Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-29

eedtS were uAcu, OUT Ol ItdCn OF
the hornsof bull and claws of bear.
All being ready, the next thing was
to secure the combatants. Fifty dol
lars was offered for each, and the
yaqueros who were tending their
cattle accepted the task and started
in pursuit Of bruin.. Sometimes in
the course of their hunts the b ar
would find them, and then there
was sure to be fun. 1t requires
considerable nerve to approach near
enough to California grizzly, or
even the less ferocious cinnamon,
to throw a rope around his neck
but the greatest trouble is in edu-
eating the horses to the business.
There is very little danger to the
vaquero in riding up to a wild bull,
for they scarcely ever attack a
horseman unless goaded to mad
ness; but the bear has no such
compunctions, and one broadside
from his ponderous paw is sufficient
to sehd horse and rider spinning
along the ground. The vaqueros
ride together, probably half a
dozen Of them, and when the bear
breaks cover he is followed until he
reaches fair ground, when the
riders approach him or ride past
him and throw the rietta. This
is the critical point, and it
requires great care to avoid destruc-
ton both to horse and rider. If
two ropes fall upon his neck or
catch him by foot, the riders
wheel their horses in opposite di-
rections, take a turn or two around
the saddle-horn, aud Mr.. Bear is
fast. He generally makes break
for one Of the horses, and if the
ground is level the other yaqueros
bring him up with a round turn,
The other ropes are then thrown
over his neck, and he is " "towed F"
or dragged to the pit, Sometimes
strange accidents happen. During
one of these hunts one of the va
queros came suddenly upon a huge
grizzly on side hill, and to prevent
his escape into the brush he flung
his moose and caught him by the
neck; the bear, quick as thought,
nipped the rope with his claw and
brought it to his mouth, prevent
ing the moose from strangling him,
and after battling the horseman for
quite a while made a dash and
struck the horse before he could be
got out Of the way. The rider
escaped into tree, but the horse
was torn and mangled SO as to be
well nigh dead before half a dozen
pistol shots ,put an end to the ca.
reer of the bear. After starving
the Gagged bear in the pit for sevoraI
days a couple Of Spanish steers
made mad by the horsemen, were
let into the ring on Sunday morn
ing when several hundred persons
had assembled. 1t frequently hap.
pened that there was no fight, on
account Of the moral objections
entertained by one or both of the
combatants. 1t was not considered
( an equal match between one steer
and q bear unless the latter was
, chained to a stake by one leg. But
when two aggravated steers were
turned in there was generally fun
ahead, which ended fatally for one
or the other, and sometimes both
The maddening shouts of the
spectators only added to the rage Of
the steers, and by means Of long
poles bruin was stirred up to a point
where patience is no longer com.
: mendable even in a bear There is
always more or less sparring be.
tween bull and bear. II the steer
is the attacking party, he lowers
his head, shuts his eyes and makes
a lunge, which the bear quickly
avoids by springing to one side, OF
rearing up, and as his antagonist
comes within reach, Il blow from q
monstrous paw not only stuns il
well placed, but the claws tear great
gashes in the strike, which only
adds to the fury of the bull, and he
springs again and again to the at.
tack. If in close quarters he man
ages to insert his horns in the
bears yitals his chances for success
are good, but if the bear is not IA
tally harmed on the first onslaught,
his cool bearing and scientific box
ING gets him out Of the scrape,
only, however, to participate in au-
other and another until an unlucky
thrust ends his sporting career.
---sai- - 'p-------
y. Battle Of BIenheini.
! The battle Of Blenheim was
| R.-l.k 1 =, 1904 du,.,,,o. tlo ,.o;on of