New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-18
EATRAORDINAR Y FIGHT WITH A BEAI
From The Chicago Tribune.

From The Chicago ITfoune .. .I. . T
CAPTAIN Hail. of the schooner Adriatc, SENDS us the
following exceedingly interesting account OF the cap
ture by himself and five of his crew in small boat
of an enormous black bear, which they found SWIM
ming across Bay de Noque: ,-o
CHICAGO, August 80, 1856.
At the request of my crew have written the iol'
lowing account of an encounter with bear. Inc
names of the crew are: ID. NJ Payne, mate, ana =;
Wetmore Daniel McIennan, John Mci.ennar ana
George Settard, seamen all OF whom particPs'eu In
the rare and exciting sport
On Monday last, the 18th inst, whiie laying AZ an
cbor with the schooner Adratc at the head OF that
beautiful land-locked harbor, Petit Bay de Noque, an
ann of Green BAY, projecting from its northern eN
tremity some fifteen miles into the lana toward LaAe
SUPERIOR my attention was called by one OF the ere"
to large black animal on White flsh Pont, WINCH,
on examination with glass, proved to be very
large black bear just taking to the water win the i
tenton apparently of swimming to tho opposite shore
of the bay which at this point over mile wide the
distance being divided by two three small islands
Immediately ordered the boat made ready, which
took some little time spar with sail attached hao
TO be unshpped. Before this could be done the bear
had oached nearly half the distance from the point TO
the first island and il became necessary H. use dis
patch in order to prevent his gaining footing upon
It, for with The weapons had, it would have been
madness to attack such formidable monster ON land
The boat was manned with four and clumsy pad
de- made of an inch pine board which was used to
steer with instead of rudder or fifth oar OF which we
were minus. The wind was blowing very strongly
from the norhward, being about abeam for the bear,
and directly ahead of ms. In our haste We took no
weapons but an old dull ak and common bread knife
indeed we had no other, unless we had taken some
handspikes and one two more knives similar TO the
one we took, but which were not just at hand
The bear something quarter Of a mile from us
when we started. The men were all good oarsmen
and Overhauled Brun. Just before reaching
him two of the oars were unshpped, one being taken
in place of the paddle to steer with by Mr. Payne who
managed the boat very adrOitIy III the sinuOus chase
which followed. One of the crew taking the axe, and
myself the knife, stationed ourselves forward,
ready for the attack. The bear swan from as
approached, and Wetmore, who had the axe, aimed a
blow at his head, intending to cleave his skull but
struck little too soOn nhictng deep wound in the
neck, at the same time cutting OFT the tip of his ear
but did not touch the spine any mporont blood
EEL and the wound had no other immediate effect than
to enrage him. He turned toward the boat moment
showed set of tusks that would have done honor to
wild boar, and gave deep growl more like that of
lion than anything else ever heard. He did not at
tack the boat at this time, but struck out with all
his might for the nearest island. He was powerful
swimmer, and the two Oarsmen had no light task to
head him off. As we came up with up with him again
he euded the second blow aimed at him with the axe
and it was lost overheard, which left with weap
but the knife. zig Dbl.
As we came up with him the third time, gave him
two hrusts in the neck with the knife each side
of the spine sending the blade in up to the hilt He
now turned upon us and attacked the boat, growing
with terrific ferceness. As he came up, gave nun.
several hrusts with the knife avoiding the passes ne
would no doubt, have broken or taken of my arm
Striking the bow, the blade q the knife bent nearly
double rendering It useless for the time. then seized
the pine paddle and gave him blow upon the skull
that shivered the paddle in pieces but which seemed
TO have no effect whatever upon the bear He now got
one paw upon the gunwale OF the boat and seized 1t
with his teeth. At this critical moment the oars were
brought into requstion by the mate and crew. and
era well directed blows from them coming down upon
him at once forced him to renquish his hold upon the
boat Had he succeeded in getting into the boat, We
must have retreated into the element he had left, or
Jared worse. He now sought safety again in fight TO-
ward the island, which he had considerably neared
during the fight. We Immediately pursued again, and
improved the time to straighen my knife blade, and
as we came up gave him another thrust in the neck,
and then seized him by the long hair upon his rump.
The velocity of the boat brought his head under
in the bow, and the men urging the boat forward
could very easily hold him in this position, notwith
standing his powerful struggles, be having no footing
upon the bottOm.
While struggling he struck the side Of the boat with
his open paw each nail taking chip out of the plank
His struggles grew weaker and finally ceased, when
we supposed him dead and hauled him into the boat
and pulled for the schooner. We soon perceived that
Bruin not dead, but apparently playing possum
We lost no time in securing his hind feet as well as we
could to the forward ring Of the boat with very short
piece Of small halfrotten hemp rope that happened to
be in it, but the animal began to arouse we were
not without approximations that he might still have suf-
fcient strength to break tnis slender fastening and
drive us out of the boat or escape and having nothing
to dispatch him WITH pulled for the brig Geneva,
an Ak ready for As along side the bear
raised up on his fore paws, and reaching with one of
tie men Gu incredible distance made pass nj one Of
them, just grazing his clothes with his claws Mr..
Paine took an az, handed down from the Geneva and
getting behind him gave him blow upon the head