Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-04-10
The Grizzly Bear.


feigns Gespotic throughout those vast wiIds
which colnprise the Rocky Mountains and
the plains east Of them, 10 latitude 6lds.
In size, it is gigantic, often weighing 800
pounds and we ourselves have measured a
skin eight feet and a half in length. Cover
nor CLINTON received an account of one
fourteen feet long, but there might have been
some stretching of the skin. The claws
are of great length, and cut like chiseI
when the animal strikes blow with them.
The tail is 80 small as not to be visible and
it is a standing joke among the Indians, (who
with all their gravity are great ways, to
desire one unacquainted with the grizzly
bear to take hold Of its tail. The strength OF
this animal may lie estimated from its having
siderable distance, the carcass Of bison,
weighing upwards Of thousand pounds.
MIR. Dougherty, an experienced hunter, had
killed very large bison, and having mar ked
the spot, left the carcass for The purpose Of
obtaining assistance TO skin and cut il up.
On his return, the bison had disappeared
What had become OF it he could not divine
but at length, after much search, discovered
it in deep pit which had been dug for il ut
some distance by a grizzly bear, who had
carried it offand buried it during Mr.. Dough.
erty's absence. The following incident is
related by Sir John Richardson: "A party
of voyagers, who had been employed all
day 10 tracking a canoe up the Saskatchewan,
had seated themselves in The twilight by
fire, and were busy preparing their supper,
when large grizzly bear sprung over the
canoe which was tilted behind them, and
seizing one OF the party by the shoulder, car
red him of. The rest fed in terror, with
the expectation Of Melif, named Bourasso,
who. grasped his gun, followed The bear as
it was retreating leisurely with iis prey.
He called to bis unfortunate conrad that he
was afraid OF hitting him If he fired al The bear,
but the man entreated him to fire immedi-
atcly, as the bear was squeezing him to death.
On this he took deliberate aim and dis
charged his piece into the body Of the bear,
which instantly dropped his prey TO follow
Bourasso, who however escaped with diff.
Guilty, and the bear retreated 10 a thicket,
| where it is supposed to have died. The
same writer mentions a bear having sprung
out of a thicket, and with one blow Of his
paw completely scalped a man, laying bare
the skull and bringing the skin down over
his eyes. Assistance coming up, the benr
made off without doing further injury but
the scalp not being replaced, the poor man
los, his sight, though it is stated the eyes
were uninjured.
Grizzly bears do not hug, but strike their
prey with their terrific paws. We have been
informed by a gentlemnn who has seen
much of these creatures having indeed kill
ed five with his own hand that when a
grizzly bear sees an object. he stands up on
his hind legs, and gazes at il infently for
some minutes. He then, if he be a man or
beast, goes straight on, utterly regardless Of
numbers, and will seize it in the midst Of a
regiment of soldiers. One thing only scares
these creatures, and that is the smell Of man.
II in their charge they should cross q scent
Of this sort, they will turn and Ay.
Our informant was on one occasion stand
ing near ,hicket, looking at his servant
cleaning his gun. He had just dismounied,
and the bride Of the thorough bred horse
was twisted round his arm. While thus en-
gagged. very large grizzly bear rushed out
, of the thicket, and made at the servant, who
fed. The bear then turned short upon this
gentleman, in whose hand was rife, carry
ing a small ball, forty to the pound, and
a. the bear rose on his hind legsto make
stroke, he was fortunate enough 10 shoot
him through the heart. Had the horse NOV
and jerked the masters arm, nothing could
have saved him hut the noble animal stood
like a rock. On another occasion large
bear was shot MORALLY. The animal rushed
up a, steep ascent and fell back, turning
complete somerset ere he reached the ground.
The same gentleman told Us two curious
facts, for which he could vouch, namely, that
these bears have the power Of moving tbsir
claws independently. For instance, they
will take up a clod Of earth which excites
| their curiosity, and crunble il to pieces by
moving their claws one on The other !; and
thar wolves, however famshed, will never
touch carcass which has been buried by a
grizzly bear, though they will greedily de-
YOUR all other dead bodies. The instinct Of
buryinG bodies is so strong with these hears.
| that instances are recorded where they have
covered hunters, with bark. grass and leaves
| 1fthe men attempted 10 move, the bear would
again put them down, and cover them as
before, finally leaving them comparatively
unhurt.
! The grizzly bear have their caves, TO which
they retire when the cold Of winter renders
them torpid; and this condition is taken ad.
vantage Of by the most intrepid OF the
hunters. Having satisfied themselves about
the cave, these men prepare candle from
wax taken from the comb OF wild bees, and
softened by the grease Of the bear. II has
a large wick, and burns with brilliant
fame. Carrying this before him. with ms
| rife in convenient position. the hunter
enters the cave. Having reached its recess
ses, he fixes his candle on the ground heh's
it, and the cavern Is soon Illuminated win q
vivid light. The hunter now hes down
on his face, having the candle netween
the hack part Of the cave where the pear is.
and himself. In. this position, with the
muzxle Of The rife full 10 froot OF him. he
n.,;en,lv awaits his victim. Brum Is soon
ronsed bv the light, yawns and stretches
himself like q person awaking from deep
I sleep The hunter now cocks his rifle, and
\ watches the bear turn his head, and with
| slow and wad,iliog steps approaches the
candle. This is a trying moment, as the
extraordinary lenaciiy OF life Of The grizzly
hear Ssaders IN fuaerring Shot essential -
The mons,er reaches lhe candle, and either
raises his paw 10 strike, or his nose TO smell
it. The hunter raises his piece the loud
| report Of the rife reverberaies through the
cavern and the bear Falls with heavy crash
pierced through the eye, one Of the few vul-
nsnbls sposs through which he can DC
destroyed. .-Bentley's MisceHdny. u0g
| True rffSedom consists in this-that each
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