The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-09-30

OuC III ldZeWel SounCy, virginia,
there were, thirty years since, some
very expert bear-hunters who knew
every foot OF ground among the sand
stone ridges to the westward of Abb's
valley, and who kept packs of dogs
trained to the sport. Among these
we're Harrison, Brewster, and Peery,
landowners born aud bred in the place,
familiar with the habits of the animal,
and knowing every patch of nut-bear-
ing woodland on the Tug fork and its
branches, for at that time there were
only rare visits of the animal to the
limestone waters of the Clinch. 1t was
too thickly settled for his taste. Of
these three, the former was retired
when / knew him, though he had been
famous in his day. Brewster was the
best of them all, but he was getting old.
Major Thomas Peery, known as the
bear warden of the county, a bluff and
hearty gentleman, best described by
the epithet ''whole-souled," was still
vigorous, though past middle-age, and
introduced me to the mysteries of bear
craft. l just now remember one of our
expeditions which was impromptu and
with no striking incident, except that
the bear undertook to hunt us, which
might have been an unpleasant reversal
of the order of things.
Ihad gone over to Tug looking for
deer, and had with me a rifle and a
heavy bowie-knife. The rifle was short,
unlike those of the vicinage, which
were, stock in all. quite six feet in length.
The hunters all laughed at my pop-gun,
and were quite astonished when they
found it did good work. Then l used
picket balls, while they had the old
round bullets with a creased patch.
Just as l passed Abb's valley, and was.
on the jump, L met Major Peery, who
had probably been looking after cattle.
When he learned where l was bound he
proposed, as he had three of his dogs
along, to turn back, and we might scare
up a bear. He had no knife with him,
but l lent him mine. which was a good
weapon, though larger than he was used
to. We rode on together, the dogs
keeping ahead and nusing their way,
but giving no tongue. Presently we
came to a gap. MAST scarce here"
said the Major, ''but the beech is plenty
in that branch below. Let's go down"
Down we rode, making our own horse
path to the narrow valley. which was
partly beach-bottom and partly laurel
rough. The dogs scented nothing, and
after three hours wandering we hitched
our horses to a swinging limb near a
| spring and sat down to discuss the con-
tents of one of my saddle-bags, for L
had brought along some fine boiled
| bacon and a roasted chicken-not such
| bad hunters fare, after all. We were
in the midst of it when the dogs barked
| and bristled their hair, the horses began
to plunge and kick f%uriously, there was
a growf very distinctly uttered, and
down upon us, with great impudence
and a show of teeth, plunged a three
| year-old he-bear, none too fat for rapid
motion. He checked himself at sight
of the dogs, who went for him in a
hurry. The Major drew his bowie
knife as he sprang to his legs and
grasped my rifle.
Don't shootr' cried the Major, as
business. They danced in and out, the
elder dogs taking him in flank, and the
younger one charging in front. A wipe
from bruins right paw just grazed the
youngster, and sent him bowling, but
more scared than hurt, to our rear. The
others would nip him, let go and bark,
first one and hen the other, so that our
black-coated foe was kept toe busy to
pay any attention to us. I was highly
excited, but the Major was as cool as
could be, waiting a chance to sail in.
''See here, DOCTOR" he said to me, '.you
may do mischief. Don't ever cock
your gun till 1 tell YOU" 81 can hit
him. said. eff you must shoot a
dog" he returned, grimly, .'try your
hand on that whimpering pup there
This cooled me off, and l became
passive spectator.
The bear, meanwhile, was %retreatine
sidewise as well as fighting, and go1
himself into a little hollow, studded with
rhododendron roots and branches, neal
a mass of rock about ten feet highs
sort of natural pillar; and against this,
with good ~generalship, he set his back.
Neither the dog nor the Major could ge
to his rear. The dogs kept charging
and barking, but rarely got a chance
for a nip. The bears arms were too
lively, and we two looked on like poo
boys at a frolic. Occasionally, wher
his enemies were too troublesome, bruir
would charge forward, but never go
more than a foot or two from the rock
I proposed to circle around, climb tn,
rock, and stone the bear; but the Majo
was a afraid l would wound the dogs
Have patience" said he, .sthe brut
will make a break" But he didn't
The fight, such as it was, kept up for
long while, until all parties were ex
hausted. Bruin and the dogs sat dow
on their launches, perfectly tired out
painting, and with their tongues lollin,
from their mouths.
81 can kill him now,"I said, with
out risk to the dogs"
Very WELL" said Perry. stake hin
in the eye"
Better lower" was my reply, thong
I aimed at the eye. / was within twelv
feet, and could plum center, as the
say, at ten times the distance. 1 DIRE,
a fine bead on the bears eye and pulle
trigger. The ball hit him, but it wer
wide of the mark a foot or more. Th
, ing, SO like a lost soul in agony, that
/ thrilled through me and made me fee
f like an assassin. He gave a %convulsiv
and fell forward. l had missed m
mark, but my ball entering below, as
: found afterward, had cut the aorta.
loaded again, but a second ball was M
t needed. 1t had been a bad shot by m,
but a fatal one for the bear"
Your way was better than mine,
/. said Peery. "You hit him in the rigf
3 place"
''Can you keep a secret, MajorP"
81 reckon"
"Well-don't expose ne. Iaimed
the eye, and missed it by sever
inches"
And 1 may say here that the head is
poor mark, for the skulls of some
them old he-bears are so thick as
e peaked bali. 4 man near Coyomir
courthouse, knowing l was collectir
b crania, once brought me a skull of &
n old near tina he had killed while II