Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-08-09
TREED BY A. BEAR.
A story of the Kennebee Wilder.
ness.

settler in Sidney, then part of Vassal
boro. He settled on the west side of the
Kennebec, nearly opposite VassalborC
Corner. AT the time of the affair al
luded to, Major Getchcll was confined
to his home by cancer, and sent his
son Remington, a stout young fellow oi
sixteen, to the West Pond settlement fol
DR.. Williams, who happened to be visit.
ing there. The distance was about five
miles through the woods. He went
through, having with him well-trained
dog, did his message, and after resting
and taking some refreshments, was
about to set out on his journey home.
When he entered the woods the sun
was about an hour high He had moi
proceeded far when he saw his dog pur.
suing a cub. He thought at first he
would help him capture the cub and
carry him home with him; but he imme.
diately thought of the old bear, and ex-
pecting she would be upon him in a
minute, he sprang to the nearest tree,
which was slim Norway pine, running
up between forty and fifty feet without a
limb, but the lean, sparingly-fed boys OF
that day could climb trees much better
than the full-fed lads of the present.
When he had got about eight or ten feet
he saw the bear coming after him. lie
called out to his dog which had made a
furious attack upon the bear behind.
She, fearing for her cub, Immediately
turned back and chased the dog off
and around for q considerable time.
Remington, in the meantime, exerted
himself to the utmost. She came back
to the tree again, but the faithful dog was
at her heels. She then turned and chased
him off as before.
This was again repeated, which gave
Remington time to reach the first limb;
he got hold of it and drew himself on to
it much exhausted, and stood upon it
with his arms around the tree.
After awhile the bear, either disre-
garding the dog, or perhaps having disa-
bled or killed it in the fight began to
ascend. 1t was now that Remington
began to give himself up for lost The
poor fellow had no means of defending
himself and could see no prospect but
that of being dragged down from that
fearful hight, and torn in pieces by the
infuriated beast.
Up came the fiend, steadily advancing,
intent upon her trembling victim, like
staunch murderer steady to his pur-
pose" She soon reached him, and
reached forward with open jaws and
glaring eyeballs to seize him by the foot.
He drew it back, and with a convul-
sion-a superhuman effort-he dealt it
heavy and rapid blows upon the neck
and head. This was a reception she
was not prepared for, and she was
obliged to take it quietly, not having
the use of her fore paws. A bear with
out the use of these weapons is quite
harmless, unless she can get hold with
her teeth Her hold was Immediately
broken and she lost her balance and
fell. This could hardly have been
caused by the force of the blows, con-
sidering the strength of the bear S grasp.
1t is the first impulse of a bear, when
attacked or resisted, to strike with his
fore paws. Prompted by this instinct,
she had probably let go her hold upon
the tree to strike at Getchell, still retain
ing feeble hold by her hind legs; but
her instinct for once proved failure,
for being directly underneath him, she
naturally swayed herself back to bring
her paws to bear, and the blow coming
ut the same instant, she let go, the re-
coil quickening her movement, and she
lost her equilibrium.
Turning a somersault, head down, tail
up, her bearship' in accordance with the
law of gravitation, soon landed on terra
lirma at distance Of about forty feet in
a perpendicular line from where she
started. She sat upon her Launches for
some time, looking up the tree, as
though considering what to do next.
She was not probably highly pleased
with her aerial excursion, and upon ma
ture reflection thought she would not
climb that unlucky tree again, but
finally ascended another near by and
sat upon the tree looking at Getchell,
gnashing her teeth and growing.
1t was now growing dark. Remington
had been crying an hour for help, but no
help came. He had heard men chop
ping half mile off, but the wind being
contrary they could not hear him. As
the sound of the axes ceased, his hopes |
left him; but as kind Providence had |
ordered it, woman was out near the |
edge of the woods, looking for her COW, |
her husband being absent, and heard |
Remington's cries. Her husband re-
turned home after dark, and she told |
him what she had heard, and earnestly |
besought him to go and get help. and
ascertain what the trouble was. He de-
clined going, saying that the noise she
heard was that of a screech-owl. But |
she insisted that it was human voice,
and begged him to go.
At length, yielding to her entreaties,
he mounted horse and rode into the
woods in the direction she pointed out,
and soon heard Remington's voice.
Pursuing in the direction of the sound,
he soon got within speaking distance,
calling to him to inquire what was the
matter. On being informed, the man
replied that he rather thought he was
only frightened, and advised him TO come
down. At that moment the bear hear
ing the man voice, commenced to growl
which so frightened the horse
that he reared and pranced around,
throwing the man to the ground. For
however, he held on to the
bride reins, and remounting, started off
for help, calling to Remington to be Of
good courage, and he would return as
soon as possible with help.
Remington had given up all hopes Of
a rescue and sunk into despair He now
felt his hopes revive; but it was forlorn
hope. He doubted not that help would
come, but his strength was so nearly ex-
hausted, and his nerves so disordered,
hat he feared ii would not come in ser
son to help him. He thought he could
not keep his hold upon the tree but a
short time longer.
In about three-quarters Of an hour
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