New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-08
4 BEAR ABOARD or 4 C4NALBoAT.
ONLY SEVERE THUMPING KEPT IT FROM FIND
ING THE HONEY IL TIE CARoo

ONLY A SEVERE THrMPING KEPT 1T FROM FIND
ING THE HONEY IL TIE CARGO.
wyoming, Penn, Dec. THE qucercst thing over
saw a bear do" said an old resident OF the wyoming
Valley happened on tho West Branch Canal many
years ago / was taking round tril with the
owner Of a boat IN october, and we had delightful
weather all the way one part Of the cIal lay in q
three mile stretch Of oak and chestnut forest, and
toward shutdown We struck the woodland There wa
a steep mountain on one side Of the canal, and the
owner Of the boat and were admlring he beautiful
glow of sullset The opposite hil-, when We saw
black bear slamhe out Of the bushes and strike TIE
towrath only IA few feet from the stern. II the boat
II stuck up is and shifted kept coming clprer b.
the boat all the time and acted if II wanted o. como
on board. Their. Il ton More Of honey IN tho
boat and the owner aid that Ia" bear had evidently
eot snih Of II and hankcring b. robDc SOM" ~
II up. so one On board had shooting iron Of aHy
kind so for nearly half mile watched the lenr
and LEI il have it, own way. II continued 10 follow
Il, and to ,nin with ito raised. and the way Il
acted amused rs all When the boat had about -
mile and half 10 go before it got out Of the woods
Jack DumOnt. a chunky little fellow who -toorln2
the boat Jet drive al the bear with horseshoe and
nil II between the cves. The blow a complete
surprise to the bear, ana IT wheeled TO side and
went growing OH into the woods. For several
minutes We could hear the bear thra,ng through The
uudcrbsh nearly opposite the boat and then all was
still.
BY that time il getting dusk and the full
moon soon mp IN clear SKY. y the boat
ucarcd the clearing and were enjoying the towels
uoolt scenery the driver yelled back a. and aid
that a bear had Just waddlcd ont Of the small timber
a few yard, ahead Of the mules and shutting along
tbc tovpath We cOuldnt it in the dim light
and "a we didn't have any gun paid It'll. attention
10 what the driver iid. Further the driver -ang
out that the bear making for the clearing and that
it kept looking over it, shoulder every few steps
When We had got well ont Of the woods the
driver reported that the bear had left the towpath
struck into public road crcled around and crossed
a bridge over the canal The last part Of his state
ment wasn't true, ~ events proved though he thought
it was at the time.
Nv host and | sitting bench looking
Al the moon from the stern Of the boat. When th0
boat got under the bridge We heard something heavy
strike the roof behind and looking around quickly
IL was shifting loud and moving it, head from side
10 side thought IL wa trying 10 spy out what
lis no.trl, had sccntcd ana before my companion lad
time to think what u DO Win thc bear Jack gave
yell and dashed at the bear with club. lie hit IL
on the side of the head, and was going 10 deal u
another blow, when the bear up with Of its paws
and knocked him heels head into the canal. Then
IL began to nose along the nOOr IN search Of the
honey IL had sInellcd, and both pitched at il and
turned tail and began 10 below Ike bull lodging from
one side ~ the boat 10 the other. We followed IL
fiat rushed past tumbng everything In its
way and spraDg from the side OF the boat. scrambled
up the bank and went down the tOwpath toward
Tle owner Of the boat tied up for the night right
away, and Jack who had crnwIcd out OF the muddy
water without any assistance. found that ne had
been so badly thumpcd by the bear that ne couldn't
use his right arm Al all We got him aboard and
put him TO bed, and the next day he said he was
% tay steer a''d the c'i boat himself" VIZ