The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-31
SCENES OF TIE BULL PIT.
now sOME MTNERS CELEBRATED
SUNDAY IN C1LIEORNIA.
Dangers Attending the Capture Of n trizzly
starving a Bear Previous 10 the Mach
steers Attack nmd "a Bears Defence.

n bcuF IftNiouN ~ tue
a steers Attack nnd "a Bears Defence.
PTo,a the L,mrHs & nv crJ3urpn
SAN Francisco. Dec. 10, 1876. The MEM
orv Of auci mt sp r. iin-e stu ~ the hearts OF
the pioneer. Inuse were the DAYS when men
lived In I'm atnio4J ere Oi pnrpetu ! lite uent.
Uu 10 fhotr o. &c in nav dirt II week. aud out Of
the -luice box o. wi ness u contest TO the death
between bear aud nuil IN Su dsy. here was a
fascination about one Oi these bloody battles,
however shocking to th' senses OF tuo refined
hniuanitarIan. winch no other sport coid
III Ird one Of lisJ places T. giv" ~ the sport
the piO-uer rus mining rcEi 'h known as
Boar Valley or Holcoutt valley = uatcd IN the
dino. The valley mad ono lich placer found,
and thr discovery tir cted grand tusb Of
mi lers, VINO reached the VI ice bv fOiiOwing a
trail up tn Sntt Anna uver' thence
cross hign mount IN; As In all min
hirh class, low class. and middle cl, IS; ~ Loo
fenzO Dow wOntd express H., rag tag. aud bob
toll The mountains were tuil ui cinn anon aud
grilLN bear'' ana uurnS ne dry season yhte
huinu'r ~ cattle we're 'fiNrn 10 Lear Val v,
adjoining " lcuurt. to ra-ture. As late ~ 1862.
nus sport was kept NJ IN this ont OF the-way
mountain camp, wnore thc ON 'ers ~ the law
we're not numerous, ani the sOci " for preven-
ton. a.. had not vt lodged N Orgnniz ton to
hafhss the tunoc ut uie lsures OF the miners
| After the 1r-t XcI emrnt over the discovery u
| the new Digging, the dcniz ms bopau 10 ycarn
| fut Amusement ut some Kind. To b. sure the
| SPANISH fanddunp uuu.e was feature almost
from ths BEGINNING. Ihefe the lovers of riot
could witness dancing aud duets NJ the sans
| time. Bat even tnis grew wcaii-Omc. n mo-
| notunous story. IN n suOt," or man stHbued,"
| or "man butrhercd." grew tirosome. and
| the brawny miners yearnod for something to
IL was then that the bull pit was butt. and
| everybody turned out with axe and spade to
prepare the huge stancheons and ~ mt them IN
| the ground. hjuGh 50 I. we're bxed' out of
| rehCu ct the horns OF uul ANA claws oi bear.
| All being ready. the first thug was 20 secure
| the com atant-. Fiity dollars was offered Tor
each, and the vaquerus, Who were teuuiug their
cattle. accented the ,l-k. aud started IN pursuit
uf brain. Sometimes IN the course Of their
hunts the bear would hnd tnen ANA tnen mere
was suIc to be fuu. II requires cinstueraDle
nerve to apt 70 en- ne 1 enough to q dlfOfnta
R'zziv, or even the Is terncinus cinnamon, TO
throw arOpe around MS nect; Dot toe greatest
trouble l. In educd.in the horses To toe hd-iness.
mere u very htlle n"hs'r - me Nipneru "a
| riding 10 To Wild buti, for the scarcely
| ever attack hur,eman unless E,aied to
nauness: nut the Gear mas 10 surh hesitation.
| .nd one broadside from ~ ponderous plw IS
sufficient to send horse AN n lei suinning along
the ground. Inc vaquetOs roe together, proba-
| ably naif dozen OF them; ana when the bear
| breaks cover he Is followed until he reaches
! fair ground. when the riders approach MIN or
ride past Nun ami throw the rietta. inns Is the
critical point aud 1t ieq ires ere u care to avoid
| destruc Ton BON to horse ana riIer. 4 two
| ropes tall upon his neck or eaten INN Nv foot,
the riueis wheel their horses IN opposite d roe
| tions, take a turn or two around the saddle
| horn ana the bear Is 81. H. zen rally M axes
h. eak for one Of the hprs =, and IL the ground
Is Level ;he otner V. querns bring him W with a
| round turn lnc Otncr rupts are then thrown
over his neck. nd he l. dragged 10 The pit.
Spnlstimes strange accidents happen. During
| sIddcnlf upon huge grizzly on a side hill, ana
to prevent MS escape into the brush ne flung his
/
| quick rs Thought, npped the rope with his claw
! aud brought II TO MS mouth. preventing the
Nose from strangitng him, anu after b. III ug the
| nOr-enlan for "A while. made a dash anu struck
| the hore before ho could be got out OF the
way. Tue rider escaped INTO a tree but the
horse was torn and uangleu so as to ne nearly
! dead beiOre half a dozen pistol shots put an
emu TO the career OF tue bear. After starving
! the Gagged bear ~ the pit Tor several Gays q
couple Of spanish steers. m de mad 10y the
| uOr-emen. we're let INTO the ring On sunday
! morning when several hundred persons bud "a
stmbed. II frequently happened that there
! wa- no nyht. on account of the objections en-
| tcrfLluou by one or HOth Of tne com bdtants. IL
! Wa, not considered an equal match between one
| steer auI bear uules, the Latter WAS chaincd to
/ steers were turned In there was generalb tuu
wnicn ended fatally Tor one or the other aud
| sometime both.
| Tue madden.ng shouts Of the spectators only
| ADDED 80 III, rag Of the Steers, ana by means az
/ long poles iruIn " stirred ~ 10 roniiict.
! Incre g. always more or less sparring between
| buii ana o.. IL the st""r l. tine attacking
] parry. he lowers his head shuts his eyes. and
| makes LANCE. whIcu the bear quickly avoids
| his antagonist comes within reach a blow from
| monstrous paw not only stuns II well placed.
| but the claws tear great gashes In the strike.
| watch oniy adds to the fury Of the bull. and he
springs again and again To the attack. Ii IN close
On .rters Ne manages to insert his horns In the
he r's yitAls. MS chances Tor success are good,
out " the bear l. not fatally nurt on the INST on
| siaught. his cool bearing and scientific boXing
| gets him out OF the scrape, oulN. however, to
participate IN n other ami IN other until all un-
| iucky thrust ends MS career.