Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1888-01-26
DRIVEN BACK BY A BEAR.
Tlse Terrible struggle Of na" Vita a
Wounded .'>iivrr Tip tn the
Black Hills.

4 party of gold bunters started out
from Deadwcod some years ago to
prospect the country to the north and
west OF that mining camp. The men
I in the party were .old-timers" with
one or two exceptions, and among he
latter was n Swetle, full of grit, who
stood nearly : feet in his stockings.
! The Swede, however. whose family
name was Franck, was 10y no means a
"tenderfoot," having dwelt some time
in the Leadville mining camps and
boasted that he had killed "bar in his
day" and was "afraid OF no .our-footed
critter that roanied the mountains"
The party of twelve were climbing II
steep mountain. darkness was coming
on, and prospects OF a supperless night
were in view, when the 1-foot Sean
dinayian volunteered to push ahead
in the hope of securing an elk, deer, or
mountain sheep. The foreigner was II
good shot with rifle, bad plenty of
grit and courage. and his immense
strength and powerful physique rem
dered it extremely improbable that ie
would find his match in the timber
ahead The hunter disappeared and
the OF hers toiled on behind. climbing
the steep ascent wearily and footsore.
just as the party appeared on thetop
all at once out from the brush came
retreating the big Swede, followed by
an enormous silver tip. who was driv-
ing him slowly backward toward the
edge OF the precipice. The man was
bleeding badly, nearly all OF one side
of hi, face being torn away, the result
of n wicked blow from the huge paw oi
the vicious monster. The bear, on
the other hand, was quite "a badly
wounded as his antagonist. His head
was a mass Ot gore, his lower jaw was
simply hanging by II few shre''s and
one OF his bind legs was broken. The
Swede was backing slowly. holding in
his right hand huge huntng-knife.
which every second he would plunge
to the hilt in the shoulder of his
shaggy foe. At one thrust of the
SNeie the bear caught him fairly with
a raiurn whack OF his mon,trous paw
hat must have broken the man
!
blade 10 his ieit hand and gave back
blow for blow as Lest he could. The
denoueInent came 50 suddenly that
the horrors ricken comrades OF the
doomed man could render no possible
!, assIsy aIIcc. f.vrrT f.'rt rfTey rr-'
on u run they could not have reached
their friend in time, and to risk II shot
with the rifle would have been just n
! dangerous to the -we,le as the bear
Step 10y step the man was forced back
until he hung almost on the edge oi
precipice. There seemed no hope fot
him unless he could assume the a sgres
Sive in turn. and this could no. he
done. AZ he nian was ioin. hi- utmost
and still the silver tip wa, getting the
better oi the light. All At once til,
desperate animal raised his huge paw
and brou sht it down with terrific fore,
on the head OF to, man. The scall
was torn away by this last blow and
the poor fellow was blinded by hi-
own blood. acknowledgements /
him and lie SWele tottere'l on til,
. brink with nothing in reach to lay
hands on 10y which lac might save him
SELF Evidently with the desperation
of death staring him IN theiace Franch
. did the only thing possible under th'
circIniSt ances. As he wae swayin.
backward and ready to go over Ia
hrew from him the useless knife. and
in despair of all hope, madiy elutchet
the beast around the neck. The force
/ OF the last onslaught carried tine AM
nal too far, for the next moment botl
the silver tip and the man, in thai
awful embrace of death. went rolin