The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-03


FA%LLBRooK, CAL. April 15.-Henry Taylor,
an old hunter famous among the mountains OF
San Bernardino county and San Jacinto Val.
ley, has had in the past week his second narrow
escape from death in ten months, while fighting
hand to hand with bears.
Since last September Taylor had been unable
10 visit his hunting grounds away up In the
mountains until last Thursday, on account of
injuries inflicted on him by q bear that at
tackled him Unexpectedly. Up to that time he
had killed seven bears during the season of
1895, and he was following bis dogs. which
had struck the trail OF the eighth. Taylor was
at some distance behind. when he was sudden
ly confronted by an immense bear that rose up
out of the brush and which the dogs had not
scented In their eaRerness on the trail OF the
bear they wers following. Before Taylor could
raise his gun TO his shoulder the bear was upon
him.. and with one blow Of his forepaw felled
him to the ground.
As he lay half stunned on tho ground the
bear began tearing at him with his teeth and
claws, and by the time Taylor had recovered
himself and began struggling u regain his
feet, his clothing from the neck down was torn
In shreds and HIS flesh was terribly lacerated.
his bands and knees, and as he did so the bear
struck both fore paws between his shoulders
heavy '" hunting 'S Clothes ss ard f buried Them thom de %'s
In his flesh. AS Taylor rose up the bear ripped
ing down to his heels, and ,rashesd the flesh in
half a dozen places to the bone the entire
Gaining his feet, Taylor turned to attack the
bear with his knife. but the bear threw herself
bodily upon him and bore him to the ground
breath from his body. In the fall the knife
was knocked out, Of Taylor.s. hand and far out
and the hero OF many q contest in the woods
cav, himself IN up for lost: At that moment he
they were HnnFnarhinn A aannnh 1afaF nm
Taylor lay helpless in the clutch Of the che bear,
fight Taylor knew that the dogs were close on
its track. The bear had scarcely passed when
brute that had their master at her mercy.
The bear forsook her victim to defend her-
gasins her TAYLOR GGN dragged anu Himself sdf' to Where
he l,s,,n fired 1i,i sending ing z ball through g.1lot th e.. 6es ri
back. helpless and half ~fainting to the ground.
His dogs: by their eontlnuops yelpinG and bark
Rs1f, 50 ai SH Il? TS seS carried saGifs}Yih him d h s9ss I and his is
! He recovered tHNi ho ,V%eS %.' and although not
yet strong: started on his first bunting trip last
Tents ont for :,nt the h pur fSss Of ~ dndIn the d essrii in The he
snow that is found In patches. among tine pine
forests above the snow line in the sierrse Of
he had had the narrow escape in September.
much, to his surprise; he struck the fresh track
Taylor could not restrain himself from fol.
lowing the track. and only a few rods ahead
he came upon the bear in a hollow In the woods.
1t tried to get away. but was so handica pped
by the wet and melting snow that its progress
was slow. He made his way within q few
feet OF the bear and sent a ball into its shout
ders. Bruin fell In the snow and began to
bleed freely from its wound. He fired again
as the beast struggled in the snow, and. know
ing that he had given the big animal his death
wound. he stood quietly In his tracks watch
ing 1t die. Suddenly the bear spranR to his
feet. and with one plunge through the snow
threw itself bodily upon the hunter. As In
his September fight, Taylor was taken entirely
by surprise and was unprepared for the attack.
He went down heavily. and the bear fell with
Its entire weight upon him and began ripping
with its claws and swapping and tearing with
Its teeth at the hunters breast and legs. The
bear raised its head to catch TAYLOR by the
throat. but he prevented that by thrusting
his arm between the open jaws of the unfuri-
ated but rapidly weakening brute. The bear
closed It's jaws on the arm, and in spite of the
protection OF the heavy .clo,hing. crunched
through the bones as II they had been
brittle sticks. The, great pain coming so
upon Taylor in his weak CON
ditton caused him to faint. He does not
know how long he was UNCONSCIOUS. but
snow by his side, and he was drenched with It's
home with, great difficulty. and his injuries
bear he escaped from in September weighed
$50 pounds. and the one he survived on Thurs
day last was nearly as heavy. It had claws
over three inches long.