A SIERRA BEAR HUNT.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 887, 14 February 1891, Page 3

A SIERRA BEAR HUNT.

I was- located some few yesjrs since on the banks of a small creek high up m the Sierras m Nevada Country, Cal., writes a New York Herald correspondent. , I was spending a. summer's yacation m 1 hunting and fibhirig and othferwisa enjoying the pure mountain air of that region, ;rj f - ■ ,? .- ; « I had caught many fine specimens; of 'X'trdokf ,'a^d> la|e) #riraQ and; had shot more or less small game and an occasional buck. I had heard: that bears abonnded m the vicinity, but had not thus far seen any, although I had often encountered their tracks. ! I bad about given up the! idea of this exciting sport when as I cAme out of my tent one morning I sfcw, to my ill 'Mifprißßi anjlndian^lesraing pn his rifb, while a number of squaws and children were variously scattered about apparently gathering fuel with which to, ftuild ,the t breakf ast fire,, ' ' ' ° ){ - x r) * ' c,kJ binding that'tliilndians \tere friendly disposed and that the head of ( tbe, family, whose name 1 ascertained to be Joe, could speak good English, 1 struck; ,up .an acquaint ancej then and there. Strange to soy, Joe had) moved pupj from his winter quarters iri the valley for the purpose of hunting m the mountains, and I soon learned that Joe Tras a mighty hunter m thosje parts. It is not to be wondered At then that ire, Joe and I, arranged a j grand bear hunt for the following morning. Joe had a couple of mangylooking curs that he said were good bear dogs, statement I took for granted, although I had my doubts m the mattejr. As we started out bright and early -~JfefL .sS?* *995" n B, I notice! that Joe's .family were! trailing bdhind at a r^tfnl distance, and I m>Me\i"it , rvthwr ,alsd w,ere to ? . join m the hunt, I a^tlß^arji. learned that they were not 'only a useful but a necessary part of the .- cexpeditiop... .....,-, A ... ., , » ; '"-- r;if „'.rj, .'.rj jA/twJßki^ting^lottgi the; brow of a :) range pf hill^fpr.soinei iimri Jfta'brdbrW a halt. - ,Th^ woman a^d : -children went :•! on ahta^, while ;^"oe and I descended to 1 the bottom of a deep can Von. 'See,' said my companion ; ( hear!! big bear 1' „".^l.loQked!ab ( pu.t,me, somewhat alarmed, ' TlfVdffiit/IJut^hen I saw! Joe pointing, to some* bear tracks 1 felt reassured, 2 fine) 'ftp t§ss reached our course along ■ tberh^je ,of the bjl} . T y „ J i( We had "., g9Ue origin this manner for 'perhaps 'half an hour when I heard a succession of screams and yells coming fromthe top of the hill^some distance off. ! :i 'Before ! 1 Had time to see what it meant a '/^ $umber qf large frocks and boulders ; ,'jeai^ crashing, aowh the ravine a short distance ahead . . ,1 then • noticed one of Jioe'sidogs acting m a. suspicious manner. The jbris"tles on the J cur's neck 4 l)eg^n •••' to -stand out straight as it '■'■ suddenly 'stopped ihi front of a dense mass of chdpparal, and growled m a threatening manner — - 1 , - -!iiGet s gpn, ,7f;aid Joe, placing ■ jift owh weapotr to'his- shoulder. Mean--1 w'uileitb.e yeJJs continue.d^apd rocks ci me • thundering down r tbe cannon as before. These we^ -enough to scare arty' -sorfc-'of 1 bear jmt of "his hiding~pla(?e, I thought ; as X realised the cau^e of all the •^'rump'u's^ »'«''«•>?/ IT i ■ < X - ; /All righ*, y Joe,', sntd ! I ; ' just let ; ...the bear show himself, I'lljbe. ready for — "phT ! Lord'l '■ Herej- J jqe, help ! J I • ; r '■ : Vras f unable to • move h an<| or foot, And .'anddehlv; dropped my gun m absolute terrorr _ ; ...... , - •' ''. Whit a monster it was ! I could its litigfj cTaws- as it stjruck the dogs. „. ,J.t was^ very picture 0,1:1 savage power and.fer.ocity. ' j -r #■ * f •■ ,1 Again I yelled to Job foj 1 jhelp/a^dj ..iheiJ^as the bear had almost reached I managed to run ajfew steps and \ <r dn')the! M'<)und, Visions of I 'being* ujhewed- *nd? clawed into (lu&!flS9W!*! rpT^se before! me and I could i almost feel the brute's hot breath v iVlie>i t^oihetfs fang 'out jupon th- air. JBe next thing 1 ronjcinbe- wrs Joe asking me to take a drij k from a fittslc , he w».s bolting to my mquth. I took a long deep pull, and thenj looked around for the bear. v There it was, lying dend on the ground -.almost within reach, The dead and mutilated carcase of Joe's beat dog was lying close beside him. ' Joe,' said I, ' 1 dout believe \ want any jmore beW hunting .' | ' Pgb',' replied Joe yeith his usual grunt • Bie bear ill dog, kill you too, e' pose not quick ; I shuddered at the ' thougtit of this last proposition. I have - never limited for bears since nor have I had any ilesire to. s I brought the sicin of that bear back , ; with „r ue; to Han Francisco though. where it lay for a long time iv my „ room: as a testimonia! (so my friends .'•• J .j(;houjjliyipf;niy prp;weesas a mighty bear