The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-03-03

that was not to be despised. This time l
intended to shoot; but that 1 might not be
at his mercy, in case of failing to kill him
outright, prepared myself for re-loading
in haste, and also selected a tree which l
could quickly climb in the event Of find
ing myself hard pressed.
Being thus prepared, as believed, for
any emergency, I continued to advance,
slowly and steadily, till not more than
twenty yards divided US, when the bear
rose upon his hind feet, with savage
growl, and a very angry, wicked look. I
stopped, thinking myself near enough for
safety, and took deliberate aim at his
head, between the eyes, with the view of
piercing his brain and killing him on the
spot.
fred and he fell-fell like log and
laid still. I reloaded my rife, and then
went uptohim. He was large-very large
in fact one Of the largest bears 1 ever
saw, and he seemed to ne to be a cross
between the common black bear and the
grizzly. felt proud Of my conquest, and
congratulated myself on having killed him
at the first fire, since, if only dangerously
wounded, he might have given me a good
deal of trouble. I walked around him,
surveying Tim with delightful satisfaction,
and pictured to myself the trophy of his
shaggy hide, and ezibit it to my friends
with a feigned nOnchalance, as if it were
one of the most common results of my
hunting adventures.
Then set my rifle against tree,
drew out my knife, and prepared myself
to take of his skin.
But had made mistake terrible
mistake! The beast, unfortunately for
me was not dead, only stunned. As
was on the point of STOPPING down near
his head, he suddenly sprung upon his
feet, with a savage grow, and instantly
reared upon his hind legs, to take me IN
his embrace and hug the life out of me.
I was so startled at this unexpected turn
of affairs as to be almost paralyzed. l
raised myself as quick as J could, and
half jumped, half staggered back, cou>
pie of PAGES, when my foot slipped, and
1 came down upon one knee. By the
time l had regained my feet again, the
ferocious brute was upon me. There was
no time then to run, not even to spring
behind the nearest tree, against which
my rife was leaning. It was life and
death now, and the horrid struggle in.
stauhy began. With one terrible str ke
of his right fore paw, he raked down
clothes aud flesh from my left side, in
one or two places tearing the latter almost
to the bone, and then threw both paws
around me, drew NE up against him, and
hugged me so that my breath left me,
my tongue protruded from my mouth,
my eyes seemed starting from their sock
cts, aud l fancied every rib in me was
crushed. Fortunately, both my arms were
free, and in my right hand was my long
huntiDg~knife. Instinctivcly, for l can
not say it was the result of reason or de-
sign in that awful moment, l grasped his
throat with my left hand, and choked him
in some degree, while with my right l
vigorously and repeatedly plunged my
knife into his bowels. At the critial mo-
ment-tbe moment when, had all his
strength remained, am certain he would
have squeezed the life out me i felt the
muscles, that bound me like hoops of
iron, begin to relax. I got portion of
my breath, with a sensation of pain that
made me Shrek, and l redoubled my
ezertious, still thrusting my knife into
him, and still choking him with all the
physical power there was left to me.
In this manner we came to the ground
together, and rolled over and over, the
bear still keeping me in his embrace but
not so tightly as at frst-not so tightly
but that could Row and then catch my
breath. l cou,d feel that be was getting
weaker every m Ient-and, for Il at
matter, so was L for both Of US were
bleeding freely, aud all covered with gore;
but l was encouraged to hope for life, and
still used my knife upon his body, while
he occasionally tore aud lacerated my flesh
in shocking and painful manner.
do not know how long we were strug-
Cling together-it might have been five
minutes, and it might have been fifteen
but it seemed an age to me. The end
came at last, however, thank Heaven I
He fell over on his back, painting and
gasping In the death-struggle, his paws
quivered and relaxed their hold, and
managed to roll out clear from him, al
most as nearly dead as himself. He died
and I tainted
When couciousness returned, I looked
around in beWilderment, and for some
moments could not recollect who I was.
where 1 was, mol how came to be there.
I was in horrible condition. It seemed
to me as if was one mass of torn flesh
and b'Ood. When all had returned to
my memory, glanced at the sun, and
saw by its position in the heavens that I
had laid there some hours. I was weak
and fafnt, and burning up with thirst. I
attempted to get up, and shrieked with
pain. l was pinned down to the earth in
a novel way. Ny lacerated flesh, on the
side lay on, was pressed down among
the grass, and the blood had stifened by
coagulation around the spires In such a
gluttonOus manner that 1 had to stop, and
either break them off near the roots or
cautiously work them free, a matter which
occupied me some half an hour.
Atlast 1 was able to get myself into a sit>
ting posture; but my head was dizzy,
and l felt was too weak to stand on my
feet The sun was declining, and l knew
1 was some four or five miles from the
nearest dwelling. I was parched with
thirst, there was fever in my veins, and by
the route l would have to take to reach
the river, the distance was. scarcely less
than half mile. What was to be done ?
1 was in a deplorable situation, truly
felt l must soon reach water or die! And
how was I to get to any human habita-
! tion2 Perhnns. after ali. I shnnld nnrish