The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-01-03
A SAVAGE COMBAT.

A SAVAGE COMBAT.
fine young bull had descended to tn
bed of the creek in search of water hole
While pushing his way through the bushes
he was suddenly attacked by grizzly bear
The struggle was terrific. could see TIL,
tops of the bushes sway violently to ant
fro, and hear the heavy crash Of drift
as the two powerful animals writhed il
this fierce embrace. A cloud of dust rose
from the spot. 1t was not distant over q
hundred yards from the tree in which
had taken refuge. Scarcely two minute:
elapsed before the bull broke through the
bushes. His head was covered with blood
and great flakes of flesh hung from his
| fore shoulders: but instead of manifcstino
signs of defeat, he seemed literally to glow
with defiant rage. Instinct had laugh,
him to seek IN open space. A more splen.
did specimen of an animal | never saw;
1.-THE and wiry, yet wonderfully massive
about the shoulders, combining the rarest
quality of strength and symmetry. For a
moment he stood glazing at the bushes,
his head erect, his eyes flashing, his nos
trls distended, and his whole form fixed
and rigid. But scarcely had | time to
glace at him when a huge bear, the largest
and most formidable ever saw in a wild
state, broke through the opening.
A trial of brute force that battles de-
scription now ensued. Badly as l had
been treated by the cattle, my sympathies
were i'll favor of the bull, which seemed to
me to he much the nobler of the two. He
did not wait to meet the charge, but low
ering his head, boldly rushed upon his
savage adversary. The grizzly was active
and wary. He no sooner got within reach
of the bulls horns, than he seized them in
his powerful grasp, keeping the head to
the ground by main strength and the tre-
mendous weight of his body, while he bit
at the nose with his teeth and raked strips
of flesh from the shoulders with his paws.
The position thus assumed was main
tanned for some time-the bull struggling
desperately to free his head, while tie
blood streamed from his nostrils-the bear
strainng every muscle to drag him to the
ground.
AS if by mutual consent, each gradually
ceased struggling, to regain breath, and as
much as five minutes must have elaIsad
while they were locked in this motionless
but terrible embrace. Suddenly the bull,
by one desperate effort, wrenched his head
from the grasp of his adversary. and re-
treated few steps. The bear stood mp to
receive him. | now watched with breath.
less interest, for it was evident each ami
NAL had staked his life upon the issue of
the conflict. Rendered furious by his
wounds, the bull now gathered up all his
energies, and charged with such impetu-
Gus force and frrocity that the bear, de-
spite the most terrific blows with his paws,
rolled over in the dust, vainly struggling
to defend himself. The lunges and thrusts
of the former were perfectly furious. At
length, by a sudden and we'll directed mo
ton of his head, he got one of his horns
under the bears belly, and gave it rip
that brought ont clotted mass of entrails.
1t was apparent that the battle must soon
end. Both We're grievou>ly wounded. and
neither could last much longer. The
ground was torn up and covered with blood
for some distance around, and the painting
of the struggling animals became each
moment heavier and quicker. Manned and
CORY, they fought with the desperate GER
tainty of death-the bear rolling over and
over, vainly striking out to avoid the fatal
horns of his adversary-the ball ripping
and tearing with irresistible
ferocity.
At length, as if determined to end the
conflict, the bull drew back, lowered his
head, and made one tremendous charge;
hut blinded by the blood that trici,led down
his forehead, lie missed his mark am, rolled
head long to the ground. In an instant
the bear whirled and was upon him.
invigorated by the prospect of
a speedy victory, he tore the flesh in huge
masses from the ribs Of his PROSTATE foe.
The two rolled over and over in the terri
BILE death struggle: nothing was now to he
seen save heaving. CORY mass, dimly per
ceptible through the dust. 4 few minutes
would certainly have terminated the bloody
strife, so far as my favorite was concerned,
when, to my astonshmcnt, | saw the bear
relax in his efforts, roll over from the body
of his PROSTATE foe, and draw himself fee
bly, few yards from the spot. His entrails
had burst entirely through the wound in
his belly, and now lay in long strings over
the ground.
The next minute the bull was on his legs
erect and fierce as ever. Shaking the
blood from his eyes, he looked around, and
seeing the reeking mass before him lower
ed his head for the final and most desper-
ate charge. In the death struggle that
ensued, both animals seemed animated 10y
strength. The grizzly struck |
out wildly, but with such desperate energy
that the bull, upon drawing back his head,
presented horrible and CHASTITY spectacle;
MS tongue, maneled mass of shreds, |
hanging from his mouth, his eyes torn
from their sockets, and his |
whole face stripped to the bone. On the
other hand the bear was ripped completely
open, and writhins in his last agonies. |,
Here it was that indomitable courage pre-
railed: for blinded and manned as he was,
The bull. after momentary pause to re-
gain his wind, dashed wildly at his adver-
sary again, determined to be victorious
.ven in death. A terrible roar escaped
from the dying grizzly. With a last fran |
tic effort he sought to make his escape, |
scramhlng over and over in the dust
But his strength was gone. A few more /
thru>ts from the savage victor and he lay I
stretched upon the sand, his muscles quiv- !
nriug convulsively, Lis huge body resist ,
less mass. A clutching motion Of the