Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-08-11
From the Stratford Beacon
A Bows Encounter with Bear.

Mr d. McPhail gives the following par
ticuiars of an encounter with bear. which
took place in the township of Fullerton, on
Wednesday, the 18th ult. On the morning
of the day mentioned, Mr.. James Foster, far
mer, on lot No. 4, West Mitchell road, heard
hog making considerable noise, and sent
his son George, lad of some fifteen years OF
age, to see what was the matter, when, on
running to the scene of the trouble, the LAD
saw what he supposed to be a large black dog
belonging to Mr.. McPhail, Con whose land
the combat was being waged,) at the neck OF
a hog belonging to Mr. McPhail, and with
the intention of releasing bis piGshiP, threw
stick at the ruthless aggressor, when, TO
his CONSERVATION, huge bear, instead Of the
supposed dog, relinquished lis hold upon the
hog and made for himself. Being totally un-
armed and no assistance within quarter of a
mile he at once made for q small iron wood
tree of about FIVE inches diameter.
Having got up the tree. what was his ter
ror when he saw the huge bear pursuing him
hastily up the branches Of the sapling Hav-
i1g recovered his breath he screamed for help,
and in order to retard the progress of his as
sailant began to shake the saplinE, but bruiu
had clutched the branches with an iron grin
and evidently calculated upon dainty morscI
for breakfast, and continued TO raise paw af
ter paw on the branches, til! he alproached
so near as to bc almost within reach The
poor lad screamed Justify. aud endoavored to
! break off some Of the branches by kicking
them down with his bare fe-t IN this he
| partially succeeded, when the bear made 4
vigorous stretch of her muscles md seized
the lad by the foot, sinking one Of her fangs
under the ball of the great toe on the right
| foot, and slightly scratching the side Of the
| foot with her other ri7,r,nr fcrtE
At this juncture the shaking to and fro ot
the sapling with their united weight upon it,
caused it TO bend over until the top nearly
| approached the ground. when, Providentially,
the monster lost his held, and young Foster,
braveIy cjiDging TO his grasp with unshakeu
nerve, was elevated by the rising Of the sap
ling Bruin, however, did not lo7e Ler de-
termination to feast upon his holy, md again
sprang to the tree, but was evidently toe
much faIiyued 10 rise on SO slender ladder,
At this stage Of the contest, the lads father
reached the spot, and saw tie huge monster
standing on her hind legs. her body extended
up the tree, growing fcrcoly, the lad nearly
exhausted, cliuoing to the tree, only few
feet up, with the blood streaming from hi:
lacerated foot, On approaching to the res
cue Of his son, the infuriated beast turue1
upon him, but he, with a club in hand, show
tu ! UOlI SllLOuL II bit VI Di III wiz
running. His eldest son now arrived from
another part of the farm, when they succeed
ed in rescuing George from his retreat.
Meanwhile several other persons arrive
on the spot, ard lad was desT ched fo
Messrs VIM and Waller Nalcom. VIII
were soon on the spot, with dog of nor
than usual size and courage, which imme1i
ately seized the bear BY the root cf the ear
and in the struggle brought him to til
ground. Bruin now got hold On the shoulde
OF the dog, and nipped him so tight as t
} make him relinquish lis hold, But the coui
age of bruin gave way, and she made an al
r tempt to tree, when " Keeper" again seize
her by the :high and brought her back. Sh
4 now made for a large elm, and ascande
s about fortyfye feet, and perched in crotc
s to scan her assailants A man was then de
= patched for TWO OF our Nimrods, who, by
joint attack both il front and rear. brougl
e her bearsLip to the ground by well drec-,
t fire