The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-17
A wr,sish Columbia Bear story.

1 GincknGy, pIcHCutu tSSNip"J'
wr,stsb Columbia Rear story.
THRira.iNG EXPERIENCES OF A FATHER AM
SOMA FIGHT FOR LIFE WITH AN hNoh'
NOUS AND ESRAGED BRUTE.
From the Emory !Brlti.h Co'umpia) se"''ne'
Alexander Embree and his son Walter are
living together ON the old genlleman's farm,
about four and half miles from the Went.
worth station, on the New Amman road.
A fortnight ago, while father and son
were standing in the field, Dir. En-
bree noticed the sheep running, ADD,
on looking toward The foot OF The
mountain, he saw an enormous bear crouch
ing and SLOWLY creeping toward his horses,
which were feeding on the hillside. lie
Immediately sent his son for gun and an
axe. By the time the latter returned the
bear was within twenty feet OF one OF The
horses, and evidently about to spring upon
the unsuspec,ing animal. Mr.. Embree was
about sixty yards from the bear, which, on
perceiying that he was observed, sat up.
and as soon as Mr.. Embree fired sprang for
ward, rolled over, and then ran away.
The dog followed him, the father and
son keeping on the trail by the bloody
track left ard the sound OF the dog
up the steep and difficult mountain
side, it being almost impossible to get
through The windfalis and growth in some
pIaces. They had, however, only gone
about q mile or more when they heard The
dog returning with the bear on his own
track. On standing still fora few moments
the bear came within forty feet, apparently
raging mad. For amomcnt the dog checked
him, and Mr.. Emtrte fired at what be sup
posed TO be the back OF his shoulder, but II
proved to be the brute's enormous head,
and he only struck him on the lower jaw,
breaking off a part O!tbe jaw and one lower
tusk aud a part Of the tusk on the other
side, and that no doubt saved their lives. Mr..
Embree instantly loaded again, but when
the monster spraBg upon him the cap Ialled
to eXplode. He used the gun over Inc
brute's head, the second blow leaving only
The barrel in his hand, and that appeared to
produce no more effect than riding whip
i'm the hands OF child. At this point in
the conflict the bear pushed bard upon bis
foe. when log behind Mr.. Embree tripped
him. and he fell backward with the monster
upon him. The bear was about taking Mr.
Embree's head or face in his mouth, when
the latter thrust his right hand into the
bears mouth and caught his tongue. but
unfortunately, his arm coming out across
the animals mouth. the monster shut 1t
uDen the arm and crushed both bOnes-in
the mans own words, ''as easily as you
would break pipe-stem."
The son new came to his rescue by deal
ing the brute a tremendous blow on the
back OF the bead with the edge OF the axe,
but so tbick was the monsters skin and FUR
that it only made small cut. Leaving the
father, with his mangled and helpless arm,
the beast turned upon the son. He first
struck the axe, knocking it about thirty
feet out OF the young mans hand, and then
Selling him by one knee shook him."
says the father, as buli-terrier Wouid q
rat, throwing BIN, with one snake,
nearly ten feet" Without even
knife, the father spraDg upon the
back OF the bear, and thus diverted the
bear from his son. Twice this dreadful
game was played turn about by The father
and son, each in bis turn attacking The brute
to save the others life. While they were
under the bear he held them down with his
front feet, aud tried to tear them with bis
hind heel, but it was too long aud only tore
the earth under them. The final struggle
was fearful. The bear bad the young man
underneath him; and in an attempt to
laws, for the want OF the lower tusks be
was only able to tear the flesh from his
forehead down over his eyes, and, holding
the skin of his forehead and eyebrow
In his front teeth, shook the young man
violently. At this moment the old man
caught sight of the axe, and, taking it in
his left band, began to strike at the bears
head, the axe often coming close to his sons
face IN the deadly struggle, and after having
given the brute ten blows with the axe from
his one hand the bear released his hold from
his sons face and fell, from blow between
| his eye and ear, dead, upon the bleeding
body of the young man, who during the
last struggle held firm. grip OF the bears
| tongue.
The father, with one finger bitten off and
his right arm crushed, had to help his
| wounded son home, the latter having both
knees fearfully mangled and his face bitten
and torn. The writer visited the sufferers
on Sabbath evening and found them. under
the judicious treatment OF DR.. Mcdonald,
doing very well indeed, though they will
not be able to work this spring on
their farm. The father is al old
bear-hunter, but be never saw so large
bear before. From his bind feet TO the
| top OF bis head was s feet, so that when
he stood up he was quite out OF their reach.
His skin weighed so pounds. and bis foot
was 5 inches across the heel and 8 inches
long. Never did father and son show more
pluck in defending each other from fear.
| full death. At the first shot the ball passed
through the bears liver, lungs, and within
two inches of his heart. carrying away part
OF the shoulder.blade on its way. The lq'
dams say the hear must have been about
twelve years old.