Connecticut western news., 1874-09-25
ARKANSAS BILL.


 commanding stature has moved among the busy throngs which frequent our streets, the observed ~of all observers. Dressed in buckskin jacket and l brooches, the latter tucked in his boots, head, and no ornaments about his per- son save the countless strands of buck skin which are necessary adjuncts of such suit, he would instantly be re- garded an unusual parsonage, and the query could but arise-who is he ? Upon inquiry we found he was the ver- itable "Arkansas Bill who, in 1867, had that terrible fight with a bear, in which his companion, Jesse Bell, was almost torn to pieces, but lives to-day the wonder and admiration of the old hunters of the West. From Arkansas Bills own lips we have learned the story, which we herewith present our readers-a story known only to Jesse and Bill, but of which detached DOT tions are sure to be heard in any trap per's camp while they gather about the fire storytelling. Arkansas Bill, who is about twenty-nine years of age and stands about six feet and three inches in his stocking feet, early in the spring of 1867 fell in with Jesse Bell at Green City when they provided themselves with fresh supply of grub and ammu- nition, also a prospecting outfit, and then, with view of prospecting only, made for the head waters of the Snake, Green, and Wind Rivers. This, Bills first trip of the kind, resulted rather disastrously, no lodes being discovered which they considered worth working, or placer mines which would pay fair wages. Leaving the country and strik- ing south, about the first of September they reached Horse Greek, and stopped to rest themselves and their animals.
 The three or four traps which they had taken in case they should meet with otter, here came into use. The fourth or fifth day, while out changing the traps, some antelope were discover ed about three miles from camp. The next day they went to secure one, but finding them gone, they crossed an alkali flat to bluff about eight miles distant. The bluff ran along the base of hill, upon which they discovered an antelope, but it being too long 8 shot from where they first saw him, they crept along, and calculated by turning a sharp point in the bluff to get within closer range. Just as Jesse, who was about six feet in advance of Bill, was in the act of crawling over the sharp rock, he discovered on the other side, in hollow about ten feet off, an old she bear, with two cubs and yearling. Instantly Jesse cried out, "A bear jump back this is no place to fight" With three bounds Bill had reached level spot of ground, and Jesse, when the bear had come close enough to be singed by the powder, fired and broke her shoulder. Mad dened with pain, she sprang with the quickness of lightning and caught Jesse, who was in the act of leaping back, by the side. Such was her mo- mentum, that together they fell at Bills feet, Jesse underneath and the bear on top. Instantly she seized his side in her huge jaws, sinking her upper tusks deep into the muscles of the back, while she was prevented from doing the same with her lower ones, and thus from biting huge mouthful out of his side, by striking against shot-pouch which hung by cord from his shoul- ders. Jesse, wishing to get her atten- tion away from such vital parts, kicked her, and at the same instant Bill, put ting his rife close to her body back of the shoulder, fired. The pain-stung beast, supposing that the cause of her misery came from the kick, seized Jesse's foot by the ankle and began to chew it up.
 Jesse then attempted to get his six shooter, while Bill was loading. At tracted by Jesse's movements, she wheeled and received another shot from the rife. With wonderful quick ness she struck this, her old enemy, a clip on the head, knocking him down, and a fourth shot went crashing through her body from the six-shooter, discharged by Jesse with his left hand. Instantly she grabbed and bit through the left arm, but perceiving Jesse mov- ing his head, which he did in order to give Bill chance to shoot her without having it in range, she opened her huge blood-stained jaws and took nearly his whole head in her mouth, Jesse's eyes staring down her throat The situation was 8 desperate one, and something must be done in the twinkling of an eye. Bill was equal to it and ready. Placing the muzzleof his rife just back of her ear, he fired. Springing back in her death-leap, she tore away part of Jesse's upper jaw and a piece of the scalp five inches wide by nine inches long. She fell back upon Bills legs, who rolled her of, ard then took his knife and cut off the piece of Jesse's jaw (with the teeth attached), which hung by thread trimmed the ragged portion of what remained of the scalp, and was endeavoring to dress his wounded foot, when the yearling bear appeared upon the scene only few feet away. It was the work of an in- stant to seize his rife and send bullet through her head. When the wounds had received all the care possible, Jesse was helped to his feet and at- | tempted to walk. Finding it impossi- ble, the broad-shouldered athlete stopped, and taking the man upon his shoulders started away. Once only in that long tramp of eight miles did he stop to rest, wishing to reach camp be- fore dark, and fearing that the wolves, if they got the scent of the blood, might give trouble. Arriving at camp, good fortune favored them in finding there another man who had come in during the afternoon. Patching up their wounded friend with prepared plaster -a roll of which hunters generally carry-they constructed carriage !" in the following manner: flashing 8 pole on each side of pony, secured to the pack k-saddIe-while the other ends dragged upon the ground-they con- structed basket of plaited deer-skin thongs between the pole, just back of the animal, and in this placed Jesse. This is the Indian method of transport ing their sick and wounded.
 They at once set out for Fort Brid- ger, travelling all that night, stopping only to pour GSld av water ter upon S the % pain G
 unconsciousness no sign of suffering, except very few grunts, came from the fearfully lacerated man in the long l ionrnev When morning arrived theV