Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-16

wheen O. these saplins and make fire
over him 7
''The hint was instantly followed, and
in a few minutes dozen pieces of pine
were piled upon the spot, and set on fire.
We stood around the burning branch
es with eager anticipation. Should the
root prove a 'full-grown man. it would
make supper for our whole party; and
with the cheering idea of supper, jokes
were vcntured upon--the first we heard
for some time-the hunters, tickled with
the novelty of unearthing the 'old man
ready roasted, and specializing whether
it would proved fat old hoss.
"a hollow crack sounded from above,
like the breaking of dead tree. We
looked up. A large object-an animal
was whirling outward and downward
from ledge that projected halfway up
the cliff. In an instant it struck the
earth, head foremost, with loud bump
and. bounding to the height of several
feet, came back with somersault on its
legs, and stood firmly.
can involuntary 'hurrah = broke from
the hunters, who all recognized, at a
glance, the 'Carnero Cimmaron,' or
big horn He had cleared the preci-
pice at two leaps, lighting each time on
his huge crescent shaped horns.
"For a moment, both parties-hun-
tiers and game-seemed equally taken
by surprise, and stood eyeing each other
in mute wonder. Ii was but moment
The men made rush for their rifles,
and the animal, recovering from the
trance of astonishment, tossed back his
horns, and bounded across the platform
Ia dozen springs he had reache the
selvidge of the snow, and plunged into
its yielding banks; but at the same in
stant, several rifles cracked, and the
white wreath was crimsoned behind him.
He still kept on. however. leaping and
breaking through-ihe drift.
eve struck into his track, and follow
ed with the eagerness of hungry wolves
We could tel by the numerous gouts
that he was shedding his life blood, and
about fifty PAGES further on we found him
dead.
GA shout apprised our companions of
our success, and we had commenced
dragging back the lrize, when wild cries
reached us from the platform-the yells
of tie men, the screams of women, ming
led with oaths and exclamalions of ter
ror
ave ran to the entrance. On reach
ing il, sight was before us that caused
the stoulest to tremble. Hunters, In
dians and women were running to and
fro in frantic confusion, uttering their
varied cries. We knew our enemy at a
glance-the dreaded monsters of the
mountains--the grizzly bears
"There were FIVE of them-fve in
sight-there might be others in the back
ground. Five were enough to destroy
our whole party, Gagged as we were, and
weakened by famine.
''Tbey bad reached the cliff in the
chase oil the Cimmaron, and hunger and
disappointment were visible in their hor-
rid aspects. Two of them had already
crawled close to the scarp. and were
paving over and snufing the air, as if
searching for a place to descend. The
other three reared themselves up on their
hams, and commenced maneuvring wi h
their fore arm, in human-like and COM
ical pantomime
"We were in no condition to relish this
amusement. Every man hastened to
arm himself, those who had emptied
their iifies hurriedly reloading them.
For your life don't ! cried Carey,
catching at the gun of one of The hun
tels.
"The caution came too late half-a-
dozen bullets were already whistling up
wards.
"The effect was Just what the trapper
had anticipated. The bears, maddened
by the bullets, which had harmed them
no more than the plicking Of as many
pins, dropned to their allfours again,
and with fierce growls. commenced de.
scending the cliff.
"The scene of confusion was now at
its height. Several of The men, less
brave than their comrades. ran off to
hide themselves in the snow, while 9th
ers commenced climbing the low pines
Cache the gals! = cried Carey
'Hyar, yer darhed Spanish greaser! if
yer wont fight, hook on to the weemen
wheen O. yer, and toat them to the snow.
Cowardly slinks-wah =
{" See to them, Doctor l shouted to
the German, who. 1 thought, might be
best spared from the fight; and the next
moment the doctor, assisted by several
Mexicans, was hurrying the terrified girls
towards the spot where he had left the
Cimmaron.
MANY of US knew that to hide under
the circumstances, would be worse than
useless. The fierce but sagacious brutes
would have discovered us one by one,
and destroyed us in detail, They must
be met and foughtl' that was the word;
and we resolved to carry it into exeeu-
tion.