Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-02-10
OCCURRENCES OF INTEREST.

ADesPeFate Struggle with Two Bears
LoTTIE MERRILh, the female hunter ci
Wayne County, Pa, has Just had another ad
venture worthy of record, and one which came
so near costing her her life that she will prob.
ably in the future never resume her masculine
sport A few days ago, just after the great
sleet storm which swept over the country,
LOttie determined 10 60 deer hunting. Don.
ming her snow shoes she started to cross Orig
Swamp dense mass of scrub-oak and laurel.
When she had reached the center Of the marsh
she discovered the footprints of very large
bear on the ernst. She followed the trail out
ofthe swamp for about two miles, when she
discovered the den which the animal inhab-
| ited Entering the cave she found two little
CUBS on bed Of leaves In one corner. The
cubs were about the size Of kittens and were
easily captured.
Lottie was Just emerging from the cave
when she was met by an immense She bear.
The bear had heard the cubs yen aud was
making all possible speed to rescue them. Be
fore Lottie could draw her rifle to her shoulder
the animal was upon her and, grasping her in
her paws, gave her such terrible squeeze that
she tainted, when the bear, thinking her dead,
released her grip. She fortunately regained
consciousness quickly, and when the old bear
was playing with her cubs the pluCky hunter
drew her rifle and shot her in the side. The
bullet did not strike the animals heart, and as
the brute dashed at her again Lottie drew her
hunting knife and with one bold stroke nearly
severed the bears head from the body
Lottie was just congratulating herself on
her successful escape when the dead bears
mate made his appearance Lottle's rifle was
unloaded and she was totally unprepared for
a second encounter but determined to " fight
1t out" The struggle was a long one. For
tunately the young lady was not incumbered
in her motions by petticoats, for in all her
hunting expeditions she wears pantal0ons of
doeskin with long blouse. When, finally,
Lottie thought the bear was dead she stopped
over to cut his throat, and the animal, with
one stroke of his mOnstrOus paw, tore the
clothing almost completely from her body.
During the prOtracted struggle the bear had
reached the edge of q Cliff fully 100 feet
high and sloping at an angle of more |
than As degrees down to the Wallinpaupack |
Creek. AS the animal grabbed Lottie he COM
menced sliding on the slippery crust down
this almost perpendicular slope. Lottie was
carried with him, and every foot of distance
traversed added to their velocity. When they
reached the foot of the slope they struck
against tree, completely killing the bear and
breaking two of Lotties ribs, her left arm and
one of her limbs She managed, however, to
crawl about mile to a house, where she re-
ceived medical treatment. The first bear
killed weighed when dressed 4S3 pounds and
the male one 484 pounds. Lottie, who is inn
proving slowly, has the cubs in her possession,
but she says it will be some time before she
will take another expedition of this kind
Damascus (Pa.) Cor. NclU York Times.