The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-03-06
MOUNTAIN BEAR-FIGHT.

MOUNTAlN BEAR-FIGHT.
IT TOOK PLACE IN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA LAST WEEK.
A Plucky Man and Wounded Bear in a
Life-and-D Death Struggle in the Wilds
of Mitchell County.
From the Morganton Herald.1
Last week Capt. Walton and his
corps of engineers, who are locating
the line of the Southern and Western
Air Line between MorgAnton and
Linville City, were camped in the
wild gorge just below Upper Greek
falls and many miles from any human
habitation. At that point Upper
Greek flows along deeD and narrow
ravine between high mountains, be-
meath tall forests Of white pine and
hemlock, with an almost impenetrable
underground of kalmia and rhodo-
dendron. Beetling cliffs rise sheer
from the waters brink, and great
masses Of stone which have fallen from
the mountain sides, obstruct the flow
of the limpid waters of the creek.
Capt. Walton came into Morganton'
last Thursday evening, and while
waiting in the barber shop to have a
weeks growth of beard removed, he
gave to Herald reporter an account
of big fight that took place on the
previous Tuesday between a black
bear and Messrs. H. M. Kent and
Frank Mcdowell, of his engineering
corps on the banks of Upper Greek.
On the morning in question Messrs.
Kent and Mcdowell, Charlie Edmon-
son and Leith Gordon were making
their way along the creek from their
camp to point to which they had
carried the line on the day before.
Gordon was some distance in front,
and in passing beneath an overhang-
ing cliff ran bolt into a bears den,
where an enormous she bear and three
well-grown cubs were basking in the
oblique rays Of the morning sun.
Gordon raised the alarm, and the
grown bear, with a fierce growl,
deliberately walked off through the
rhododendrons, while the cubs scamp
cred away down the creek at much
livelier gait. Charlie Edmonson was
standing on the face of a cliff fifty
feet above the creek, and big bruin
moved leisurely by him showing her
ugly teeth, and swapping her small
eyes in the most defiant manner
imaginable. Edmonson, who was in
a precarious position and unarmed,
allowed the big beast to pass into the
jungle unmolested. One of the cubs
in trotting down the trail encountered
Harry Kent and Frank Mcdowell,
who gave chase, and Kent who was
in front, pushed the ugly fellow SO
closely that aftera scamper of mile
down the creek he took to tree.
Kent had no weapon except small
pocket knife, and Mcdowell, who had
a small hatchet, had not arrived, and
when the bear, after resting a minute
or two began to descend the tree Kent
was in quandary. He made up his
mind, however, to make the best fight
he could, and when the bear began
sliding down the tree and came in
reach he made vigorous attack on
his flank with the knife. The sur
prised and enraged animal reascended
the tree, and this performance was re-
peated several times until finally the
bear, which was furious at the repeat
ed attacks from Kent's knife, let go all
hold and dropped to the ground. 1t
now reared on its hind legs and rushed
at its antagonist, but just at this criti-
] cal iuncture Mcdowell arrived with
the hatchet (the only.weapon of any
kird with the party which he hurled
at the enraged beast, striking it be-
tween the eyes, and bringing it to the
ground in a heap. Kent then seized
the Ratchet and prepared to give bruin
the coup de grace, but the beast, which
had only been slightly stunned, sud
denly sprang up and grappled with its
adversary, and then commenced 8
wrestling match such as has probably
never before been seen on Upper
Creek. Kent is an expert wrestler
and powerful man, and the beal
seemed determined to down him. The
ground at that point was fortunately
level, and the wrestlers whirled back
and forth over the mossy earth sc
rapidly that Mcdowell was unable te
{ render any assistance to his compan.
ion. Kent still held the hatchet in
one hand while the other was clutch.
ing the throat of the bear like wise
and thus encumbered it was all he
could do to keep his footing, while the
sinewy arms Of the bear held him in
an embrace which was momentarily
becoming tighter, and its sharp claw.
began to cut through his clothing and
prick his flesh, while he felt his griK
on the bears throat becoming weaker
and its sharp teeth getting closer t.
his face. Realizing his danger he put
forth all his strength and succeeded ir
freeing his arm in which he held the
hatchet from the grip of the bear, anc
swinging the weapon over his head hs
dealt the beast terrible blow ON th,
head with the sharp blade of th,
hatchet, causing it to loose its hold
and then before it could recover a sec
ond blow crushed its skull, and it fel
dead at his feet. It was one of tn,
most exciting bear fights ever known
in the mountains, and the members o
the engineer corps can talk Of nothing
else. Mr.. Walton says the bear wa
very fat, aud that the camp has 'beel
i supplied with choice bear meat eve
since the adventure,
4 Buckisn's Afnica Saks.