A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8354, 6 September 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

IN A CAVE WITH A BEAR. A PERILOUS SITUATION. (iKOROE llospeh, a resident of Grant County, N. Max., rocently passed through an ordeal that he will nob forget till his dying day. He is aboub forty-fivo years old, and, notwithstanding he served four years in tho lost Cause and underwent many hardships and privations, ho is a perfect specimen of physical manhood, and is as hale and hearty as when ho stood a beardless boy in the front ranks of the Forty-fourth Alabama at Gettysburg. Mr. Hosper is an Alabama boy, and was raised in Randolph County, about fifty miles from Atlanta. _ George, as ho is familiarly called by his friends, has a groat weakness for frontier lifo and wild adventure, and litis had as many hairbreadth escapes perhaps as any man in New Mexico. Tho most thrilling adventure of his lifo, writes a Duncan (Ariz.) correspondent of the Atlanta Constitution, occurred a few days ago. Mr. Hosper is a very modest man, and though he delights in relating his many wonderful adventures, ho always manages, if possible, to make someone else the hero, and touches very lightly on his own exploits. He lives on the Gila River, where fanning is carried on altogether by irriga tion. He owns a little farm, which ho and his children cultivate, principally in garden truck for tho Calvin market. Cinnamon boars are numerous hero, and Mr. Hosper's love of adventure often drives him from his well-tilled farm and causes him to spend weeks in the mountains in search of his grizzly foo. About eight miles from Mr. Hosper's is a mountain known far and wide as " Steeple Rock." It has two peaks rising high toward tho heavens that very much resemble church steeples. There were formerly threo of these spires, but in ISB'2 an earthquake demolished one of them, and the tumble-down rocks around its bt»se very much resemble tho pictures of some old demolished Scottish castle. A deep canyon meanders through this mountain, and numerous unexplored caves can be found between its base and summit.

A few days ago Mrs. Hosper informed her husband that the " meat" was out, and, as is usual on such occasions, ho shouldered his Winchester and struck a bee lino for the Steeple Rock Mountain, a favourite resort for tho cinnamon bear. He generally

