Bears.

Peter Sinott: Bear, Wildcat, Fox, Beaver, Otter, Mink, Martin, Rabbits, Squirrels, Ferrits.

[no name # 7]: Bears, foxes, Loupservers, martins, otters, &c.

[no name # 2]: There were Bears, Wild Cats, foxes, &c.

60. Were there many bears 50 years ago, and were they dangerous? Alexander Anderson: There were, and dangerous to livestock.

Char/es Anderson and Robert Anderson: There were many but not very dangerous if left alone or if not too hungry.

George Brace: I don’t know, but there used to be great talk of them.

John Brooks: I have been in close proximity of them but never saw one running at large. At a bear hunt Lot 49 a large bear caught Mr. Philip Lane by the leg

and dragged him over logs and windfalls, but he was soon released and the bear was killed.

Richard Hudson: Bears were numerous 59 years ago [a marginal calculation works out the date to be 7827, which suggests Hudson ’s form may have been filled in in 7880] and although dangerous, unless the shee bear with cubs — seldom attacked persons, although I have heard of persons being injured by them.

William Jenkins: Numerous. Not generally, I know of only two men being attacked by them.

Neil McCal/um: They were very numerous. One neighbour of mine shot 13 — they were not considered dangerous but made sad havoc among the sheep.

Dr. John Mackieson: About the usual number then caught as now — some deaths were reported.

Peter Praught: They were plenty but not very dangerous. Char/es Ramsay: The bears were more numerous than at present.

John B. Schurman: There were a good many bears when I first recollect, and I have heard of many narrow escapes but do not know of any person being killed

by them. [He then relates in detail several particular incidents involving persons he knew.]

William Sencabaugh: Bears was very plenty. They Distroyed good pigs and sheep. They not hurt you unless you meddled with their Cubs.

Peter Sinott: Plenty of Bears — destroyed on me one night 12 sheep — very fierce. In 1825 Nicholas the lndian was attacked & killed a Bear said to weigh 800 lbs.

[no name # 1]: They were pretty numerous and destructive on sheep and cattle but not very dangerous only when defending their young.

[no name # 2]: There was quite a number.

199