Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-03-27
Chased by a Bear.
Committee,

The following extract from the Hunter Feast,
of Deer Hunt in a Dug Out" He and Dick
were after venison in their canoe by torch light:
We had scarcely passed this point, when
my attention was attracted by pair OF fiery orbs
that gllstened out of some low bushes upon the
bank of the river. l saw that they were the eyes
OF some animal, but what kind of animal | could
not guess. l knew they were not the eyes of a
deer. Their peculiar scintillation, their lesser
size, the wide space between them-all convin-
ced me they were not deers eyes. Moreover, they
moved at times as if the head of the anima was
carried about in irregular circles This is new
er the case with the eyes of the DEER which Ell
Their pass hurriedly from point to point, or re-
main with steady, fixed and steadfast gaze.
L knew therefore, it was no deer-but no mat
ter what-it was some wild creature, and all
such are alike the game of the prairie hunter.
took aim and pulled the trigger While do
ing SOL heard the voice Of my companion warn
ing me, | thought, not to fire.
l wondered at this admonition, bat it was then
too late to heed it, for it had been uttered SIM
utaneously almost with the loud report of nv
rife.
l first looked to the bank to witness the effect
OF my shot. To my great surprise, the eyes
We're still there, cleaning from the bushes as
brightly as ever.
Had | missed my aiml 1t is true the voice
of my companion had somewhat disconnected
me; but | still believed that my bullet must
have sped truly as it had been delivered with
good aim.
AS turned to Dick for an explanation a new
sound fell upon my ear that explained all at the
same time. causing me no small feeling of alarm
1t was a sound not unlike that sometimes ut
tered by terrified swine, but louder and more
threatening, l knew it well-I knew it was the
snort of grizzly bear
OF all American animals, the grizzly bear is
the most to be dreaded Armed or unarmed
man is no match for him, and even the coura-
geous hunter of these parts shuns the encoun-
ter III his was why my companion admonished
me not to fire. | thought had missed it; il
was not SO. My bullet had hit and stung the fierce
brute to madness, and quick cracking among
the bushes soon followed by heavy plunge,
told that the bear was in the water.
"Goed heaven, he's after us ~ cried Dick in
accents of alarm, at the same time prope ling
the dug out with all his might
1t proved true enough that the bear was after
us, and the first plunge had brought his nose al
most up to the side of the canoe. However a
few well-directed strokes of the paddle set us
in quick motion, and we rapidly glided down
stream, followed by the enraged animal, that ev-
cry now and then uttered one of his fierce
snorts.
What rendered our situation terrible one
far he was from us. All the rear of the entire
canoe was of pitchy darkness in consequence
of The screen Of birch bark. No object could be
distinguished in that direction, and it was only
by hearing him that we could tell he was still
some yards off. The snorts, however, were
more or less distinct as heard amid the vary
ing roar of the WATERFALL; and sometimes they
seemed as if the snout from which they proceed
ed was close upon our stern.
We knew that if he once laid his paw upon
the canoe, we should either be sunk or compel
led to leap out and swim for it, We knew more
over that such an event would be certain death
to one of US at least
We had shot down the stream for hundred
yards or so, and were congratulating ourselves
on the prospect of an escape from the bear, when
new object of dread presented itself to our ter
rifed imaginations. This object was the sound
of falling water, but not, as before, coming from
some tributary stream. No. 1t was the fall of
the river upon which we were floating, and ev-
ideKtly but very short distance below us.
We were, in fact; within less than one hun
dred yards of it. Our excitement in consequence
of being pursued by the bear, as well as the fact
that the sound of the cascade above still fill ed
our ears, had prevented us from perceiving
this new danger until we had approached near il.