Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-12-20
PENNA WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1882


Captain John NJ. Bowman AMI Dr. 3
L. Langton, two well known sportsmeI
of Muney, have Just returned from /;
weeks hunting in the wilds of Sullivan
county, Pa, and they relate some
thrilling adventures while in that region
They established their headquarters il
the cottage of Captain Bowman. a
Lewis Lake, and crossing that body oi
wat, 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 porcupine
The second day they were not so lucky,
but they discovered fresh bear tracks
leading In the direction OF the nearest
settlements, and they resolved on cap
turing bTuin,
Judging from the tracks the bear was
of great size, and extreme caution was
necessary to get near enough for shot.
The captain carried a. silyer-mounted
Remington that never missed fire, and
the doctor was armed with double
barrelled shotgun, a hatchet and an
Indian pipe, obtained from Sioux
chief when residing in Iowa. They
failed to find the bear that day, 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
wllte he was In the act of clambering
over the trunk OF fallen hemlock in a
laurel thicket he vas startled by fierce
growl, and on pausing TO reconnoitre he
discovered the bear sitting on its
launches in the bushes watcing him.
He acknowledges that he was startled
by the monster, which was of enormous
size and evidently not disposed to re-
treat.
What TO 10 he dld not know. He
dared not use his shotgun on the beast
and the captain was not in haIling dis
tance with his rife As he stood delib-
Grating the bear made a movement
toward him, evidently bent on mischief,
its eyes were fiery and it displayed 4
double row of savage-looking teeth.
The doctor says he felt like repeating
the Lords Prayer right then and there.
But there was no time Tor 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 winch went
crashing into the bears ear. This en-
ragged the brute and, rising on its hind
legs, 1t rushed upon the doctor, who
emptied the contents of the other barrel.
In a moment the savage beast, smarting
with pain, was close upon him and he
c0nld feel its hot breath ON his face as
ii grappled HIM. He clu5bed it with
his shotgun, but as the weapon de
scended the bear warded OF the blow
With his right paw and sent the gun spin
ming through the air.
Matters now became desperate. The
doctor found himself III the grasp of the
beast, but he retained sufficient self
possession OF mind 20 resolve to sell his
life dearly. Grasping his hatchet,
which was heavy and sharp, he rained
blows on the head OF the monster.
Every cut went to the skull of the ami
NAL, and as it reached with its powerful
arms 70 embrace him he sunk the wea-
pom in It's flesh to the hil'. This seemed
TO disconcert the beast for moment,
but it soon rallied and, graphing the
bold hunter, prepared to give him the
death-hug. just as it was drawing him
into close quarters Captain Bowman,
who had heard the shots. appeared on
the scene, and, taking III the situation
at glance, sent bullet crashing through
the head OF tine bear and his comrade
was saved.
On releasing himself from the arms
of the animal the doctor found that he
had sustained bUt trifiing damage. but
ne regarded his escape from horrible
death as remarkable. Being a dentist
he said he could not help admiring its
beautiful white teeth as it came at him
with distended Jaws. His gun was
found twenty feet away, with bent bar
rels, and his beautiful Indian pipe was
badly broken, They succeeded in
dressing the animal and getting the
carcass to the cottage, which they found
to weigh three hundred and forty
pounds. Captain Bowman says he
considered ms friend beyond salvation
when he discovered him IN the embrace
of the beast. and it was only by lucky
shot that he saved him from horrible
death.