Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-11-05
81 inouT : koni;Is.
ST. GAINESVILLE OHIO.
THURSDAY MORNING. Nov. ), 1874.
A Harrison County Boy hii.s "a
Bear.

Bear.
A correspondent OF the New York
Herald writes the following in regard
to W. II. Holmes, OF Shortcreek town
ship, Harrison county, Ohio, who is
the scientific artist of the Hayden ex-
pedition:
Mr.. Holmes, the scientific artist, is
the best mountaineer we have among
US, and day by day he performs the
most daring and worthy exploits, new
er failing in al undertaking, never 10
/ sing trail, never giving up the as
cent of peak which he has spotted
as his own game. After his hard days
work on the top of Mount DAILY, during
which he sketched the surrounding
scenery with rare fidelity to the out
! lines of nature, he made the descent OF
! the mountain on the western side,
coming down 'slide'-that Is, a de-
post of slate and small stOGe5-an oP-
Grafton which is expensive to the ap-
parel and the smoothneSS Of ones skin
as we'll. 1t was near dusk as he wan
dered through the timber, very much
| fatigued and anxious to reach camp.
! The sun had come out in golden
burst near the edge of the horizon, and
the clouds had lifted in all directions,
| floating away to other valleys. As
our hunter was meditating upon the
peculiar desirability of warm and
plentiful dinner, and rejoicing that he
had but two miles between him and
satisfied stomach, he saw about 30.feet
before him lying across the trail, and
EakinI larrro irEr n fIIEr nj grizzly 1IfT
He halted and examined his rifle; it
was not loaded. He felt for his cart
ridges; there was but one left. Uniuck-
ily he had expended the rest of his am
! munition on fleet and distant deer.
With this solitary cartridge in his pos
session, he awaited results. Presently
the fur began to rise and the crouchmg
object proved to be a huge lear. The
noise that Mr.. Holmes had made in
his approach had aroused the torpid
Bruin, and, clevating himself on his
hind legs, he oponed his sleepy eyes
and stared at the resolute artist. A
minute or two OF this kind OF medlta-
ton convinced Bruin that ne had bet
ter be off. So gathering up his ponder
Gus fat, he four-legged it to place OF
greater security. The hunter now de-
cideI that he would try for that game.
although but single cartridge was IN
his outfit. 1t is very dangerous to un-
dertake an exploit of this kind, for If
ferocious beast is wounded only, he
will turn upon you and perhaps SEND
you into the presence of the Great Spl-
rit with rapidity. DIR. Hayden tells me
that in Montana, without a gun or
weapon of any kind, he has been out
exploring alone, and that he has often
encountered dozen large bears at
time, passing within six feet OF them,
and that they never made the slightest
sign of opposition or displayed synp-
tom Of fright. If, however, as he says,
they have been provoked by shot or
other hostile sign, they would have
made short wark of him. From his
accounts covering the experience OF
twenty years among these mountains,
! should judge that the habits OF The
African lion resemble those OF the
Rocky Moudtain bear. In Abyssianla
and northern Africa the lion is house
hold pet until he atiains the age OF six
months, when all at once he deVelopeS
ferocious instinct and is no longer
safe and dove-like beast. The same is
true of the griZzy. Lions, too, are not
naturally vicious save when unduly
excited by opposition or driven by, the
craving of hunger. Leave them alone
and they will leave you alone, and L
believe this rule is broad enough to ap-
ply to our own human kind. In nine
ty-nine cases out of one hundred the
bear will not touch or hinder you.
Whatever he might do with a tender
morsel like babe or two, he would
never bother an adult. Mr.. Holmes
was therefore quite safe i'll hailing the
fleeing Bruin, eXclaiming, Boo, boo!
When the bear heard this friendly sal
utation, he turned around and ap-
preached. Again about thirty feet
from the rife, he reared up on his
hind legs, exposing his white breast to
the hunter, and looking at him with
selt-satisfied air, as if to say, Look at
me, nohby human being. What do
you think of me for high? Mr..
Holmes was no longer uncertain. He
decided to fire, although failure would
expose him to almost certain death, his
only chance being to climb into
the bushy top of slender pine, where
Bruin could not go. He raised his rifle,
took his sight, and the bear still with
that complacent look, peered into the
muzzie. and himself seemed fascinated
by the sheen of the weapon. A sharp
crack, the beast whirled around, dash
ed off furiously, but fell fifty feet from
his former station a dead bear. He
was pierced through the heart and
lungs, and seldom has been one more
thoroughly killed by single shot.
Then could he say, but with emotions
differing somewhat from those Of the
poet:
In places where the grizzly reposes,
Under peaks where a right is wrong,
have memories richer then roses,
Sweet echoes more sweet than a song,