The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-13

ing a fashionable performance at the Mas,
Theater, was at the "Eremitage," resto,,
rant, l think without an equal in the wor1s
awaiting the return of my friend P. NH
had driven a lady to her home. l wassh
ting with some acquaintance when p au
tered and asked me with a smile: "lnro
DOS, what will we pay for the bear?n 70
sponded that did not want to buy. Int
wanted to shoot a bear. After many fpnn,,
remarks | learned that we would have -
buy the bear before we could hunt him
The peasants make it their business IA a;s-
cover tho lair Of the bear, and as soon az
they find one send word to their landords
or to a well-known hunter asking what
price he will pay per pud. The pud is tbrtv.
six English pounds and the peasants pAner-
ally ask from ten to twelve rubles pe,nud
They usually get eight rubles (about fonr
dollars) per pud. After the bargain isrom-
pleted the day for the hunt is fixed and the
hunters having been posted the pesants
enter the woods and drive the bear Ont n
them. After the animal is killed a ia
weighed and the price agreed on is pail
Tho Monday following the meeting the
Eremitage our party, six in number, boarded
the St Petersburg express, leaving MScow
at nine o'clock p. m. At4:30 in the monins
the conductor awakened us, and at fe we
alighted. Friend P.'s country seat ionly
about two versts distant from the depo and
soon two sleds conveyed us to that hooita-
BILE roof. Comfortably heated room re-
ceived us, and after having taken a an of
hot tea we all went to bed again to aioy
some more rest, as we did not inted 10
start on the hunt before ten o'clocl At
nine O'Clock we were called to ars1mns &,
breakfast. The faithful Van gave no q -
port of the locality, where and low 10
peasants had discovered the bar, wat
preparations had been made al hoy the
bear should be driven within me shooting
circle. We then started or equipment
consisted of thick but not budensome furs,
high, impermeable boots, heay short double
barreled guns, revolvers an long hunting
knives. In two sleds we rpidly proceeded
on our way to the wooded his of the Waldai
Mountains. After a drive about one hour
we alighted, and, led by Jan, climbed and
glided down deep ravin not an easy job,
considering our outfit. men we marched
for about fifteen minutes along the bottom
of the ravine until we csne on the right to
a second broad defile. This was to be the
theater Of our present expedition, for in
some of the recesses Of this gorge the lair
of a bear had been foud. Then the chain
of hunting was forme, the respective po-
sitions being Determined by lots. Fate as
signed me the extreme left wing where l
stood some distance ID the mountain side.
About 1OJ PAGES on tn right stood my next
neighbor. When hal settled myself in the
snow, which was moi very deep, waited
for events | had no much confidence in
the advantage Of my position for thought
it certain that the ber would make its es-
cape along the valleylnd not up the slopes.
After about ree-qlarters of an hour L
heard the first noiss, and then with ire
quent occurrences the cracking of branches,
but without seeing shy thing Nearer and
nearer came the noise of the drivers, but no
report of gun was heard; nothing re-
sembling the breaking through the woods Of
a heavy animal was heard Now the
drivers were SO near me that l fancled /
could see them at any moment; believing,
besides that the driving had been frultless
| stood there lazy and detected, the gun
resting on my left arm, when suddenly,
little above me, something broke through
the bushes What | thought at that mOmen'
[ do not recollect, for thought was com
pressed into seconds, but at any rate did
not imagine that this was bear, and, as no
shot was to be fired at any other game, did
not even raise my gun The crack lGg game
nearer, increasing all the while Tf&%
and suddenly, not fifteen yards distant a
huge brown bear emerged from theunder-
brush, coming down upon me in an oblique
line. Without adjusting my gun properly
(for which had not the necessary tme) |
fired, and with a Kissing Rroan bruin went
down, turning somersault after somersault
But, before had time for second shot he
was on his legs again and had disappeared
in the direction of the other hunters. First
my neighbor fired, and then several
other shots followed almost stimuli
tanoously. Just when | had reloaded, my
neighbOr fired another shot and the next
moment the bear emerged from the bushes,
coming for me second time. He was not
farther than fifteen yards. With my gun
ready | stood awaiting his advance. He APP
preached a few paccs before he discovered
me. At first he seemed surprised. Then he
reared and made ready for fight. He was
not more than eight PAGES distant and
could see his small eyes set with blood, and
bloody saliva flowing from his jaws, His
ears were thrown back, and with his mouth
wide open he presented a terrible aspect, but
in the presence of imminent danger, my
self-possession returned. | aimed at the
point between his malicious eyes and fired.
When the smoke cleared away, bruin was
on the ground, mis- huge frame shaking with
convulsive movements. In little while he
was still but | waited some time with my
gun ready before l ventured to approach
him. Then l summoned the other hunters
to see my prize, for mine he was, as had
fired the fatal shot
1t proved to be powerful female bear
weighing eleven pud. The heaviest ever
killed in that country weighed thirteen pud.
She had received eight balls; my first ball
had entered the flank, gone through and
through and made its exit at the other flank
To carry the bear home was a task left to
the overjoyed Ivan, who praised my shot
above the eyes. No one was happier than |
on our way homeward.
To-day this she bear-stuffed under my
direction-is standing, almost exactly in the
same position as when | sent that DalIIf1JO
her brain, on one of the steps of my house,
exciting the admiration of every visitor by
her huge frame, powerful steel-like claws
and terrific jaws.-St Louis Republic.
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