The Irish standard., 1891-04-18
a BEAR:RAck RIDE [1I:
The Exciting Adventure of q Beaver Trap
ner in Alabama.

The Exciting Adventure of Beaver Trap
per in Alabama.
stBeayer ] ackn Smith, the hunter and
trapper, who roams all over Georgia and
Alabama trapping beaver and otter,
had an exciting adventure with blg
black bear not long ago, says Blr-
minghan (Ala.) correspondent OF the
St. Louis Globe Democrat. Smith had
his traps along the banks of the Talla-
poosa river, in Randolph county. and
had been catching number OF tine,
fat beaver One morning he went to
one of his traps, which was mile
down the river from his camp, and was
surprised to find that he had caught a
bear instead of a beaver. He was just
in time, as the bear had pulled the light
steel trap from it's fastenings and was
making off with the trap hanging to his
foot with grip he could not shake Off.
Smith had left his gun at the camp,
and, seeing that the bear was in an
ugly humor and disposed to show fight,
his first impulse was to let it go. But
it would carry off his steel trap, and
steel traps cost money. Then Jack
suddenly remembered that strolling
Snowman who was in the neighborhood
had offered him fifty dollars for live
bear. This decided him; he would cap
tnre the bear alive and secure the mon
ey. Smith decided the safest and best
plan to capture the animal would be to
get held of one end Of the steel-trap
chain and fasten it securely to a tree.
This would hold bruin until he could go
and get help enough to tie him. The
bear was walking off down the
bank of the river. occasionally
turning to snap and growl at
the steel trap that held one hind
foot in vise-lilSe grip. Smith ran
up and secured the end OF the
chain without trouble, but as he
stopped to fasten it to tree the fun
commenced. The bear, with a savage
growl, turned and made a rush for him.
He lodged behind tLe tree just in time
to save himself from an embrace that
would have been fatal. In moment
the bear had turned and was after him
again, and then began a race around
the tree, Smith all the time holding on
to the chain. Finally they got away
from the tree and nearer the bank OF
river Smith caught his foot under a
vine and fell. He rose quickly, the
bear STUN bled, and then some way
Smith says he will never know just
how it happened, he found himself
astride the animals back. He still held
to the chain. Bruin tried to shake off
his rider, tut getting firm hold on the
long hair of the beast Smith held on.
A new idea suddenly entered the head
of the bear, and with another growl he
plunged into the river. Still the now
thoroughly frightened hunter held on,
and the bear, with only his nose above
water, struck out for the opposite bank
of the river. He swan about one hun
dred feet from the bank, and then,
seeming to realize that he was handi-
capped by the weight ON his back, he
turned and went back. AS the bear
struggled up the muddy bank Smith
leaped off, and wrapping the end of the
chain attached to the steel trap around
small tree he fastened it, and then he
had bruin a captive. He lost no time
in going after help, but when he re-
turned i'm ali hour the bear was gone.
The animal had pulled it's captive foot
out of the trap A quantity of skin
and flesh had been pulled off the bear
leg, but it Was loose and gone. Smith
did not attempt to find the animal
again. He says bear-hunting is not his
,oo1,ra t;or