AN ADIRONDACK BEAR. 



ANTHONY EASSLER, M. D. 



A stage ride from Northville up the 

 mountains, following the winding course 

 of the beautiful Sacandaga river, took Dr. 

 Hieronymous, Harry Malasky and me at 

 dusk to Morley's. That meant a good din- 

 ner at the big, comfortable hotel, between 

 Lakes Pleasant and Sacandaga. 



The next 3 days we spent in preparation 

 and the fourth morning we started for the 

 guide s camp on Jessup river. A short 

 ride in a wagon without springs took us 

 to a sleigh with \. ooden runners, cached 

 in the brush. We transferred our kit to 

 that, hitched on the horses, and began in 

 earnest the tramp to camp. 



To protect the sights on our rifles 

 from being broken off, we carried the 

 rifles. I shall never forget the radical 

 change in the weight of my Winchester 

 as the trip continued. At first it was a 

 pleasure to carry it. Gradually the rifle 

 got heavier, was transferred from shoul- 

 der to hands, then carried guide fashion 

 over the forearms, and then any way at 

 al\ until finally every inch of my body 

 above the waist line seemed sore from 

 pressure. The rifle seemed to weigh as 

 much as a fair sized cannon. This, to- 

 gether with the strain of difficult walk- 

 ing, soon quenched the levity of the party. 

 For miles not a word was spoken. At 

 last the guide stimulated our flagging 

 spirits and tired bones by saying the 

 camp was only a few rods distant, but rods 

 are miles to an exhausted frame, and when 

 camp was reached I questioned his ability 

 to judge distance. 



Beginning to keep house in the woods 

 is interesting. It is surprising how many 

 important things have been forgotten and 

 how quickly the camper makes up his mind 

 to do without things which at home he 

 thinks imperative. 



After supper I went to the creek to wash. 

 I soaped my hands and stooped to rinse 

 them in the running water when something 

 white floating down stream attracted my at- 

 tention. Before I realized what it was, be- 

 yond redemption and gone for ever was 

 our only piece of soap. Moral: When in 

 camp use a soap that sinks. 



The next morning was beautiful and 

 warm. Our plan was to still hunt on the 

 nettle beds on the mountain. After a climb 

 up an almost impassable mountain side in 

 the hot sun and within 2 suits of clothes we 

 reached the first hunting grounds. Harry 

 frladly deposited himself there. The rest of 

 the party went on. Near the second nettle 

 bed we saw evidence of bears, but little at- 

 tention was given it at the time. The sec- 



ond bed was on the slope of the mountain. 

 It was about 250 yards wide and 50 yards 

 up and down, with a second timber 

 growth sparsely scattered through it. I was 

 told to sit on a fallen tree and not to move 

 for 6 hours. Dr. Hieronymous and the 

 guide went on to the next bed. There the 

 guide was to leave the doctor on a boulder 

 and go to the other side of the mountain to 

 still hunt on foot, hoping to frighten some 

 game over to one of the 3 beds on our 

 side. 



A cold wind was blowing up from the 

 valley, and being anxious for game I 

 sat quiet. I soon began to feel stiff and 

 sore. Having only 3 ginger wafers for my 

 day's food by noon my spirits had drooped 

 low. However, I tried to bear 'the suffering 

 and montony as a true sportsman should. 

 At 3 o'clock I had lost all interest in the 

 game. No shots had been fired by my 

 friends above and below, and I considered 

 the hunt fruitless. My spirits and biscuits 

 being gone I become careless and my opin- 

 ion of hunting in the Adirondack moun- 

 tains was not high. Finally I stood up and 

 looked around. My rifle was resting 

 against the tree. I had forgotten it, when 

 suddenly I saw something black in the 

 woods below, slowly walking between 2 

 trees. I felt the strangest sensation. My 

 spinal circulation seemed to stop. Strange 

 cold feelings ran down my back, and for a 

 moment I could not move a muscle. Then, 

 forgetting my stiffness and soreness, I 

 seized the rifle and pumped a cartridge 

 into the barrel, making as little noise and 

 movement as possible. The apparition 

 lasted the time it takes a bear to walk 

 slowly about 10 feet, but short as it is, I am, 

 even to-day, vividly conscious of my sway- 

 ing gun when aiming at the animal. For- 

 tunately I had enough presence of mind not 

 to pull, for I would not have hit him. Then 

 the bear was gone ! Still standing on the 

 prone tree, I tried to pull myself together 

 and was thinking what my friends would 

 say if I should tell the story, when I saw 

 the bear again. That time he was to my 

 left and making in my direction between 2 

 rows of trees, the slanting sun shining on 

 his black coat and causing him to stand out 

 in bold relief from the green about him. I 

 had regained my composure. Slowly I 

 raised my rifle and taking deliberate aim at 

 the center of this black mass, then about 120 

 rods away, I fired. I was using black 

 powder and my view for an instant was 

 obscured. Looking through the smoke the 

 bear seemed not to have moved. Again 

 I fired and then with a motion almost too 



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