The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-11-13
Barnunl's Big Bear.
DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF THE vARMIN1


All recollect the big Bear story with
which the California papers were filled last
winter. So many big stories are told OF that
big country, that our Atlantic readers are puz-
zled to know how much to believe. But OF
that big bear we ask no con6rmatory proof
We have seen the identical critter, and Of all
wild monsters we have ever seen. he is the
widest, hughest and most terrible to look at
His actual weight is over sertnteen hundred
pounds, and his length, breadth and colossal
columns, alias legs, when standing upon his
pegs strike you with terror at his savage pro-
portions. The bears we have seen in caravans.
ges, are mere dwarfs when compared with him.
Ae was taken in the full prime. in country
unmolested by white men, and where venison
was plenty. He was no doubt, one Of the
first families" in his native country, if not q
monarch in the land. He joined Barnum's ele-
plant humbug some weeks ago as side-show,
but all who saw him protested against the ar
rangement, as he was the chief attraction of the
whole concern and it was resolved to give him
leading position and let the elephants come
in behind or part company altogether.
The story Of the capture is interesting. We
have it from Mr.. Bartholomew, the gentleman
who captured him. Mr.. B. had spent some
years in California, had seen and helped kill
many big bear, but happening one day to
come across this fellows track, judged by the
size and indention he must be monster.
He lived in the valley Of the Sacramento,
and occasionally he would stray to the bottoms
to feed. 1t was in pursuit of them, he first
caught sight Of the bear. Accustomed as he
was, to hunting and to peril, his hair stood on
end when he got full view of his gigantic pro-
portions. But he had good rifle and was
mounted on feet horse. which gave him pluck
to shoot, but the report and not the bullet dis
turbed bruin, and he disappeared in the thick
ct. Mr.. B., who of course Is Yankee. conceiv-
ed the idea of entrapping him, and bringing
him to the United States for a show, which adj
venture he actually accomplished in the follow
ing manner:
He takes a new stout emigrant lumber wag-
on, makes a long and high cage upon it with
iron rods at the sides, and sheeted over top and
bottom with sheet iron. He fixes the after end
so that it would shut down W til slide. and
thus accOutered took it near the haunt OF the
bear, and sunk its hind wheels so as to bring
the cage on line with the ground. lie then
raises the hind end board, attaches to it the
spring of a figure four built on the top of
the cage, and connected with fresh piece Of
venison inside. He then takes a fresh deer S
hide and drags it from within the cage some
half mile into the woods for the bear to take
scent.
The next morning as soon as light he rode to
the spot, but long before he came to the OPEN
ing where the trap was set and before he could
see the bear. he could hear the carriage rattle
and the rawlings of the animal within. He rode
up to within few rods before bruin saw him.
SO intent was he in escaping but when he did
get his eyes on his captor, he rushed towards
him with terrible howl, and thrust his paws
through the CRATES with such force as to nearly
upset the carriage. For ten days and nights
the hunter stayed with him, the bear inccssant-
ly raving and knawing up his cage. He had
broken all his front teeth on the iron crates
and had torn up with his claws the sheet iron
covering within. The hunter now saw that his
game would certainly be lost unless he could
disable him from his incessant and untirin" eff
forts to be free. A cruel cxpedent was resort
ed to. He would heat iron bars and thrust
them into his cage, when the bear would take
them into his paws and hold them till the blood
from the burn would siss. In this way poor
bruin was beaten. as his feet become SO sore he
was glad to lie down and let his master double
the bars around him. In this condition he was
taken to Sacramento, shipped to San Francisco.
and from San Francisco to the Isthmus across
the Nicaragua route. He was the first passen-
ger that ever crossed the country GU wheels.
and the natives wondered much more at the
Yankee wagon than the California bear. He is
now in charge of Lewis S. Barnum, and who
will make a fortune out of him. He is worth
travelling fifty miles to see.-Cleueland Plain.
dealer.