The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-04-15
SAVED BYSLIPPERY ELM.
A YOUNG HUNTERS WONDERFUL
EXPERIENCE WITH A BEAR.

| The Queer Set OF Circumstances That Pre-
served Wingate's Life-While Caught
I'm Big Bear Trap He Climbed Tree
and Bafled Bruin in Amusing Fashion.
J. M. Wingate was one of party of
Green Brier Nimrods limiting over the
Bear Meadow grounds in Pennsylvania
recently. Wingate had been standing
watch on deer crossing almost the
entire day without espying any game.
Toward evening he started on the re-
turn to camp for the night.
Hurrying over the rocks and fallen
trees in his descent from the top of
the ridge on which he had been stand
ing, he struck what appeared a we'll
marked trail. As it led in the direc-
ton he wanted to go, Wingate decided
to follow it.
He had not gone far when he stepped
on something that yielded under his
weight. There was snap and clang
of metal, shower of twigs and leaves
thrown in the air, binding sensation
about his RICH; ankle, and Wingate
found himself caught in the jaws of a
big bear trap. The pain experienced
by the blow on the bones when the
teeth of the trap sprang caused him to
swoon.
Just how long he remained uncon-
scious Wingate could not tell. When
he revived he saw a big she bear sit
ting on her launches not a rod away,
with the hunters gun in her paws.
Fast in steel trap, weakened by the
pain he was suffering, faced by vi
cious animal that was in possession of
his only weapon of defence, Wingate
felt that he was, indeed, in q fix.
Wingate's first impulse was to cry
aloud for help, but he knew the hunt
ing camp was miles away and that his
cries could not be heard. He made
an attempt to reach his gun, which by
this time the bear had dropped, but
the move was met by such threaten
ing growl from Bruin that he stopped
short. Possibly half hour passed
thus when the bear showed signs Of
increasing restlessness. Snarling and
growing, twisting and turning, but
with always watchful eye on Win
gate, the old bear expressed deter
mination to stay it out.
The hunter racked his brain for
some possible way of escape. He had
been stealthily trying the springs of
the trap, but found them beyond his
power to move, and he had about given
up hope, with thought that it was
only matter of time until he would
be seized, when, like an inspiration,
an idea flashed through his head.
The trap was chained about large
tree, the chain being loose about the
trunk, but locked shut. Wingate's
idea was that if he could climb the
tree, dragging the trap with him, he
might escape. Summoning all his
available strength for one supreme eff
fort, he arose on his left foot, cIasped
the tree and climbed for his life. The
tree happened to be slippery elm
that had been barked for a distance
from the ground SO that the chain
slipped up easily. He was fully ten
feet from the earth before the bear
seemed to realize what was being done.
With rush and blood-curdling
growl Bruin made for the tree, while
the hunter climbed still higher. Win
ties leg was badly torn and bruised,
aud the blood trickled down the tree
side, red trail to the ground below.
As events proved, this alone saved his
life. Bruin did not at once begin to
climb the tree, but danced about on
her hind legs, and, with her mouth
wide open, licked the drops of blood
which had flowed from Wingate's ankle.
Then a most unexpected thing hap
pened. The bear having moistened
the barked elm, it became as slippery
as glass, and when she undertook to
climb the tree she could no more do it
than one could climb creased pole.
Time after time did she try to raise
herself along the tree trunk, but each
effort only resulted in her sliding
back to the bottom. The longer she
tried, the more enraged the bear be-
came. In the fury and fuss the trunk
of the elm became covered with q
lather and the bear soaked with it.
Finally the animal became 30 ex-
hausted from her efforts to get up the
tree that she could no longer stand on
her feet. Covered with the elm juice
from head to foot. the great brute
slipped and rolled in complete help
lessness. Again and again she tried
to get on all fours, but struggle as she
would, the effort was always in vain.
With all the pain he suffered, and q
realization Of the danger he had so
narrowly and providentially escaped.
Wingate could not help but laugh at
the sight beneath him, and he was not
slow to take advantage of such q
chance Of fortune.
He knew that if he did not act at
once the slippery lather that then
rendered the bear so helpless would
soon dry, and then the opportunity
would be passed. Slipping down the
tree again, he was able, by lying at
full length on the ground, to reach
his gun, and with it once in his pos
session it was but the work of min
ute to send Winchester ball crash
ing through the bears skull, quieting
Bruin forever, and leaving him nm
menaced to try to liberate himself
from the trap.
For almost half an hour Wingatc
ko k~o~>