The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-03-05

fhc l'eia"aIc hau chopped OFT.
81 recognized q plant well known 10
the mountain man-a rare, but wonder.
lul convolYulus-tlIc Lponca tcpfoyAytia.
The name Of man root" is given to il
ny the hunters from the similarity Of its
root IN shape, and sometimes in size, to the
body OF man. 1t is csculent, and serves
to sustain human life.
80 In an instant, half dozen men were
upon their knees, chipping and hacking
the hard clay, but their hatchets glintcd
OIL as from the surface of rock.
look hyar" cried Carey; we're
only spolin' yer tools. Cut down a
wheen o these ssaplin's and make fire
over him. "'F
The hint was instantly followed, and
IN few minutes dozen pieces of pine
were piled upon the spot, and Sc. on fire.
We stood around the burning branch
es with eager anticipation. Should the
root prove full grown man. it would
make supper for our whole party anI
with the cheering idea of supper, jokes
were venturcd upon--the first we had
heard for some time--lhc hunters ticllcd
with the novelty of uncarthing the 'old
man ready roasted, and Specializing
whether he would prove fat old hoss.'
" "A hollow crack sounded from above
like the breaking Of dead tree. We
looked up. A large Object, an animal,
was whiyling outward aud downward
from ledge that projected halfway up
the cliff. In an instant it struck the earth,
head foremost, with n loud bump and
bounding to the height Of several feet,
came back with n summcrsct on its lco,s,
and stood firmly.
"A An involuntary 'hurrahr broke from
the hunters, who all recognized, at a
glance, the Carnero Cimmaron,' or big.
horn lie had cleared the prccpice at
two leaps, lighting each time on bis crcs.
cent shaped horns.
- For moment both parties, hunters
and game, seemed equally taken bv sur
prise, and stood eyeng each other in mute
wonder. 1t was bu, for Il moment. The
men made rush for their rifles, and the
animal, recovering from bis trance OF rs.
tonishmcnt, tossed back his horns, and
bounded across the platform. In dozen
springs hc had reached the sc.vidge of the
snow, and plunged into its yielding bank
but at the same instant, several rifles
cracked, and the white wreath was Grim.
soncd behind him. lie still kept on.
however, leaping and breaking through
the diff.
awe struck into his track. and followed
with the eagcrness of hungry wulvcs.-
We could tell hy the nuipcrous cou.s
that he was shedding his life blood, and
about fifty PAGES farther on We found him
dead.
a shout apprised our companions of
our success, and we had commenced drag.
gng back our prize, when wild cries
reached us from the platferm-the wells
OF the men, the screams Of women, min
glcd with oaths and ordinations Of ter.
ror.
awe ran on to the entrance. On
reaching it, sight was before us that
caused the stontest to trcm1 1le. Hunters,
Indians, and women were running to and
fro in frantic confusion, uttcring their va
ricd cries. We knew our enemy at n
glancc-thc dreaded monsters Of the
mountains--the grizzly bears!
"There were five Of them-cyc in sight
there might be Others in the back.
ground. Five were enough to DESTROY
our whole parry, Gagged as we were, and
weakened by famine.
They had reached the cliff in chase of
the Cimmaron, and hunger and disap-
pointmcnt were visible in their horrid rs.
poets. Two Of, them had already crawled
close to The scarp, and were paving over
and snuiling the air. as if searching for n
place to descend. The other three reared
themselves upon their hams, commenced
lman9uvreing with their fore arms, in a
human like and comical pantomine
"We were in no condil to reli, h this
amusement Every man has,encd to am
himself, those who had emptied their RI
ies hurriedly reloading them.
80 For your lie dontr cried Ga.ey,
catching at the gun Of one Of the hunters.
| The caution came too late; half n
dozen bullets were already whistling up
wards.
"The effect was just what the trapper
had anticipated. The bears, madleued
by the bullets, which had harmed a. en-
no more than the pricking of ms many
pins, dropped to their all.fours again, and
with fierce growls, commenced descending
the clif
"Tbc scene Of confusion was now at its
height. Several OF the men, less brave
than their comrades, ran Off to hide them
selves in the now, while Others commeuc-
ed Climbing the low pine trees !,
Cache the galsp cricd Carey
'Hyar, yer darned Spanish greasers if
yer won't fight, hook on to the women a
wheen o yer, and toat them to the snow.
Cowardly sinks wagb
"S See to them, DOCTOR / shouted TO
tie German, who, I thou sht, might be
best spared from the fight; and the next
moment the doctor, nssisteed by several
Mexicans was hHrryiug the teri lied eirls
towards The spot where be had left tho
Cimmaron.
Many ofus knew that to hide under