New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-09-12
Hits the Bear In the Eye.

Owing to the large crop Of mast in
the western range Of the Sierra Terra
Nate this season silver-tip bears are
very numerous, writes a Carmen, Mex
leo, correspondent Of the New York
Sun. In size they run from 200 to
/ 200 pounds. They areyery savage,
and, like their alleged ancestors, the
grizzly, they are susceptible to insult.
Il there IS anything that annoys a
huge sllver-tip it is for hunter to in
wade his cave and disturb him in his
| winter nap. Knowing this it takes a.
man ofDerye to climb up the steepsides
| OF arocky canyon, and crawl onh hands
and knees into a cave known to be
inhabited by his bearship. In these
| parts there is just one man who looks
upon such undertakings as a picnic.
This is John L. Bridges, one Of Gen.
Clusters old scouts. He is a dead
shot, a man without fear and what
some folks call foolhardy. For many
years he was a detective in the Rocky
mountain outfit, and Travelled exten.
sively through the wilderness of the
west. Recently he has drifted into
Mexico, whcro he has been devoting
his time to hunting.
The other day Mr. Bridges and a
friend were out camping in the mo unit
aims, shooting Whitehall deer in a
growth of scrub liveoak. Every few
steps along the arroyo there were
signs of bear and fresh tracks. In the
clubbing season this is a very dangerous
place to pass through, thejungle being
SO thick. The morning was cool, and a
skim of thin ice spread over the water
| holes. knowing that the bears had
| probably "holed up" in anticipation
ofthe cold snap, Mr.. Bridges went on,
| poklng his nose into every cavern in
the volcanic rock sides of the canyon.
At last he spied what appeared to be
a assure way up in the steep canyon
side, some l5O feet above the game
trail at the bottom of the valley. One
| look was sufficient to make him say
to his companion: s'There is big
| bear up in that hole. Go up and
shoot it."
Bridges friend took look at the
almost perpendicular hillside, at the
same time experiencing a sudden in
crease in years and weight. s..
1 cts too steep to climb, isn't it?n
he said. !.
"oh, no." replied Bridg.. a whis.
per, "put YOUR ride on th &c, haul
yourself I, do it again, you can
crawl ,onq.apur hands 0es up the
rest of the way. You vii. awe to step
down into the cave, and after waiting
a while you will see the BEARS eyes
shine. Then shoot the old son Of a.
gun in the eye"
But suppose don't hit him in the
eye, suggested the other.
"But you must said the scout.
| $50 on.''
1t is a disagreeable thing for any
one to weaken at any time, but espe-
cially for any one when he is out hunt
ing with an old hunter of Bridges re-
nown. But the hillside now looked
like a wall and the cave big enough to
hold afamily ofelephants. So Bridges
partner said: II don't want him,
Jack; get him yourself"
The old man never said a word, He
climbed up the steep rocks like a
! squirrel and disappeared into the cave.
Several minutes passed; then a faint
] crack was heard in the mountain.
Some pale blue smoke drifted out OF
the mouth OF the cave, and then
| Bridges came out and quietly dropped
down the hillside. 1t took three men
to drag the bear out of the cave, lift
him over the wall rock, and roll him
down to the trail. He weighed $40
i pounds, and was shot in the left eye.
Bridges has not referred to the mat.
ter since.