National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-17
uUGGED BY A BEAR.
Tho Narrow Escape OF an Indian
from Death,

Santa Ec RCrietD.
Miguel is tho nnmc of a tall. lank In.
dian who is now tho lion Of tho hour In
the Pecos river settlements, just across
the mountain. Iio ia we'll known as a
steady, industrious fellow, pretty well
advanced in the arts Of western civiliza-
ton, and last year did good service in the
employ Of tho Pocos River Mining COM
pany as miner, near Hamilton. He In
counted dead shot every time; In ia CT,
Is an an expert with almost any weapon,
and eau handle tho bowie knife with
rapidity akin to lightning and n certainty
that is deadly. Ho has had some OK
perionce rs a bear hunter. This class Of
warmth" has been quite destructive TO
stock in tho upper Pocos valley tho past
winter, and this spring the fact has boon
demonstrated TO tho ranohmen that there
arc more bears in tho adjacent mountains
than have boon known before for many
yoaes.
These animals have been growing more
bold In their doprcdations for some
months, and have made such havoc
among the herds owned by Mr.. Moray, a
leading ranchman of that section, that he
was forced TO cast about for some method
of retaliation. Knowing Miguel to be a
good hunter. he sent for him and ON.
ployed him TO put in his whole time
hunting bears in and about tho grazing
territory froquonted by his stock. As a
result the Indian has already killed Ave
bears this soason-cortsinly record that
any fronticrsmau might well be proud Of.
But Miguops encounter with the last two,
fine specimens of tho black variety, came
very near putting short stop to his
"roglar bizness" as o bear hunter. He
jumped up this pair while engaged in a
playful wrestle in mountain canon on
Friday last, and his first shot sent the
male bear bowling to the earth; then
another shot, and its companion rolled
over, pierced right through tho heart.
| But by this time tho male animal had
regainod his feet, and was making for the
Indian with blood in his eye and death
in his paws. Miguel waited n second,
thinking to make sure work Of a second
shot whom tho boar got nearer, but the
weapon failed him. 1t was @ repeating
rifle, and tho lever refused to work.
Tho situation was critical. A second
time no wrenched the lover, but to no
effect, and by this timo tho desperate
brute, rendered so by the bullet in hi.
side, was fairly upon him. Ho had moth.
ing to do but to club his gun and go al
him. and this no did with q vengeance,
but the bear brushed II from his grasp as
IL IL had boon n handful of straw, and
with his hugo paw clutched the Indian
by tho left arm, between tho wrist and
the elbow. Then Miguel remembered hiI
trusty bowio knife. 1t was unsheathet
in jiffy, and he thought to catch his
antagonist in the short rib with its keen
point, but the willy brute seemed to dis
Germ this, and the next moment had tori
tho flesh from the arm that held tn
knife.
By this timo it was clear case of hu
between the man and beast. As tn
Indian lodged the bears desperate blow
ho caught tho knife in his loft hand an,
then sprung forward and clasped tn
animal tight around the body. Thi
lasted o second, but certainly not longer
for the bear was thon in u good way I
grind the man into mince meat, when
with remarkably cool move, Migue
reached around tho bear with his RICH
hand, took from his left the knife, an
in tho next instant plunged 1t throug
tho animals side into his heart.
1t will be some weeks before higuo
will be able to do any more hunting. III
now wears each of his arms in soft cottoi
bandages
Parties from this section say there ar
q great many bears in the vicinity of tn
Santa Fe Rod and Gun clubs quarters il
Woodruff park. Not alone tho black bea
abounds thereabouts but the cinnamo
and silver tipped varieties arc plentiful
; affording rare sport for all who have til
nerve to hunt them.