Hearne, and other travellers residing in the regions where this animal is most abundant, make no mention of any such thing concerning it. The necessity of scep- ticism, relative to the habits of the wolverene, becomes more obvious, when it is recollected, how much of what was for- merly believed as unquestionable, has been proved to be a fa- ble, resting on nothing better than the fancy of Olaus Magnus.
" Nothing, however, is better ascertained, than that the wol- verene is one of the most destructive animals found in the northern part of this continent. It destroys great numbers of young foxes during summer, while they are small, discover- ing their burrows by its keen scent, and, if necessary, en- larging the cavity so as to gain access to the bottom of the den, where the mother and cubs are speedily destroyed. The wolverene is not less inimical or destructive to the beaver than other animals, though the habits of the beaver expose it less to this sanguinary quadruped, which is gene- rally successful in securing his prey only when the beaver is caught at any distance from the margin of the water.
" The wolverene is about two feet two inches long, from the end of the nose to the origin of the tail, and the latter is about eight inches in length, if the hair on its extremity be included : without measuring the hair, the length of the tail is about four inches. The fore legs are upwards of eleven inches long, and the hind legs one foot. The face is blackish as high as the eyebrows, and between these and the ears we find a space of a whitish and brownish tint. The ears are covered with harsh hair ; the lower jaw, and inside of both fore legs, are spotted with white ; the upper part of the back, thighs, and the under part of the belly, are brown, or brownish black. The sides are of a fine chestnut color, from the shoulders to the be- ginning of the tail. There is a white spot over the navel ; the parts of generation are reddish. The short hair of this animal is whitish. The eyes are small and black."*
SEC. VII. The Catamount was rarely met with, but, on account of its remarkable ferocity, was much dreaded by the hunters. In general
* Godman.
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NATIVE ANIMALS.
form, it resembled the cat, but was larger than our largest dogs. It is carnivorous, and, from its ' sanguinary disposition, was esteemed the most dangerous of our animals. Its weight was estimated at about one hundred pounds. It has almost, if not entirely, disappeared from our forests.
The length of the body, including the head, was about 7 feet ; the circumference of the body, 2} feet; length of the tail, 3 feet, and of the legs, about 1 foot. The color, along his back, was nearly black ; on the sides, a dark, reddish brown; his feet black. He was not calculated for running, but leaped with surprising agility.
The Wildcat, Raccoon and Marten, now occur only in the most uncultivated parts of the state. The wildcat is, in many respects, similar to our common cats, but larger and stronger. It is of the same disposition and color as the wolf.
SEC. VIII. The Deer is one of the most com- mon and valuable of our native animals. It is extremely active, possesses great mildness of dis- position, and is casily domesticated. Its greatest weight is about three hundred pounds. "
In the spring, it sheds its hair, and appears of a light red ; this color gradually becomes darker, until autumn, when it becomes a pale brown. Its horns are slender, round, project- ing forwards, and bent into a curve.' The horns grow about 2 feet in length, are shed annually, and weigh from 2 to 4 pounds.
" The common deer is more remarkable for general slen- derness and delicacy of form, than for size and vigor. The slightness and length of its limbs, small body, long and slim neck, sustaining a narrow and almost pointed head, give the animal an air of feebleness, the impression of which is only to be counteracted by observing the animated eye, the agile and
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
, playful movements, and admirable celerity of its course when its full speed is exerted. Then all that can be imagined of grace and swiftness of motion, joined with strength sufficient to continue a long career, may be realized.
" The common deer is possessed of keen senses, especially of hearing and smelling. The sight, though good, does not appear to equal in power the senses just named, upon which the safety of the animal most immediately depends.
" It is therefore necessary for the hunter to approach the deer against the wind, otherwise he is discovered by the scent, at a great distance, and his objects are entirely frustrated. The slightest noise excites the attention of the deer, and his fears appear to be more readily awakened by this cause than any other ; while, on the contrary, the sight of unaccustomed objects seems rather to arouse curiosity than to produce ter- ror, as the animal will frequently approach, or stand gazing intently, until the hunter steals close enough to fire with fatal aim.
