The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-10-08

impcnetrable thicket of rhododendronl
that spread under the hemlocks in tn,
swampy bottom is termed. The stems
and boughs of the rhododenrons ART
crooked and tough. and the gnarlet
roots rise ont of and above the black
soft peat fellow, requiring care to avoit
being tripped up. Should one of thost
projecting mantraps catch your feet
down you go, and, if near the bear. thu
animal is apt to turn his attention tC
you in very feeling way. While the
bear and the dogs are fighting over sew
eral square yards of the thicket and thu
hunter looking out for chance to gel
in his fine work, keeping his eye or
the brute and on his feet at the same
time, bear-hunting requires, as ole
Brewster once said to me, "a mighty
nice judgment"
Out in Tazewcll County. 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
were Harrison, Brewster. and Pecry,
landowners born and 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 it;
branches, for at that time there were
only rare visits of the animal to the
limestone waters of tie Clinch. 1t was
too thickly settled for his taste Oh
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 Pcery, known as the
bear warden of the county. 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 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 used
picket balls. while they had the old
round bullets with creased patch.
just as passed Abb's valley, and was
on the jump. 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 bear. He had no knife with him.
but 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 60 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 1
had brought along some fine boiled
bacon and 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 furiously, there was
a growl 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 I
grasped my rifle.
Don't shootr' cried the Major, as
the bear and dogs began lively circus
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
and sent him bowling, but
more scared than hurt, to our rear. The
others would nip him, let 60 and bark,
first one and then the other, so that our
black-coated foe was kept too busy to
pay any attention to us. l was highly
excited. but the Major was as cool as
could be, waiting chance to sail in.
''See here, doctor" he said to me, "you
may do mischief. Don't even cock
your gun till 1 tell you.' Il can hit
him." said. IF you must shoot a
dog" he returned, grimly, ''try your
hand on that whimpering pup there. :"
This cooled me off, and became a
passive spectator.
The bear, meanwhile, was retreating
sidewise as well as fighting, and got
himself into little hollow, studded with
rhododendron roots and branches, near
mass of rock about ten feet high-a
sort of natural pillar; and against this,
with good generalship, he set his back.
Neither the dog nor the Major could get
to his rear. The dogs kept charging
and barking, but rarely got chance
for nip. The bears arms were too
lively, and we two looked on like poor
boys at frolic. Occasionally, when
his enemies were too troublesome, bruin
would charge forward, but never got
more than foot or two from the rock.
l proposed to circle around, climb the
rock. and stone the bear; but the Major
was afraid would wound the dogs.
Have patience" said he, ''the brute
will make a break" But he didn't.
The fight, such as it was, kept up for a
long while. until all parties were ex-
haUSted Rruin and the docs sat down
on their launches, perfectly tired out,
painting, and with their tongues lolling
from their mouths.
Il can kill him now," I said, with
out risk to the dogs"
"Very wei" said Perry. stake him
in the eva ~