The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-29

ySs0 ooEy S~vesu0 ~ S0oVxseh - q
bad not -becn prepared, ! would have
fallen under the beast Ct
"The pexE move was 70 attempt to
put my losg knife into the bears heart.
My body, however. was 90 close to that
Of the bear that the knife blade struck
too close to the shoulder to do any in
jury. The bear was more cnraged than
ever and dealt me blow with one Of
its great paws that seemed like sledge
hammer ON my breast. Istumbled back
ward nearly upon the ground. Thought
then was surely goner. In an instant
the bear was upon me again with its
fore paws. reached up and gave IL a
great slash across the breast, from which
great quantities OF hot blood poured
down on me. / was most in dread Of
those long white teeth above me, but it
seemed that il was the claws that I
really had most to fear. We had a close
embrace, during which my face and
hands, as you see, were terribly scratch
ed and torn.
81 don't know how / did it, but /
managed to hold on to my knife, with
which had given the bear three deep
digs. and at the same time to grasp it
about the waist We rolled over twice,
during which my heavy clothing was
nearly torn of and my legs were terri
bly, lacerated by the bears hind paws,
but still kept clear Of the worst bites
and hugs. My strength was beginning
to fail aud realized I could not fight
on at this rate much longer. By a su-
preme effort rolled upon my side, and,
getting my right arm and hand free for
an instant, made lunge which I
meant should finish the bear. I aimed
as near under the left fore paw as I
could, and the knife went in-I don't
know how far.
II am not a responsible witness to
what occurred in the next few minutes,
for have hazy recollection Of the
bear falling plumb upon me like an
avalanche, and that is all. Buck was
almost back at the cabin when he heard
my winchester &C of. He had dropped
his fox traps and came pellmell through
the chaparral, with the dogs on ahead
of him. He says the bear was almost on
me when he first saw the fight, and he
never ran faster in all his life. BE was
probably 400 yards away when the bear
and grappled, and he did not dare to
shoot unless at close quarters for fear
he would kill me. When fell, with the
brute on me, he was 90 feet away, and
the dogs were yelping and barking all
about. At that moment Buck sent SO
ball into the bear, and then, running in
close, he aimed TO shoot again.
In fash the bear turned from me
and leaped on him. He staggered back.
and the bear raised its forepaw and dealt
him another blow on the chest. 1t was
oil done quicker than thought, Buck
says. His hunting coat Was torn, and
he felt as if all the flesh was being torn
from his bones. He retreated few feet,
and while the dogs were swapping at
the bear he shot it, standing on its hind
legs, full and fair in the chest The bear
tumbled forward, and Buck fred three
more bullets into it to make sure Of his
game. 1t was over day before we could
get about enough to think of going down
the mountain trail home.
1--WE let the bears carcass lie there
among the pine trees until the next day.
but we were both too sore to attend to
getting any trophies. Several Coahilla
Indians came that way, and they skinned
the beast for the meat and helped as
down to Hemet. They said the bear
was female and weighed between $50
and 400 pounds, which was large for a
black bear.
"Now Buck and are disputing about
who shall have that bearskin to show
to future generations Of Bucks and
Whites. Well have to draw cuts for it.
The doctor says that Buck will have TO
be In bed for a week. You may rest as
sured that the women In our homes
won't ever let as 60 out for big game
again. I've had my flll anyhow. Foxes
and wildcats up in the canyon are big
enough for me. New York Sun.