The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-02-06
Intimate Relations With Grizzly.

\ Canon City correspondent Of the
1 Chicago Tribune writes: The mountain
ranges OF Colorado are very we'll supplied
with bears. and during the tall OF the year.
when the plums and grapes are ripe. il i
nothing unusual to stumble upon dozen
or So of the brutes in haitian hours walk.
4 There are three distinct species-thc COM
mon brown or black bear. which still
maintains precarious foothold in many of
/ the Eastern States, and is hunted with
much ceremony; the cinnamon, and the
genuine grizzly.
/ The cinnamon chap is about the color of
brick dust, and his lighting weight ranges
all the way from 500 To 1000 pounds. lie
/ is supple. active brute and inclined 10 be
"A genuine coward. Meet him in secluded
! place, and he will skulk OIL with his tail
between his legs, like a coyote; but he is
apt To prove a dangerous customer when
wounded and brought TO bay. Then he
assumes the offensive, and true rifle and
steady nerve are required on the part of the
sportsman. or his bearship will proceed 10
form an acquaintance more close than
agreeable. II a good tree is at hand, and
the hunter can scale il. so much the better.
n the cinnamons do not climb: and a
knowledge of the fact tends 10 restore con-
fidence. The majority of men | have con-
versed with prefer TO hunt them in this
way. In some instances the cinnamon. AZ
ter being badly hit. PUSHES at the tree up
which his antagonist has Skinned for dear
life, seizcS il in his teeth. and claws and at
tempts 10 tear it down. At this critical
iuncture it is best for the hunter To pre-
serve his composurc. and not fly of the
handle. The bear may keep him impri~On-
eel an hour or 80. but bruin has small
stock OF patience. and when he ascertains
that tho nHsfflAH h. i'm nraonalln la. trit-,e
up the job in disgust and retires in good
order.
The grizzly. however. stands AT the head
Of the bear family, and is more feared and
respected than all Others. He l. a treachcr-
Gus. Sullen, malicious, desperate, ill-man-
ncrcd. uncouth. shaggy brIlte-one which
stubbornly ressts all advances toward
friendship. and i ready at any time to die
in the hast ditch. Like the immortal "Old
Guard of Napoleon. your genuine grizzly
never surrcnders. but j. game ID the last.
The grizzly has lorlly. Independent
bearing. and on his native mountain sides.
or in the forests. will hardly dcign 10
make room for man himself. If YOU meet
one in the road, the chances are that he
will not bulge an inch. unless he happens
To be- in an accommodating mood. and then
lac viii trot out on one side few yards.
rear himself upon his enormous Launches,
and graciously wait for You 10 pass. No
matter whether you are armed with
breech-loading Ballard. needlc-gun. Win
chester or Sharpe. never attack grizzly
alone or out in the open country.
The only safe position is on the back of
a good horse. or in the limbs of a cotton
wood tree. Many persons. disregarding
this advice. have paid for their temerity
with their lives; for, no matter where you
81. 81. I'll.
heart or brain-boN. he never gives mp the
ghost without a struggle. and will fight as
long as lac can lift paw. Practical illus
trations Of the fighting powers OF the
grizzly are TO be seen IN these mountain
Gus regions nearly every day. The other
day your correspondent encountered a
miner from Fairplay, who had come down
To the valley regions for supplies. His
personal appearance was. TO say the least.
peculiar. He carried his right arm in a
sling. one eye was twisted upwards. his
face was scratched and torn and indcntcd
with ridges. while his head was rs guiltcss
of hair as billiard ball. At first | sup
posed he had been invited by some of the
friendly Indians TO a scaiping picnic, as
chief performer: but in conversation IL /
turned out that he had received each and |
all these grieyous wounds from the claws |
of grizzly.
The grizzly bear obtains his full growth |
in four years. Al six he is in his prime, |
aud able to cope with any animal in exist /
ence. The majestic lion may be- consider /
ed the king Of beasts so far a. looks are /
concerned; but he would stand a very
poor show in the hug of "A grizzly. The |
average weight of grizzly is 1900, but |
quite a number have been killed. i'm this vi |
cinity that kicked the beam at 800. Old !
man Griffin. of Canton. one of the early I
settlers, and reputed TO be the sharpest |
and most courageous bear-huntcr i'm these
parts. knocked over "A grizzly last fall that |
weighed 600 pounds after being dressed |
The claws of this fellow were large enough |
to anchor a -ood-sized sloop. beng nine
inches in length. He fought to the last. |
and. with three balls square through his |
heart. charged upon the enemy. and drop /
ped down stone-dead so close to the old |
man that he could have touched him with |
his paw.
They tell story around here of fool
ish young fellow. residing on Current
Creek. who made bet that he would lasso |
a grizzly and bring him into camp. He |
made the experiment. and slipped good |
moose over Mr.. Grizzly. but the latter sat |
down upon his launches very coolly, and |
commenced hauling in on the line. I'm |
VAIN the horse strnggled-the power M the |
other end was irresistible: but. Fortunate |
~. the lariat broke. and the rash young |
man escaped with his life.
"A little boy named Bliss. Of Ann Ar /
Dor. Mich. while playing with a sharp !
knife. undertook to amuse his friends by |
drawing Il across his throat. Accidentally |
he reversed il. and cut frigh,ful cash in |
his neck. nearly causing his death.
An indianapolis beggar goes about