MAKES TIIK EXCURSION' ALON'K, but on this occasion, and for tho first time, he took his son, a lad of about twelve years. Whether providence directed him to do this matters not, but as the sequel will show the lucky circumstance of taking the boy was the means of Mr. Ho,'per being rescued from a horrible and lingering death. This is perhaps the roughest country on tho globe, and all hunting is done on foot. A burro is generally taken along to carry the grub and bring back the game, and is taken as near the hunting-grounds as possible and " staked out." Mr. Hosper and his little boy penetrated Steeple Rock Canyon to a suitable camping ground, and, taking out their burro started out in search of game. About a mile from camp he sighted a largo cinnamon boar about 1000 yards distant on tho mountain side. Directing his son to keep closo in his rear, he crawled to within '200 yards of the bear, and, taking deliberate aim, fired. At the crack of the gun tho bear hastily disappeared over a small eminence, and when Mr. Hosper went to the spot where the bear stood he found the blood so plentiful that he readily supposed that the wound was a fatal one. Following tho trail of blood about half a mile he found that the bear had entered one of the numerous caves thai abound in the canyon. Tho entrance to tho cave was about six feet in diameter, and appeared to widen as it extended under tho mountain. Mr. Hooper waited some time, hesitating whether to enter the cave or not. A small stream of water was running from the cave and hastening down tho mountain side to the picturesque valley bolow. After consulting with his son, the conclusion was reached that the bear must bo dead and that it would be no difficult matter to find him and bring him out. Gathering up a lot of the Spanish dagger for a torch, it was lighted, ami the exploration began. The boy went in front with the light, closely followed by his father with a cocked gun ready to shoot should the bear prove to lie yet alive. For about thirty feet the cave widened out until it was about twelve feet wide and perhaps eight or ten feet to the ceiling overhead, then it spread out in different directions, and from the best observation that could be made with the dim light it appeared that tho different apartments terminated at no great distance ahead. Selecting tho apartment on the right, the party proceeded forward, and had not gone more than ton feet when they distinctly saw the bear crouching in the corner of the cave. That lie was not dead was evident, for he arose from his recumbent position, and with a growl was approaching his pursuers. There was no timo for consultation or deliberation now—it was eminently a riME FOR ACTION', and tho man who had stood the " racket" in a hundred battles did not waver now. As quick as a flash the trusty Winchester was discharged, and tho bear lay a corpse at his feet. Tho son, who had shown no signs of flinching during this trying ordeal, approached the bear with his torch and found that it was really dead. It was a vorv large one, and required the exertions of the two to drag it from its lair. A short rope was tied to each hind foot, and to this "'as fastened tho gun for the two to pull .jy. Mr. Hosper says that he had just fastened the rope to the centre of the gun barrel when ho heard a rumbling sound from the direction of the cave's entrance. Hastily dropping his gun, he clasped tho boy by the hand and ran toward the entrance. When he reached the cave's mouth he found that a largo amount of loose rock and rubbish had fallen from overhead and that the entrance to the cave was about half filled up. They got out as soon as possible, and with thankful hearts for their preservation, were starting for home when Mr. Hosper thought of his gun. To abandon this trusty friend was heartrending, and before doing so anothor consultation took place. Returning to the entrance of the cave and examining it carefully, Mr. Hosper decided to wait an hour, and if no more rubbish fell from the ceiling to reenter the cave, quarter up the bear, and bring it and his gun to the entrance. At the expiration of the hour everything remained quiet, and wisely leaving his son on the outside, he returnod to tho bear, and, cutting off a ham, he shouldered his gun and hastened toward the front. He had not proceeded far when a repetition of the horrible rumbling was heard. Hastening toward the entrance, ho was soon horrified to find tho opening closed up, and apparently hundreds of waggon-loads of earth and rock obstructing his way. The man who had stood in lino of battio and faced the foe without a quiver, now stood appalled when he realised his perilous situation. Hero, shut up in a dismal cave, with no hope of rescue, destined to starve or smother, it was enough to make the stoutest heart quake with fear. He could hear no sound from the outside, and as tho last spark of light was extinguished, and lie was left in Egyptian darkness, he fell on his knees and prayed as ho had never prayed before. He shouted at the top of nis voice until he was hoarse, thinking his son might hear his voice and give an answering shout, but tho dull echoes of his own voice was all the sound he heard. Fearing to move lest he should encounter some wild beast trying to make its exit, ho again fell on his knees and sent up his supplications to God. After somo time he became convinced that ho was the only living being in the cave, and now feeling a sense of security, ho arose to his feet and began to move around in his small prison. Groping his way along, lie found the carcase of the dead boar, and thought with satisfaction that ho had tho means of prolonging his life for many days to come. Knowing that somewhere in tho cave was the fountain-head of the little rivulet he had seen in front, he began the search for water, and soon found a small stream emerging from one of the chambers.

Knowing that at least four or five hours must olapse before his son could go homo and return with assistance, he threw himsolf on the ground and soon fell asleep. How long he slept ho had 110 means of knowing, but aftor awhile, something cold touching his hand, ho nwoko and found that he was lying in water. For the first time the horrible probability of drowning entered his mind. The natural courso of tho

little stream was obstructed, and here, by slow degrees, ho was destined to drown, even should he escape starvation. The v thought was horrible, and seeking: a dry spot he again sat down and resigned himself to his fate. Nob seeing the streak of light, he conjectured that it as night, and adapting his feelings to the situation, ho again fell asleep and slept until morning. When he awoke again ho felt hungry and returned to the bear to get his breakfast. Ho found the water nearly knee deep and as cold as ice. He dragged the carcase to a dry spot and attempted to eat the raw flesh, but his stomach revolted and ho had to desist. While trying to partake of the raw meat he thought he could hear the voice of someone shouting his name. Ho jumped from the ground and hastened toward the mouth ot tho cavern, but Boon found that to reach the fallen debris he would have to swim. He shouted at tho top of his voice, and this time he could not be mistaken, for he distinctly hoard tho voice of his wife calling, *' George, George." Tho voice, however, was not from the direction of tho cavern's mouth, but seemed to come from the opening above. Leaping wildly into the air he ran to the opening, shouting as he went. His wife heard his voice, and when ho reached the opening he could see the outlines of someone above. No communication could bo had, as the distance was so great, that but few words could bo distinguished, but he knew that rescuers wore at work, and unless he was drowned by tho swelling waters lie would live to soo his dear ones again. A small bucket was let down through the opening, and for three days ho was fed from above. Tho debris was removed from the mouth of tho cavern with mules and scrapers, and on the third day ho was rescued.

It seems that a man in the vicinity had once explored tho cave, and knew of the opening from the top.