The Bear, The Moose And The Omen - A Folk Tale

THE BEAR, THE MOOSE AND THE OMEN - A FOLK TALE ABOUT THE INTERACTIONS OF CIVILIZATION ON NATURE

BUT IT WAS OUR PAST! GOOD OR BAD!

     THE SUPERSTITIONS OF NAVIGATION, OF COURSE, GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF MARITIME EXPERIENCE AND ECONOMIC ENTERPRISE. IT MAY NOT BE A STORY-WORTHY TO SOME, WHO ARE INFINITELY MORE INTERESTED TO READ ABOUT THE OPERATIONS, OF SAY, THE BOAT'S STEAM PROPULSION SYSTEM, AND ABOUT ITS PORT OF CALLS. BUT THE SUPERSTITIONS ATTACHED TO MARINE HERITAGE ARE NUMEROUS AND FASCINATING. ALTHOUGH THESE MANIFESTATIONS OF SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS, DIDN'T ALWAYS MAKE THE GRADE OF FOLK STORY, REGIONALLY, THERE ARE A FEW THAT ARE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT.....IF YOU BELIEVE IN THESE THINGS. MARINERS OFTEN SEE THINGS THAT JUST CAN'T BE EXPLAINED; ENCOUNTERS ALL TIMES OF DAY AND NIGHT, THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED THE MIND PLAYING TRICKS, THE SCENERY TAKING ON A SURREAL APPEARANCE, THAT MAY HAVE CREATED A SUSPICION OF A PENDING, INTRUSIVE OMEN. ONE OF TWO STORIES TODAY, HAS A MILD MORAL SIDE, WHILE THE OTHER POSSESSES A LITTLE PARANORMAL "SHADOW OF DOUBT". YOU BE THE JUDGE. BUT ONE THING'S FOR CERTAIN. THEY ARE BOTH NEAT FOLK STORIES, THAT ENHANCE OUR VIEWPOINT OF WHAT THE HISTORY OF MUSKOKA WAS LIKE, BEYOND THE BARE BONES OF ITS RECORDED HISTORY.

     THIS IS NOT A STORY FOR EVERYONE. IF YOU'RE A LITTLE SQUEAMISH ABOUT CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, YOU MAY WISH TO BYPASS TODAY'S BLOG, BECAUSE IT INVOLVES THE VERY POOR TREATMENT OF A MOOSE AND A BEAR, ONE THAT JUST HAPPENED TO GET IN THE WAY OF A STEAMSHIP, AND A CREWMAN WITH A GUN.

     CAPTAIN LEVI FRASER, IN HIS BOOK, "HISTORY OF MUSKOKA," WRITES THE FOLLOWING, ABOUT THE INCIDENT WITH A VERY LARGE MOOSE:

     "WILD LIFE AT THAT DATE (LATE 1800'S) WAS PLENTIFUL THROUGHOUT MUSKOKA. PARTRIDGE, DEER, BEAR AND AN OCCASIONAL MOOSE WERE TO BE SEEN. A STORY WAS TOLD OF THE KILLING OF A MOOSE IN THE FENN'S POINT SETTLEMENT. FATHER FLEMING WAS HOLDING A WEEK-DAY MASS AT THE HOME OF THE KELLYS. FROM THE HOUSE COULD BE SEEN THE LAKE AND AN ISLAND IN THE DISTANCE. DURING THE SERVICE SOMEONE NOTICED WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A LARGE DEER OVER ON THE ISLAND. IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF HUNTING SEASON AND SOME FRESH MEAT WOULD BE VERY WELCOME, SO THE MEN DECIDED THEY WOULD TRY TO GET THE DEER. A LAD OF FIFTEEN OR SIXTEEN SAID HE WOULD GO TO THE ISLAND WITH A DOG, AND DRIVE THE DEER INTO THE WATER TOWARD THE FARM. THE LAD AND THE DOG SOON PICKED UP THE DEER'S TRACK AND WERE HURRYING ALONG, THE DOG NOW KEEN ON THE SCENT, LEFT THE BOY BEHIND. THEY WERE NO NEARING THE SHORE, BUT SO FAR THE LAD HAD SEEN NO DEER, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOG CAME RACING BACK WITH HIS TAIL DOWN, AND CLOSE BEHIND HIM, APPARENTLY IN NO HURRY, WAS THE LARGEST ANIMAL THE LAD HAD EVER SEEN; A HUGE MOOSE. AS THE DOG CONTINUED TO FLEE, THE LAD, FOR SAFETY, CLIMBED THE NEAREST TREE AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL THE MOOSE WAS DISPOSED OF." THE MOOSE, SENSING THE INTRUDER HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, TURNED AROUND, SNORTED, AND LEFT THE SCENE.