" The deer, in herds of various numbers, frequent the forests and plains adjacent to the rivers, feeding principally upon the buds and twigs of trees and shrubs, though they are fond of grass, when their favorite food is not more convenient. The herd is led by one of the largest and strongest bucks, who appears to watch over the general safety, and leads the way on all occasions. When any cause of alarm checks their prog- ress, the leader stamps with his feet, threatens with his horns, and snorts so loudly as to be heard for a very considerable distance. So long as he stands fast, or prepares for combat, the rest of the herd appear to feel secure ; but when he gives way, they all follow with precipitation, and vie with each other in the race.
" The common deer, when startled from a resting place without being much alarmed, moves at first in a singular and amusing manner. With an apparent awkwardness, two or three springs are made, from which the deer alights on three feet, drawing up and extending the limbs in a stiff and pe- culiar manner. As the tail is erected, this alternate resting upon the feet of opposite sides, causes the tail to describe a semicircle from side to side. A few high bounds are next
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NATURAL GEOGRAPHY.
made forward, as if with a view to prepare for subsequent exertion, and then, if the cause of alarm be continued, the decr exerts his strength, and dashes off in his swiftest career.
" Although the common deer is generally a very sliy and timid animal, they are almost always inclined to fight when wounded or brought to bay. At this time, they fight with their fore feet as well as with their horns, and inflict severe wounds by leaping forward and striking with the edge of their hoofs held together. If a hunter falls on the ground in at- tempting to close in and despatch a wounded deer with his knife, he is in great danger of being killed by such blows as we have described. This deer is also said by the hunters to evince a very strong degree of animosity towards serpents, and especially to the rattlesnake, of which it has an instinctive horror. In order to destroy one of these creatures, the deer makes a bound into the air, and alights upon the snake with all four feet brought together in a square, and these violent blow's are rapidly repeated until the hated reptile is destroyed.
" The combats in which the males engage with each other are frequently destructive of the lives of both, in a way that. would not readily be anticipated. In assaulting each other furiously, their horns come into contact, and, being clastic, they yield mutually to the shock, so that the horns of one animal pass within those of the other, and thus secure them, front to front, in such a manner that neither can escape ; and they, torment themselves in fruitless struggles, until, worn down by hunger, they perish, or become the prey of wolves or other animals. Heads of deer which have thus perished are fre- quently found, and there is scarcely a museum in this country which has not one or more specimens."#
There were several varieties of the Fox. This animal now occurs in various parts of the state, but its numbers are much diminished.
The Hare, Rabbit, Porcupine and Wood- chuck are occasionally found in most parts of the state.
* Godman.
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. HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
The porcupine weighs about 16 pounds, and is distinguish- ed for the quills, with which he is armed. These quills are about the size of those of the pigeon, and from two to four inches long. When attacked by an enemy, the porcupine places his head between his fore feet, and erects his quills around him in the form of a hemisphere.
The quills are so loosely inserted in his flesh, and of such a peculiar construction, that they are easily extracted, and, like a barbed dart, stick fast, and work themselves into the flesh of any animal that touches their extremities; nor can they be easily withdrawn, without tearing the flesh, but by incision. The color of this animal is gray, and his motion extremely slow.
SEC. IX. The Skunk was common to all parts of the state, and still frequently occurs. It is remarkable for being furnished with organs for secreting and retaining a fluid volatile and fetid beyond any thing known. He has the power of emitting this to the distance of several paces, when necessary for his defence. When this ammunition is expended, he is quite harmless. 'This volatile fetor is a powerful antispasmodic.
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This animal is about a foot and a half long, of a moderate height, and size in proportion to its length. Ilis tail is long and bushy ; his hair long and chiefly black, but on his head, neck and back, are found spots of white without any regularity or uniformity. His sight is imperfect during the day time, and he seeks his food, consisting mostly of beetles and other insects, in the evening, at which time he often visits farmi-houses, for the purpose of committing depredations upon poultry.
SEC. X. The Weasel, and numerous varieties of the Squirrel and Mouse, are still common to most parts of the state. The Ermine is rarely found, and is one of the most beautiful inhabit- ants of the forest.
