The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-09-03
A Savage Combat A Fight
BET WEEN A CALIFORNIA
> BULL AND A GRIZZL Y BE'A r.

=
bed of the creek in search of a water hole.
While pushing his way through the bushes,
he was suddenly attacked by a grizzly
bear The struggle was 'terrific: tcoutei
see the tops OF the bushes sway violently
to and fro, and hear the heavy crash Of
tlriftwood as the two. powerful animals
writhed in the fierce embrace. A cloud
of dust rose. from the spet. 1t was not
distant over hundred yards from the
tree in which had taken refuge. Scarce-
ly two minutes elapsed before the bull
broke through the bushes His head was
covered with blood, and great fakes of
flesh hung his fore shoulders; but instead
Of manifesting signs, op'aeteat; he seemed
literally to glow with defiant rage. In
Fstinct- had taught him TO seek an open
space A more splendid specimen of an
animal I never saw; rlrthe and -wiry, yet
wonderfully massive about the shoulders,
combining the rarest qualities of strength
and symmetry. For a moment he stood
glaring at the bushes, his-head erect. his
eyes flashing, his nbstrils distended, and
his whole form fixed an,f-erigid..-s But,
scarce y had I time to glance at him when
a huge hear, the largest and most formi.
dable I ever saw in their wild state, broke
through the opening =: -; : -F-s- ,5.57 zes7
A trial OF brute force that battles de-
scription now ensued. = Badly as 1. had
been treated by the cattle, nfy-sympathies
were in favor of the buH;swhich seenlsd
to me to be much the nobfef aanimal Of
the two. He did not, wait to meet the
charge, but, lowering his HEAD, boldly
rushed upon ais savage advefs1ry The
grizzly was q, tive and war No,sooner.
had he got within reach zef the bulls:
horns, than he seized tlfein in.his pow.
erful grasp, keeping his head: to the
ground by main strength and ,:the weight
of. his body, while he. bit at the nose
with his teeth, and raked strips of flesh
from his Shoulders with: his paws. y The
two -9niimals' must have- been of nearly
equal weight = On the one side there was
the advantage of superior agility and two
sets Of weIpons-the teeth and claws; but
on the other, greater powers of endurance
and more in1exible courage. The posi-
ton thus ;s>umed was ma;ntained for
some me-tfle bull struggling desperate
Nv to. Ireehis head, while the blood stream
ed from his nostrils--the. bear straining
every muscle to drag b s1n-te-the ground:
No advantage seemed TO Nbes gained on
either. side The result of t1se TIE -ba tile evil
IDENTIFY depended on the. n,efestaccident ,
Asif by mutual ed1sent, each gradual
! " ceased struggling to. regain his breath,
and as much as five minutes must have
elapsed while they were locke in his
! niotionless but e r.ble EN-, rae. Sud-
/ denly the bull BY one desperate effort,
| wrencIed his head from the grasp.of his
adversary, and retreated few steps. The
bear stood up to receive him. IfDow
watched with breafhless interest, for i,
was evident that each animal had talked
his life upon. the. .conflicq. The cattle
upon the surrounding plains had crowded
in, and stood moaning and believing
around the com batants; but as if with
held By terror, none seemed to interfere
i Rendered furious by his4wounds, the bul
now gathered up all his euergies,' ans
charged with such impetuous iofce anf
ferocity, that the bear, despite the mos
terrific blows with his paws. rolled, owe,
in the dust, vainly struggling to edefen(
} himself The lunges and thrusts OF th
J former were perfectly furious.4 : AT length
J bv sudden and well directed blow of th
head, he got one of his horns under th
3 bears belly, and gave it rip that. brough
t out clotted mass of entrails. 1t wa
: apparent that the battle must soon end
r Both were grievously wounded, and Meth
8 er could hold out much longer. szTh
3 ground was torn up and covered wit
: blood for some distance around. and tn
painting Of the struggling animals be
| came each moment heavier and quicker
Manned and CORY, they fought with tn
cer tainty of death--the bear rolling owe
3 and over, vainly striking out to avoid tn
fatal horns of his adsers, ry-the bul
A ripping, thrusting,T and tearing with II
$ rcsistible ferocity. .Ts sseaesoss,
81 At last, as if determined to end the con
< Aict, the bull drew back, lowered hi
5 head, and made one tremendous charge
3 but, blinded by the blood that tric lie
( down his forehead, he missed his mar
and rolled headlong on the ground I
e an instant the bear whirled and was upo
d him. Thoroughly invigorated by tn
: prospect of a speedy victory, he tore th
l flesh in huge masses from the ribs of hi
n prostrate foe The two rolled over an
-toyer in the terrible death struggle; moth
s ing vas now to be seen save heaviny
h g ~ mass, dimly pereeptible through ii
! dust A few minutes would certainl
: have terminated the bloody stria assso far
s nv favorite was concerned, Wa, to m
e a5tonishment, [ saw the bear relax in h
) efforts, roll over from the body of h
e PROSTATE Toe, and drag himself teebly
few yards from the spot His eatral
h burst entirely through the wound in, b
n belly. The next minute the bull was q
HE legs, erect and 6erceas ever. Shakiu
the blood from his eyes, he looked aroun
and see ng the reeking mass before hir
3 lowered his head for the final and mo
z desperate struggle that ensued, both an
n mails seeming animated by supernatur
nj strength The grizzly struck out. wildl
l. but with such destructive energy, tn
l. the bull, upon drawing back his hea
W presented horrid and CHASTITY speetacl
IS his tongue, a -~mangled mass OF shred
hanging fren his mouth, Iris eyes to-
Il completely from their sockets, and h