North Carolina standard., 1851-08-13
.nunNr1RE wIrn A GRIzzLY BEAR.

| ADVENTURE WITH A GRIZZLY BEAR
now took long farewell of the horses, and turn
ed nor,hward selecting line close in by the base o
the hills pong along at an Improved pace, with q
view of reaching the trading post the same night
bnt sopping in a gully TO look for water, found
Iittle pooi evidently scraiced by bear, there
were footpoints and clawmarks about it; and was
aware instinct prompts that brute where water is
nearest the surface when ne scratches until ne comes
to it. This was one Of very large size, the oot-marE
behind the being fully nine inches; and although
had my misgvings about the produce Of tete-o-feft
with great grizzly bear, still the better part OF
valor " overcome, it often is, by the antIciPat'
ed honor and glory Of single combat, and conquest
of such ferocIous beast. / was well armed, too,
with my favorite rifle, Colts revolver, that never
disappointed me, and nondescript weapon, sort OF
cross betwixt claymore and bowie-knie so' al.
Gaping aresh, hanging the bride on the horn OF
the saddle, and stalking my mule, followed the trail
up gully, and much sooner than l expected came
within view and good shooting distance of Bruin,
who seated erect, with his side toward me- In
front of manzanita bush, making repast on his
| favorite berry.
The sharp click of the cock causing him to turn
quickly round, left little time for deIiberation so. taxi
ing ready good aim at the region of the heart. let
drive. the ball Gas l subsequently found) gianclng
along the ribs, entering the armpit, and shatterlng
smartly some of the shoulder bones. / exuled as
him stagger and come 10 his side the next glance,
however, revealed him, to my disnay all fours, in
direct pursuit, but going lame boted for the
mule, sadly encumbered with huge pair of Mexican
spurs the noise of the crushing brush close
in my convincing me he fast gaining me ;
ii
and reaching the rope, pulled up the picketpin, and
sprnging into the saddle with merely hold of the
larat, plunged the spurs into the mule, which, much
to my alright produced kick and a rerograde
ment; but in the exertion having got glimpse of my
pursuer, uttering snort of terror, he went off at
pace did not think him capable of, soon widening
the distance betwixt and the bear but having no
means of guiding his motions, he brought in
tact with the arm of tree, which unhorsed and
stunned exceedingly. Scrambling to my feet as
well as could, saw my relentless enemy close at
hand, leaving the only alternative of ascending
tree but, in my hurried and nervous efforls had
scarcely ny feet above his reach, when he was right
under, evidently enfeebed by the loss of blood, as
the exertion made it well out copiously. After
moments pause, and fierce glare upward from his
bood-shot eyes, he casped the trunk but saw his
endeavors to climb were crippled by the wounded
shoulder. However, by the aid of his jaws, he just
succeeded in reaching the first branch with his sol nd
arm, and was working convusively to bring up the
body, when, with weldirected blow from my cut
less, completely severed the tendons of the foot,
and he instantly tell with dreadful and horrc
grow'l, the blood spoutng up as if impelled from
Jet. He rose again somewhat tardily, and lmping
round the tree with upturned eyes, kept tearing off
the bark with his tusks. However, watching my
opportunity, and leaning downward, l sent ball
from my revolver with such good effect Immediately
behind the head, that he dropped and my nerves
being now rather more composed. leisurely distr-
bute0 the remaining five balls in the vulnerable
parts of his
BY this time saw the muscular system totally re-
laxed, so descended with confidence and found him
quite Dead and myself not little enervated with the
excitement and the effects of my wound, which bled
prolusely from the temple much so, that thought
an artery was ruptured! bound up my head well
as l could, loaded my revolver anew, and returned
for my rifle; but as evening was approaching, and
my mule gone, had little time survey the dimen
sons of my fallen foe, and no means of packing
much Of his aesh 1 therefore hastily hacked off
few steaks from his thigh, and hewing off of his
hind feet trophy of victory, set toward
the trading-pos which reached about midnight, my
friend and my tEuant mule being there before me.
but no horses.
exhibited the foot of my fallen foe in great trf-
umph. and described the conflict with due emphasis
and effect to the company, who arose to listen after
which l made transfer Of the flesh to the traders,
condition that there not to be any charge for
the hotel or the of the mule. There old
experienced French trapper of the party, who, judg-
ing from the size of the foot, set down the weight
of the bear 1900 lbs, which he said they frequent:
y oyerrun, he himself, well Colonel Fremont's !
exploring party, having killed several that came to
1000 lbs. He advised me, should again be pursued !
by bear, and have no other means Of escape to as
cend small-girthed tree, which they not get up,
for. not having any central joint in the foreegs they
not climb any with branchesS stem that does not
fully fill their embraces and in the event of not being
able to accomplish the ascent before my pursurer over
took TO place my back against it, when, if it and
did not constitute bulk capable of filling his hug
might have time to rip out his entras before he /
could kill me, being in most favorable posture for
the operation. They do not generally their mouth
in the destruction of their Victims but, hugging them
closely, lift of the hnd-feet which armed !
with tremendous claws, and tear out the bowels. The
Frenchmans advice reads nationally enough, and is
feasible theory the Of evading unbearab!e
preston but, unfortunately, in the haunts of that
animal those slim juvenile sapings are rarely met I
with, and person closely confronted with such
grizzly is not exactly in tone of for
surgical operations.
*From Kely's Excursion to California"