The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-09-29
BEARS AND SNAKES.
An Ohio Sportsman's Ter
rible Experience
IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINs
Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire
The Unfortunate Mans Mind
UnhIDged.

Charles E. d avis, CipclnnaCl, ".
merchant, who is solourning on the
Pacific Coast, had terrible experience
in the Santa Cruz mountains last week
with black bear and snakes.
Mr.. Davis, whose family is stopping
with friends In San Jose, set out ID
company with party of gentlemen for
weeks camping among the big
trees" along Boulder Greek. The party
was under the guidance OF Old Jake
Hardy, a trapper and hunter who has
tramped over the Santa Cruz range Tor
the past thirty 6vs years, and IS lam
liar with every inch Of tt g 'ound.
The party camped in Redwood Gulch.
deep ravine. about three miles IN
length and filed with tall redwoods and
boulders. 1t is a wild place and is q
favorite retreat for bears, mountain
lions and wildcats. This spot was
chosen as it offered splendid opp Or
tunities for The members of the party
to get taste of real adventure. One
member of the party at least had his
appetite for adventure satisfied in a
manner he little anticipated when the
camp fire was built in Redwood Gulch.
The second morning after the party
had csmped Mr.. Davis, who is crack
shot, arose before the other members of
| the party were up, and rifle in hand,
sauntered off up the gu'ch thinking he
| might get shot at cougar, or perhaps
some larger game. About a mile and
8 half up the gulch from the camp
spring of clear water bubbles up from
| the foot of ponderous rock, the per-
pendicular face of which rises to q
height of fifty feet. The narrow path
through the bottom of the ravine leads
| to the spring, and runs along the base
of the bowlder 10 the end, when it turns
abruptly around the corner and takes
zig gag course among the trees and
rocks to beautiful fall of water that
lumbles over ledge at the head of the
gulch.
Mr.. Davis, with his eyes alert for
any living thing that might offer
itself as o target for his aim.
sauntered leisurely along the path,
enjoying the fresh mountain air,
and when he reached the spring
he leaned his rifle against the bowlder,
and. tossing his hat down on the
or, und, stretched himse out and set
tied himself for deep and cooling
drink of the delicious water. He may
have hung over the water longer than
necessary. studying the lInesments in
the face that looked up at him from
out the depths of the spring; however
true this may be, he was not little
staggered when he arose end turned
around to reach his rife to find himself
face to face with powerful black bear
whose body filled the narrow path. The
bear had picked up Davis rife and was
cutting it around in the dirt in a careless
manner, when his attention was at
tracted to Davis by his sudden up-
rising from the spring. He reared him
self on his hind legs and tapping his red
Jaws with his tongue held out his black
arms invitingly toward Davis, who res
pond d to the unpleasant invitation by
drawing small pocket pistol that he
carried, and taking as deliberate aim as
possible under the circumstances, firing
shot into the bsar's mouth.
The bear seemed surprised for an in
slant at Davis audacity, and then
made lunge for him. Davis retreated
precipitately, and, with wild hope CT
manning or disabling the bear in some
manner, fired the five remaining balls
in his pistol at him in rapid succession,
but there was no evidence that the
bullets did any more than stir the bear
up to a frenzy, and the next mimi the
hatIess merchant was flying down the
mountain side with the bear IN hot
pursuit. 1t was about an even race for
the first half mile; at that distance
Davis wind began to play out ard the
bear was slowly closing the gap between
them.
Davis saw that his ability as runner
would never save him from the bear
and he began to look for other means
OF escape. A few rods ahead of him,
near the path, stood a redwood tree.
The lowest branches wers several feet
above hi reach, put he concluded that
he had better try and reach them while
he had strength left to draw himself
up. The bear was rapidly closing in
on him He could hear the trenzied
beast rant as he came Looping down the
path. The tree was reached at last,
and with wildly beating heart Davis
threw his arms rounQ the trunk and
star ed to pull himself up TO the
branches above his head He was too
late. Just as he thought lie was
beyond reach of the bear he telt the
animals claws in the calf of his leg
and the next moment he was dragged
to the ground.
Though painfully wounded by the
bears claws, Davis retained his presence
of mind. and as he fell drew a long
hunting knife that he carried in his
belt. The bear caught Davis between
his forelegs with the evident intent
of MASKING his bones so that he could
swallow him easier, but the gritty mer-
chant brought his knife into play and
sent it hilt deep into the animals side.
The pain caused the bear to loosen his
legs for an instant. and quickly drop
ping out from between them Davis
started down the path at rate of speed
born only of fear. In moment the
bear was after him, roaring with pain.
A short distance down the path Davis
spied an old live oak tree, under which
there was large rock. From the top
of this rock the lower branches of the
nd far