The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-04-21
Gov. PacIlecO aS Bear Ilu inter- HIS
Skill with The LaSSO.

A correspondent Of the San Fran
cisco \ It, gives tHis description Of q
| thrilling encounter with u gr,zzly
bear, in which Gov. Pacheco figures
promi emily:
Gov. Pacbcco has among his ac.
complishmcnts-and they are Any
one possessed, VIC believe, hy no
other Governor in the United States.
lie eau lasso aud get away with n
wild grizzly bear; ard We saw him
do it, in May, 1852, on tho Rancho
de les Osos Bear ranch.), IN San
Luis Obispc, then tho residence Of
! Gov. Puchcco's mother. Away up
in the mountains, among the wild
oat:, the grizzlies tuko their morn.
ing maps after thcir nightly prowling
about in search of any stray calf,
pig or other small gamc. Early one
morning the enormous print Of a
grizziy's foot was soen in the earth
close 10y the dwelling OF the G ,ver,
nor's mother, aud in few minutes
Romualdo and two or three othc,>
were in the saddle aud off for the
mountains. When tho :nll wild
oats, half way up the mountain, were
reached, the party had not ridden
more thar two minutes among the
tall, dry wi.ps, when the horses
suddenly started, snortcd loudly, and
instantly huge grizzly stood erect,
with terrific presence, high above the
dry wild oats. He looked like
gigantic negro, with shaggy, fur
overcoat, his eyes cleaning iercely,
his cruel teeth and red mouth un.
pleasantly conspicuous. Zach man
aud every horse for the instant secm-
ed petritied-as if, while cvc'y nerve
aud every muscle and wary sense was
at its utmost tension, they had sud
denly looked upon the Medusa. In
a seconds time Pachcco spurred for
ward, swinging his Ius>o. The bear
com'nencei sparring warily, and few
professional boxes can fend off as
these creatures will. Bat pacheco's
lasso shot out like an arrow and
clasped about the huge fore-foot,
when tho horse (who saw every move.
mcnt and was just as wide awake us
Pucheco) sprang tho other way, and
the lasso being fast to the pommel,
tho bear Was instantly thrownh TO the
ground, when two other men, quick
us lightning, had thrown their las
suc's and caught the hind-foet then
another ider caught the loose fore
foot, and four horses took their posi-
tiuns like cavalry animals trained by
tome noiseless sigual, and slowly
marched down the mountuin's side,
two hors, in the van and two in the
rear, dragging ulsa Major quietly
down the grassy descent, the lear
horses keeping just ttnut jino enough
to prevent the bear from getting
any use of his terrible hind claws.
Fastening the bcar.'s hind feet to
q strong, decp.dlivcr stake, they
stepped away to u respectable dis
tanoe, their eyes upon the fcrocious
creature and their hands upon their
saddlc.pum'"cls. We walked up
close to the bear to take c.rclul
look at him. All cried out "Cuida-
do!' "Takc care!''
"Why, he's all securc,' wo said.
"Yes but look out )"
"I ou don't think lie could get
loose -
"pc,hars not, hut you'd better
keep away T. And we did.
The bear lay with Lis hend' be-
tween his huge paws, covering his
eyes, save occasionally, when he
would furtively lit his eyes, lik" "a
sulky child, to look at his cnrt"rS,
then covering his eyes aeain, remain
II moment und steal another look.
Soon he gave heavyesighs, and some
one said, "ilc is dying, - We ex'
pressed surprise to lean that the bear
was wounded.
"Ile is not wounded" they re-,
piled, "bnt his heart breaks di IS
of rage" And IN few moments ho
had breathcd his last, and was drag
gcd away some diS'auce from the
house and left.
Pacbecu pointed to the sky. We
looked, and saw n buudeed carrion
crows whose watchful eyes ,ud seen
tho feast long before it was hulf way
down the mountain side and bcfoic
we wore a bundled yards f.om the
dead bear its body was completely
hidden Iy the sable, tapping wing
Of the hungry uudortakrrs.