Two youths, employed at the fur fort, + 

Resolved to have half-day of sport; + 

From Jasper House, in the far north, + 

For game, they joyous issued forth. + 

The factor of the Hudson Bay + 

Granted them a few hours’ play, + 

And it was in cold winter time, + 

When thick on lake was glassy rime; + 

But beneath, o’er all their route, + 

They saw below big speckled trout. + 

With hatchet, ice they did clear + 

And the beauteous trout did spear, + 

For they were longing for a dish + 

Of this sweet and savory fish, + 

And they caught many, too, with bait, + 

For in the day it was not late, + 

But it was cloudy with snow storm; + 

Yet they saw the noble form, + 

While the hurricane did blow, + 

Of a fine, noble buffalo, + 

So they resolved to have a treat + 

Of the delicious buffalo meat; + 

But he did on his haunches rear⁠— + 

To their surprise it was a bear. + 

The lake being smooth, the youths did skate, + 

Resolved for to seal his fate; + 

A pistol shot made bruin roar, + 

And from him trickled drops of gore. + 

They round him skate, and fresh blood drew + 

When they at him the hatchet threw; + 

He chased one and then the other, + 

For men on skates did him bother. + 

But the bold Scottish lad, McBeath, + 

Alas! he nearly met his death, + 

When he so boldly did press near + 

To probe him with the sharp fish spear, + 

For with fell swoop the paws of bruin + 

To him they almost did bring ruin; + 

But he so dexterously did skate + 

That he escaped such horrid fate. + 

And now they skated back to fort + 

For aid for to renew the sport, + 

They knew their game was no trifle + 

So they secured a trusty rifle. + 

Returning he had fled to wood, + 

But they tracked him with his blood, + 

For they did not yet despair + 

But that they would capture bear. + 

They saw the elder bushes sway + 

While he did force through them his way, + 

And heard the brushwood loudly snap, + 

Where he went through he left a gap. + 

They skated swiftly o’er the ice + 

And were near brushwood in a trice; + 

Full soon the savage beast is slain, + 

With rifle bullet in his brain. + 

And now these hunters do take pride + 

In skin as large as buffalo hide, + 

For Indian stripped the skin of bear + 

And left the carcass in his lair. + 