Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-04-26

4
imagined myself in my old cabin at Auburn,
I fancied the pulling to be done by Jack
Williams, who was full Of pranks, and al
ways playing off practical jokes at the ex-
pcnse Of some one--thereforc, | called out
more asleep than awake
"Jack, say Jack don't, I'm 80 sleepy p
All was still for moment and was again
asleep, when there came harder pull than
before. .
"Oh, Jack !" cried I, "my bunk will be
over you'll have me down! I"
All was still again and had almost gone
sound asleep, muttcring to Jack, about the
ttckelish position ofmy "bunk," when with
sudden jerk the blankets were taken clear
and clean and was left curled up on the
pine boughs naked of cover
This brought me up still half asleep, to a
sitting posture with adm you Jack y
at my tongues end; but there within two
feet of me in the broad light of the full moon
| calmly regarding me, stood about the biggest
grizzly ever 5eheld He did not look at
all savage, in fact,-as nigh as could make
| out by moonlight--he appeared rather puz-
zled and astonished at seeing what strange
looking animal he had scratched out.
At first did not feel the least alarmed at
| seeing this shaggy monster standing thus
before me, for could hardly realize that it
was real flesh and blood bear, with teeth
and claws MATERIAL but rather fancicd it a
phantom Of my dreams. rubbed my eyes
and looked fxedly at him and as my con-
| fused and scattered senses began to return
| fully realized my situation; the cold chills
began to travel up my spine with immense
velocity began to think of setting out for
/ I.,A a. =. u
was afraid to turn my back to the monster,
or even to attempt to get up; for he was
near enough to have had me in his paws at a
single bound. One thing, remember, came
| into my mind---namely,-
| That was about as poor as it was ever
| the lot of man to become and if the bear
killed me it would not be very difficult
matter to settle my estate But almost at
the same instant thought of my mother
and the pain it would cause her to hear of my
being torn to pieces by wild beast; and I
determined to die game and let Mr.. Grizzly
know that that the creature he had dug up
was a very different thing from jackass
rabbit
had heard of the power Of the human
eye over wild animals and bent my gaze as
fercely and intently as possible into the eve
of the great brute. At first had hopes that
this plan would rid me of my unwelcomc WIS.,
itor; for, evidently, he was somewhat abash-
cd by my operation of" cyeing him over I"
and turned his head from side to side as
though to avoid my fixed gaze; but was
soon undcceived. Vie was too hungry to be
cowcd by trife. Giving me look of def
ance, which was further enforced by low
growl and formidable display of white, gIis-
tening teeth, he went to work at clawinp
away the rocks and poles, on the upper side
of which was sitting, to come at the bread
and bacon hidden therein. now saw that
unless i beat a hasty retreat the platform
| would soon give way and would roll down
under grizzly's feet when things would per-
haps, come to crisis. seized my revolv-
cr, cooked it, and turned it toward his great,
bullet head. When made this move priz-
Fly suddenly withdrew his nose from under
! the poles, and giving shake of the head
and snort to clear his nostrils of the dust
which had entered them, treated me to anoth-
er free exhibition of his white teeth and
low threatening growl; as much as to say
"Why can't you be still there, YOU curl
GUS little beast? This dinner smell in here
is mine! do you want to provoke me to hurt
you,-hey?" ls4 nT
AS if to see what had in mind to do. he
gazcd at me for some seconds. held the
pistol aimed at his eye-his left eye; I re-
member it as well as though were still tax
ing that aim--and several times pressed the
trigger; and at last, was within hairs
breadth Of shooting, when he suddenly nut
down his head and commenced roofing un-
der my bed. Had fred whilst aiming at
his eye should, perhaps, have killed him
but now that chance was gone felt the
whole platform slowly giving way, and ex-
pccting to be in odd ugly's" clutches in an
other second. | thrust my revolver almost
against his head and fired With hideous
howl of rage and pain he sprang with his
fore paws on the breast work After firing
had shrunk back against an almost perpcn
dicular rock, and now when saw that at
another spring he would be upon me. took
aim at his shoulders and fired again. At
the crack Of the pistol he attempted to spring
toward me but the poles and rocks gave way
under his weight ard bear and all rolled
down toward the bottom of the canon.
didn't wait to be certain that he went to
the bottom, for knew it wouldn't hurt him
and my time was precious, as felt certain
he would be up and after me in very short
time; being now thoroughly aroused and
maddened by the sting of the wounds had
given him. ran, or rather, scrambled down
along the steep side Of the canon as fast as
the rocky nature of the ground would admit
of; but in very few seconds after had
got started heard the bear tearing along af.
ter me. On smooth hillside could have
escaped without much cxertion; though a
grizzly can run well up or down a hill, they
make but poor time at running along hill
side now, for the first, felt my case.to be
almost hopeless. dare not venture up the
Hill for knew that as soon as it come to
square work grizzly would pick me up and,
unless could find tree handy or soon strike
smooth ground, would be picked up MS it
was,--for tn, bear, was not over sixty feet
behind me and his four legs gave him the
advantage among the rocks.
just before me heard terrible roaring
of water and knew must be near to 4
great perpendicular fail, and it came into nv
head to leap over it and thus battle nv pur
sucr. However, it was but for moment I
entertained this thought, when resolved to
fight to the last and do grizzly all the harm
could---I still carried my revolver, cooked,
in my hand. had now reached the very
brink of the fall and was looking for some