Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-23
TRAPPING BEARS.

Thousand Five hundred rounds,
Captured IN California,
From the Calayeras Chronicle.l
A few days ago very exciting
but also ludicrous incident occurred
at the upper end Of Hunters Flat,
some ten miles north of West
Point. Mr.. John Giles, who has
been proftably engaged in trap
ping in the mountains above, the
past winter, visited Mr.. Hall,
who owns a small rancho on Hunt
er's Flat. A few hours previous to
Giles arrival bear had paid his
respects to one Of Halls Berkshire
hogs, leaving the smaller portion of
it under an oak tree for future
lunch. Giles found Hall lament
ing over the residue of his pet hog,
vowing to massacre the voracious
lunch-dend at sight, Giles owns a
large steel trap, weighing sixty
pounds, which was hauled to the
oak tree. A pine some vine inches
in diameter was then cut down, the
butt nearly reaching the oak. The
heavy chain attached to the trap
has an enormous swivel at the end,
which was securely fastened to a
strong iron bolt inserted in the butt
end Of the pine. The ghostly re-
mains Of Berky were now tenderly
carried up the oak tree and lashed
to the trunk so as to be in sight Of
probable visitors. All being ready
the trap was set, and Giles proceed
ed to obliterate foot-marks and to
generally disguise handiwork of
cruel humanity. All at once Hall,
who had been gloating over the
artistic finishing touches of his
friend, occasionally casting solicit
ous glances toward the surround
ing forest, yelled in a scalp-raising
tone, "Here he comes" Sure
enough an enormous bear was max
ing rapid headway toward the
mOurners under the oak. Before
Giles got started in the ensuing
race Hall had taken the lead by a
good many lengths, leaping wild
coffee bushes six feet in hight with
ease. The roaring of the ferocious
brute in the rear accelerated Giles
speed until he was exhausted, when
he ventured to look back, and noted
with q grateful heart that Bruin
had given up the race. He shouted
the happy fact to his friend, who
was some 400 yards in advance, but
Hall continued the race until he
reached his cabin. The two now
continued to wait some two hours
and then visited the trap again.
Giles had no weapons with him,
and when the time expired Hallad
vanced trivial objections, but Of
fered to lend his rifle. AS Hall is
acknowledged to be q bold and
skillful hunter, Giles pressed him
to explain his apparently cowardly
behavior, and succeeded in extract
ing from his blushing and stutter-
ing friend that be was recently en-
gagged to the reigning belle oI
West Point; did not fear death,
but seriously objected to the
possibility Of Bruins unkind
scratching, under the circum-
stances. Giles, who is only a
bachelor shouldered the rifle and
started in the direction of the trap.
When within a half a mile the con-
tinuous roaring of the bear con.
vinced him that the brute must be
a prisoner. Cautiously and slowly
approaching he found the Berkshire
epicure with his left fore paw in the
trap, which he had dragged some
five hundred yards, tree and all.
When the monster caught sight ol
his jailer his rage knew no bounds
in his efforts to get at him, but the
trap, and the tree which had be-
come fastened in the underground,
held him securely. Giles says that
he lodged five balls in the bears
ears, which all ineffectiyely fiat.
tened. Balls fred at the head only
penetrated the skin. Several shott
lin the region of the heart finally
brought him down, but he did moi
die until three hours after. When
1.-THE monster had been skinned hiI