The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-03-07
A BEAR ON A CANAL-BOAT.
Only a Humping Kept it From
Finding the Honey in the Cargo.

Only a humping Kept IL FROM
Finding the Honey in the Cargo.
THE queerest thing | ever saw u bear
do" said an old resident of the Wyom-
ing Valley, Pennsylvania happened on
the West Branch Canal many years ago.
was taking IA round trip with the owner
of boat in October. and VIC had de-
lightful weather all the way. One part
of the canal lay in three stretch
of oak and chestnut forest, and toward
shutdown we struck the woodland. There
was a steep mountain on one side of the
canal, and the owner OF the boat and |
were admiring the beautiful glow of the
sunset on the opposite hills, when we
saw i black bear shamble cut of the
bushes and strike the tow path only
few feet from the stern of the boat. 1t
stuck up its nose and shifted, kept COM
ing closer to the boat all the time, and
acted rs if it wanted to come on board.
There was ton or more honey in the
boat, and the owner said that the bear
bad evidently got sniff of it and was
laundering to gOb5le some of it up. No
one on board had shooting iron of any
kind, SO for nearly half a mile we
watched the bear and let it have its
own way. 1t continued to follow us
and to sniff with its nose raised,
and the way it acted amused us
all. When the boat had about
mile and a half to 90 before it got out of
the woods, Jack Dumont,a chunky littlt
fellow who was steering the boat, lie
"A riu af ha haa RI
struck it between the eyes. The blow
was complete surprise to the bear. and
it wheeled to one side and went growl-
ing of into the woods. For several min
utes we could hear the bear thrashing
through the underbrush. nearly opposite
the boat. and then all was still.
by that time it was "etting dusk,
and the full moon soon came up in
clear sky. AS the boat neared the clear
ing and we were enjoying the lovely
moonit scenery, the driver yelled back
to us and said that a bear had just wad-
died out of the small timber few yards
ahead of the mules and was shutting
along the towpath. We couldn't see it
in the dim light, and As We didn't have
any gun we paid little attention to what
the driver said Further on the driver :
sang out that the bear was making for
the clearing and that it kept looking
over its shoulder every few steps. When /
we had got well out of the woods the !
driver reported that the bear had left !
the towpath. struck into public road, /
circled around and crossed IA bridge over
the canal. The last part of his state .
ment wasn't true. as events proved,
though he thought it was at the time.
my host and | were sitting on a
bench looking at the moon from the
stern of the boat When the boat got
under the bridge We heard something
heavy strike the roof behind us, and
looking around quickly to see what it
v as, there stood the bear facing us. 1t
was shifting loud and moving its head
rom side to side as though it was irving
% spy out what its nostrils had scented,
md before nv companion had time to
think what to do with the bear Jack gave
/ yell and dashed at the bear with club.
He hit it on the side OF the head and
was going to deal it another blow when
he bear up with one OF its paws and
him heels over head into the
canal. Then it began TO nose along
he floor in search oil the honey it had
melled, and we both pitched at it and
nauled'it ever the head with iron bars.
The bear turned tail and began to below
ike bull, lodging from one side of the
,oat to the other. We followed it up
md pounded it so hard over the head
md shoulders that it rushed past us
over everything in its way,
md sprang from the side of the boat,
rambling up the bank and went down
he tOwpath toward the woods.
THE owner of the boat tied up for the
light right away. and Jack. who had
rawled out of the muddy water without
my assistance. found that he had been
o badly thumped by the bear that he
ouldn't use his right arm at all. We
,ot him aboard and put him to bed, and
he next day he said he was sore and
anne all over. He stayed in bed foI
our days, and during the rest of the trip
he owner had to steer the boat himself"
! New York Tribune.