Year: 1875

or since.


Michigan Bear Hunt.


On Saturday afternoon two men
named James Marshall and ohm Ebhitts
the former drummer for New York
house, and the latter resident of De
troit, strated from North Branch on a
bear hunting expedition. Proceeding
81 miles east and from thence five miles
north, they came upon bear tracks of
unusual size. They had with them a
gun each of approved pattern, an I'M
commonly large bull dog, who was never
known 10 turn back at anything and of
savage species, and Siberian blood
hound who weighed not less than $50
pounds. The dogs were the first to scent
the game, and with tails and bristIes
erect they eagerly started on the var
path, Marshall and Ebbitts following in
the rear as fast as possible. About five
miles further on they unexpectedly
came upon the bear, who was quietly
slumbering in cavity made by the up
heaval of an immense beech tree. The
dogs gave growl AMI bark as they
discovered the monster, and without
another sign sprapg with feroeity on the
bear before he had fairly time to recov-
er his consciousness. He was not long
in doing it, however, for he immediate
,.0eo n
fierce growl, elevated the corners of his
lips, disclosing as ugly a set of molars as
ever adorned a Michigan bear. faced the
dogs, and raising his right paw he hit
the bull dog in the ribs, knocking him
about twenty feet and landing him on
the top Of pine stump three feet in
hight. In the meantime the bloodhound
had not been idle. The bear had no
sooner dealt his companion a blow than
he seized him by the flank with fero-
city which caused him to whirl around
with such force as to break loose. The
bear elevated himself on his hind legs
and opened his mouth, prepared for an
embrace. The bloodhound did not de-
cline the proffered hug, and quick as
fash of lightning sprang at the bear,
seized him by the throat, and the battle
was begun in deadly earnest. The bear
was overthrown by the sudden onset
made by the bloodhound, and fell on his
back, the bloodhound still clinging to
his throat. Dog and bear were mixed
up in such q manner that the hunters
were afraid to fire for fear they would
kill the dog, and as the dog up to that
moment seemed to have the best of the
fight they determined to let the battle
rage without interruption. The bear
recovered himself in a seconds time,
and drew up his hind paws with the ev-
iGent intention of disemboweling his
antagonist. But the dog saw the move
ment. jumped aside, and unfortunately
rose, maddened with pain, and seeing the
hunters, started for them with the dog at
his heels. They emptied their guns in
to his carcass, but he didn't seem to





that they did not have time to reload,
and they turned and ran toward large
beech tree about fifteen rods distant, the
bear in close pursuit, and the dog close
at the heels of the bear Just as the
latter had cleared the gap between him
self and the hunters to within about
three feet, the dog again seized him by
the flank and hung on with such force
that the bear could not extricate himself.
He again whirled the dog loose and they
met face to face and came together with
terrific fury. The hunters hastily load
ed their pieces, walked up within six
PAGES of the bear, took aim and fired Just
as the bear, with a we'll and powerfully
directed blow with his right arm hit the
dog between the eyes, splitting his head
open as neatly as if struck with an ak,
The bear, when fired at, fell, and after
struggling a few moments in mortal
agony, was dead. On examination it
was found that the BLOODHOUND and bull
dog were also dead, the latter having all
his ribs smashed in. A farmer was hired
to carry the bear to the nearest station,
and when put upon the scales he tipped
the beam at 450 pounds. One of his
paws, when cut off, weighed just FIVE
pounds. Ii took copious draughts of
brandy for three days in succession be-
fore the nerves of the hunters became
any way steady, SO great had been their
excitement over the contest. OF fcourse
| they were not frightened any of the time
they deny that charge with the scorn and
indignation that the imputation degerv-
es.-[ Lapeer Democrat.