The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-09-28
Some Good Rear Stories.

the trail in Northern Michigan, Penn
sylvania and the North Woods. L
have seen him in Wisconsin and Min
nesota.
Ordinarily bruin Is about as danger
Gus as raccoon OF the festive wood
chuck. But it does happen that the
mother of any mammal will ignore
danger to herself in defense of her
young. Almost any animal will go
wild and reckless OF danger in defense
of her young, and the bear Is wonder
full on muscle. Consequently, when q
she bear turns on her tormentors it is
well to keep back about elghty-five and
half feet. She doesn't want to hurt
anybody. She only wants to get her
babes away from that fearful biped
with the Derby hat and dead rabbit
cut on his hair.
If you humor her you are safe
enough. If you want to put your
hounds on her, making the escape of
her cubs doubtful; well, "you takes
your choice" If you drive her to des-
peration and she has the grit to stand
by her cubs, "better you stand leedle
back"
L have bagged a good deal of bear
meat. l have been twice on lone
cruise in the North Woods. l saw
several bears there-all intent on their
own affairs.
SO slight was the danger from wild
animals there, and so childish seemed
the immense armamentS of the aver
age tourist, that l came to leave, not
only my rifle, but my revolver behind.
And found the eight-ounce rod and
the pocket hatchet all sufficient for de-
fense against wild beasts. All the
same, a she bear with cubs may be
dangerous. 1 will give three instances
| that | can vOuch for:
Forty years ago "Jim Steele" with
a record of seven panthers, twenty-One
bears, and 1900 deer, resided at the
mouth of "Asoph Run" He sent his
son, aged fourteen, up the creek for
the cows one evening. The boy came
back frightened and crying, saying
that a big bear had chased and nearly
caught him. Old jim was disgusted
at the. boys cowardice. Leaving his
rifle he went back with the boy, and
at the mouth of the Kennedy Run the
boy commenced to say: :" 1t was just
here" when an immense bear jumped
from under the bank, reared on her
hind legs, and, showing all the teeth
she had, growing, snarling and threat
ening, made at the party. Old jim
took it in at once. Jump on my
back" he yelled to the youngster
which the boy did at once; and yelling
backing and flourishing Il knife. al
the weapon he had, old jim and tht
boy got away. Then they saw the
mother bear cross the Grille" on the
creek and scatter up the mountain
side. to be seen no more of men forever
Thirty-two years ago Harry Ellis,
born and bred on Pine Creek, glideC
aparty to the hucllleberry hills of The
Barrens. While prospecting for tn
best berrying grounds he was suddenl.
confronted by an immense bear, whicl
arose from behind large fallen trunk
and, rearing on her hind legs, mad
directly at him, roaring, grunting
snarling and showing her best ARA
of teeth. Harry seized and tlourishe
IA pine knot, whooping and yelling a
the top of his voice, as he ran back
ward at his best pace for a few rod
only, when the bear turned and quickl
conveyed her two cubs out of dangeI
On the same range Of hills l ono
went huckleberrying with Farmer 7
) his wife and daughter, on invitation
Our rig was Il twO-hOrSe farm wag0I
the bottom of the wagon packed wit
: inverted tubs and buckets. DistanC
to the ground, twenty-one miles.
BY dint OF starting at 3 A. NJ, an
abusing the horses to unwonted speeC
we We're on the ground at IL \. Nj
l among berries so plenty that IL
ground was absolutely hidden. 1t WI
: a short job to pick a bushel Of berri
: on such ground; but l had been the
before, and l thought | knew Of
: place, about three-quarters Of mi
y westward, where the berries we
: equally plenty, but larger. So L too
y large tin pail and started. Half W;
> to the ground there is a gulch to
e crossed, and this gulch was bad
: blocked with fallen timber. WhC
e near the bottom I halted to select Il
$ best routes for getting by or over son
: fallen trees that lay in my path, wht
: very large, dingy-looking, "DroW
nosed" bear sprang on pine, sprar
e off again directly at me, got on h
hind legs and began to play the usu
y game of scare-showing all her teet
l, making the savage, roaring, barkin
e growing noise common to enrag
y bears. On the instant / commenced
e lively retrograde movement. Once
e caught my heels and tumbled ov
h backward, but got up suddenly.
IS was a Chinese fight. Growing, sna
y ing, teeth and claws on one sic
70 whooping, yelling and pounding ii
,e ware on the other. Nobody hu
,e Bear badly scared. AS for myself,
RS wasn't scared a bit! AS for the be;
is it goes without saying that when
n had played me off few rods, she
as down on all fours and took herself c
le with her cubs for all she was worth
lie Forest and Stream.
~ ~ Captain Mayne Reid, the novel;
y who now has his home in Frogmo
~ ~ England, has had his claim for pensi
~ allowed, and the United States v
~ hereafter pay to him SIS MOI
,d while he lives. He was second Ii
~ tenant in the First New York vol
~ teers, and went through the stir
en- scenes Of the Mexican war, gett