Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-08-26
CAUGHT THE CUB.
A Bark-Peeler's Adventure with = Huge
She Bear and Her Ofspring.

A Bark-Peeler's Adventure with Huge
She Bear and Her Offspring.
Early one morning the other week
Richard Macomber, aGouldsboro bark
peeler, who was on his way to the bark
woods about four miles south of his
home sat down to rest in barren
knoll overlooking aswamp. AS he was
about to resume his journey he saw
bear come out of tall hollow stump
and waddle into the swamp. Ma
comber concluded that the old bear
had cub or two in the stump, and,
as he has long desired to raise and
tame young bear, he hurried down
to the stump as soon as he thought the
old bear had got good distance
away. When he reached the stump
he found it much taller than it looked
to be from his position on the knoll.
Years ago the wind had twisted the
tree off about fifteen feet from the
ground, and Macomber, in order to
get to the top of the stump, cut down
small tree, got long pole from its
trunk, and then lifted the small end
of the pole to the top of the stump,
and braced the other end against the
ground Then he climbed up the
pole and looked into the hole in the
stump.
His suspicious had been correct, fol
at the bottom of the hole, where the
stump was at least four feet in diane
ter, cub bear was poking his nose
against the sides of the stump, and
moving around in state of apparent
uneasiness. Macomber made up his
mind to get possession of the cub right
away, and so he let himself down into
the hole by bracing his arms and knees
against the sides of the young bears
circular prison. When he get to the
bottom the cub began to whimper and
whine, but Macomber seized him quick.
ly, and at once attempted to climb out
of the stump. One of his arms had to
be used to hold the trembling cub, and
he soon found that getting out of the
stump was far more difficult than get
ting in After Macomber had severa.
times undertaken to ascend with the
cub in one arm he put the little fellow
down, for the purpose of ascertaining
whether he would be able to climb out
with the aid of both arms. He found
that he could, and then he took some
strong pieces of cords from his pocket,
and was getting ready to fasten the
cub to his waist, when he heard 9
scratching on the outside of the stump.
He listened, and the next moment
something darkened the entrance to
the hole.
He Immediately loosened his hold Oh
the whimpering cub and looked up.
As he did so something began to sniff
and snort and growl. 1t was the
mother bear, and she was backing
down into the hole in great haste. Ma
comber yelled at her to go back and
leave him alone with the cub, but sht
paid no attention to his command unit
he grabbed both of her hind feet, wher
she uttered roar and started towarC
the entrance with Macon ber hanging OF
to her feet He relinquished his grasI
just as she stuck her head out of th,
hole, and braced himself for further
developments. The bear appeared tC
be greatly frightened, and, without at
tempting to turn upon the invader o
her home, she clumsily moved over til,
edge of the stump and backed dowl
the outside. Then Macombcr hurried
out and slid down the pole with alac
rity.
he mother bear met him at tn
foot, her apparent fright having beef
turned into furious anger. She rushed
at him with a growl of rage, ant
tumbled him into heap before he ha'
chance to flee, striking him dowl
two or three times as he was endeavor
ing to get up. Macomber finally go
on his feet, and, in his efforts to reacl
his axe at the side of the stump, tn
bear forced him into another lively de
fense. One of her big paws strucl
him terrific thump on the back as h
stretched out his arm to grab the axe
making him fully realize the fact tina
the bear would soon kill him unless h
could disable her. Macomber recov
cred himself and grasped the ak
! helve, and then he lodged to the oppo
site side of the stump and dealt tn
! bear q killing blow with the shar
blade AS she made for him. The bio,
cut one side Of her head open. and sh
fell at his feet, bleeding and groanine
} Another blow finished her, and the
Macomber, after having rested little
climbed into the stump again, fastene
the cub to his body, and got it safel
out. He reached his home little b,
fore noon, and was so highly elate
! over the result of his exploit that /
didn't peel any bark until the follow
ing day.-Scranton (Pa.) Cor. N.
l Sun.