Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-03-24
descending and Dunham had the upper

!
SO hard was he pressed that he coul,
not find time to bring back his rifle ans
give her i swinging blow over the head
he could only use it as a bltterinc ram
and by successive. rapid punches in the
face keep her from hitting him will
her powerful paw or coming the fatal hug
lie made several attempts to work a car
fridge into his rifle, but it was impossible
He had to keep his eye on the bear, an(
the rifle, when unshipped for the cartridge
became almost useless us 4 weapon Of de
fense or attack. Durham admits that his
nerves may have been a little uncertain
although he is not conscious of the least
! feeling of fright or misgiving.
10 pat the gun in condition to receive
the cartridge it had to be brought to i halJ
cock. Several times he attempted it but
every time it would come to Il jul cock.
Still he WAS cool enough to come to the
while punching mad bear. was matter
that would require some nice consideration
on the part of the gun makers hereafter
The fight went on in this way-the white
foam from bruin' mouth taking the hue
of blOod-until the cub in the tree had
come down and rctreated into the woods
and the wounded cub had come to life and
crawled from between the combatants and
WAS seen by Dunham making off on three
legs till it disappeared over Il log ont OF
sight; and the four amateur hunters. Il
long way from where they should have
been, attracted by Dunhan's gun. had
made their way back painting and breath
less, when the brave old bear. rs if con
scious she had done all that honor and the
safety Of her family required, beat Il re-
treat, leaving Dunham master of the ti,d
but marry u bear. The amateurs represent
Dunham rs standing in the tracks where
he had fought. looking pale and worried,
but c'ol and eager for the pursuit.
They went first for the wounded cub.
not dreaming but they wonlI pick it up at
once. They could trace him by the blood
to the log where it had disappeared, but
no further. There was Il small hollow in
the log, not big enough for Il woodchuch X
TO enter, much les, Il young bear Of tiity
pounds; SO they gave it no further atten-
ton but proceeded after the clI one y
heavy rain coming on broke the hun, for
that day
TIE next day Dunham carried and Sc:
upon the ground TWO traps AMI not satisfied
with the mysterious disappearance OF tine
"o'n"cu c"o' TIC oNtr'E'u IN" l"T where
IT had disappeared. anu found that 1t must
have been >ecretcd thcr" 1T the very tlmr
Ihcy were standing upon it >pecul,,iny Il
to its whel ctbout>. 1t had blcd pro:jl~c.v
bat WAS not there In the ni-ht the old
mother bear had no doubt found il ans
carried 1t TO some friendly shelter To nul t.
in! care tor.
But our amateurs were not t. 90 back
tlicy took, the next day, Il fine bear. anH
went home with 4 par OF ears II Il trophy
OF their proves.
he second day alter tie h@it. pun.iHm
visited the traps on the battle ilrIi. ana
found that he had achieved by >trata-clu
what he had failed to do IN tn open ti-ht.
having the old bear and i cub by the heels.
She was Il splcndld animal, in lin conli-
ton. weighing >oErwhnt more than :; g.
ponnds-thc cub about O.. He could now
Judge OF the character Of the blows he had
dealt. although he says it seemed To him
that he war not hitting her III all. All her
front teeth We're either knocked out OF
broken off, and one of her eyes WAS badly
damlged. This achievement rounds out
the career OF our old friend in Il manner
that III ust lie highly satisfactory 10 him
and supplies the compliment he has as
slgnmeht himself, VIZ. fifty bears. lie ha>
Killed with his own hands Wt5-oHc. with
out counting many others 10 whose death
he has been accessory. | doubt II he rc-
tires upon his laurcls till many anothrr
bltes the dust. but think hereafter he VIII
fnd 1t prudent 10 SUPPLEMENT- hI- ME W!,H
SIX shooter IN his poke.
---
CHINESE SCIENcE.-The Chinese have
been astronomers longer than we have.
We have observations dating back 1000
years, rs to the position of the eclplit.
Their astronomy appears, however. to
have been little more than 4 record OF
events, until the Empire was conquered
about \. ID. 1900 or 1880. by Il new mon
arch, who brought with hlm the astron-
omy OF Eastern Asia. They have an
equatorial instrument at least 600 years
OF age. 1t consists OF circle III bronze
tipped up tow ard the north pole, another
circle of right angles that carries Il point
cr, playing around upon the edge of this
memorial tables OF seme OF the carly Jes-
ult MISSIONARIES. VINO held the post ol M
perl;ii hohor IN Nillia. on inc Top OF the
wal Is 'he observatory founded IN 1850 or