1881 Bear Hunting Tunica Mississippi Eyewitness

“Bear Hunting in the South“

by  James Gordon    

An original 7 page ( 3 double-sided) article carefully removed from an October, 1881 edition of  Scribner's Monthly Magazine.

In this rare and authentic 128 year-old historical article, author James Gordon describes his experiences hunting bear in Tunica County, Mississippi.  With 7 pages of text and 5 illustrations, Gordon tells of the adventures of himself, “Old Asa, the bear-hunter,” James Rogers, a “fair-haired Northerner from ‘old Long island’s seagirt shore,” two other experienced woodsmen, and “old Hannibal” a “negro servant.”

With “Old Asa” in the lead, cutting through the canebrake, the party pursues a bear through the lowland lake and bayou country of Tunica County. The dogs find the scent, and after tracking, and a bear attack on Rogers and Asa, Gordon himself delivers the death blow with a dagger to the bear’s heart. Afterward, as Asa’s wound has been attended to, they feast on “filibuster,” a bear hide stuffed with bacon, choice bear cuts, and bear-fat, and roasted over the open camp-fire.

Excerpts:

“We had pitched our tent on the banks of a beautiful sheet of water, one of the chain of lakes that drains the swamps of Tunica County, Mississippi, when the Father of Waters inundates the valleys…”

“Living by hunting and trapping from boyhood, an uneducated frontiersman, he was the “beau ideal” of a hunter – clad in buckskin hunting-shirt and leggins, with an otter-skin cap on his head and a ‘coon-skin pouch in which he carried his ammunition slung across his shoulders, and a short rifle in his hand, about five feet ten inches tall, round-bodied, but with no surplus flesh, and with muscles like corded steel…All through the swamps he was known as “Old Asa, the bear-hunter…”

“The bear usually makes his bed in the most impenetrable canebrake.  He cuts and piles up heaps of cane until he has a comfortable spring mattress…”

“As the bear leaped the log, Rogers fired.  Although a bear is a large animal, yet, when he is running, he is not so good a target as one would think.  If the reader will attempt to put a ball through the center of a barrel-head while it is in rapid motion, he will have some idea of the shooting at a running bear…”

“He first took the caul-fat, or bear’s handkerchief, and spread it out on the inside of the fresh hide; then he cut slices of liver and choice bits of bear-meat…between layers he placed a very thin layer of bacon…inserting sprigs of spice-wood…until a large meat sandwich is made…sticking a wooden skewer, he roasted it before the fire.  And a more savory dish never regaled the palate or olfactories of a hungry hunter…”  

This is just a short synopsis of the personal observations and facts presented in this unique eyewitness article about Bear Hunting in the South.

Page size: Approx 7" x 9"     

5  Illustrations

List of Illustrations

Old Asa Cutting through the Canebrake

At bay

Bear Hieroglyphics

The Death

Old Asa in triumph

CONDITION: 128 years old, guaranteed original, yellowed from age. I do not trim the binding edge. There will be staple holes, and may be very minor tearing and/or wrinkling along the binding edge. These defects will not in any way interfere with framing, and you may trim as desired.