The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-06-02
TREED BY A DEAD BEAR
A Tenderfoots Novel and Painful
Experience In the West.
He Spent Several Hours Up Trcc Wait
ing for Isruin to Leave, lsut Grow.
ing Desperate Hc Descends 10
Find His Bearship Dead.

H0 spent several Hours Up Tree Walt
ing for Rruin to Leave, hut Grow.
sng Desperate Hc Desceuds 10
Find His Bearship Dead.
IT have heard and read many thrill
ing tales of adventure In the west,- said
an old-timer the other day to a Butte
(Mont.) Daily lnter-Mountain reporter.
"but have never heard or read Of one
that cqualed an experience of my own
way back In the COS was a tender
foot or the thing would never have hap
pened-at least. not just in the way II
did.
1T was In the summer Of '63, and my
self and two other fellows, we'll known
all over tho state to-day, were prospect
ing. and were camped in the hills near
the head Of one of the tributaries Of
Alder g,llch. Grub was mighty dear In
those days. and we depended TO great
extent on the game we killed for our
meat was the best shot in the outfit,
and did most OF the hunting.
"One day was out looking for deer
when ! saw whopping big silver-tip
way up on the side of mountain that
was sparscly covered with timber. 1t
was the first bear had ever seen, and
at once determined TO kill him. So
crept cautiously up the mountain, keep
ing out OF sight of.the bear as much as
possible. got within one hundred
yards Of him, and taking careful aim
Just back Of the shoulder let drive.
The bear fell at the crack Of the gun.
but he was on his feet again in an in
stant. and without stopping TO take ....iiy :
aim ut all he came tearing down the
mountain Ia q bee line for where I
stood. My rifle was muzzle-loader
and had no time TO reload 1t. In fact,
l don't believe would have had time to
reload Winchester Just then. wns
not half so anxious TO kill the bear as
was 10 save my own bacon.
"A tree stood below me, and without
stopping TO measure Its size or TO con-
slider its adaptability Us O place of
refuge sprang 70 1t and went up like o
coon chased by q pack Of hounds I
had reached the lower branches, about
ten feet from the ground, and had not
yet thought OF looking down. when
heard the bear scratching at the foot Of
the tree and imagined he was coming up
after me.
"Well, he didn't come, and when I
had climbed about as high us could get
] straddled limb TO await develop
menta. Bruin stood on his hind legs
and scratched about peck of bark OFF
the tree, growing and snarling all the
time Then he got down on all fours.
and after walking two or three times
around the tree he finally lay down,
resting his head on his paws. like big
dog.
II begnn to feel easy now, and con-
graduated myself on my fortunate es-
cape thought the bear would soon
get tired Of keeping watch and would
get up and go away He did nothing
Of the kind, however. and hour after
hour sat there In that tree watching
the bear. ! imagined could see him
move occasionally, and each, time !
thought. now he y going TO get up
But he lay still, and finally began TO
break branches and throw them down
on him. and yelled AZ him until was
hoarse. 1t was all in vain. There he
lay, and he seemed determined to re-
main there until he starved me out My
situation began to grow desperate.
Night was approaching. and already
was SO stiff from my position that
could scarcely move. Something must
be done. and It must be done quickly.
There was but one thing to do, and that
was TO get out Of the tree.
MY rife lay on the upper side and
the bear was below the tree. climbed
down TO the lower branches, and, break
Ing of . few Of the smaller limbs,
threw them down ON the bear. He did
not move. He must be asleep. thought,
and now was my time Carefully and
noiselessly ! Skinned Il down the tree
until was within six feet of the
ground, whom ! sprang OF on the upper
eide. grabbed my gun and ran like .
scared .wol&,toi some rocks shout 6fty
yards away. When safely behind the
rocks peeped out The bear had not
moved Then loaded my gun. aud.
drawing . careful bad. With q, dsaA
rest over 4 roek. shot the brute square
between the eyes. Still he did not
move. Again loaded my. ride, cooked
II and walked cautiously toward the
bear. When close enough J. picked up
stone and struck him with t. He did
not seem 20 mind Il aay.
Then mustered up courage TO spi
proach eaose enough 70 poke. him with
my gun. He was ~ stiH - . poker
and bad been dead for hourA bad
been In ths'tree Ill day, treed BY .
dead beasi A. ] said before. was Q
tendsrfoot then"
No Dusinsss With Views. /
Congressman Castle, Of Minnesotas
tells how. during his hrst terntin the
state senate - . member Of the judi
ciary committee he had refused his ap-