The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-08-27

u UTnve ThougA Reckiess Hunters ne
nnrkabie Escape from 4 bear.

Some years ago, writes Henry Howe,
the historian OF the western pioneers, a
party of trappers were on their way to
the mountains. led, we believe, by old
Sublette, a we'll known captain of such
expeditions. Among them was John
Glass, who had been all his life among
the mountains, and had seen nulnberlesS
exciting adventures and hairbreadtn
escapes. On the present expedition he
and a companion were one day passing
through cherry thicket in the Black
Hills when Glass deserted large griz-
ely feeding on pignuts. He at once
gave the alarm aud both men crept
cautiously TO the skirt of the thiclet
They took careful aim and fred their
guns at the same moment. Both balls
took effect, but not fatally. The bear,
growing with pain and fury, charged
| upon his foes.
''Run for it, Bill shouted Glass, "or
we'll be made meat of sure as shootinr'
Both men bolted through the thicket,
but the heavy brush INSTRUCTED their
progress, while the weight and strength
T of the grizzly bore him on, and h was
soon close upon the men. They man
aged 20 get through the thicket, how
ever, and were hurrying across a little
opening toward a bluff when Glass
tripped and fell. Before he could rise
the bear was upon him.
Glass did not lose his presence Of
mind, but discharged his pistol in the
brute's face. The next moment the bear,
blood streaming from lis nose and
mouth, struck the pistol from his enc
my's hand and, fixing his claws deep into
the poor man 5 flesh. rolled with him TO
the ground The hunter struggled man
fully and drew mis- knife and plunged it
several times into the body of the furious
animal, which was tearing his face and
body, barring the bone in many places.
Glass, weak from the loss of blood. at
length dropped his knife and fell over
in faint.
Bill, who had watched the conflict up
to this moment too badly dazed and ter
TOR stricken to do anything, now thought
Glass was dead, and ran to the camp
with the awful tale. The captain sent
man back to the spot with Bill. They
found the bear dead and stiff. lying on
the body of the unfortunate hunter,
whom they likewise called dead. His
body was torn and lacerated in a shock
ing manner, and the bear, besides the
three bullets in his body, bore the marks
of twenty knife stabs, showing how des-
perately Glass had fought.
The two men collected their late COM
rade's arms, removed his hunting shirt
and moccasins, and left him beside the
carcass Of the grizzly. They reported at
the camp that they had buried him.
In a few days the hunters moved on,
and soon the fate of poor Glass was in a
measure forgotten. Months elapsed. the
hunt was over and the trappers were re-
turning with their pelts to the trading
fort. On their last evening out, just as
they were making ready to camp,
horseman was discerned coming toward
them, and when he drew near the hunt
ers saw lank, cadaverous form, with
face so SCARED and disfgured that
scarcely feature was normal.
bill, my boy" called the stranger,
as he rode up, ''you thought was gone
under that time, did you? Hand over
my horse and gun. amt dead yet by
a long shot"'
What was the establishment of the
party to hear the well known voice of
John Glass, whom they had supposed
dead and buried. The two men who
had left him for dead, and thus made
their report, were aUrrided.
Glass, it appeared, after the lapse of
he knew not how long time, gradual
ly recovered consciousness. He lived
upon the carcass Of the bear for several
days, until he had regained sufficient
strength to crawl, when, tearing off as
much of the meat as he could carry, he
crept down the river toward the fort.
He had suffered much, but had reached
the fort, eighty miles distant, alive, and
concluded his story by declaring, I'm
aS Sliok .as a Y,oo1ad onion