The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-10-01
CUNNING FOR BEAR.
ADVENTURES OF AN AFTERNOON
ON THE SUMAS
A Lovely Landscape The Music of the
Hounds-Isear and Dogs in Battle
Tho Rifles Triumph-Vic-
tory at Last.


0ltLictHh III american ell
There being many sign, of bears, the
hounds are sent out in charge CT the boy, to
start The stockman ana engineer sit
down on a log to rest. From their resting
place they survey the grandeur that is
spread before them. At their feet lies the
lovely valley, gemmed with many crystal
lake and many n silver stream. Farther
away, tho gulf of Georgia Is glitsering in
calm beauty. On the edge of tho
horizon can DO seen the sails of
a ship that is gliding away into the dis
lance like beautiful white spectre Away
To the south is seen the blue waters of Bel
iingham bay. From a speck on its bosom
rises wreath of smOke-the mail steamer
on its way south. On side, almost d-
rectly beneath them, sweeps the mighty
Frazer river; on the other, but few miles
distant, glides the swift Nootsack. Tower
ing over them, rises Mount Cheanl, famed
IN Indian legend as tho home of the inn
mortal white deer. The sky is cloudless,
and the air is as balmy that of May. Are
we of the north west not among the favored
childrel of earth!
In this region it is only in exceptionally
cold winters that the bears hibernate, ami
as the streams are yet filled with salmon,
and as many huckleberries still remain on
the bushes, there is plenty of food for them.
Inc dogs have not been gone more than
half an hour when a long-drawn howl is
hoard. There Is an elk trail leading up the
mountain. The hunters take this and rush
up the steep incline as fast as they can.
Nearer and nearer comes the music of
the hounds, but when within a short
distance of them, they take a cross trail
and descend into IA deep gulch. Telling tho
engineer to stay and guard tho path, the
stockman vani,hes down the hillside. The
quarry turn, and runs up the mountain side
again Its course can be traced by tho
barking of the dogs. After circling the
higher ranges Of the mountain, it comes
rushing down the elk trail again. As they
draw near, the engineer, trembling with
eagerness, raises the hammer of his gun.
There is a crashing of the bushes AMI a
large black bear bursts out not fifteen
yards away, with the collie snappinc,
at his heels and the hounds baying a few
feet behind
When the bear reaches the open spot on
the trail, it stops and strikes n terrific blow
at the tormenting collie. Tho wary dog
springs aside AMI the great paw descen Is on
tho ground with fearful force. Well it was
for collie that he was not beneath it. b.
fore the bear can recover himself, the
pluc&y little shepherd springs past him an /
gives him "A vicious nip ON the ham. Snarl-
ing with rage the bear rears up on his
launches. The little gun cracks ami tins
charge of h. BIS so tearing through his
tongh hide behind his shoulder. lie comes
tnmbling end over end down the
path. The dogs now all graphs him
AMI for few seconds there is a
mingled mass of bear AMI dogs rolling on
the hillside. AT last he shakes him self FREQ
of his tormantors and strikes some sIedce
hammer blows at them; but they arc wise
enough To keep at u safe distance from him
Again the little gun flashes, and once
more the bear falls, AM tho dogs selze their
fallen foe. Growing, biting, swapping,
they swarm over him. Quickly springinr |
to his feet he seizes one OF the hounds, anu |
rearing w, ho squcezes it in his terrible hug. |
The poor dog sonds forth piercing howl, /
and then the courageous collie leaps up anu |
graSpS the bear by the ear. Releasing |
his holI on the hound, lie grasps the |
rollie and begins to hug it, AMI at the Same |
lime SINKS his teeth i'll the little heros |
shoulder. The engineer rushes up places h 5 |
gun ut tie back of his neck, and fires. The /
boar falls, and releases tho dog; and thsn
rearing up, gives n roar of rage, and walks
Lowark the engineer. Once more the flame
oaps from the muzzle, and from distance
IF two feet the charge enters the eye of the
bear, and he falls dead
a wa whoop rings out ON the mountain
lir, which is answered from below, and the
tocknan soon appears. Whom he sees the
bear lying dead, and tho dogs worrying |
no inanImate form, lie shouts n loud
'HurrahH gives the engineer a hearty
grip of the hand, and says "Blest if
thought that man could kill n bear with
In American pop-gun like that They are
low joined by the boy and he and the stock
nan soon divest the bear of his hide. They
'Stimate the weight at $50 pounds.
Whom they finish the skinning. the boy is
ent down To the valley to tell the Indians
hat they can have the meat if they want it.
At this season of the year the e,h of the
'ear tastes so strongly of the salmon en-
which they have been feeding for months,
hat 1t Is not palatable to any one except an
indian The stockLIan and engineer follow
he elk trail downward and soon reach tho
'lace where their horses are tiol, and mount
ng ride to the corral
Strauss. the Musician.