The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-06
HANS II 0DarM.
jim Elyey's Rsnarkable Record
Is an Adversary u BFuin.


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The rilds Of shzndaksn In the IIsssr
Catsk.ils hare long been noted Far
numerous bears and besr-hnnfsTs.
Daring q recent trip up the Ulster and
Delaxare Railroad, which passes
through this mountainous region, q
correspondent bad a. opportunity 20
Interview James Elvsy. yoang rsan
with . remarkable record as Dexr-
hunter Though only - years Of age,
he has killed upwards 81 80 OF the
xhaggy bruses. He has big repatas
ton In this section, bat. ike true
hunter be says little about his exploits
with the big game. After . few re-
marks on the outlook fer bears for the
winter the Young man finally tod this
story OF his last tussie With brssia LIST
season
zone day I felt like going on bear
hunt. 30 shouidered nay gun, called
Ti1e and started struck into fns
mountains from Fox HolioE and went
m Eexr Ridge. Travelled all day bal
no traces Of bear we're struck II sas
hard work. for. although IL was Iats IN
the season snd nearly tifne for the city
folks 70 come 70 the nsounfains. the
SNOW was euite deep in some places,
and when night came was glad 70 60
70 the house Of an acquaintance who
lived back hi the Hollow and stay all
night. Aitfiosssh the next day was
Sunday l could not give Il up, 20 out
4 started up the mountain again. tax
jug q different course from the One !
had gone over the day before. sending
Tixe on ahead. After long
frarnp I heard the dog give
cry such as be MAKES
when he scents q bear. made the
dog understand that he INSIST wait IN
iii came up. When got where he
was / saw that he had discovered .
bears den in q large hole between two
large rocks. After about an hours
walking hard walking, too. u was,
for every now and then ! had 70 forcs
nav way through snow foot deep
/ heard Tiger barking and growing In
a way that In his when ne has found
hear and has attacked him. was
then higher up the mountain than
they we're and almost quarter OF q
mile away from them. Tired a. was.
1 rushed down the mountain In the
direction from which the Noise Of the
battle between Tige and the bear came.
A good deal of wood has been cut from
Bear Hidge. and a. l got q Little nearer
j occasionally could see glimpses OF
the fight.
II soon discovered that the bear the
deg was fighting with was q female.
and that she had two cubs, for ] saw
the little creatures up in a tree.
suppose that come people would like
20 have stood aud watched the fight
20 on. but my blood was up. as Il al
ways Is under sgch circumstances.
Besides. the bear was ldg one and
she was lighting for her cubs, and you
may be sure that under such circun-
stances the mother bear tights for all
she IL worth. Tige, although brave, IL
old He had been In dozen such
fights before and had received some
hard wounds, and / wanted TO help
him ~ much a. could. And yet
must confess that III one time. as /
rot q good view of the fight, ! almost
stood rooted Ia the earth. 1t WIS an
exciting picture, and will take me long
er 20 pat il into words than IL did for
me to see if, but, now that
| can look back at IN cool blood. !
must say IL was iaughable a. well as
pitiful. The mother bear stood NJ, or
rather sat up on her launches and
struck al the dog right and left with
her fore paws. Her eyes flashed IRE
and hes growIs came quick and an
griiy. The dog did not attack in front.
Tige knew better what to do In such q
case. He has learned from past and
painful experience. He IL always afire
In the rear when engaged with bear.
As often as be would make spring
toward the bear she would make a
quick sort of half-circular movement
with her hind legs. so a. 70 bring her
front toward the dog and then she
would reach out for him with one OF
her paws. and sensefimes she would
catch him under the ear and roll him
over. But Tige Is clear grit. aud after
each rebuff he would return to the
charge.
s.fhe two little Cubs, from their posi-
ton I'm tree near by, looked on the
tight as II bewildered. Much that
have been describing to you took place
while / was pressing forward 10 get n
chance 10 fire shot az she bear. At
length. when ! got 10 within 500 yards
of the place where the fight was going
on. heard Tige give peculiar cry OF
rain. and then he WAS still. / knew
then that he was badly hart and too
PLAYED out 10 continue the struggle
caught glimpse of the two culss get
ting down from the tree. and then /
heard the mother bear coming toward
me. creps forward more slowly and
cautiously. but she must have scented
me, for suddenly she turned and began
- run down TIE mountain. Then |
brought my gun 90 my shoulder and
tired IL her. | am sure that hit her,
but II did not strike her in the right
spot - be deadly, and she went
On. Right after fred the two cubs
again climbed tree and the old bear
went on and left them. This tact
made me believe that she was wound
ed. and when | aftsrward found hood
Ia her track | was sure tie ball had
stratek her
As soon as | had fred aud saw
that Eny shot would not prove fatal
worked the magazine lever Of the gun
10 place another charge in position
You will laugh when | tell yoa that
had started on nay hunt from home
without thinking 20 examine the fnag-
asine Of the gun. and there | Was sith
the wounded bear running away from
me and ! looking after her with an
empty gun and no ammunition. II
was the first time in my lite had
made that hlunder. Ii you were a
priest and ! was coufessing t1 You
should feel Obliged 10 say that swert
some lust then But | had to make
the best of had hlundes. and 50.
after had gone ~ where the bear was
when tired. and saw that she was Qua
OF sigat. | eallesi the dog. Poor Tigs
did noi respond Ia my repeated calls.
and then | knew that he cnuld not ran
or hight any more until he had rested
81 least. or recovered from hts wounds.
ii Indeed he VAS not dead.
Wen. | thought II could not ret
the usother | wanid secure the cab.
and take shem home alive. so | weni
back se where ! hasi seen them up 4
tree. and there. sure enough. thex
xere. As tkss were nst very htgh az
managed ~ SET tissss down without
fatirh trenhie. They seemed sort oI
paraiykesi with fear, and did n.st sry
very hard a. gei axay from me. The
two. as near a. ! can Judge. wei gheSI
about fV pounds, aud ] carried them
cut ol the mountains, ere in each
arm, aud my gun strapped over my
shoulder