The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-09-19
THE STROKE OF A PAW
FOUR RIBS OF HUNTER FRAo-
TURED BS 4 BEAR
Another Man Suffered From "a Brok-
en- Collar Bone and Loss of
the Tip of His Nose.

Frank and Enos Walker of Olympia.
tkeir cousin. Henry Walker, a rancher
living near Oak Point, and Eben Hoffma.
OF Astoria had a scrimmage with two
large brown bears which they are not
| likely to forget during the rest of their
lives, says the Portland Telegram.
Frank and Enos had been visiting a
brother near Oregon City a fortnight CT
more. AS they were preparing to return
home. he suggested that they visit their
cousin down the Columbia river and put
in few days at shooting big game The
young Olympians, acting upon the sug-
gestion. left Portland on the steamer ass
entered upon their sport. They were tic-
companied by their cousin Henry and Mr.
Hoffman, who was staying on the for
mer ) ranch a few days.
For miles back of Oak Point the coun-
try is pretty densely timbercd with a
somewhat heavy underground. That sec
ton has the reputation OF Astounding with
deer. and that is all the four sportsmen
were looking for. In the forenoon they
had been fortunate enough to bring "A big
buck to grass. After cleaning and skin
ming the game they permitted it to lie al
most upon the identical spot it fell, while
in pursuit of more deer. After chasing a
couple of hours without getting another
BniupSe Oh Il OeeT henry walker remarked
that some one had better look after ths
slain animal to guard against its being
| carried off by a bear, as bruin also thrives
quite numerously down there.
Enos Clark and Mr.. Hoffman voluR-
| teered to see to the carcass which,
though, had disappeared. Satisfied that
a sure enough bear must have stolen
their venison, and being eager for an en-
counter with vicious brute, they insu
| tuted a search for the carcass in the
| derbrush, not far distant from the natur
al clearing where they left it. Their
| search was a brief one they soon finding
their venison in the possession of two
cinnamon cubs, which were feasting upon
ii. Clark dispatched one of the cubs with
\ rifle ball in its head. No sooner ha4 the
echo of the gunshot reverberated thar
| two huge cinnamon bears rushed upon
| the men. Mr.. Hoffman, whose back WIS
| turned to the brutes, was knocked down
with one stroke of paw, landing on his
right side and fracturing four of his ribs.
| Strangely enough, the brute turnes
| from the PROSTATE man, who was rem
| dered unconscious from the shock, and
| the two monstrouS bears centered their
| attention upon Mr.. Walker. Being armes
| with a magazine rifle, he plugged both
| animals every time he had a chance to
| shoot. Each was wounded in several
| places, but not fatally and when Mr.
| Clarke magazine gun was exhausted, 1t
would have been certain death for hiH
to reload. His only safety rested in his
steady gaze upon the blood thirsty brutex
and steady backward retreat. This
, though, was no easy task, as his path
was INSTRUCTED by the underground and
| tall timber.
Young Clark $ rapid firing attracte ,se
attention of his brother and his cousin
| who were not great way off They
! reached Enos not a moment too soon.
| The bears had entirely ignored uncon-
| scious Hoffman, steadily advancing upoz
| their retreating foe. At the same instant
that Frank and Henry hove in sight the
female bear had caught up with Enos,
and, rising upon her launches, she threw
| her whole weight upon him. Fortunately,
though, when he fell the brute roIpAd
aside, else she would have crushed hirx
to death. A second or two later, she was
on the fallen man, chewing away at the
clothing covering his right shoulder.
While Frank was keeping the huge male
bear at bay. Henry, in the most rapid
succession, sent two rifle balls through
the temple of the brute covering his cou-
sin, thus saving his life. Enos. however.
suffered a broken collar bone and the loss
of the tip of his nose which greatly dis
figures him.
Meanwhile Frank also had the left side
of his face stove in and his right arm
broken by a stroke of the remaining
bears paw, and his fall from the force OF
the blow At this stage of these excit-
ing proceedings, bruin was frightened
from the scene by two voleys from Hen
rvs rifle, and he was lost sight of in the
brush. In fact Henry was glad of it. as
he had a surfeit of bear hunting for one
day.
Hoffman was in a semi-comatose condi-
ton when found by the rest of the party
: but big dose of whisky enabled him Ia
get on his feet
The two Olympians passed through
Portland en- route for their homes for sur
gical treatment.