A sanguinary encounter with bears took place in the vicinity of
Tara-height, on the Madawaska river, a few years since:
"A trap had been set by one of the men, named Jacob Harrison, who, being
out in search of a yoke of oxen on the evening in question, saw a young
bear fast in the trap, and three others close at hand in a very angry
mood, a fact which rendered it necessary for him to make tracks
immediately. On arriving at the farm, he gave the alarm, and, seizing an
old dragoon sabre, he was followed to the scene of action by Mr. James
Burke, armed with a gun, and the other man with an axe.
"They proceeded direct to the trap, supplied with a rope, intending to
take the young bear alive. It being a short time after dark, objects
could not be distinctly seen; but, on approaching close to the scene of
action, a crashing among the leaves and dry branches, with sundry other
indications, warned them of the proximity of the old animals. When
within a few steps of the spot, a dark mass was seen on the ground--a
growl was heard--and the confined beast made a furious leap on Jacob,
who was in advance, catching him by the legs. The infuriated animal
inflicted a severe wound on his knee, upon which he drew his sword and
defended himself with great coolness.
"Upon receiving several wounds from the sabre, the cub commenced to
growl and cry in a frightful and peculiar manner, when the old she-bear,
attracted to the spot, rushed on the adventurous Harrison, and attacked
him from behind with great ferocity. Jacob turned upon the new foe, and
wielded his trusty weapon with such energy and success, that in a short
time he deprived her of one of her fore paws by a lucky stroke, and
completely disabled her, eventually, by a desperate cut across the neck,
which divided the tendons and severed the spinal vertebrae. Having
completed his conquest, he had ample time to dispatch the imprisoned cub
at leisure."
"During the time this stirring and dangerous scene, we have related, was
enacting, war was going on in equally bloody and vigorous style at a
short distance. Mr. Burke, having discharged his gun at the other old
bear, only slightly wounded him; the enraged Bruin sprang at him with a
furious howl. He was met with a blow from the butt-end of the
fowling-piece. At the first stroke, the stock flew in pieces, and the
next the heavy barrel was hurled a distance of twenty feet among the
underwood by a side blow from the dexterous paw of the bear. Mr. Burke
then retreated a few feet, and placed his back against a large hemlock,
followed the while closely by the bear, but, being acquainted with the
nature of the animal and his mode of attack, he drew a large hunting
knife from his belt, and, placing his arms by his side, coolly awaited
the onset.
"The maddened brute approached, growling and gnashing his teeth, and,
with a savage spring, encircled the body of the hunter and the tree in
his iron gripe. The next moment, the flashing blade of the _couteau
chasse_ tore his abdomen, and his smoking entrails rolled upon the
ground. At this exciting crisis of the struggle, the other man,
accompanied by the dog, came up in time to witness the triumphal close
of the conflict.
"Two old bears and a cub were the fruit of this dangerous adventure--all
extremely fat--the largest of which, it is computed, would weigh upward
of two hundred and fifty pounds. We have seldom heard of a more
dangerous encounter with bears, and we are happy to say that Mr. Burke
received no injury; Mr. Jacob Harrison, although torn severely, and
having three ribs broken, recovered under the care of an Indian doctor
of the Algonquin tribe."