The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1909-01-21

When she climbed out OF a hollow |
tree high up In the mountain one day
late In February, old Bruinetta felt
the keen cravings Of a long empty
stomach. There had been q pro-
tonged thaw. and the snow fingered
only In dirty patches. After smiling
the damp air eagerly the bear scram-
bled down the western slope. She
had tasted for three months, and was
bent on satisfying her hunger.
A mountaineer's sheepfold suffered
that night, but Bruinetta was as
shrewd as she was ravenous. She
did not gorge herself and remain ex-
posed to danger, but put a good ten
miles behind her before crawling un-
der stump pile at dawn.
Still farther westward, beyond all
sight OF the mountains, there is
hilly region, with a good deal of TIM
Der on the sleeper slopes. Byrann
Valley abounds In lambs and pigs and
poultry, with an occasional cluster OF
"bee-skeps." Bruinetta found excel
lent provender there for a fortnight
before the amazed farmers arose to
slay her.
A bear had not been seen in that
region before in thirty years. At rare
intervals lynx appears and has to
be hunted down, a panther caused a
furry In the valley In 1897, and Wild
cats are heard and seen at times. but
the present generation had lost all
knowledge of bears. For two weeks
the people simply wondered what 1t
could be that was killing their sheep
and prowling about their pigpens.
There was practically no snow ex-
sept along the fences, and Bruinetta
was old and experienced In the art of
leaving very few telltale footprints
behind her. But one evening Seth
WOodard saw her climbing the slope
back of his farm and her troubles be-
gan.
Men and dogs gathered for the
hunt. The trail led up the valley to
where Byram Creek, after flowing
down Bowker Hill, hugs the foot of
the slope for nearly 100 rods before
entering the more open country. A
deep ravine strikes the creek at right
angles near the bend, and up this
cash in the hillside the dogs ran till
halted by overhanging cliffs. The
puzzled hunters wasted the remain
der Of the day in searching for an i'm
-@ginary cave, where they thought the
bear had taken refuge, and then went
home, grumbling at their Ill luck.
Three days later the farce was re-
peated. Everybody was sure that the
bears den was somewhere near the
head Of the ravine. but the most dill
gent search failed to find It.
This was on q Friday. Sunday
night Lem Porter rushed out at the
sound of the frantic squeals of one of
sheats. to see Bruinetta bearing OF
the unfortunate porker in her arms.
She rele ased the pig when closely
pressed. 1t was badly scratched and
squeezed, but still alive. Monday
morning the biggest hunt of all was
organized.
James Robertson, an old naturalist
living near Byram Corners, who spent
his summers in the mountains, and
was more familiar with birds and
beasts than with men, had a shrewd
idea as to how the bear evaded her
pursuers. Early in the forenoon he
perched himself on a rock above the
ravine. as q spectator.
He heard the baying and barking
OF the motley pack of dogs two miles
down the valley. The hunters were
sweeping both hillsides.
From a cross road a single shot
rang out. Deprived of her dinner of
Ylnrl nprfnnffo
and had fingered later than usual.
The bullet. fired at long range by
farmer who had caught a glimpse of
her, had stung her left shoulder, and
she was in tremendous hurry.
Across the fields she numbered with
surprising speed and entered the ra-
vine, but instead of ascending 1t she
followed the rivulet down to the
creek, along the shadows of which
she splashed up stream. This hid her
completely from any one lower down
the valley, and also threw the dogs
of the scent, which may or may not
have been Intentional on her part.
The shelter of the creek banks was
the main thing, undoubtedly, and the
ravine afforded the most convenient
route for reaching the bed of the
stream.
A quarter OF mile higher up are
the Byram Falls. really little more
than series Of cascades. The rocks
are steep and slippery, but Robertson
smiled to see the bear climb them
nimbly.
Before this time she probably had
paused and hidden herself somewhere
in the gorge, but now. frightened by
the flesh wound in her shoulder, she
kept on. and disappeared In the IN
.derbrush that fringes the sue.
Bowker Hin. w. i
Men and dogs arrival NA~wc