The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-03-03
FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1866.
Terrible Fight With a Bear.
BrHnERsOK BExNEEE.

One pleasant day, in the autumn Of 3s
Csaid an old hunter, who kindly related hil
story for our amusement and edifcation,
I was out looking fot game among the
/ Cumberland mountains, in the eastern
part of Tennessee, and, becoming tired
with my long ramble, I sat down on a rock
to rest myself 1t was a valley, with {
pretty little stream tumbling over a rouE
bed, and forming delightful cascade
within few feet Of me; aud giving myself
up to the enjoyment of the scene, I soon
/ became absorbed and lost In a very pleas.
ant revery-the steady fash and musical
roar of the waters acting upon my mind
! like a c arm. The waterfall might have
been thirty feet in height, and I was sit
ting on the projecting point Of ledge,
some ten feet lower down, and directly
over the bed of the stream, with the hill
rising steep behind me for one hundred
feet, to a plateau Of several acres, which
was covered by an open wood, and was
! clear of underbrush. Between me aud this
plateau were a few rocks and bushes, and
here and there a shrub, but DO regular
trees; and below me the descent was per.
pendiculars for at least twenty feet Ia
fact, 1 could not descend without leapiDg
or falling, for the upper portion of the
ledge was on completely overhung the
lower, and all around the base were sharp
angular rocks, that would have broken
every bone in my body.
This was my position, sitting on the edge
of the ledge, my feet Overhanging it, my
right arm thrown around shrub, my left
grasping my rife, which lay across my lap,
my eyes resting upon the waterfall, and my
thoughts wandered off to [ do not remem-
Der where, when I was suddenly recalled
to myself and startled by a savage grOwl
I turned my head, glanced up the bill, and
saw large bear, sitting on his launches
looking sharply down at me, swaying to
and fro, and evidently debating with him.
self whether to venture down and attack
me or not.
In almost any other situation in the
world 1 think I should have felt some de-
gree of pleasure in seeing Mr Bruin with
IN such an easy, certain range; but, under
the circumstances, confess 1 did not.
The fact is, I was IN something like a
trap. l could not descend directly with
out dashiug out my brains; could not keep
along the hill, half-a-dozen rods either
way, without first going up very near the
tor, where Il e bear was-which did not
care TO do while be remained in such a
menacing position, with such an attacking
advantage dared not venture on a shot
from where I was, and so there appeared
nothing better for me to do than to wait
and watch.
The old bear was in no hurry to leave.
It seemed as if he knew he had matters all
his own way, and could almost fancy
him saying to himself:
"Well, l have at last got one trouble
some hunter IN snug place, aud 1 intend
to keep him there as long as it may suit
my convenience aud pleasure"
And bis beastly pleasure was Of serious
duration to me--for he remained there for
more than an hour, keeping me vexed
aud anxious prisoner. got up and NOV,
ed up tie bill few feet to a large, stout
shrub, where 1 would be in a better cou-
dilion for d,fenee, and hoping my change
IF position would alIrm him and cause him
to beat a hasty retreat; but instead Of this
it only appeared to excite his anger, for he
growled more savagely, showed h'5formid
able teeth, aud more than once seemed or
the point of coming down to me. In fact
/ he did once actually descend the bill some
five or six feet, and brought my rifle di
rectly to bear upon him, though determin,
ed to reserve my fire till I should find my
self in deadly peril, well knowing that i
my shot should not at once prove fatal ht
would rush upon me, and both of US would
90 over the ledge together; but he scemal
to think the risk was greater than the ne
cessity for it, and finally turned back -as
resumed his former position. 1 confess
was several times tempted to fire and risl
the conscqu once 7 actually hal
a dead sight upon the region OF his heart
with my gun cooked and finger on the trig
ger-but 1 allowed prudence to get tht
better Of me at the criJieal point. 1t wa
so provoking to see the great, lazy fellow
sitting there so cody, within a hundred
feet, and in effect during me to DO my
worst; but reflected th-t my shot, if no
suddenly fatal to him, would probably re
suit in my own destruction; and so 1 wise
" reserved my FIRE, and waited with wha
patience could for him to move of 0
commence the attack.
At last he got up with a groWl, shove,
me his teeth again, snHfed the air, walk
ed along the edge of the plateau a fey
PAGES, stopped, took another look at me
; grOwled and grinned again, and so kept OIL
doing as long as be remained in sight.
l did ~ change my position till be ha,
disappeared, and then made pretty quicl
E time up the hill, muttering to myself:
"It is my turn now, old fellow, and j
is my private opinion that y9u will pa,
pretty dearly for your impudence."
On reaching the PLATEAU, 1 saw him, a
. the distance Of perhaps hundred yards
deliberately making bis way across th
center Of the level, open wood. Had b
not shown such disposition to fight,
should have been very careful not to max
any noise to alarm him; but, as it was,
shouted, to attract his attention, thinking
that would be the shortest way Of geitin
near enough for a shot. I was right. N
: sooner did he hear my voice, than he stoI
ped, turned round, and sat down on hi
launches, as much as to say:
"Who's afruid2 Ifyou want anytbiu
Of me, come on and III wait for youlF