The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-08-09
SAVED BY A BEAR.
Remarkable Experience Of Man
Afraid Of Wolves.

James Blackwell, pioneer q
Ops township, Ontario, but now
retired citizen Of Lindsay, tells
remarkable incident of Canada
bush life in early pioneer days, a
happening to himself at tim
when bears and wolves were numer
Gus In those frontier townships
writes a correspondent Of the ST
Louis Globe-Democrat.
About this time Mr.. Blackwell
had the misfortune to lose himsel
in the great forest, made up in al
ternate sections of highlands ane
almost impenetrable swamps, ex
tending in some directions 1OO(
miles. Night fell suddenly and was
made more gloomy by the calls ano
answers of the too-well-known ma
rauding wolves, and he concluded
to secure the best stateroom pro-
vided by nature and wait for the
light Of day, so that he might have
guide in the great luminary or in
the accumulated moss on the shady
sides of the old monarchs of the
woods.
Prospecting for headquarters he
soon found an old stump. about
seventeen feet high, with a sapling
leaning to. The stub, forming at
one time part Of an immense tree
that had been broken pretty square
ly off by the storm, he selected.
On reaching the top he found it to
be hollow, leaving merely she'll.
AS Blackwell was preparing in the
darkness to descend, be slipped and
fell feet first into the stub and to
the bottom. To climb out was i'm
possible. Blackwell, after the first
shock had passed, was not long in
discovering that he was not destined
to occupy his residence alone,
for he found himself in a veritable
bears den, though the old folks
were not at home.
However, the children gave him
hearty welcome. He began to re-
fleet. AS smoke is an indication of
fire, so fat and frisky cubs were an
indication Of the presence of adult
bears not far off, which, in the or
der of things, would soon put in
their appearance. He knew the
bear would never descend head
first, SO here was the first dawn of
hope. Soon he had the gratifica-
ton to hear her bearship, his deliv-
erer, scrambling up the outside of
his prison. On reaching the top
she reversed the order of things and
began to descend. Soon, with knife
in hand, he found himself bearing
up against the huge brute.
Now it was clear that to catch
her by the hind legs would disqual-
ify her from climbing. He knew
that she carried a caudal append
age few inches long, strong, and
covered with good bear skin, 50 with
a deathlike grip he seized the bears
tail and gave her a few inches of
cold steel. She started upward
again, apparently much astonished,
carrying him few feet attached to
her tail. Then she halted, appar
emily to take in more fully the pc
cullarities of the situation. OIL
course there was no time to lose.
Drowning men will catch at
straws,' to use Blackwell's express
sion, to say nothing of tails. 1t |
needed no prophet to tell me that
1t was now or never; so, tightening
my grip still tighter, if that were
possible, | gave her bearship few
more inches of cold steel as a gentle
persuader, and she carried me to
the top like lightning, just giving
me time to grasp for a hold when
she threw herself like ball to the
ground, and scampered into the
thicket.
knowing that, impelled by her
irresistible love for her young, she
would return, forgetting the wound
| had given her pride, or that her
companion, not knowing what had
happened, might return and dispute
my rights as king of the CASTLE Il
descended to find other quarters,
and soon placed myself for safe
Keeping in the crotch of an adjacent
tree. Not too soon, either, for
shortly after the bears returned ri,
heard their well-known snuffling
distinctly. Not only so, but <he
tree was soon surrounded by the
wolves, which made the place hid
eous by their snarling and dismal
cries. At daylight they dispersed.
Soon after the rising of the sun /
descended, took my bearings, and
utter tramping many weary miles
struck a clearance, thankful for nv
lellverance. Though now over so,
look back to that night fifty years
ago and ask myself, not what might
have happened by being surround
ed by wolves, but what might have
happened if had not got among
he bears.