AN ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 59

AN ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR.

(Fireside.)

Some 40 years ago T was travelling in Western Texas, when I came npon a little town or colony of Holland Dutch, one of the cleanest and most beautifully situated villages I had seen in all my wanderings. During a residence of several years among the Mexicans, I had contracted the habit of eating red pepper (chili Colorado). After coming back into the American settlements I found it very inconvenient to provide my self with it, so I procured a quantity of wild pepper, which_ grows sj)ontarieously there m sections. Tliere were a great many wild turkeys in the section where we were going, and some bears, and deer were seen in herds. I have heard il stated that it' you took this powdered cayenne pepper and— floated it on a stiff breeze at night under a tree where turkeys roost, you could easily catch all that were in that tree, as they would very .soon sneeze themselves off the- roost and stagger about at your feet as if intoxicated. ... ! We went into camp, about 24 of us, all I told, about two hours, before sim&et. and boon made up a company of eight for a turkey shoot, led by a burly Dutchman of about 2001b avoirdupois. We arrived -n due time at the roost, which was not more than a mile trom camp ; bnt as the trees they had selected were the evergreen live oak, which retains iis foliage the year round, and it being rather dark in the early I part of the evening,' we found' we should j have to wait for the moon to ripe sufkeiently high to see anything among the timber. I had selected a favourable-look-ing tree for a roost, and had settled my-" sell with my back against the tree, when, looking up, I discovered to "my great delight three large turkeys en one limb, not more than ten feet above my head. It occurred to .me in an instant that now was my time to try the pepper experiment, as I should nb"t dare to shoot till the signal came. I unwrapped my pepper-box and moved cautiously out from the tree, immediately under the limb where the turkeys were sitting, ail unconscious of what was in store for them. I lifted my box above my head, and gave it a shake to throw the light powder into the breeze, at the same time giving it a waft upward by a vigorous puff. I stepped back from the place a few ! feet to avoid the pepper, whan I perceived something approaching me in an upright position. I .supposed it to be one of my j party, and stood gazing at the object unj til retreat was useless, as it had got-within reach of me before I discovered what it was ■ — a full-grown black bear. I though the hair of my head would leave the scalp. Then it was that the pepper proved its usefulness in" more ways than one. As his bearship was proceeding very affectionate! v to embrace his new acquaintance, snuffing as though he was delighted to meet me, with his mouth partly open, and his great muscular tongue lolling from one side ~of his mouth to the other, I emptied the whole contents of the box into his face. As I threw the pepper, I jumped back from j the bear to avoid his embrace, and made for my gun about ten steps away, which I had left leaning against the tree. The moon by this time had risen sufficiently to send its rays through the inter - sties between the trees, and you could Fee very plainly in one of those rays of light the antics of the bear. The turkeys by that time had inhaled enough of the cayenne to make them restless, and incessant coughing and sneezing "arose. I have a very keen sense of the ludicrous, and that scene surpassed anything that I had ever witnessed. Knowing that I had the bear as good as chained to a post, as he had almost rubbed his eyes out, and was so prostrated from his powerful exertions to rid himself of his terrible tormentor that he was powerless to do any mischief, and unable even to &es his way out of it, I felt safe in just keeping out of his reach and watching. The turkeys by this time were getting in an equally bad fix, and in a few minutes nine of them had fallen from their perch and were flopping about on the ground as if demented. ... I raised my rifls and gave the bear a shot under the left shoulder, and hs tumbled over en the grass without a groan. I then called the boys to come on and catch the turkeys, which we soon did.