ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2426, 28 January 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR.

An undor-gardener who lives in the neighbourhood of Slateford was the chief hero in rather a startling incident on Friday night, but which was happily unaccompanied with any serious results beyond u severe fright. In the course ot that day an itinerant musician with the usual hurdy-gurdy and dancing boar, accompanied by his wife and a donkey which carried his belongings, waain the neighbourhood of that village pursuing his avocations. The shades of night overtook him and his family in tho course of his wanderings, nud. not finding a suitable plnco to shelter, ho encamped in a small belt of plantation near the public road, and the party proceeded to make themselves comfortable. Mr Bruin _ was fastened to a tree by a chain, but in the course of the evening succeeded in detaching himself, and wandered on to the publicfroiid in quest of adventure. The under-gardener, familiarly known among his associates as "Jock," had occasion to be in tho village executing certain ines-sn«-es. His way home was along this road on which the bear was wandering. When near the plantation "Jock" and Bruin encountered one another. In the gloom the gardener took tho bear and bis trailing chain for a dog which belonged to an adjoining farm ho was in tho habit of occasionally visiting, and imagined the animal had got loose from his fastenings. The gardener commenced to caress the animal, and, being struck with its size and peculiar behaviour, lit a match, wht-n to his horror he perceived that ho was in close proximity to a bear. Uttering » cry of fright tho gardener took to his heels, and rested not til! ho found himself at home. The bear was recaptured.