The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-04-29
Miscellaneous.
Account of John Glass Fight
with a Grizzly Bear.
From Rtrton's ".4dvent,ues in The Roclty
Mountdils'

rapper VINO nau Deen all his life in the
mountains, and had seen, probably, more ex-
citing adventures, and had more wonderful
and hairbreadth escapes, than any of the
rough hardy fellows who make the West
their home, and whose lives are spent in
succession of perils and privations. On one
of the streams running from the"Black Hills"
range OF mountains northward ofthe Platte,
Glass and q companion were one day setting
their traps, when, on passing through cher
ny thcket which skirted the stream, the form
err who was i'll advance, deserted n large griz-
Fly bear, quietly turning up the turfwith his
nose, searching for yampa-roots or pig-nuts,
which there abounded. Glass Immediately
called his companion, and both. proceeding
cautiously, crept to the skirt of the thicker,
and, taking steady aim at the animal, whose
broadslde was fairly exposed at the distance
of twenty yards, discharged their rifles at the
same instant, both balls taking effect, but not
iniicting mortal wound. The bear, giving
groan of pain, jumped with all four legs
from the ground, and, seeing the wreaths of
smoke hanging at the edge of the brush,
charged at once in that direction, snorting
with pain and fury.
"Hurrah, Bill" roared out Glass, as he saw
the animal rushing towards them, "We'll be
made meat of as sure as shootin'r' and, leav-
ing the tree behind which he had concealed
himself, he bolted through the thcket, fol-
lowed closely by his companion. The brush
was so thick that they could scracely make
their way through, whereas the weight and
strength OF the bear carried him through all
distractions. and he was soon close upon
them.
About hundred yards from the thicket
was steep bluff, and between these points
was level piece ofprairie Glass saw that
his only chance was to reach this bluff, and
Shouting TO his companion to make for it,
they both broke from the cover and flew like
lightning across the open space. When more
than half way across, the bear being about
fifty yards behind them Glass, who was lead
ing. tripped over u stone ana fell 10 the
ground, and just as he rose to his feet, the
benst, rising on his hind feet, confronted him.
AS he closed, Glass, never loosing his pres
ence of mind, cried 10 his companion to load
up quickly, and discharged his pistol full in
TO the body of the animal at the same mo-
ment that the bear, with blood streaming
from his nose and mouth, knocked the pistol
from his hand with one blow of its paw, and.
fixing its claws deep into his flesh, rolled with
him to the ground.
The hunter, Notwithstanding his hopeless
situation, struggled niantuly, drawing his
knife and plunging it several times into the
body of the beast, which, furious with pain,
tore with tooth and claw the body of the
wretched victim, actually bareimg the ribs of
flesh, and exposing the very bones. Weak
with the loss ofblood, and with eyes blinded
with the blood which streamed from his
lacerated scalp, the knife at length fell from
his hand, and Glass sank down insensibe,
and 10 all appearance dead.
His companion, who, up to this moment,
had watched the conflict, which, however,
lasted but few seconds, thinking that his
turn would come next, and not having had
presence of mind even 10 load his rifle, fled
with might and main back to camp, where
he narrated the miserable fate CT poor Glass.
The captain of the band of trappers however,
dispatched the man with companion back
10 the spot where he lay, with instructions to
remain by him if still alive, or 10 bury him,
if, rs all supposed, he was defunct, promising
them at the same time, a sum of money for
so doing.
On reaching the spot which was red with
blood, they found Glass still breathing and
the bear dead and stiff, actually lying upon
his body Poor Glass presented horrify-
ing spectacle; the flesh was torn in strips from
his chest and limbs, and large flaps strewed
the ground; his scalp hung bleeding over his
3ace. which was also lacerated in shocking
s1nanner.
The bear, besides the three bullets which
had pierced its body, bore the marks of the
fierce nature of Glass final struggle, no less
rahan twenty gaping wounds in the breast and
belly teSafying to the gallant defence of the
5mountaineef.
Imagining that, if not already dead, the
poor fellow could not possibly survive more
than few moments, the men collected his
arms, stripped him even of his hunting shirt
and moccasins, and, merely pulling the dead
bear off the body, mounted their horses and
slowly followed the remainder of the party,
saying, when they reached it, that Glass was
dead, as probably they thought, and that.they
had buried him.
In few days the gloom which pervaded the
trapper's camp, occasioned by the loss of n
favorite companion, disappeared, and Glass
misfortune, although frequently mentioned
over the camp fire. at length was almost en-
'tirely forgotten in the excitement of the hunt
and Indian perils which surrounded them.
Months elapsed, the hunt was over, and
the party oftrappers were on their way TO the
trading fort with their picks of beaver 1t
was nearly shutdown, and the round abode
bastions of the mud-built fort were just in
sight when horseman was seen slowly APP
preaching them along the banks of the river
When near enough to discern his figure, they
saw lank, cadayerous form with a face SO
Scared and dis6gured that scarcely feature
was discernable. Approaching the leading
horsemen, one of whom happened to be the
companion of the defunct Glass in his mem
orable bear scrape, the stranger, in hollow
voice, refining in his horse before them, ex-
claimed, "Hurra, Bill, my boy! you thought
i was gone under that time, did You? but
hand me over my horse and gun, my lad;
amt dead by great sight"
What was the establishment of the whole
party, and the genuine horror of Bill and his
worthy companion in the burial story,to hear