     "IT WAS NOW EVIDENT THAT THE MOOSE WAS NOT GOING TO SWIM TOWARD THE FARM, SO A GUNMAN WENT OVER TO TRY FOR A SHOT AT THE MOOSE ON THE ISLAND, BUT BY THIS TIME THE ANIMAL HAD TAKEN TO THE WATER, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND, AND WAS OUT OF GUNSHOT RANGE. SEVERAL MEN HAD COME OVER WITH ANOTHER BOAT; THEY FOLLOWED THE MOOSE AND GOT HIM, SOME DISTANCE OUT, AND TOWED HIM TO SHORE. THE ANIMAL WAS SO LARGE THAT IT TOOK SEVEN OR EIGHT MEN TO DRAG HIM ACROSS THE BARN, WHERE THEY AT ONCE SKINNED AND DRESSED THE CARCASS. THE MEAT WAS DIVIDED AMONG THE NEIGHBORS, A CHOICE CUT OF FIFTEEN OR TWENTY POUNDS, GOING TO FATHER FLEMING. NEXT MORNING AS FATHER FLEMIING WAS TAKING THE BOAT, A DECK HAND RUSHED OUT TO TAKE HIM ONE OF HIS GRIPS (SUITCASES), GETTING THE ONE CONTAINING THE MOOSE MEAT. HE SAID, 'WHAT ON EARTH FATHER, DO YOU CARRY IN YOUR GRIPS TO MAKE THEM SO HEAVY.' FATHER FLEMING REPLIED, 'OH I CARRY MANY THINGS, IF IT IS TOO HEAVY FOR YOU, I WILL TAKE IT MYSELF. I HAVE LEARNED TO BEAR BURDENS, MY OWN AND THOSE OF OTHERS.' A FEW DAYS LATER, A NEIGHBOR FROM SOME DISTANCE, WHO WAS NOT IN AT THE KILL, STOPPED AT THE KELLY HOME FOR DINNER, AND DURING THE MEAL REMARKED THAT MRS. KELLY'S BEEF WAS CHOICE STUFF. THE LADY ASKED HIM IF HE REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS BEEF. HE ANSWERED YES AND THE VERY BEST OF IT. SHE TOLD HIM IT WAS MOOSE MEAT, ALSO TELLING HIM HOW THEY GOT IT.

     "SOMEHOW THE KILLING OF THE MOOSE LEAKED OUT (ALTHOUGH THEY WERE PRETTY SURE IT HAD COME FROM THEIR DINNER GUEST), AND TWO MONTHS LATER A GAME WARDEN (MICHAEL WOODS) AND A CONSTABLE (ROGER MAHON), ARRIVED AT THE KELLY HOME, TO SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE OF A VIOLATION OF THE GAME LAWS. THE LADY, I AM TOLD, WAS A BIG WOMAN, COMMANDING AN ELOQUENT FLOW OF LANGUAGE WHEN THE OCCASION REQUIRED IT. SHE NOW PROCEEDED TO POUR OUT HER VIALS OF WRATH ON THE CONSTABLE WITH WHOM SHE WAS ACQUAINTED, WHILE MICHAEL SEARCHED THE HOUSE. THE ONLY EVIDENCE OF THE MOOSE WAS THE HIDE WHICH WAS IN A SMALL OUTHOUSE ENTERED BY A DOOR FROM THE KITCHEN. THE KITCHEN WAS LINED WITH V-JOINT AND THERE WAS NO CASING AROUND THE DOOR. THE WALL APPEARED AS THOUGH THERE WAS NO DOOR. MICHAEL, NO DOUBT, WAS ANXIOUS TO COMPLETE THE SEARCH OF THE HOUSE, AS THE TIRADE WAS IN NO MANNER COMPLIMENTARY, SO HE MISSED THE DOOR THAT CONCEALED THE EVIDENCE. HE THEN SEARCHED THE BARN WITH THE SAME RESULT; WENT ON TO JOE FENN'S, AND GAVE HIS PREMISES THE ONCE OVER, BUT JOE HAD NOTHING HIDDEN, SO MICHAEL FOUND NOTHING. THE BOY AND THE DOG RETURNED SOME HOURS AFTER THE KILL. WHEN ASKED WHERE HE HAD BEEN, HE REPLIED, 'IF YOU HAD SEEN THAT DOG RUNNING AWAY, YOU WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME AS I DID; CLIMB THE FIRST TREE YOU CAME TO." ME THINKS, HOWEVER, THE HUNTING VIOLATION WAS NEVER PROVEN, WHICH WAS A GOOD THING FOR FATHER FLEMING....AS IT WOULDN'T HAVE LOOKED VERY GOOD TO HIS FLOCK, IF HE'D BEEN BUSTED FOR ILL-GOTTEN MOOSE MEAT.

