Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-11-27
The STORY Teller.
NOSED BY A WOUNDED BEAR,

/
In October, 1895, the writer wa
washing gold from the beach sands a
Anchor Point, Cook Inlet, Alaska.
had two Indians working with me, bu
cold snap having set in on the nigh
of the 21st, the water in our ditch wa
frozen the next day, so we were com
pelled to close operations for the sea
son. The Indians are not much OF
the work in this section of the grea
territory, and were glad to get a rest
They were also anxious to take a trll
up Kachekmak Bay to collect SOM
traps they had set out there, and ex
pecting to meet bear before they wen
| into winter retreats, asked me to LOAF
them my $3.50 Winchester rife in ex
change for large single-shot one o
very heavy calibre, which request
complied with, foolishly, as the seque
will show. There are several lndiar
houses at this point, occupied in th'
summer months by many families dry
ing salmon (eucali) for the surround
ing settlement, but at this time they
were all uninhabited except the ont
nearest the beach, which l occupied
and the next one further back, occu
pied by the two Indians.
On the 29th, about 4.S0 p. M, 1 hao
got back to the cabin from prospect
ing trip, and, it being too early to gel
supper, went out and sat down on the
beach bank to see if there was any
sign of the Indians returning. The
sun was just about to set, and, shad
ing my eyes with one hand, I took 6
last look before returning to the house
when was thrown into a 1utter o.
excitement by seeing two huge brown
bears walking leisurely in my direc
ton along the beach not two hundred
yards distant.
1 fell backward in the grass, turned
myself over on my face, crawled 9
short distance toward the cabin, and
when I had advanced far enough In
this way to rise without being seen
got up and ran for the rife. tried tt
put the cartridge belt on, but found il
would not near reach around my
waist, so extracted several cartridges
and, loading the rifle, put the extrs
ones in my pocket. Hurrying back te
the beach, followed small pathway
that led to cutting in the bank, Civ
ing both an easy grade down and at
fording concealment. My heart be-
gan to beat 40 violently with the ex
citement of the moment as l sat dowr
in this cutting that I feared I coult
not shoot accurately, but I tried my
best to calm myself and keep cool
knowing full we'll these brown bears
were game as any animals that evel
roamed forest or jungle, and required
a nervy man to tackle them alone.
now regretted having exchanged my
trusty repeating Winchester for thi'
single shooter that I was unfamiliar
with, never having fired shot from it
In a very few minutes I was made
aware of the approach of the bears BY
a shufling noise on the gravel. Pres
emily the nose of one of them came il
view, quite close to the bank. Tht
nose rose in the air and commenced
shifting, then the brute gave a low
angry growl. he evidently having go
scent of my presence. He advanced
step before he caught sight of me
and, in the manI time, I had raised the
rifle to my shoulder, ready for action
When he saw me ne stopped, as if il
doubt how to act, giving me time tt
take aim right for his brain, and fire
The shot took effect in the exact spot
and he fell in his tracks. Hurriedly
replacing the exploded cartridge with
full one, I ran down to the beach tc
find the other bear. The blood was
now coursing through my veins at 6
mad rate. The success Of this first
shot elatsd me, and all signs of feal
had vanished.
The report had evidently alarmed
the second bear, for he was scamperine
off at full speed. I dropped on one
knee, and resting my elbow on the
other, took a steady, deliberate aim
and pulled the trigger. The ball struck
home, for he swerved in his gait, but
he still kept going until he arrived al
place where the bank was quite low
and turned in there before I had time
tC get a second shot at him. rushed
after him with ali the haste was cap
able of, but by the time 1 reached the
low tank he was nowhere visible.
A short distance back of the cabin
there is a clump of scrub timber and
fallen trees, with patch of brushwood
that resembles furze. Concluding he
must have taken shelter there, started
in that direction to hunt him up, but
failed to see the slightest "signs," moi
being able to track him in the grass.
In the ardor of the pursuit I 60,
heated and considerably excited, so
sat down on a fallen tree to cool off 8
little and collect myself. began tc
think I ought to be satisfied with hav'
ing killed one of these animals, con
sidering they fierce nature. Although
I had shot in the four years had lived
in this district some 20 bears, they
were all black ones, and these are
arrant towards. They will run and
below like calf when wounded, and