Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-03-04
A Grizzly Bear Hunt.

A Grizzly Bear Hunt.
The everyday sports of the wild woods
include many feats of daring that never
find pen of record. Constantly, in the
haunts of the savage, are enacling scenes
OF thrilling interest,the very details OF which
would make the denizens of enlightened
lie turn away with instructive dread
Every Indian tribe has its heroes, cele-
brated respectively for their courage in
different ways exhibited. Some for their
acuteness in pursuing the enemy on the
war.path, and others for the destruction
they have accomplished among the wild
beasts of the forest. A great hunter a.
mong the Indians is marked parsonage.
1t is title that distinguishes its possessor
among his people as prince; while the
exploits in which he has been engaged
hang about his person as brilliantly as the
decorations OF so many orders. The
country in which the Usage finds home
possesses abundantly the grizzly bear, an
animal formidable beyond any other in
habitant of the North American forests
an animal seemingly insensible to pain,
uncertain in its habits, and by its mighty
strength able to overcome any living OBJ.
stacle that comes within its reach, as an
enemy. The Indian warrior, of any tribe,
among the haunts of the grizzly bear,
finds no necklace so honorable to be worn
as the claws Of this gigantic animal, if he
fall by his own prowess; and if he can add
an eagles plume to his seal p-lock, plucked
from bird shot while on the wing, he is
honorable indeed. The Indians 'ssmoke,' -
like the fire-side of the white man, is Of
ten the place where groups of people as.
semble to relate whatever may most
pleasantly while away the hours of long
evening, or destroy the monotony of dull
and idle day. On such occasions, the old
brave" will sometimes relax from his ma
tural gravity, and grow loquacious over his
chequered life. But no recital commands
such undivided attention as the adventures
with the grizzly bear; and the death OF
an enemy on the war-path hardly vies
with it in interest.
The grizzly bears, like the tiger and H.
on, have their caves in which thew live !;
but they use them principally az a safe
lodging place when The cold of winter
renders them torpid and dlsposedto sleep.
To these caves they retire late in the fall,
and they seldom venture out till the
warmth of spring. Sometimes two occu.
Ply one cave, but this is not often the case,
as the unsociabiIily of the animal is pro-
verbal, they preierring to be solitary and
alone. A knowledge Of the forests. and an
occasional trailing for bear, inform the
hunter of these caves, and the only habit
OF the grizzly bear that can with certainty
be taken advantage of, is that of his be.
ing IN his cave alive, if at a proper season
And the hunter has the terrible liberty oil
entering his cave single.handed, and there
destroying him. OF this only method o.
hunting the grizzly bear we would at
tempt description.
The thought of entering a cave, inhabit
ed by one of the most powerful beasts o.
prey, is calculated to try the strength o
the best nerve; and when it is considered
that the leasttrepidation, the slightest mis-
take, may cause, and probably will result
IN the instant death of the hunter, it Ger
tainly exhibits, the highest demonstration
of physical courage 10 pursue such me.
thod Of hunting Yet there are many
persons in the forests Of North America
who engage in such perilous adventures
with no other object in view than the
"spOrt" or a hearty meal. The hunters
preparations to beard the lion in his
.den," commence with examining the
mouth of the cave he is about to enter
Upon the signs there exhibited he decides
whether the bear is alone for if there
are two, the cave is never entered. The
SIZE Of the bear is also thus known, and
The time since he was last in search oil
1000. The way this knowledge is obtain
ed, from indications SO slight, or unseen ta
an ordinary eye, is one of The greatest
myteries of the woods. Placing our
serves al the mouth Of the cave contain
ing grizzly bear, to our untutored senses
there would be nothing to distinguish il
from one tnat was empty; but il some
Diana OF the forest would touch our ewes.
and give us The instinct Of sight nossessad
by the hunter, we would arg e thus. !. Pro-
all the marks abou: themonth Of the cave
the occupant has notbeen out for q length
of time, Tor the grass and the earth has
not been lately distEbed The bear Is
in the cave, for the last tracks made are
with the toemafks towards The cave
There is but one, bear, because the track:
are regular and of the same size. He i;
large bear; the length Of the step anc