The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-06-05
MISCELLANY.
SAVED By A BEAR.

TOT several mornings, just after day-break,
two hunters, who had located their cabin ON
the banks of Stewards creek, in the heart of
the Kentucky wilderness, were aroused by
the shrill scream of panther, seemingly close
by.
1t was at length determined to hunt the an
imal, though one of the men declared his be-
lief that it was an Indian ruse, by which they
were to be drawn into ambush
However, the fourth morning they quietly
arose, seized their rifles, and taking separate
paths, so as to approach from different direct
ions, started to stalk the catamount.
Unfortunately it proved to be as the hunter
had feared
1t was an ambush, laid by four warriors
and the pioneer who first arrived in reach of
the concealed rifles, fell with bullet through
his heart
The other was for the moment, more fortu-
nate.
Hearing the sound of firing, and realizing
what the odds against him were he turned
and dashed away through the underground,
taking course directly away from the cabin,
in hopes of saving it from destruction.
But two of the Indians, however, followed
him, while the other two, after securing the
scalp of the unfortunate hunter who had fall
en-, made at once for the cabin, to which, af-
ter plundering it of all that was valuable,
they applied the torch, and it was soon con-
sumed.
In the meanwhile, Hhmphries- was
the hunters name-sneceeded for two or
three miles in maintaining his lead, and
would probably have shaken them off entirely
but for an untoward accident.
In attempting to leap across a small stream,
the banks of which were steep and high, he
missed his footing, and only by powerful
effort prevented himself from being hurled to
the bottom.
AS it was he found that he had strained his
knee to such an extent as to render it almost
matter impossible to further continue his
flight.
But life is great stake to struggle for, and
although suffering the greatest agony, yet
HUMPHREYS continued to keep slightly ahead
of his pursuers.
At length, after descending quite hill, he
Of which ran a stream, the banks of which
were thickly lined by "a heavy cane braSe.
Towards this he ran with what little
strength there was left him, and reached the
edge of the brake only to find that it was SO
dense that he could not, at point near by, find
place of entrance
Turning off to his right, he found large
into the cane, and reaching entirely across the
bed of the creek.
Upon this he leaped, ran along the body of
the trunk, and then seeing chancs for mo-
ment's hiding, he leaped down into the water
beneath and drew up under the bank where
the bushes were the heaviest
Hardly had he succeeded in this, when he
heard the Indian spring upon the log, run
rapidly forward few PAGES, and then utter
shrill whoop of surprise and exultation.
Then keen-eyed redskin had seen him as he
crouched amid the flags and young cane.
Another instant and his enemy would have
been upon him, when suddenly new actor
appeared upon the scene.
A deep, angry roar, rather than growl,
broke upon the silence, and with open mouth,
and eyes flashing with rage, an old she bear,
closely followed by her two cubs, dashed a.
cross the log and fastened herself upon the
now frightened Indian.
The fight upon the log was of short dura-
ton, and after few fierce struggles the two
combatants pitched over and fell, locked in a
deadly embrace, into the water below.
What had become of the other Indian,
HUMPHREYS knew not, but finding that he didn't
appear, he cravled out. upon the opposite
bank, and leaving the redskin and his shaggy
opponent engaged in struggle for life or
DEATH he made all possible haste to reach the
block house, some three miles distant.
This he succeeded in doing, and the next
morning returned to the scene of action at
the creek.
Neither bear or Indian was to be seen,
though the torn and bloody condition of the
bushes on the banks told how fearful the COM
bat must have been.
HUMPHREYS was on the whole, well satisfied,
and for many years boosted that he was
probably the only man in the wilderness whose
life had been saved by bear.