Gazette and sentinel., 1861-01-19
Pioneer Life in California Terrible
Encounter with a Grizzly Bear.

We find the following account Of u
terrible adventure with a grizzly bear
in the Jacksonville (Cal.) Sentinel:
A German named William Brahmar,
living on Rogue river, two miles below
BethcIs Ferry, had a terrible adventure
with a grizzly bear Oh the morning OF
Thursday of last week. He was out
hunting, accompanied by his two dogs.
When about two miles from his cabin,
in the woods, his dogs started upon the
track of some animal, which they traced
to a clump of brush. Here they halted,
and o commenced barking violently.
Brahmar, thinking that they had discov-
cred a black bear, FASTENED to the spot.
Just as he came in front of the stump
of an old oak-tree a grizzly came charg-
ing toward him with jaws wide open,
growing and snorting. Our hunter
raised his rifle, quickly aimed at the
brute's head, but before he could pull
trigger the bear was within a few feet
of him. Instantly he lowered his piece
SO as to hit the monster directly III the
mouth, and pulled. The cap snapped;
In a moment, quick as a flash, the
bear rose upon his hind feet, catched
Brahmar's right arm between his teeth,
and with his forc-paws forcibly threw
his victim to the ground. Before letting
80 with his teeth, the grizzly had torn
the great muscle of Brahmar's upper
arm almost entirely away, thus compile
tely crippling him. But the plucky fell
low reached for his knife with his left
hand. The effort was vain, and mean
while the bear was biting and tearing
his limbs and flesh ~fearfully. With great
presence of mind Brahmar then, as a
last chance for escape from the clutches
of his assailant, cried out for his dogs
They answered to his call, happily, and
at once set to in worrying the common
foe. Finding himself thus unceremon-
iously attacked in the rear, the grizzly
turned, left Brahmar, and commenced
battle with the dogs. The lacerated
man took advantage of this diversion,
and, gathering all his energies, rose to
his feet. ran for about two hundred
wards, when he fell exhausted and lay
painting, awaiting reaction OF vlgor.-
The dogs and bear continued lighting.
The loss of blood and the severe pain OF
his wounds began to tell on Brahmar,
yet he managed to creep and drag his
way to his own cabin, which he reached
in two or three hours time.
The bear had tracked him for a part
of the way, but was kept from close
approach by the faithful dogs. Some
men happened to be at the cabin when
Brahmar arrived, and while some OF
them attended to him, the rest went In
search of the bear. He had made good
his escape, and the dogs, apparently
well contented to let him alone, had re-
turned to their masters cabin. DIR.
Brooks was sent for, and on Friday ne
. dressed the wounds that were serious
or severe. On Monday Brahmar, was
brought to town, and is now at DIR.
Brooks hospital, where we saw him on
Wednesday, and received from his own
lips a sketch of his fearful adventure
His body is bitten and lacerated terri
bly,. He has over fifty wounds in all
twenty-eight of which are quite serious
More than two pounds of flesh has been
torn from his right arm, and the great
muscle is quite gone. From head tc
heels he is mangled. Brahmar says thai
the bear was about six hundred pounds
weight