     NOW IN THE WORDS OF CAPTAIN LEE, AS QUOTED IN CAPTAIN FRASER'S HISTORY, THERE IS A UNIQUE STORY ABOUT AN ILL-FATED BRUIN, IN THE WRONG PLACE IN NATURE, CROSSING THE PATH OF A STEAMSHIP, AND A CREWMAN WITH A GUN....UNAFRAID OF FIRING IT WHILE TRAVERSING THE LAKE WITH PASSENGERS ABOARD.

     "SAILING ON THE MUSKOKA LAKES HAS ALWAYS BEEN MORE OR LESS FASCINATING TO THOSE ENGAGED IN IT. OF ALL THE CAPTAINS ON THESE LAKES, DURING THE LAST 50 YEARS (BEFORE 1942), ONLY A SMALL NUMBER HAVE LEFT FOR OTHER OCCUPATIONS; CAPTAIN JACKSON, CAPTAIN W. BOARD, AND CAPTAIN E.E. TAYLOR, LEFT THE WAVES FOR THE FARMS; CAPTAIN GEORGE PARLETT WENT INTO THE LUMBER BUSINESS; NEARLY ALL OTHERS HAVE MADE OF IT A LIFE JOB.

     CAPTAIN FRASER, AS AN INTRODUCTION, WRITES OF HIS FRIEND, IN THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION: "CAPTAIN LEE RELATES THE STORY AS FOLLOWS - 'IT WAS A NICE COOL MORNING. WE HAD LEFT PORT COCKBURN. IT WAS THE STEAMER NIPISSING. CAPTAIN GEORGE BAILEY IN CHARGE. I WAS MATE. WE HAD GOT DOWN NEAR ROUND ISLAND. I WAS AT THE WHEEL, CAPTAIN BAILEY WAS AT BREAKFAST, WHEN A LADY PASSENGER, SITTING NEAR THE BOW OF THE BOAT ASKED ME WHAT WAS CAUSING THAT STREAK ACROSS THE SURFACE OF THE CALM WATER. SHE THOUGHT IT LOOKED LIKE A BIG SNAKE CROSSING SOME DISTANCE AHEAD OF THE BOAT. I LOOKED AND AT FIRST, THOUGHT IT WAS A DOG, BUT AS WE GOT CLOSER, I PERCEIVED IT WAS A BEAR, AND A BIG FELLOW AT THAT. I AT ONCE CALLED THAT A BEAR WAS CROSSING OUR BOW. THE CAPTAIN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY APPEARED ON THE DECK WITH A RIFLE. BY THIS TIME, WE HAD SLOWED DOWN AND WERE VERY CLOSE TO THE BEAR. THE CAPTAIN FIRED TWICE BUT FOR SOME REASON OR OTHER, BOTH SHOTS MISSED; UNDER ORDINARY CONDITIONS BAILEY WAS A REAL MARKSMAN."

     WHAT'S IMPORTANT, IN TERMS OF FOLK HISTORY, ABOUT THIS ENCOUNTER WITH THE BRUIN, AND THE FACT THAT BAILEY WAS INDEED A GOOD SHOT, (AND SHOULD HAVE STRUCK THE BEAR EASILY, FROM THAT DISTANCE).....IS THE CURIOUS SUGGESTION, A SORT OF CURSE WAS ENVELOPING THAT WOULD STRETCH OUT FOR SOME TIME AFTER.

