Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-10-26
ENCOUNTER wrrH A BEAR.

AAAAAS sAAN S0t1ttnAuSAaAS StANutS AsAS INV
ed among the busy throngs which fire.
quent our streets the observed of all OBJ
servers, Dressed in buckskin jacket and
brimmed felt hat upon his head. and no
ornaments about his person save the
countless strands of buckskin which are
necessary adjutants of such suit. he
would instantly be regarded an unusual
parsonage, and the query could but arise
who Is he2 Upon inquiry we found
he was the yeritable '.Arkansas Bill'
who. in 1867, had that terrible fight
with bear. in which his companion,
Jesse Bell. was almost torn to pieces,
but lives to-day the wonder and admira-
ton of the cid hunters ef the West.
From Arkansas Bills own lips We have
learned the story. which we herewith
/ present our readers story known on
/ ly TO Jesse and Bill, but of which de-
taehed portions are sure to be heard in
any trapper's camp while they gather
about the fire, storytelling. Arkansas
Bill, who is about twenty nine years of
age and stands about six feet and three
inches IN bis stocking feet. early In the
! spring of 1867 fell in with .Iesse Bell
at Green City. when they provided them
/ selves with fresh supply of grub and
ammunition, also a prospecting outfit,
/ and then, with view of prospecting on
! ly, made for the head waters of the
/ Snake, and Wind Rivers. This. Bills
first trip Of the kind. resulted rather
disastrously. no lOdes being discovered
i which they considered worth working,
i or placer mines which would pay fair
wages Leaving the country and strik-
ing south, about the lst of September
they reached Horse Greek, stopped to
rest themselves and animals The three
or four traps which they had taken in
case they should meet with otter, here
Z came into use The fourth or fifth day.
while out changing tie traps. some an
/ telope were discovered about three miles
/ from camp. The next day they went to
secure one. bat finding them gone they
crossed an alkali fat to bluff about
/ eight miles distant The bluff ran along
the base Of hill upon which they dis
covered an antelope. but it being too
long shot from where they first saw
him. they erept along and calculated by
turning sharp point in the bluff to get
within closer range. Just as Jesse, who
was about SIX feet In advance of Bill,
was in the act Of crawling over the sharp
rocE. he dIse0Fered Oh tIlt UIuca 0IaU,
hollow about ten feet of, an old she
bear: with two cubs and a yearliDg. In
stautly Jesse cried out. "a bear jump
back this Is no place TO fight" With
three bounds Bill had reached level
spot Of grouEd, and Jesse, when the bear
had come close enough to be singod by
the powder, fred and broke her shoul-
der. Maddened with pain, she sprang
with the quickness Of lightning and
caught Jesse, who was in the act Of leap
ing tack, BY the side. Such was her
momentum. that together they fell at
Bills feet, Jesse underneath and the
bear On top. Instantly she seized his
side IN her huge jaws, sinking her upper
tusks deep into the muscles Of the back,
while she was prevented from doing the
same with her lower ones, and thus from
biting a huge mouthful out Of his side,
By striking against a shOtpOuch which
hung By cord frOm his shoulders. Jes-
Sc. wishing % get her attention away
from such vital parts, kicked her, and
at the same instant. Bill, putting his n
fe close to her body lack Of the shOul-
der, fired The psin-stang beast, sup.
posing the cause Of her misery came
fr0En the kick. seized Jesse's foot by the
ankle and began 70 chew it up. Jesse
then attempted to get bis six-shooter,
while Bill was leading. Attracted By
Jesse's moyements. gbe wheeled and re-
eeiyed another shot from the rife. With
wonderful quickness she struck this, bei
enemy. clip On the head, knocking
him down, and fourth shot vent crash.
ing through her body from the six-shoot
er, discharged by Jesse with bis lef
hand. Inssaatly she grabbed and bii
throagh the left arn. bat pesoeiyins
: Jesse moving BIS head, which be dad IL
order TO giYe Bill chance 70 shoot he
without haying IL 10 range, she opene6
her huge, blood-stained Jawz aud tooI
: nearly biz whole bead in her mouth
Jessess eyes staring dDzn her throat
. The situation was adesperzte one, an'
: sgzsesaing naast be done m TIE twink
ling II zs eye. Bali was equal 70 IL an
ready. Pi2einz the TauzzIe u his rIH
jnes back ef her ear be fired, sg1ng
ing baek IL her deztb-leap, she tor
! away part n Jesse's upper Jas and
piece II TIE scalp i've inches wide b
Biss inches Isog she fell hack spo
Bills legz. wAe rssied her IF and the
tex bis knifs and est 81 tie piece q
gesse's Jzs. with tie teeth attached
wbieb basg by . thread; trimmed u
raggel psrtson a siszs rsssatned Of u
z scalp, ssd xzS en1eavesfSg v dress b
2 - l.. - .D..Ls... L..