The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-05
BEAR AND MAN.
Both Fall Over an Arizona Precipice,
Killing Old Bruin.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Phoenix, Ariz., June GA hunting
party has returned from the Sierra Ne
vada mountains, and thrilling story is
related OF their experiences there.
The party consisted of five old hunters,
and they took two Indians along with
them for the purpose of performing the
hard labor. For the first two days out
very little game was found, but they
finally camped in what is known as Clear
Creek Canyon. 1t is little more than a
hole in the mountains, from whence
small stream flows, and is away from the
usual hunting grounds.
The walls of the canyon are very alb
rupt, the mountains coming up nearly to
the banks of the creek, and then cut off
by sheer precipice over 1900 feet in
hight.
After exploring the country at the base
of the hills, and finding no game, three of
the party concluded to try one of the
mountains, their companions continuing
their hunt in the canyon below
Those who climbed the mountain found
nothing worth expanding their powder
upon Tor several hours, and finally Sc
lected a large, fiat rock, near the edge of
lunch While thus engaged they heard
the peculiar gruut of grizzly bear in the
thicket near by. and knew that they had
a fight on their hands, aud probably a
desperate one. There was but little food
upon the mountain top, and the bear was
undoubtedly hungry. In this condition
they were well aware that he would at
tack them without moments hesitation.
The savory odor of the food cooking at
the camp fire had attracted him. and he
was determined to have it at any cost
They did not have long to wait before
the shaggy animal appeared through an
opening but few yards from them All
three fired at him. but only succeeded in
enraging the brute, which sprang upon
them with a ferocity which completely
paralyzed them for the moment Two
succeeded in taking refuge behind large
trees, but the other was Immediately in
front of the animal, and it was impossible
for him to get out OF the way. Had the
bear struck him the man would have been
instantly killed, but he came with such a
rush as to only knock the hunter down,
and had passed very nearly over and be-
yond him. The man seized the bear
by the throat with both hands,
and the unequal struggle for
lite commenced The precipice was
but few feet away, and
in their struggles nearer and nearer they
went TO it. neither having inflicted any
serious injury upon the other, until finally
the bear lost his toothold and fell, drag
cling the hunter after him. 1t was 1000
feet TO the bottom of the canyon, and the
other hunters naturally supposed that
their companion had been dashed to pieces
upon the rocks below, bat, to their sur
prise and JOY, heard a cry for help. Hast
ening to the edge Of the rooks, they saw
the man cling for life to FIR Tree which
grew out of a niche in the rocks He
had fallen into the tree, and had
succeeded in obtaining Judgment there.
1t was still a serious question as to how
TO get him out, but he was alive, which
was matter of very great congratula-
ton. They had brought no ropes with
them, but one was improvised from wild
grapevine, and within half an hour the
man was with his comrades again. some
what bruised from his frightful expe-
rience, but with no bones broken. De-
scending the mountain, they found that
the neck of the bear, as well as several
other bones, had been broken by the fall,
and he was dead
His pelt, teeth and claws were removed,
and these trophies the hunters exhibit
with great deal Of pride, while the man
who fell over the precipice is the hero Of
the day.