The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-09
THE FEROCIOUs GRIzzLY.

In the summer of 1859, wishing to
| go across the plains, started from st.
Louis with an emigrant train, consist
ing of about fifty teams and one hun
dred and seventy-fve men, women and
children. We reached Denver, Col,
without an accident, where | left them
to pursue their journey straight thrO'
to California, while ], with several com
pamOns, struck across the mountains,
through the southwestern part of Da-
kOta, now Wyoming, intending to 90
to Virginia City, Montana, where a
great gold excitement was then raging
One ofmy companions Shell Murray
by name, was formerly my chum while
we hunted and secuted through that
same region of country, about five or
SIX years before. met him at Denver
and easily persuaded him to accompa-
ny me to the mines. He was the most
expert shot that | ever saw in all my
frontier travels, and was universally
acknowledged as such. | have seen
him before now get some one to TIL htow
up potato or an apple, at a distance of
twenty or twenty-five yards from the
muzzle Of his rifle, and he would plug
1t to the centre every time-a feat rare
ly if ever equalcd.
My other companion was q regular
dOwn-east Yankee, hailing from Yer
mont. never saw any one that could
beat him talking. and Shell declared
that his tongue was hung on a swivel
and wagged at both ends. He had q
large pack on his back, filled with all
manner of worthless trinkets, $50 we
then thought } which he asserted would
yet prsve to make his fortune. Nearly
bent double under his heavy load he
would drag along behind us and every
once in a while holler out, II say, hver,
you tellars; yer in hurry, aint yer?"
No persuasion or entreaty would in
duce him to leave part or all of the IA
tai pack (Which, as you will see pres
emily proved his ruin) behind him, as
we wanted to make faster time. The
amount of swearing that Shell did at
that "Ornery cuss," as he called him,
would make street gamin stare, but
we dare not leave him behind US, for
fear that the Indians or grizzlies, which
were pretty thick around there, would
make short work of him SO we trudg-
ed patiently on, with the determination
to ''slide OUT and leave him at the next
settlement we came to.
One night, after hard days tramp,
we were sitting around the cheerful
campfire; the Yankee was loquacious-
ly discoursing on the superiority of his
own native State, and the East general
ly, over the West. Shell had leaned
back against a fallen tree, and was half
asleep, and | was stretched at full length
on the ground, thinking Of home, for
by that time we had become so used to
the \ Iankee's twaddle, that it disturbed
us no more than the signing of the
night breeze through the forest trees
and the only way to silence him was to
let him talk till he fell asleep on his
pack, which he never let out of his
keeping for a moment.
How long | had lain there | do not
know, but suddenly starting from a
deep dream, | rose up on my elbow,
rubbed my eyes and looked around.
A few remaining embers of our last
nights fire were still glowing. Shell
was quietly sleeping in the same posi-
tion | had last seen him when | went
to sleep; the Yankee also was sound
asleep on his pack. " ordering what
had awakened me, | looked around eau
tiouslv to discover the cause, but see
ing nothing, [ was beginning to sink
to the ground again to resume my
slumber, when a slight cracking noise
| attracted my attention in the direction
where the Yankee was sleeping; and
! in another moment | saw large whit
! ish mass emerge from the thicket and
| approach the unconscious sleeper a
cold chill crept over me, for in the
| whitish mass l recognized a grizzly
| bear The animal began snufifng
| around the Yankee, and in a few mo-
ments more | expected to see him torn
to pieces. My mind and body had be-
come paralyzed, for | was unable to
move or think coolly; but finally sum-
moning all my energies, l jumped to
my feet with a loud yell, at the same
! time firing off one barrel of my revOl-
! ver Shell jumped to his feet, the
| Yankee rose with bound, almost
| frightened to death, and the bear scOot-
ed through the bushes as fast as he
could 90, so that did not know which
was the most frightened, the bear or
| the Yankee.
There was no more sleep for us that
night. and in the morning Shell and |
determined to pay the grizzly back for
the fright he had given us during the
nipht, and although the Yankee was
opposed to this move, he would not
STAY behind, but shouldered his pack
and followed us. We trailed the bear
for about two hours and finally reached
the banks Of wide and swift running
stream. The bear had evidently come
TO the river for drink, for we traced