The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-29
NAN AND BEAR FIGHT
wnITs WAS lookiNclfoR Docsurv.
GUT eRulN WAS WICKED.
/kAs near Wont Tooth and Nail Against
xnlSs and Gun and Was About ResAy to
I md whites Days When the Other hunt
II vr Came--TwO scared Mem

md whites Days When the Other Rant-
or Came--Two scared Men
Hunters and lumbermen have hyd sew
eral thrilling experiences with black
bears up in the San Bernardine noun
tains, 30 miles northwest Of Cotton,
iCal., in tho last ten years, but rone that
has reused the ranchmen and sheep
herders along the foothills Of this region
more than that of David White and
IGeorge w. Buck.
Both are young ranchmeR and excel
lent all around shots. They came from
Vineiand. N. j., years ago. Mr.. White
is about 3S years old and Mr.. Buck was
81 last month. Both are now in bad
form owing to their experience with
bear. Whites left arm was severely
lacerated and the wrist was laid bare to
the bones. His cheek and neck were cut
deeply by bear claws and his left side
has dozen gashes. Buck is in bed. His
upper legs were torn by the same BEARS
claws, his thigh was cut an inch deep
in several places and the thin flesh Of
one OF his ankles was ripped open.
II The Whites and Bucks live ON neigh
boring ranches near the mouth of Man.
-xanita canyon over in Riverside county.
Every fall they have passed in Califor-
mia the two men have laid in sufficient
supply Of provisions and grease roots for
cooking and have gone away in the foot
hills and canyons for fortnight's hunt.
i They have brought back many fox, deer
and wildcat pets, aquantity of venison,
wild geese and occasionally the skin of
q mountain lion. They started on their
annual hunt ten days ago. This season
| they were more ambitious and decided
to 60 up in the mountains-some 5000
or 5000 feet higb-foy big game. They
went up into the San Bernardino spur
of the Sierra Madre range.
The trip was unsuccessful, for the
early SHOWS i'll the upper mountains
have been unusually heavy this season
Beyond few foxes and two wildcats
they found nothing. On last Monday
Buck and White prepared to go down
the mountains to the warm valley be-
low. Buck went out for final round
of the fox traps and one more search for
big game. White remained in the log
cabin to clean the guns and get things
ready for the descent. This work he
soon finished, and he went out to smoke
his pipe and walk about among the trees
The morning was clear and agreeable,
and he sat down on a log about a quar-
ter of mile away to smoke and read
an old newspaper that he had found in
his pockets. He says he could not have
read half q column before the stiffness
was broken by the swapping of twigs
and the rustling of dry leaves hundred
yards behind him. He turned leisurely.
expecting to see the hunting dogs that
Buck had gone away with, but his blood
ran cold as he saw black bear, as large
as an OK, it seemed to him, coming to-
ward him, with nose shifting the ground
as it advanced, but eyes straight on him.
''In just fraction of a second was
of that log and was making the liveliest
tracks any one ever saw made for the
cabin" said White in telling Of the ex-
perience. 81 was unarmed but for my
bowie knife and small pistol. must
have made the distance from log to
cabin in race horse time. l had never
or at the end Of an Italian pole. When
j reached the cabin door, looked back
and saw the black bear smelling the log
where had been. By that time was
cooler, and the beast lookep smaller and
very docile. was even vexed with my
self for my fright and was glad that
Buck had not witnessed my hard run.
As stood there watching the bear nos
ing about the log thought Of all I had
ever read about the good nature of bears.
had heard so often that bears never
really attacked any one. Now. thought
I to myself, lis my golden opportunity
to get bear and show what can de
in the tanning line.
81 thought how surprised Bnck would
be to come back to camp and find that
had done what he and I had talked
about doing ever since we came out
from New Jersey. So snatched up my
winchester, and, going out into the
clearing, stood within 100 yards ok
the bear, that was then holding its nose
mp in the air as if to catch q scent. The
bear stood stock still and looked at ma
I raised my rifle, took aim and nred.
The aim was poor. The bear rolIed .
few feet, srunted rs the echo of my shot
died away, and then, scrambling 70 ito
feet, started toward me, oovsEing ap.
parently six feet to the jump.
"Talk about docile, good natured
bearsi You ought to have seen that opel
took it all in at q glance and shall
never forget the sight The beast was
believing, and, with nose up. mouth
open, teeth glistening and red blood
trickling down it, black face, it came
straight as q bullet toward me. In less
time than it takes to tell this / reached
dor cartridge at my belt. and my blood
ran cold as it flashed upon me that in
my excitement had left the cartridge
belt in the cabin, and that it was i'm
possible TO get there before the bear.
You can bet 1t was an awful moment. l
wouldn't experience 1t again for for