Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1845-05-07
YPsILANTI (MICH) WEDNESDAY

far apart to give room for their long kuotiy arms.
festooned with silvery moss, to spread over the
girth frequently of near half acre; and as these
trees fork very soon, and there was no brushwood
underneath, the heavy drapery the moss, crossed
as from low rooted temple oflhe Druids; and the
thick green sward spread under it fneowed, the
gray shades deliciously. The trees became grad
ually smaller and more sparse, as the eye descend
ed TO the valleys, and then in The centre was a
strip of prairie OF the deepest verdure. open to the
sun. which produced the illusion of gold and
and emerald flood Silly creeping beneath the grim
towering shadows. few small trees were scat.
tered along the feet of the ridges short distance
out into our prairie. We were all entranced in ga
ling upon this marvellous scene, which, opened
in traits of surprising loneliness and grandeur
as we approached.
! The awed silence which had fallen around the
party was broFen. by quick eager exclamation
of the doctor--"Egad! there they are! Pm into em
boysp and away he dashed with bobtail at his best
speed, and fourishng the spear above his head!
| Looking around in establishment for the cause
of this ecsatic outbreak, saw the whole party
bending forward the act of letting out their hor
ses, while their eyes were strained with half
eager, half comic look after the doctor. Fol-
lowing the same direction could distinguish three
or four hundred yards ahead, several black. un-
wieldy objects, that seemed to be roofing in the
long grass, just the foot of one of the low knobs
and little distance out in the prairie. One Of
them looked up at the moment, and saw it was
bear! Hays exclaimed as he spurred his horse.
Boys, we'ere lucky! They've cone down to
feed on the snaiIs!' at the same moment the whole
company broke off like madmen. l followed but
having been pre-occuped. and less on the alert,
was among the hindmost.
The valiant Doctor had between fifty and eighty
rods the start of us. His fiery little poney carried
him straight up TO the nearest bear-who stood
stupidity snuffing the air, evidently greatly puzzled
what to make of these new visitors! The gallant
Esculapian dashed up to him and was raising his
spear TO strike before the astonshed animal had
concluded to turn tail--which when he die he
wadded off with great speed-but as he drove a.
way manfully at its shaggy back with his weapon,
in his eagerness he had ridden close that Poney
was biting with great vigor at its launches. The
combination of assaiIants was too much for Brun 5
patience, and he wheeled so suddenly that before
Poney could dodgehe had given him wipe with
his Tremendous paws, which brought him to his
knees. The unexpected stoppage of course. sent
the poor Doctor vaulting the head of his beast.
His dumpy figure looked SO natural-so much like
the old game-as it went sprawliDg through the
ar-that one universal yell of laughter broke in.
stinctivey from every thrvat in spite of the emin
ent peril of his predcament. Happily for The
Doctor the pouey as the largest object, distracted
the attention of the bear from him for Instant
and gave him time to regain his feet, and make for
low live oak, which stood near. Into this he
mounted with inconceivable nimbleness, but the
bear was close at his heels. He ran out npon a
limb, but the memorable monster still pursued. He
finally got out so far as the limb would sustain his
weight, and there he stood holding on with one
hand to the branches above him-whe with The
other he was punching away at the bears nose
with his spear, endeavoring 10 keep him at a re-
spectfu distance--which arrangement brnn did
not seem disposed TO agree to, but was cautiously
and slowly pushing his way out on the limb, to
make closer acquaintance. To complete the
picture, Poney was prancing stamping his feet,
looking up into the tree and whInneylng most iurl.
ously, as If he fully appreciated the danger, and
was eager to get up TO the rescue.
The whole scene occupied but few seconds.
The foremost of the party seeing the Doctor mount
the tree had gaoped on, laughing, in pursuit of
the other bear; leaving it for those behind to relive
him; while they were so much convulsed with mer-
riment that believe The creature might have ca
len the poor fellow whole, before any of us would
have recovered sufficiently to shoot, it not
Hays. He, by great exertion of his constitution
al self command, far recovered as to send ball
through its head which brought it to the ground.
! There were now four bears in sight, who were
making for the knobs, and seeing the Doctor was
safe, without pauslng all swept by IN headlong
career to arrest these fellows before they left the
plain, and the last saw of the Doctor for many
day,he was dangling from the end of that live oak
limb. in the act of driving his spear down into the
body of the wounded bear--whe Poney, with
his ears laid back, was kicking most venomously
r at its writing body!
! The intensity ofindividual excitement was all
now gwen TO the chase. Our party had broken
: up into four groupes each of which had selected
! one of the unwedly brutes were getting over the
5 ground with astonishing speed in direct line for
the knobs. We pushed them so hard, though, thai
2 instead of attempting to ascend the ridges, they al
diverged into some one of the narrow valleys we
t have spoken of. II happened that young Vir-
E ginian and myself had selected the same animal
and before We entered the gorge, up which he ran
all the others of the party had disappeared into
e gorges of the same character. which led them &c
3 the opposite side of the ridges. | now began tc
notice for The first tine faat there was trouble