Ingenious Trap That Was Formerly Used by the Mexicans.
The Mexicans in California had an ingenious method of trapping bears before the advent of the Yankees brought modern firearms into the region. A piece of meat was nailed to the stout horizontal limb of an oak tree. From a limb five or six feet above a rope was suspended, to the end of which a large stone was made fast so that it hung about six inches above and a trifle nearer the trunk than the meat on the lower limb.
When a bear smelled the meat from afar he would climb up the tree and make his way to the bait. In doing so he would push the stone pendulum to one side. Just as he was about to fasten his teeth in the meat the stone would swing back and bang his head. This would arouse the anger of the bear, and he would give the stone a sweep of his paw which would send it swinging farther out. The consequence was a harder bang and more anger. The more he struck the stone the harder he would be hit in return, until from ferocious anger he would lose his caution and attack the pendulum with all his vigor. One powerful sweep, then bang, and bruin would be tumbled out of the tree to the rocks below, where, disabled by his fall, he would be at the mercy of those who set the trap whenever they chose to take him.
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