The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-02-03

RorAL BAKING so~DER CO. NEW Nosk.
hunting, and one night, after fash
/ lOnahle performance at the Moscow
theatre, was at the Erimilage, a re
staurant, | think, without an equal H.
the worl d. awaiting the return of my
! friend F., who had driven a lady to
her home | was chatting with some
acquaintances when T. entered. and
asked ne with q smile: "Apropos.
what will we pay for the bear?" 1
responded that | did not want to buy
but wanted to shoot bear. After
many funny remarks | learned that
! we would have to buy the bear before
we could hunt him. The peasants
make it their business TO discover the
lair of the bear. and as soon as they
find one they send word to their land
lord or to well known hunter, ask
ing what price he will pay per pud
The pud is 36 English pounds, and
the peasants generally ask from 10 to
II rubles per pud. They usually get
eight rubles (abont 81 per pud. After
the bargain is completed day for the
hnnt is fixed. and the hunters having
| been posted, the peasants enter the
woods and drive the bear out to
them. After the animal is killed he
Is weighed and the price agreed on IS
paid.
The day following the meeting at
the Erlmitage, our party, six in mum
ber, boarded the St Petersburg ex-
press, leaving Moscow at 9 O'clock p
IN. At half past four in the morning
the conductor awakened us and at )
we arrived at O. Friend P's
country seat is only about two versts
from the depot and soon two sleds
conveyed us to that hOspitable roof
| Comfortably heated rooms received
us, and after having taken a cup of
/ hot tea we all went to bed again to
enjoy some rest, as we did not intend
to start on the hunt before 10 o'clock
At nine o'clock we We're called to
sumptuous breakfast The faithful
Ivan gave me report of the locality
where and how the peasants has dis
covered the bear, what preparations
had been made and how the bear
should be driven into the shooting
circle. We then started. Our equip
lnent consisted Of thick, but not bur
densome furs, high impermeable
boots heavy short double barreled
guns, revolvers and long hunting
knives. In two sleds we rapidly pro
ceeded on our way to the wooded
hills of the Waldai Mountains After
drive of abOut one hour we alighted
and, led by ivan, climbed and glided
down deep ravine, not an easy job
| considering our outfits. Then we
marched about fifteen minutes along
the bottom of the ravine until we
came on the right to second broad
detile. This was TO be the theatre of
our present expedition, for IN some of
| the recesses of this gorge the lair of
bear had been found. Then the chain
| of hunters WAS formed. the respective
! positions being determined by lots.
Fate assigned me the extreme left
wing, where | stood some distance up
the mountain side About one hun
dred PAGES on the right stood my next
neighbor When | had settled my
self In the snow, which was not very
! deep, | waited for events | hal not
much confidence in the advantage of
my position. for | thought it was Ger
tain the bear would make It's escape
along thA valley and not up the slopes
After about three quarters Of an
Ionr | heard the first noise, and then,
| with frequent occurrences. the crack
ing Of branches, but without seeing
anything. Nearer and nearer came
the noise OF the drivers. but no re-
port of gun was heard; nothing re
sembling the breaking through the
woods of heavy animal was heard
NOg the drivers were so near me that
[ could see them at any moment; be-
lieving, besides, that the driving had
been fruitless | stood there lazy and
detected, the gun resting on my left
, ann. when suddenly a little above
something broke through the
bushes. | did not imagine that this
, Was he bear. and as no shot was to
be fired at any other game | did not
even raise NY gun. The cracking
{ came nearer, increasing all the while
, in force. and suddenly, not fifteen
yards distant, a huge brown bear
emerged from the underbrusb, coming
down upon me in an oblique line
Without adjusting my gun properly
| (fOr which L had not the necessary
time) | firad. and with a hissipg groan
, bruin went down, turning somers ault
after somersault. But, before | had
time for a second shot. he Was on bis
legs again and bad disappeared in the
, direction of the other hunters. First
: my neighbor fired and then several
, other shots followed almost sivlulta-
neously Just when ! had reloaded
, my neighoor fired another shot. and
, the next moment the bear emerged
from the bushes, coming for me a
second time lie Was not farther
/ than fifteen yards.
? With my gun ready l stood await
r ing his advance. He approached a
> few PAGES before he discovered me-
2 At first he seemed surprised Then
v he reared aud made ready for fight
He was not more than eight PAGES
r distant, and could see his eyes set
with blood and bloody saliva flowing
from his jaws. His ears were thrown
t back and with bis mouth wide open
y he presented terrible aspect. but il
l the presence of imminent danger
T my elf-possession returned. aimed