The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-03-06
ENCOUNTER WITH A GRlZZLY
BEAR.


One of the dangers connected with a trap
per's lie in The Rocky Mountains, is lustrar-
cd by the incident given below, taken from
BuxtOn's adventures in Mexico"
The grizzly bear is the 6ercesi of the ferfe
nature Of the mountains. His great strength
and wonderful Ienacity Of life renders an en-
counter with him any thing but desirable,
and therefore il is rule with the indians and
white hunters never to attack him unless
backed by strong party Although, like
every other wild animal, he usually fees
from man, yet al certain seasons. when mad
dened by love or hunger, he moi unlreqrenI-
ly charges al first sight OF foe, when, un
less killed dead, hug at close quarters is
any thing but apleasant embrace. his srong,
looked claws stripping the flesh from the
bones as easily as a cook pees ar onion.
Many are the tales Of bloody encounters with
these animals which the trappers delight 10
recount to the green horn TO enforce their
caution as 10 the ioolhardiness Of everallack-
ing The grizzly bear.
Some years ago a trapping party was on
their way 10 the mountains, led, | believe. by
old SubletIe, well know captain of the
West. Among The band was one John
Glass, trapEer who had been all his life in
the mountains, and had seen, probably, more
exciting adventures, and had had more WON
derlul and hair breadth escapes, Than any oI
The rough and hardy fellows who make the
West their home. and whose lives are spent
in a succession of perlls and privaiions. On
one OF the streams running from the Black
Hills, a range Of mountains north OF the
Plaue, Glass and a companion were one
day setting their traps. when, On passing
through a cherry ihicket, which skirled the
stream. the former. who was in advance des-
cried large grizzly bear quietly turning Up
the turf with his nose, searching for yampa-
roots or pig-nuls, which there abounded
Glass Immediately called his companion and
both, proceeding cautiously, crept to the skin
of the hicket, and taking steady aim at the
animal, whose broadside was fairly exposed
al the distance OF twenty yards, discharged
their rifles atihe same instant, both balls
taking effect, but not lnflicling n mortal
wound. The bear giving groan of pain.
Jumped with all four legs from the ground,
and, seeing the wreaIhs Of smoke hanging al
the edge oil the brush, charged at once in
that direction, snorling with pain and fury
"Hurraw, Bill" .roared out Glass. as he
saw the animal rushing towards them, "we'l
be made meat of as sure as shooling!n and
leaving the tree behind which he had con-
cealed himself, he boiled through The thicket
followed closely by his companion. About a
hundred yards from the thickei was a steer
bluff, and behind these points was leve
piece Of prairie Glass saw that his only
chance was TO reach this blnh, ami shouting
10 his companion 10 make for il, they both
broke from the cover and flew like lightning
across the open space. When more thar
half way across, Glass, who was leading
! lripped over a stone and fell 10 The ground
and Just as he rose TO his feet, the beast. ris
| ing on his hind feet, confronted him. As he
closed, Glass, never losing his presence o
mind, cried 10 mis- companion to load uJ
quickly, and discharged his pistol full into
the body of The animal, al the same momen
that the bear. with the blood streaming from
his nose and mouth knocked The pistol from
his hand with one blow Of lis paw, and fixing
lis claws deep into his flesh, rolled with hin
TO the ground.
The hunter. notwithstanding his deplora
bic situation, Struggled manlully, drawing
his knife and p!unging it several times into
the body Of the beast, which, furious will
pain, tore with tooth and claw, the body OF
The wreiched victim, actually barring The ribs
OF flesh and exposing the very bones. Weak
with the loss of blood, and with eyes blind.
ed with the blood which sreamed from his
lacerated scalp, the knife at length fell from
his hand, and Glass sank down iusensible.
and to all appearance dead.
His companion, not having lad presence
OF mind even 10 load his rifle, fled with might
and main back 10 camp. where he narrated
the miserable fate oil poor Glass. The cap
t,;r of tho hand Of trapnar- hou a.
spalched n man with companion back 10
the spot where he lay. They found Glass
still breathing, and the bear, dead and still.
actually lying upon his BODY. Poor Glass
presented horrilying spectacle The flesh
was torn in strips from bis chest and limbs.
and large flaps strewed the ground his scalp
hung bleeding over his face, which was also
lacerated in shocking manner. Imag gin
ing thai, il not already dead The poor fellow
could not possibly survive more Than n few
moments. the men collected his arms, strip
ped him even Of his hunting SKIRT and moe
casins, and, merely pulling the dead bear nfi
the body. mounted their horses and slowly
followed the remainder oil the party. saying,
when they reached il, that Glass wns dead
as probably they thought, and that they had
buried him.
Months elapsed, the hunt was over, ard
The parry Of lrappefs were on their way 10
the trading fort with their packs Of beaver. |
when horseman was seen slowly approach |
inc them along the bark ofthe river. When |
near enough 10 discern his figure, they saw |
, Iank. cadaverous form, with a face so scar
red and disfgnred that scarcely feature
was discernibIe. Approaching the leading |
horsemen, one Of WHOM happened to be the
of the delunct Glass in his me-
norable bear ecrape, The stranger. in a hol-
ow voice, refining in his horse before them,
exclaimed, .Hurraw, Bill, my boy you
bought was gone under that time. did
7ou ? But hand me over my horse and gun,
NV lad ain'l dead yet"
There he was, and no mistake about il
md all crowded around 10 near, from his
ips. how, after the lapse of he knew not how
onq, he had gradually recovered. and being
vithou, arms, or even butcher knife, he had
ed upon the almost putrid carcass Of the
49, - ea.,arsI Iavs mill he had reOained