The Empire County argus., 1854-08-05
A GRIZZLY BEAR HUNT.
From the ''Knickerbocker Magazine"

ington Territory, on the 'lacitc slope sends us
the annexed graphic description Of Grizzly Bear
Hunt" which will greatly interest our Atlantic
readers. 1t is minutely correct, in every particular
pretty comfortable ranch for an OregOnian."
said Billy" complacently, he stretched his legs
as to angle in as much as possible Of the genial
warmth Of the fire
And look through the window at grand old
RAINIER 'llumphn says Billy, shut him out:' he
looms up too grim and cold in the moonlight: in
such weather as this, man wants to look at vol
canoes"
"a cigar put Billy in such good humor and the
angle of his legs increased go amazingly that it was
sight to see, as sat in my little tiresdc corner
and hcaped on the logs, that threw out the flicker
ing light over the little cabin.
Now Old Grizzly had dcuced sight better
have come down.
MAY he was afraid the canoe wouldn't he safe
this gusy weather"
Afraid !" says Billy "man alive, when one
earns his name he did his fear and him are not
very close acquaintance. Let me tell you why we
called him So
"You see, Lander, as Engineer Of Reconnaissance.
was frequently off upon detached duty and when
we were upon the eastern slope of the Rocky Noun
tains, near the head of the NIaras river, he took
of from the main camp some seven OK us to ald
him.
''We had been five days out from camp, when
one evening we saw a large moving object afar OF
upon the prairie. We had been for some days out
of fresh meat and the idea OF rich, juicy buffalo
hump induced Lander, Texan named Guy young
Blackfoot, (whom we bad as guide across the
Blackfoot Pass and myself to ride cut in pursuit
We three were all pretty well armed, with
volyers; and Guy had in addition q double gun,
loaded with slugs. Lander particularly prided him
self on his horse--an old buEalo-hunter- from whose
back he had a short time previously shot Lone
Bull
Guy was mounted upon q pony which had been
bought few days before at camp OF Grosventres,
whose capacities for running were, if Guys word
was to be credited, unequalled The BlaciIoot
mounted upon mule, while | had sturG y-built
horse not good Ior wear, and not nsltt6 for rum
"N hen we drew nearer, supposed buffalo
seen to be q gT1@1 bear, OF the largest class
lie had come down from the mountains to dig roots;
and VIC approached he moved slowly oil to a
covert CT low bushes
Now I'm not particularly cowardly myself; but
there WAS Il certain something in the appearance Of
that customer that invountarlly brought to my
mind the many stories | had heard of the ferocity
OF his kind wien molested; and his numbering mo-
ton, he went sideways that little prairie
suggestive OF considerable speed when he chose
to Get himself out
81 halted at once; and looking back, saw that
was 1IIcady in advance ot Guy and the Indian, no
seemed TO nave stomach ior the fray than
/ mad.
Lander, however, shouting for us to come Oh
dashed in the covert after Bruin the old horse, true
10 his lessons in the buffalo hunt, gaiopiag up on
the II int side lie bear awaited 40 attack but
came turiously out from his shelter and charged,
at racing speed, upon horse and rider. Lander au
the bear went headlong one way, and Guy, the IN
dian and j. in about as nearly opposite direction
was possible upon so short notice, until we
went ou, upon the open prairie again. Here, look
Iig BACK, We could see brnin, still in fierce pursuit
ol Old Buffalo; every instant getting farther from
the covert, and receiving the balls from Landers
revolver he would turn III his saddle to fire at
him.
Again he shouted for us to come up; but we
could not trust cur horses iii trial OF speed with
the nOw-naddened animal, and SO kept at "a wary
distance. Lander appeared to have exhausted all
the loads in his revolver, and yet, save Il limpng
motion in lis gait the bear appeared unharned ;
but the headiong speed at which he had gone had
evidently told upon him, and Lander galloped
towards US, he slowly turnad again towards The
covert.
HE tried to prevail upon Guy to ride up telling
him there was NO DANGER and that both Of his
barrels, loaded with sugs would certainly Kill him
But Guys sole answer was:
Look a-here, kurnel, you can sock along arter
that barJi Ji5t AS long you've mind tn, ana here
my SiX-sno0ter, bat you can't toll me up thar, no
how don't mind takin' turn with big black
Arkansaw, but when ii comes to hunting grt@2tie5
Oh pony, jlst cOaH me OUT
but nothing could prevail upon Lander to allow
the bear to escape 50, exchanging revolyers, he
again dashed into the bushes
"Ihe bear, we could see, had lain down in a
tangled spot in the covert and seemed to await the
coming Oh his enemy. Lander, supposing that most
Of his shots had been futile from the swerving Of
his horse, determined to make surer work tbs rne
and so rode down within twenty feet Of the bear,
and taking deliberate aim at his head, fired
In bound the bear was almost on him, and
held my breath, and closed my eyes, but was too
paralyzed to attempt to render any assistance.
Guy seemed frozen to his horse but the Black
loot, with Il wild whoop, charged down in circle
waving his blanket up0a his gun, and making loud
outcrlcs TO engage the attention OF the bear; but
all would have been iruitess bad not the gallant
old horse, true to lis training, darted of to the
right, and 50 suddenly that could scarce believe
he had escaped when saw the brute, with a mad
howl, fall where they had stood the moment before
''One OF the stirrups caught in low BUSH ana
the rider was thrown backward upon the saddle
and found myself writhing in my seat, as tanced
that all was lost. But no; by violent effort he
recovered himself, and again breathed more freely;
but only again to suspend my breath as II moment
later, the old morse stumbled over grassy mound
L he bear within SIX feet OF him, and 1t seemed
as II all earth could not save the rider.
Il dashed madly down, only to have ridden to
my own destruction but again the brave old horse
redeemed himself nobly; and though evidently
the wind, the bear close behind. Swinging along
Nx1tl