Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political

Hunting a Bear.

A letter from Vicospro in the south part of the Canton of the Grisons gives the following account. In the month of September was such a quantity of snow for that the inhabitants were forced to drive back their little flocks of sheep. In the way thither, they met a shepherd of the Alps alone, who said a bear had on the preceding night had an ox. It was immediately resolved to give it chase. Messengers were dispatched to summon the people of the village of Exbuy was appointed as the rendezvous. Bartolomeo, Maurizio, and etc. of the best of hunters, gave orders to surround the wood but quit to and each took his post assigned. Placed themselves beyond the river to guard, and five took their posts at random, at short intervals, and occupied the banks of a little valley, a cleft between the mountains, through which the road must pass. Two men with the shepherd were sent with a drum into the thickest part of the wood. When the animal heard the drum, it advanced towards valley leading to Exbuy. The first hunter who perceived the bear immediately fired and hit him in the jaws with two balls. The bear turned round with a dreadful roar, and went back into the covert of the wood, his blood flowing profusely. Then one of his bravest companions, Julius Kreuzer. As they were following the track of the blood they met the shepherd, and now all these followed the track of the blood. Arriving a few steps they saw the bear. The shepherd too bold resolved to go and drive him into the thicket. Kreuzer dissuaded him, and was trying to take the bear in flank. The shepherd advanced, saying he would drive the bear towards them. Hardly had he left them when the bear seized him, and tore his face dreadfully. He called for help, his two brave companions ran up. Then came first the bear received him, let go the shepherd and rushed upon him, who wounded him by a second shot under the eye and broke one of his jaws. The bear rushed upon, and wounded him in one thigh: but Poen dexterously thrust his arm up to the elbow into the bear's ?, and called to Kreuzer. Kreuzer came up, but could not fire for fear of wounding Poen: at last however he succeeded in wounding the bear with two balls between the shoulders. The ? now let Poen go, and turned raging upon Kreuzer; the latter, and the butt end of his piece, drove him back two paces, redoubled his ?, and called his comrade to ?: but ? answered, 'I fear the wound of the ? and the ? one of the bear's paws have disabled me.' This bear looked at the ? combatant, and then retreated towards Exbuy. Maurizio with one of the hunters soon wounded him in the shoulder with two balls, and he fell dead to the ground. The poor shepherd died the following morning.