The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-09-29

and several birds being the result of
the hunt. We met at an agreed spot
some three miles from the camp and
proceeded together to our quarters, ex-
pecting that Kingsbury would have
prepared for us substantial dinner.
Reaching an elevation some distance
from camp we paused moment, when
Pennington remarked: by gosh,
where's the mule?" We all looked, but
no mule could we see. Possibly it had
broken away and gone off, or it might
be hidden in the grass, lying down, but
a feld-glass failed to reveal the animal.
Proceeding slowly toward camp, we
soon reached the space where the mule
had been left.
- There was no longer any question
where the mule was. 1t was lying on
the ground completely disemboweled,
torn off.
One word told the story. A bald
face bear had discovered the animal,
and it being hobbled so securely that
escape was impossible, had killed it.
The grass showed that there had been
d struggle, and the immense tracks of
the bear were plainly seen. Its marks
on the back and side of the mule looked
as if cleaver had been at work
Three ribs were torn away from the
backbone and one hind leg almost
stripped of its flesh. An AK in the
hands of giant could have done no
better.
With our guns ready to fire on the
instant we all noiselessly crossed over
to the camp only to find it vacant.
Kingsbury's Winchester lay on the
ground some little distance away, the
kettles, pans and camp fixtures were
knocked about as if a cyclone had
struck them, the tent was thrown to
the ground and across it were the
bloody tracks of a bear. To my ex-
cited Imagination they looked as large
as a bushel measure, and I could al
most see the flying form of our camp
keeper and the pursuing terror of the
mountains.
Kingsbury was nowhere to be seen.
Everything was perfectly quiet. But
we knew that the trouble had been re-
cent, because the blood still oozed from
the neck of the dead mule, and there
was a fire at the camp not nearly burned
out.
Meanwhile shot from Blake's rifle
rang through the forest and its rever-
berations had scarcely died away when
the voice of Kingsbury gave answer
faint and long distance off. The dogs
were away in a moment and the yells OF
our partner at intervals mingled with
the tongue of the dogs.
Better load up your belts with shell
and get up in these little trees, boys"
said Pennington. "for that animal will
be back here powerful SOON"
We were so excited that no second
suggestion was required. We could
tell by the cry of the dogs when they
reached the scene of action, and in a
little time they quit barking A few
minutes later the pup came tearing
through the brush, followed by a noise
which greatly resembled an immense
bowlder bounding down hill.
Look out!" yelled Pennington, and
a half second later the bald-face burst
through the underground not one hun
bred feet away. His face was bloody.
Two dogs and mule had fallen vic
Tins to his fury andshe came on foam
ing towards us. A volley attracted his
attention and with roar he rushed at
the small trees in which we were stand
ing | think but one shot hit him, for
the rifles were mighty shalzy. "Give
it to him." said Pennington. Don't
waste your fire, take a fair aim at him,
nd IAnft null hn til1
land"
No fury could equal the rage of that
brute. 1t came at the small trees.
tried to climb them, tore the bark and
snapped them with a mouth which
looked a yard long. In the excitement
of the moment l dropped my rifle
while shifting my position, and as it
struck the ground twenty feet below
the brute ran and seized it at the butt,
crunching the stock like piece of clay
or glass.
The attack became perfect fusillade,
and perhaps a hundred shots were fired
before the bear gave signs of weaken,
ing One of its monster legs was
broken and its sides were plowed with
bullets. Risdon, who, by the way, came
from this city, was anxious to do good
work and undertook to change his posi-
ton. His foot had torn the bark from
the limb of the little tree and it was
slick as ice. In an instant, as he stepped
about, his feet went from under him
and he was precipitated to the ground.
The bear, blind and about dying,
heard the fall and stumbled and ran to
Ia ,AA h. f,11 l.. i -, i
or else he could have got away.
But the fierce brute was upon him in
an instant more. Its immense jaws
closed on his thigh just at the hip and
the bones snapped like twigs.
We almost sprang from the tree and
at short range poured from the two re.
naming guns a broadside into the ami
NAL which ended it's life. But our
friend was insensible and dying. The
mass of inert meat fell across him.
With the utmost difficulty the carcass
was removed from our PROSTATE COM
rade to find that the claws of the bear
had cut through his body under the left
arm, penetrating the cavity and tear
ing hole in his side.
Risdon never spoke-never gave a
sign that he was in danger, fear or
pain. The whole catastrophe was so
quickly ended that no effort could have
saved his life, The bear was practical
~ dead when it reached his PROSTATE
form, and q single stroke of its fore
paw and crunch of its formida BILE
Jaws, which in death struggle had no
instinct other than to mangle and kill,
had ended his life in moment,