     ACCORDING TO CAPTAIN LEE, "THE BOAT WAS STILL GOING AHEAD AND BY NOW WE WERE RIGHT ON TOP OF THE BEAR. A PADDLE WHEEL CAUGHT THE BEAR, AND PULLED HIM UNDER. WE THOUGHT, OF COURSE, HE WAS DEAD BUT IN A FEW SECONDS HE APPEARED ON THE SURFACE, SNORTING AND SHAKING HIS HEAD, AND SWIMMING AS STRONGLY AS EVER. BY THIS TIME WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE SHORE. THE CAPTAIN FIRED AGAIN AND CALLED US TO BACK UP. I SIGNALLED TO REVERSE THE ENGINES AND IN A FEW TURNS THE PADDLES. OF THE BIG WHEEL. ONCE MORE CAUGHT THE BEAR AND PULLED HIM UNDER, AND AGAIN HE CAME TO THE SURFACE APPARENTLY UNHURT. ANOTHER SHOT, HOWEVER, TOOK EFFECT AND THE BEAR'S HEAD WENT UNDER WATER. HE WAS NOW QUITE DEAD. WE AT ONCE LOWERED A BOAT AND PULLED OUT THE BEAR. TO GET HIM TO THE STEAMER WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT A ROPE AROUND HIS NECK AND TOW HIM IN. HE HAD PUT UP SUCH A FIGHT FOR LIFE, AND HAD BEEN SO HARD TO KILL THAT WE WERE IN NO HURRY PUTTING THE ROPE AROUND HIS NECK. HOWEVER, WE AT LAST HAULED HIM ON BOARD.

     "A GENTLEMAN ON BOARD BOUGHT THE BEAR AND WAS TO TAKE IT ASHORE, A DISTANCE FROM THE GRAVENHURST WHARF, SKIN IT AND SINK THE CARCASS. TWO WEEKS LATER, AS WE WERE NEARING THE LITTLE ISLAND OUT FROM THE GRAVENHURST WHARF, THE CAPTAIN SIGHTED SOMETHING UNUSUAL IN THE WATER. HE CALLED TO ME, 'WHAT IS THAT IN THE WATER RALPH?' AS WE DREW NEARER I RECOGNIZED IT AS THE BEAR'S CARCASS. WHEN WE GOT TO THE DOCK, THE CAPTAIN ARRANGED WITH A MAN TO GO OUT, AND MAKE A SURE-JOB OF SINKING THE BEAR. NEARLY A MONTH LATER, WHEN APPROACHING THE WHARF, WE AGAIN SIGHTED THE BEAR'S CARCASS, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS NEARLY TWICE THE SIZE. WHEN WE LANDED, THE CAPTAIN GOT A BOAT, SOME OLD IRON AND SOME WIRE; HE ALSO TOOK ALONG A BUTCHER KNIFE. ARRIVING AT THE BEAR, HE COULD SEE NO WAY OF FASTENING ON HIS SINKERS AS THE BEAR'S LIMBS WERE ALL UNDER THE WATER, AND THE CARCASS WAS TERRIBLY INFLATED. IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE JOB WAS TO BE DONE, THE CAPTAIN THOUGHT THAT BE PIERCING THE BALLOON SHAPED CARCASS, HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET AT IT BETTER; SO HE PLUNGED THE BUTCHER KNIFE INTO THE CARCASS. BUT ALAS, THE THING EXPLODED, AND WITH SUCH FORCE AND SUDDENNESS, THAT THE CAPTAIN'S FINE UNIFORM WAS BESPATTERED WITH DECOMPOSED BEAR. THE STENCH SO SICKENED THE CAPTAIN, THAT IT WAS WEEKS BEFORE HE AGAIN COULD ENJOY A GOOD MEAL. AFTER HAVING TAKEN HIS REVENGE, WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE BEAR SETTLED PEACEFULLY INTO THE DEEP, AND WAS SEEN NO MORE."

     ACCORDING TO LEVI FRASER, "THE STRANGE PART OF THE STORY, IS THAT IT WAS ALWAYS THE NIPISSING'S CREW THAT CAME UPON THE CARCASS IN THE WATER; NO ONE ELSE EVER REPORTED HAVING SEEN IT. THE CREW OF THE NIPISSING AT THAT TIME, WAS CAPTAIN BAILEY; MATE RALPH LEE, ENGINEER C, MCARTHUR, PURSER W. LINK, BOB SIMMONS, JAMES MCCULLEY, JOE MORTIMER, AND BOB MCINTYRE, WERE THE OTHER MEMBERS."

     HAD THE BEAR BEEN TAUNTING THE STEAMSHIP CREW? KILLING THE BEAR TO EAT, FOR SUSTENANCE, WAS ONE THING. TO KILL THE BEAR ONLY FOR ITS SKIN, WAS WASTEFUL, ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME, THE BEAR POPULATION WAS CONSIDERED INEXHAUSTIBLE. POSSIBLY GOD DIDN'T FEEL THE SAME WAY, AND LET CAPTAIN BAILEY KNOW ABOUT THIS INDISCRETION, ALL FOR THE PRICE OF A FEW DOLLARS' PROFIT.