Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-02-02
Guuprr'a GIurkaburg Registrr
Kelly's Fight with n Grizzly Bear.

nj
From scenes in California, we extract
the following sketch of fight with a griz-
zly bear:
now took a long farewell of the
horses, and turned northward, selecting
line close in by the base of the hills, going
along at an improved pace, with view Of
reaching the trading post the same night !:
but stopping in a gully to look for water,
1 found little pool, evidently dug out by
bear, as there were foot prints and claw
marks about it; and was aware instinct
prompts that brute where water is nearest
the surface, when he scratches until he
comes to it. This was one of very large
size, the footmarks behind the toes being
full nine inches, and although 1 had my
misgivings about the prudence OF tete-
a-tets with a great grizzly bear, still the
"better part of valor" was overcome, as it
often is, by the anticipated honor and glo-
ry of single combat, and the conques
of such terocious beast. I was well arm
ed, too, with my favorite rifle. . Colts
revolver. which never disappointed me,
and nondescript weapon, a sort of cross
betwlxt claymore and bowie- knife; so,
after Gaping afresh, hanging the bride
on the horn of the saddle, and stalking my
mule, followed the trail up a gully, and
much sooner than 1 expected came with
IN view and good shooting distance of
Bruin, who was seated erect, with his side
towards me, in front of mauzanita
bush, making n repast on his favorite
berry. The sharp click of the cock
left me but little time for deliberation;
toll -, H.
of the heart, l let drive, the ball, Gas I
subsequently found) glaucing along the
ribs, entering the armpit, and SCATTERING
smartly, some of the shoulder bones. l
exulted as saw him stagger and come
to his side; the next glance, however, re-
vealed him to my dismay. on all tours in
direct pursuit, but going lame; so l bolt
ed for the mule, sadly encountered with a
huge pair of Mexican spurs, the nervous
noise of the crushing brush close in my
rear convincing me that he was fast gain
ing on me; therefore dropped my rifle,
putting on fresh steam, and reaching the
rope, pulled up the picket-pin, and SPRING
ing into the saddle merely holding the Ia
riat, plunged the spurs into the mule,
which, much TO my alright, produced q
kick and a retrogade movement; but in
the exertion, having caught glimpse of
my pursuer, uttering a snort of terror, he
went of at pace l did not think him ca
pable of, soon widening the distance be-
twlxt US and the bear, but having no
means of guiding his motions, he brought
me violently in contact with the arm OF a
tree, which endorsed and stunned me ex-
ceedIngly. Scramblin9 to my feet us
we'll as could, 1 saw my relentless enc
my close at hand, leaving me the only
alternative OF ascending tree; but in my
hurried and nervous efforts, l had scarce
ly my feet above his reach, when he was
right under, evidently enfeebled by the
loss of blood, as the exertion made it
swell out copiously. After a moments
pause, and a fierce glare upwards from
his bloodshot eyes, he clasped the trunk,
but saw his endeavors to climb were
crippled by the wounded shoulder. How
ever, by the aid of his jaws he Just sue
ceeded in reaching the first branch with
his sound arm, and was working convul-
sively to bring up the body, when with
well directed blow from my cutlass 1
completely severed the tendons of the foot,
and he instantly fell, with dreadful
souse and horriic growl, the blood spout
70 oS ~ ApSAICo nun u uC bIOSc
again somewhat tardily, and limping
round the tree with upturned eyes, kept
tearing off the bark with his tusks.-t
However, watching my opportunity, and
leaning downwards, l sent ball from
my revolver with such good effect imme-
diately behind the head, that he dropped;
and my nerves now being rather more
composed, leisurely distributed the re-
naming five balls in the most vulnerable
parts of his carcass. BY this time saw
the muscular system totally relaxed, so
descended with confidence, and found
him quite dead, and myself not little en-
ervated with the excitement and the eff
fects of my wound, which bled SO pro-
tusely from the temple; so much SO. that
l thought an artery was ruptursd. 1
bound up my head as well as I could,
loaded my revolver anew, and returned
for my rifle; but as evening was approach
ing, and my mule gone, had little time
to survey the dimensions of my fallen foe,
and no means of packing much of his
flesh. therefore hastily hacked off
few steaks from his thigh, and hewing off
one of his hind feet as u sure trophy of
victory, set out towards the trading
post which reached about midnight, my
friend and my truant mule being there be-
fore me-"
A LANDLORDS RESPECT FOR TlrLEs.-
Our Daniel rarnarkad tina Othar day hot