The ermine, in form, dimensions and activity, resembles the
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weasel, but is rather larger. Its weight is about 14 ounces, and its color a beautiful white. The tail is tipped with black, and some have a stripe of dark brown, or mouse color, extend- ing along the back from the head to the tail. This beautiful animal has the most fine and delicate fur that can be imagined.
SEC. XI. The Beaver was formerly common, and its fur, in the early period of our history, formed an important article of trade. ' It is am- phibious, but cannot live for any length of time under water ; it can live without it, provided it has the occasional convenience of bathing. The largest beavers formerly found were four feet in length, and weighed from 50 to 60 pounds. Those found in later years weigh from 25 to 30 pounds. This social and industrious animal has left many vestiges of its ingenuity and skill, though now principally driven from our territory.
" The head of this animal is large, and his ears short and round. Their fore teeth are prominent, long, broad, strong, and grooved, or hollowed, like a gouge. Their fore legs are short, with tocs separate ; their hinder legs are long, with toes webbed. The tail is large, broad, and scaly, resembling the body of a fish. Their color is generally a dark brown, but varies ac- cording to the climate they inhabit. Their hair is long and coarse ; the fur very thick, fine and highly valued. The castor used in medicine is found in sacs formed behind the kidneys."
" The general aspect of the beaver, at first view, would re- mind one of a very large rat, and, seen at a little distance, it might be readily mistaken for the common musk-rat. But the greater size of the beaver, the thickness and breadth of its head, and its horizontally-flattened, broad and scaly tail, render it impossible to mistake it for any other creature, when closely examined. In its movements, both on shore and in the water, it also closely resembles the mask-rat, having the same quick step, and swimming with great vigor and celerity, either on the surface or in the depths of the water.
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK.
" In a state of captivity or insulation, the beaver is a quiet, or, rather, stupid animal, evincing about as much intelligence as a tamed badger, or any other quadruped which can learn to distinguish its feeder, come when called, or grow familiar with the inmates of the house where it is kept. It is only in a state of nature that the beaver displays any of those singular modes of acting, which have so long rendered the species celebrated. 'These may be summed up in a statement of the manner in which they secure a sufficient depth of water to prevent it from being frozen to the bottom, and their mode of constructing the huts in which they pass the winter.
" They are not particular in the site they select for the estab- lishment of their dwellings, but if in a lake or pond, where a dam is not required, they are careful to build where the water is sufficiently deep. In standing waters, however, they have not the advantage afforded by a current, for the transportation of their supplies of wood, which, when they build on a runt- ning stream, is always cut higher up than the place of their residence, and floated down."*
They most commonly, however, prefer to locate their resi- dence in some small brook or rivulet, where they obtain sufficient depth of water by means of a dam. When they commence the erection of a dam, they " select a number of saplings, of soft wood, generally of less than 6 inches in diameter, but sometimes of 16 or 18 inches. These they fell, and divide into proper lengths, and place them in the water, so that the length of the sticks make the width of the dam. These sticks they ` lay in mud or clay, their tails serving them for trowels, as their teeth did for axes. These dams are six or eight feet thick at bottom; sloping on the side opposed to the stream; and are about a quarter as broad at top as at bottom. Near the top of the dam, they leave one or more waste-ways, or sliding-places. to carry off the surplus water.
" The formation of their cabins is no less remarkable. They consist of two stories, one under, the other above water. They are shaped like the oval bee-hive, and of a size proportioned to the number of inhabitants. The walls of the lower apartment
* Godman.
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are two or three feet thick, formed like their dams; those of the upper story are thinner ; and the whole on the inside plas- tered with mud. Each family constructs its own cabin. The upper apartments are curiously strewed with leaves, rendered . neat, clean and comfortable.
"The winter never surprises these animals before their busi- ness is completed ; for their houses are generally finished by the last of September, and their stock of provisions laid in, which consists of small pieces of wood deposited in the lower apartments. Before a storm, all hands are employed in repair- ing or strengthening their dams. ' In summer, they roam abroad, and feed on leaves, twigs and food of this kind. The beavers are considered as the same species with those in Europe, but are in every respect vastly superior."#
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