Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-07
Pennsylvania's Female Bear Hunter
 Her Latest Exhibit.

Damascus Pa) Letter to Philadelphia Times.l Lottie Merrill, the female hunter of this
 section, has just had another adventure worthy of record, and one which came so near costing her her life that she will prob. ably in the future never resume her mascu- line sport. A few days ago, just after the great sleet storm which swept over the coun- try, Lottie determined to go deer hunting. Donning her snow shoes, she started to cross | Drig Swamp, dense mass of scrub oaks and laurel. When she had reached the centre of the marsh she discovered the footprints of a very large bear on the crust. She followed l the trail out of the swamp for about two | miles, when she discovered the den which the animal inhabited. 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 yell and was making all possible speed to rescue them | Before Lottie could draw her rife to her shoulder the animal was upon her and grasp | ing her in her paws gave her such 8 terrible squeeze that she tainted, when the bear, l thinking her dead, released her grip. She fortunately regained consciousness quickly, | and while the old bear was playing with hel cubs the plucky hunter drew her rife and shot her in the side. The bullet did moi | strike the animals heart, and as the brute QaSneQ aC Qer a&a1n LOCt16 drew her hunting knife and with one bold stroke severed the
 bears head from the body.
 Lottie was just congratulating herself or l her successful escape when the dead bears l mate made his appearance. Lottie's rife was
 unloaded and she was totally unprepared for 6 second encounter, but determined to flight | it out" The struggle was long one. For l tunately the lady was not encountered in hel motions by petticoats for in all her hunting | expeditions she wears pantaloons of doeskin
 with long blouse. When, finally, Lottit | thought the bear was dead she stoop l ed over to cut his throat, and the animal, with one stroke of his monstrous paw, tore the l clothing almost completely from her body. 1 During the protracted struggle the bear had reached the edge of a cliff fully hundred feet high and sloping at an angle of more | than forty-five degrees down to the Wallin paupack creek. As the animal grabbed Lottie he commented sliding on the slip. pery crust down this almost perpendicular | slope. Lottie was carried with him, and | every foot of distance traversed added tc | their velocity. When they reached the | foot of the slope they struck against tree, completely killing the bear and breaking | two of Lottie's ribs, her left arm and one o1 her limbs. She managed, however, to craw 1 about mile to 8 house, where she received | medical treatment. The first bear killed weighed when dressed four hundred and
 three pounds and the male one four hundred
 and eighty four pounds. Lottie, who is i'm l proving slowly, has the cubs in her posses l sion, but she says it will be some time be-
 fore she will take another exploit of this l kind