The record-union., 1896-11-06

chain or rope, often wind themselves
up In this manner. had never known
one before to get loose without assist
ance.
The further I went the fresher the
trail appeared. Toward the middle OF
the afternoon came to another spring,
around which were bear tracks so large
that 1 began to think that 1 had caught
the father of all bears
L followed the trail till dark. 1t
went north along the rough sides OF the
mountain through forests that never
ielt the ak. 1 never knew a bear with
trap. chain and clog to take a straight
course before.
When it became too dark to see the
trail I stopped for the night. AS soon
as the light became distinct the next
morning 1 started again.
Il had had no food for twenty-four
hours, but l was too excited over the
thought of the big bear to care much
about that.
About noon of the second day had
followed the trail of the trapped bear
to where a tempest had blown down
many of the trees on the mountain slde.
By making detours ! penetrated this
windfall without much difficulty, but DO
not understand how a bear with trap,
chain, and clog ever got through.
Very soon 1 came to where a wind
fall had left small circular, cleared
spot, almost surrounded by heaps OF
fallen trees. AS / followed the fresh
trail through a narrow path into TINS
cleared place I heard the clanking OF
chain.
Then from the bushes leaped the
largest bear I ever saw. With cleaning
teeth and every appearance of being
mad clear through, the formidable crea-
ture came straight for me.
Il went out of that opening much
quicked than I had entered. AT every
step l could hear the growing of the big
bear, the rafting Of the trap, and the
clanking of the chain. For short dis
tance 1 did the best sprinting in my
life.
Then, glancing back over my
shoulder, I saw that the bear, ham
pered as he was, could not run so fast
as I could, so / slackened my pace.
Il had no rifle or other weapon, ex-
cept short-bladed knife.
When the bear found he could not
catch me, he turned and went in another
direction. l followed him at distance,
SO that L could watch him part of the
time.
'The bear had gone only a short dis
tance when the clog caught on a tree,
and in struggling to get away, he wound
the chain around the trunk. supposed
this fastened him securely.
But the bear, after his first furry was
ey+o oh cha in
as if studying the situation, then he de-
liberately turned and walked around
the tree the other way, till the chain
was unwound from the trunk, after
which he moved the clog with his paw
so it would pass by the tree.
This was the most remarkable exhi-
bition of intelligence in bear that ever
came within the range of my experience.
Soon after this episode the bear
came to a sort of pinnacle on the noun
tain. After looking down the precipi-
tous slope a moment, the bear doubled
himself up into a sort Of ball and went
rolling down, with the trap, chain and
clog flying and bouncing against the
stones, making a noise as if a loaded
carriage had gone crashing down the
side Of the mountain.
Il thought the bear had Killed hlmSeL1,
but when l got where I could look down
the precipice he was not in sight. A
moment later I caught a glimpse of him
moving across partially open place be-
low
AT this point gave up the chase, took
bee line for home. marking the bushes
as I went, so I could find the spot again.
When I reached home I found my wife
had become alarmed at my prolonged
absence, and aroused the neighbors,
who were searching for my body on the
mountain.
1.-The next day I started with my rife,
found and shot the bear. The iron jaws
Of the trap had worn the skin and flesh
from his leg. leaving only the bone and
cords, but he had kept the injured leg in
cold water so much that there was no
swelling or Inflammation" boston
Globe.