The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-05-01

the late Judge Atwater had had a severe and
bloody contest with Bear in those early
times, l lately requested bis son, Mr.. Dar-
win Atwstsr, to give me cireumStanIial
narrative of the fight, and he very promptly
sent me the following, which l give in his
own words.
"AbOut the year 1909 or 1910, Mr.. Ware.
ham Loomis came to my fathers,and request
ed my father to accompany him to where
they heard the sound Of a. hog squealing, in
the woods eastward Of my fathers, and be.
yond the river. The continued squealing Of
hog in the woods, at that early day, you
know, was taken as unmistakeable evidence
that he was caught by bear. My father
consented, though he had only shotgun
Loomis having a rifle. They crossed the
river and discovered the bear. Mr. Loomis
shot him with his rife; the Bear fell, and
appeared to be dying; but for safety, at my
fathers suggestion, LOOMS shot him again,
and supposing him to be dead, they returned
to nv fathers ground some knives, and
went back to skin their game. leaving their
guns at the house. Arrived at the place
where they left the Bear, no Bear was there,
for he had somewhat revived and dragged
himself away. But by his trail they soon
found him-a live Bear, though unable to
run away. Having no available weapons
but an axe, my father commenced the at
tack by attempting to strike him with that
But Bear wheeled suddenly, and caught his
right hand and the axe-helve in his mouth,
then SCRATCHED him slightly on his bowels
and seized him by the thigh, biting him Sc
verely. Loomis carhe up and grasped the
axe, which had just fallen from the Bears
mouth, and struck Bruin on the head With
the poll Of the axe; but with little apparent
effect. My father then called out, "Loomis
the Bear is killing me;" on which Loomis
struck the Bear heavy blow between the
shoulders, with the edge of the axe, which
killed him. 1t was found to be very large
Bear. On the way walking home, my father
stopped at the river and washed off the blood,
and supposed he was not badly hurt; but he
was confined by his wounds several weeks.
The place where the contest was had, was
on lot Al, on the south bank of Mud brook
near where the Cleveland and Mahonin Z
railroad meets the upland, on land now own
ed by Chauncey Blair"
Still ANOTHER I'm December, 1908,
Gavin Loomis, of Mahtuo, and Harvey Rice
, Of Southington, came in from Bear hunt
!. on the great wilderness north Of Mantua
called at Seth Harmons, and engaged me tc
60 out and fetch in Bear they had killed
and left unskinned, in the township mex,
north of Mantua, now auburn. 1t was a
cold snowy time, and near seven miles tc
20, with not much road, and snow near q
foot deep. I started late in the forenoon o
December 10Th, with horse and bags to bring
home the meat and skin-found the black
carcase some distance from the patl-the
Burton road-in an old windfall, then grown
up to small timber, where Esq, Ruwe after.
wards made farm, near the north line oil
: Auburn. commence sknning, but found
1t as difficult as skinnng hog-.-concluded
to skin but one half and divide it, leaving
the skin on one side, After skinning one
half baggod it, and the whole being toe
heavy for the horse to carry on his back with
rider, and difficult to keep poised on his
back, without rider to hold it, | made O
harness Of Bass bark, and with that hitchec
the horse to the uiskinned half of the car.
cass--witl the other on his back, we started
: homeward. The Bear skin glided along the
snow ms smooth as oil; but the falling snow
had covered our back track, it was getting
dark, and soon lost my way--made a cir.
Gle, and was compelled to stop, to make
camp. | unloaded, found an old stump ant
!, attempted to strike fire with flint and steel
!. to what we called punk, or spunk, whicl
: woodsmen always carried before friction, o
3 Locofoco matches were invented. But il
!; the snow storm, the spunk had become damp
: and would not ignite. therefore with m.
hatchet, cut some brouse for the horse, an,
u quietly seated myself on the Bear skim. m!
= back to the old stub to compose myself Il
sleep, or wait for day light. the night bein!
0 then but about fifteen hours long. 1t was
II snowy dreary night, but drowsed some err
morning came. heard the wolves how
u some, but but as they did not appear to b.
e near, was not alarmed. When morning
came, harnessed up, and proceeded home
. .ward--had no difficulty in finding the path
: but, few miles on my way, met Loomis, il
search of his Bear, which he found all safe
), That long. cold, snowy night, was never ye
q forgotten, nor will it be while life lasts me
But not particle Of my skin was frozer
= for several times during the night | exerci:
= ed my limbs by cutting browse for the horse
And have lived to sec all Of that drear
" wilderness route. changed to cultivate
farms. --e
0J The price of Flour is coming down