St. Landry democrat., 1882-12-30
A Battle with a Bear !.

Captain John M. Bowman and DR..
b. l.. Langton, two we'll known sports
men OF Muncy, have just returned from
weeks hunting in the wilds OF Sulli-
van County, and they relate same thrill
ing adventures while in that region.
They established their Headquarters in
the cottage of Captain Bowman, at
Lewis Lake, and crossing that body of
water to the mountains on the other
side commenced operations. The
trophies of the first day resulted in the
killing OF one deer. two foxes and a
porcupine. The second day theywere
not so lucky, but they discovered fresh
bear tracks leading in the direction OF
the nearest settlements, and they re-
solved on capturing bruin.
Judging from the tracks, the bear was
OF great size, and extreme caution was
necessary to get near enough for a shot.
The Captain carried a. sill er-mounted
Remington that never missed fire. and
the. doctor was armed with a double
barreled shotgun, a Ratchet, and an
Indian pipe, obtained from a Sioux
chief when residing in Iowa. They
failed to find the bear that ,dav, not
withstanding the most careful search.
On the third day, however, they were
more Fortunate The doctor had be-
come separated from the Captain, and
while he was in the act of clambering
over the trunk OF q fallen hemlo * in
laurel thieket he was startled by fierce
growl, and on pausing to reconnoiter he
discovered the bear sitting on Y its
launches in the bushes watching him.
He acknowledges that he was startled
by the monster, which was OF enormous
size and evidently not disposed to re-
treat "a 1
What to do he did not know. He
dared not use his shotgun on the beast
and the Captain was not in hailing dis
lance with his rife. AS he stood DELHI
Grating the bear maaea movement to-
ward him, evidently bent on mischief.
It's eyes were fiery and it displayed a
double row of savage-looking teeth.
The doctor says he felt like repeating
the Lord prayer right then and there.
But there was 10 time for worship in
the wilderness, as the bear was moving
upon him in force. He instinctively
raised his gun and let drive with one
barrel, the contents of which went
crashing into the bears ear. This en-
ragged the brute and, rising on its hind
legs, it rushed npon the doctor, who
emptied the contents of the other bar
rel. In a moment the savage beast,
smarting with pain, was close upon him,
and he could feel its hot. breath on his
face as it grappled him. He dubbed it
r1,c 4
scended the bear warded off the blow
with its right paw and sent the gun
spinning through the air.
Matters now became desperate. The
doctor found himself in the grasp Of the
beast, but he retained sufficient self
possession of mind to resolve to- sell his
life dearly. Grasplng his Ratchet.
which was heavy and sharp, he rained
blows on the head of the mon
ster. Every cut went to the skull of
the animal, and as it reached with its
powerful arms TO embrace him. he sunk
the weapon in its flesh to the hilt This
seemed to discomfort the beast for a
moment. but it soon rallied and. crap
ping the bold hunter, prepared to give
him the death-hug. just as it was
drawing him into close quarters, Cap
tain Bowman, who had heard the shots,
on the scene, and. taking in
the situation at q glance, sent a bullet
crashing through the head of the bear,
and his comrade was saved. +s..
$ On releasing himself from the arms
of the animal. the doctor found that he
had sustained but tri fling dafnage, but
he regarded his escape from a horrible
death as remarkable Being All dent
list. he said he could not help adj
miring its beautiful white teeth as it
came atshim with distended jaws. His i
gun was found twenty feet away. with l
bent barrels, and his beautiful Indian
pipe was badly bro n.4-aT They succeed
ed in. dressing the animal and in getting
the carcass to the cottage, which, they,
found to weigh $40, pounds. Captain
Bow man h8 { pnsidered his friend
beyond salvation when he discovered
him in the embrace Of Che beast, and it
was only by lucky shot that he saved
him from horrible death. - Williams
port. lYa.) Cor. P2siladekp hia Times.
The agg regate sum of money paid
FOR imported stock by breeders in the
United States is somewhat startling, if
The Pittsburg StocEmdn's Statements
are correct. It says that '.the outlay in
chat direction was $3, 675.5l8, or more
than the exports Of live cattle from the
United States amounted to in the first
half of the present year There is a
solid increase in the importation total
for 1882, andit is not likely that it will
AL much below SIS, 900. 600. No other
people in the world are making as lib
,ral investments in fine stock at this
time as the breeders of the United
states. ssYI9 8s1Sg
- THE water courses carry millions of
,ons of fertilizing material to the sea:
The Nile alone pours over thousand
ons OF n:trates into the Mediterranean
zach twenty-four hours. The loss an
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