NARROW ESCAPE FROM A BEAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10407, 3 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

NARROW ESCAPE FROM A BEAR.

KEROSENE A GOOD WEAPON. Ton Clark, a well-known Northern Pennsylvania hunter, tells the following experience (hat befell him lately when hunting near WilliameporV:—" My horse was well loaded with flour, bason, and other stuff for my hunting cabin, and I had my rifle lying across the-Huur sack in front of me. Out of the brush into our path walked a great), big bear. My horae gave a snort and wheeled, and threw me headlong into the brush as ho departed down the trail. I had no revolver, and my rifle wai travelline; dawn the mountain. My knowledge of bears was limited, and that particular time I was not (unions for any new acquisition in that line. The boar teemed to regard me with a friendly eye, for he boldly advanced, while I made for a tree. The bear wanted to keep me company, for ho gob to the foot of the tree by the time I had gained a limb about six feet from the ground. The tree was just about small enough for him to climb, and he tried his claws on the bark as high as he could reach. Iwm in a bad fix, and no way to help myself. I had no knife, but luck and a happy thought helped me. I had a canteen of kerosene suspended around my neck, whi>ih I thought would make his eyes smart. The oil bad no effect, for the brute continued to look at me, and seemed to grin. Then another idea occurred to me. I had a fresh box of matches, and if I could set fire to the oil that I had poured over the bear's head the battle was won. I made several attempt! to drop burning matchoi on the oily head of the bear, but the ln'cifers either went out or missed the qgnrk, I bad no paper, but I managed to tear. * piece of lining out of my vest, and ,getting a limb aim oil three feet long, fastened the rag to it, set. fire to the rag, and with more satisfaction than I ever did anything else lowered the burning rig at the end of the stick, until within about thwe feed of the bear's oil-soaked head, and let.it drop. The oil instantly took fire. The animal was surprised beyond the limit of. any bear'i imagination. One bowl of pain, then «p went the paws to rub the burning bead, to get burned for their trouble, followed by another howl then down with the nose into the dirt, bub no relief, when, with a terrific bowl, the bear made a nih through the brush, up the mountain, oat of light."—Philadelphia hen. ......... ■* .■.-'►■'• ■• -•■,'- •■ •' 1 (•