Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-02-10
a Bear Hunt.

parry 3i hunters bsggei q bians bear
near t,e TOP of F,sgs moua;ala 10 Goshen
Pass, on T5u.sday last under ve.g exciting
and hazardous o,rcumstanOss. The huu!eEs
wera Howard CAmp5sll, A, a Waddell and
Charles B. Anderson. Of Lexington. aad
Ot7iI!e Wiisap and Harry Wilson, of Rock
bsiige BAths. Taey left Wilson's Springs
early In the morning, with dogs aud gums
loaded f,T bsar. Il vas bright winter
dar, and eight inches Of snow which had
fa!isn faw hoUrH bsfore covered the
ground.
Soon the loot OF F .rgs mountain, three
mites up the p8ss was reached. Wsdcell
aud the two Wilson's took stands along the
road and Campbell and Anderson with the
dogs took TO the mountain to drive cCt tie
bser Forge mountain is, perhaps, the
rcughess ia the spurs OF the Allegheny
mountalns. Il is macs of hugo bare bOul
Gers towering toward the heavens, and the
natural home CT the bear. The young
haaters, With their dogs first struck tho
tai CT e wild cat Wti3h 5oon took refuge
in he rocks.
They next found through the fresh deep
snow hs tracks of large bear, witch had
teen evidently making his breakfast of Of
the red berries of mountain gum. Brutn
had quickly scented the bunters end made
of. With ell the celeii!y possible they fol.
loved lha trail up the rocky mountain side
upiil naar tie top the tracks lead Into q
nsrroT fssure In mass OF huge rocke. The
dogs bsyed fe.cely at the front OF the oped-
ing ss the hui jrs arrived, aud bruins head
wae s,ep to appear. Campbell quickly shot
and The head vas quickly lost to view But
in fsw miaut,5 il again appeared. aroused
Dy tho barking OF the dog, and this time
with more effect the sharp crack CT tae
rR, revert Grated down the mopn.ain side.
Campbell had discharged his rlha he'd In
four feet OF the bear, Cighs IT bis shining
eyeu They closed and all was sileD5 IN the
cavern. Anderson then brought up tao
hunters tron below wh!:t Campbell hui!t e
Gre and oommsnc 20 throw burning brands
into :hs fssr;e. When the party arrived
smoke vas coming cos oithe boulders every.
where, an6 the scent CT burning hair was
pafcoptibla. l. must bo. thsy thought, the
he:g of tho beer, who Ees dead. But where
wss ne, and how would they sat at hin.
That waa soon solved. The burning branGs
ia tae rocks geEe e3t:rguished with snow.
S5rs pc apd strings we're attached to Damp.
oell's hoay. and the ends hell BY tho others,
whi!a he, with largo bear knife In bis
mouth, end burning brand held IN bis baud.
entered ste darkness of The Essnre. The
cpeDisg wss Just vide enough TO e6mit a
s;asl! man. Rcnad and doWn by abrupt de.
soenta he slowly fonnd his way, uutil fifteen
feet below end eluoat under the fssure the
bear waa found, head downward, dead.
Campbc:l's ball had entersd the brain above
t5e eye, cou,sai downward, troksn his
neck and lodged IL his right shoulder. He
wau iheTa snd dead. But ett Ing him cut
was ha big undertaking. Ropes were Mt
ssched ard for weary hour ths hunters
Without and nsar the mouth Of the cave
nailed while Campbell showed. At les. the
dead body Was brought to the snrfece.
The basr wa, male. and weighed $50
pouuds He Vcas shot q. o'clock ,br t 1t was
10 O'Clock bafore tho tired but jubilant
hunters reached The hospitabie homo OF
Mrs. Wilson With their game, whefs they
found bot supper, a bright fire and
cherry Welcome aHaitipg then -Le1in9tos
Mann