-Bellefonte, Arkansas-

-Friday, January 12, 1872-

-Page 3-

A Fight for Survival

He went out for squirrels but found something much bigger. Too stubborn to be eaten, Mr. Hamilton, of Missouri, recounts his story of resourcefulness and triumph in the face of death.

Bear hunting is not always the pleasantest kind of amusement. So thinks Mr. Hamilton, of Missouri. This gentleman shouldered his rifle one morning and went into the timber about a mile off to shoot squirrels. At night he had not returned, nor did he make his appearance during the following night. As squirrels are not apt to devour a man, several neighbors next morning went in search of him, about three o’clock in the afternoon they found him up a tree thirty feet from the ground, and unable to extricate himself.

You never know when the squirrels will say enough is enough, and start devouring men.

He said that about three o’clock the previous day he came across a large black bear and shot at him, but missed him when the bear made for him with all his might. He ran, and finding the bear gaining on him he threw away his rifle and climbed up a sycamore tree, with the bear following right at his heels. The top of this tree had been broken off, and was hollow, in which hole he thrust one of his legs to keep himself from falling, but soon found that his leg was fast when he tried to extricate himself and could not draw it out.

The bear, in the meantime, had torn the boot off on the outside, and was gnawing his ankle. Mr. Hamilton took his pocket-knife out and cut at his eyes, but with one sweep of his paw the bear struck the knife from his hand, with a part of two of his fingers. He could see no help and gave up, expecting to be eaten up alive by the beast.

But soon a happy thought struck him. That morning he had put some salt in his pocket to salt some cattle he had running in the timber, which providentially he had not found. Of this he took a small handful and sprinkled it in the bear’s eyes. It had the desired effect. He shook his head, growled, and went down. He soon however, returned, when a little more salt drove him away the second time, when, to Mr. Hamilton’s inexpressible delight, he now saw him trotting off into the forest. And now Mr. Hamilton advises all hunters in Osage County to carry a pocketful of salt with them, or else be sure they are “dead shots” before they practice target-shooting on a black bear.