The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-23
AND The SIX BEARS GOT AWAY
TRANCE FAMILY REUNION GAVE
BRUIN HIS CHANCE.

8etuGf IN Uu0 "a Vh1 Vths
In Quest OF Their Favorfte Game.
PREsoUB ISLE, Me-. Feb. k.-The CIR
cumstances attending the reunion OF the
Leblanc family In the wtlds Of Aroostook
county this week were Of a character TO
surprise the brothers who assembled, and
TO cause deep regret on the part OF those
who participated. Mitchell, Fred and Ell
Leblanc were born near Montreal and are
descended from q family Of bear hunters
who nave chased Bruin In the wtlds OF
Canada for more than three hundred years
the calling descending from father to son
In regular succession. 500 after the close
Of the Civil War bears grew scarce In Canada
and tho brothers, finding they would have
to work for a living. came to Maine where
they found employment In the woods and
about the sawmills.
Though they came over together and at
onoe found work that paid them well, not
one Of The brothers has seen tho other since
the year Of their arrival, which was In 1871.
They wrote sparingly n at long inter
walls, and II her newspapers had not recorded
their feats OF endurance and courage while
they were chasing and slaying bears in
different parts Of the State. they would have
lost track Of ono another years ago.
Tho fact that they met In the woods q
few days ago and recognized one another
was due to their devotion to their old pas
sion for killing bears. the one ancestral
impulse which remains In the family IN
spite Of years spent In hard work among
the Yankees. Mitchell. the oldest brother,
has worked In the mill at Ashland for FIVE
years. This winter when work stopped
for a Of logs. he tool TO hunting bears.
and met with poor reward, for though he
walked far and used all his skill, he soon
learned that owing to the mild weather
none Of the bears had sone into winter
quarters. preferring a Life Of freedom In
the forest to the customary months Of sleep.
Last Sunday when Mitchell was return
ing from an unsuccessful hunt and was
nearing Ashland Junction, he came across
the fresh tracks OF q mother bear and her
two yearling cubs. As the animals showed
signs Of weariness, the Frenchman made
up his mind to follow on for q few days
In the hope Of getting both meat and skins.
The chase proved long and hard. For
three nights he slept In the woods, and
though he kept close to his game all the
way he wa never able to get a shot.
ciit ohf ho INV alOIlk iIo pdSS VI
q mountain for four hours and could see
the three bears scaling the 10y peaks a
mile away but owing to the slippery going
the bears wearing creepers OF their own
raising while Mitchell was compelled to
travel in m~occasins-he was unable to
reach the brutes with his rife. During
the night, while the Frenchman slept under
come spruce brush. the bears escaped
from the mountain, crossed the Aroo-
River and penetrated deep into a
cedar swamp which is so thick that few
are able to make, headway,among
the underbrush.
The day after Mitchell started on his
hunt, Fred, who worked in the woods near
Van Buren,, was told by the boss OF the
TO quit work and not return until
he had slain the leaf and ~insolent bear
that had been robbing the mems dinner
pals. Until this time the bear seemed
TO pay no heed TO the hunters who had tried
to kill IL, but no sooner had Fred taken
the trail than the animal struck out across
townships and made haste TO gain the
swamps along the Aroostook River. Fred
sent to camp for a supply Of food, took
up a few holes In his belt and swore in
bad French and worse English that he
would catch that bear II he had to aunt
until next June.
His adventures while on the trail were
not of an exciting kind, though he suffered
much from exposure. and at one time
he was compelled TO kill a deer In order
to supply himself with food. Early In
the morning Of Ash Wednesday he noted
blood on the snow and felt sure he
III ~ 49,
but in the afternoon he saw where the
had turned of and escaped in the
great cedar swamp that lies along the
banks Of the Aroostook River. This
caused him 10 make n wide detour In the
hope Of heading the pea of when 1t should
emerge on the other side. As there was
a Journey of ten miles ahead of him, and
as the sun was nearly down TO the hills.
he cut some boughs, kindled a fire and
While the Bangor and Aroostook Rail-
road was waiting until the ground thawed
TO push the new branch from Ashland
to Fort Kent, a crew was set TO work on
an unnamed township west OF Monticello,
out cedar telegraph poles and ties.
Eli Leblanc was boss of the work.
work was light and every spare half
day that came 10 him was spent in the
swamps seeking for signs Of bear.
He soon learned that the animals had
neglected 10 go into winter quarters. and
had begun TO despair Of capturing any Of
favorite game when word was brought
TO him that two hungry bears had invaded
a moose yard five miles north of the camp
and committed great havoc among the herd.
The next day he detailed n man TO take
Of the camp, sent word to Houlton
he was going to TAX n holiday. and
before night he had searched the moose
yard, found the trail and was going north
as fast as his snowshoes and a keen appe-
lite for bear meat would take him.
The bears he was chasing were in excel
.ent condition for a long tramp. They
we're lean and in good wind. while the moose
meat, which they had lately eaten, had
given them strength TO keep moving day
md night. Eli made fifty miles before
he stopped TO sleep, and after a nap OF
TWO hours he wa up and away. Early In
he week he ran the tracks to tho edge Of
he cedar swamp on Aroostook River,
loipu still fresh and f1riora q. IA.