Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-04-22


ON the Bears.
Last Saturday. the Cd inst. Henry F.
Smith. Major Jeremiah Richardson and
Pasellal M. Edmunds started on bear
hunt. They circled round Black Mountain
back of White Cap and around to the
South side of Black Mountain night was
almost upon them and they decided to
leave the woods Edmunds started on one
route, Smith and the Major making for
the settlements near Glovor's. They were
in Rumford, and il was nearly five o'clock
p. NJ. They had not proceeded far when
their attention was drawn to their dogs.
they showing signs OF having scented
game" Smith reached The point first and
found n cave tho snow around tho entrance
showing that "critters" from within had
brought mud out with thcm ; ho called the
Major up, and he declared it to be a
.'hedgehogs or coon's hole They broke
away the snow from and enlarged the
entrance. The Major told Smith to 60 in
and sec what he could find; Smith obeyed
and saw what he, in the dim light thought
to bo hedgehog. \ moment after he saw
n movement aud pair Of eyes" which
convinced him that there were two
varmnts in that cave. and that they were
not of the hedgehog kind. Smith was
within seven feet OF the eyes and was
determined to put q bullet between them.
He told the Major to look out for fun and
asked him if he was ready; the Major
answered yes. Smith fired and retreated
from the cave. Edmunds having gone
anot her QUITE out OF the woods for the
team, Smith and tho Major were alone.
Edmunds had carried their aIo with them.
A. soon as tho sound Of tho gun died
away, groans were heard in the cave
The Major, much elatcd, cried "llur-
rah, Hen, you've fixed him. now its my
turn - and into the den the Major went.
The Major discovered upon one of the
shelves" another bear, and cried out to
Smith. there's another big one here. |
can see his nose, be ready The Major
fired but did not hit the game-at least
thinks he did not. lie came out, cut a
pole some feet in length and wentin again
and tried to 'puggle him out, Smith
waiting 10 shoot him If the Majors pug
Cling" was not in vain. 1t proved abor-
tiye--a consultation was held outside.
Smith went in with q rope, but before he
got to the dead bear, be was faced by
very large living one. that swept past ana
partly over Smith out Of the den; the
Major could not got n shot until the bear
had got some distance away. then failing
to bring the bear down. Men AMI dogs
followed him until he "treed" somewhere
among swamp spruce 50 dense thai they
could not see him. lt,had by this time
become quite dark they returned to tho
den and the Major took the rope aud went
in while trying TO find the bear another
went out past the Major, who cried out
Hen, another one. kill him. Smith
knocked this one back, and while doing
so, broke one of the bears legs-this he
did with his gun. The Major in the mean
time bad got out, having fastened the rope
to the dead bear they drew that one into
the mouth Of the den and Smith sitting
astride il, loaded his gun and waiting
while. got shot at the broken legged one.
and killed it-this one he hit between the
eyes also. Both then took hold aud while
irving 10 lilt from the entrance OF the
den the first bear shot, movement inside
drew their attention. and the Major sang
out. your bear has como to life again,
Smith says let him come and will kill him
again. The Major being the nearest to
bruin fired and shot of part of the undor
iaw oil this one still he insisted on leaving
the cave. and the Major mot wishing to
be shown the grip o. such kind OF Masons,
let him 20 by him, and Smith. with the
pole killed him. Smith believing that he
killed the second one he fired NJ, and that
the one killed with the pole was another
one. " ent in and brought out his trophy.
They then sent in the dogs and satisfied
that the hole was cleared.
With their rope and with withes. they
hauled them TO Livinston Gloyer's, where
they arrived at five minutes of 9 o'clock,
7. NJ, rs tired and hungry as men need
be. The one they lost was the old male
bear; the old one killed was the female,
and the other two were yearlings.
Three bears after O'Clock, is pretty
big thing anyway, but such IN encounter
with bears and such results, seem TO be
worthy OF note. SPAkKEs.
Mexico, April Ii. 1870.
Milton Plantation.