Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-12-14

Imagine yourself an unseen visitor at the
| blvouac OF Il little party OF hunters and ex-
| plorers in the heart OF the Wind River Noun
tains. snug little vale holds them with n
isr Of shelter m d protection, and the CUR
gle OF II tiny brook, sliding down n green
pathway of moss, is the music that sings
| caressingly in the ear of the tired traveller.
1t is a calm, pleasant night, and tales of hor-
ror and distress would be out of place. Only
quiet laughter ought to echo among the
spruces, and pleasant thoughts prepare the
mind for peaceful sleeping.
Here stands one, leaning on the staff with
which he now and then lifts the cover OF the
bake-oven, to observe how his coffee is roast
ing. He is watching Mountain Harry, who
has pushed back his broad sombrero until
the yellow blaze lights up his brown face
with strong and ruddy light, like some por-
trait by Rubens, while he tells about the
bear. Opposite him is John of Oregon-a
giant with his length and breadth fully un-
folded beside the ashes busy with his brier-
wood. The rest OF us lie about in indolent
and restful content, meditating through post
prandial pipes. aud listening to the hunters
tales. whose interest is derived largely from
the freshness OF the signs We have met
with Tor several days
Harry, dill you ever actually STE il grizzly
bear"
Preposterous question, Much like tossing
Il red rag to bull.
"Dd trer see gri-ly' Well, l allow it
was only two year ago my horse Tex and me
was cOrralled by seven of EN- III Colorado
1t was on White River III September. Id
been ont and shot u black tail, and WAS II
bringin the quarters into lcamp tied behind
the saddle, an | spose the bears smelt en-
for all at wunst there was the damnedest
rustlin' round and | knowed what 1t was
But We couldn't stir step WAS Just then
stuck in them bushes, an had to fight, Tex
as stood still, and | says to myself Just
you come out where | can see, and I'll give
one dose anyhow But they got scared, or
suthin, and went off up the hill. There was
seven of EN-, young and old, and all right up
on end. Well, | didn't fool away no time
gettin' out O. that, now, you may bet your
life
1T was that same trip," Harry continued,
when We was down IN the Grand River
Canon, that We had somes fun with II bear
but he was IL cinnaInon-not so big as reg
lar grizzly, but big enough for me | was
skinnin mountain sheep right III camp,
when the niger cook, George, hollered out
Jee-rusalem see dat ba' = An | looked
round. and here come II cinnamon pltchin
down the mountain right on top OF us On
Nudl SIlhll hb Nuhl aIltii nv ltlin 'htH
Madeira, and runs and jumps on the old Preach
er bell-horse and gifts. while George picks up
the shovel first thing be could catch and runs
and jumps into Grand River. My gun wasn't
close by me. but got IT purity quick and
peckcd the bear "A couple o times. and he
was the deadest cinnamon about ever seed.
But Shep and the Preacher horse was devil
OF time gettln back -
''Thut reminds me, laughed Mr.. W, ''oi
funny thing that happened once in Nevada.
Coming back from mountain ON day, We
surprised bear and shot nj him. but mis- ed
hun, and he ran OF very lively. We follow
ed along and chased him right through camp.
There were Only II Mexican and the cook
there, and they, seeing the bear run by,
started after the Mexican on the horse with
an old army pistol, and til. cook on foot with
nothing but his rolling-pin The bear got
away, but what the fellow proposed to DO
with the rolling pin was more than or lac
could tell. Emmons and | did run n bear
down on the plains once. though. and killed
him with our rcvolvcrs.'
That recalled to Johns memory sn outfit
he with once, where Mexican saw II
bear not far from camp, and having shot it,
started after 1t on u mule. Now mule will
nearly jump out OF his skin NJ sight or smell
of Bruin, and the Mexican must have known
it But he rode hotly after the grizzly all
the same, along the steep side of the noun
tain 1t WIS supposed he must have me;
him, for when the mule rushed back to camp
ridcrloss, and they went to look for the MeA-
lean, they found HIM down III the canon,
where has mule had probably thrown him,
with his brains dashed out against II rock.
well" reJolned Harry, for none OF the
rest OF us offered any further experiences,
though our chief might have detailed many |
i've seen lots of fellers terrible anxious to |
shoot II grizzly till they seed one. There
was little fellor from California named |
Charlie Millcn. Charlie wns crazy to shay a |
bear, and one day one OF the men came IN
and suid that terrible hig grizzly was down |
In the canon. So AIillen he gets his gun and |
starts after that bear red hot. He got on his |
trail, and followed along lll he come to some
bushes, and was a-guin through EN-, when |
all at wunst hc come right ON the grizzly |
lying down right in the trail, with his hcnd |
on log. He wasn't murc'n ten icet away, |
and Charlie gust gave one look, nnd then ht |
out for camp He'd had enough grizzly Iult |
seem them eyes
''Thon there was another icllcr / know'd II |
sailor. lie Thought ho was the deyIlat shoot |
m bears. and WAS spIhn Tor II chance To Try. |
Well one day ! BAN some signs, md told |
HIM lowed If he'd 20 Gown IN the willows |
hr Il get shot 80 on he goes, ana pi'ltN |
soon We heerd "a dcvil Ola holleriu' and there |
WAS that sullor upu tree, llo'd wounded u |
cinnamon, and she came tor him, and bcloIc |
he could shin up tins little cotton wood il |
she didn't claw the whole sold ont q that |
snooIcTs bfcrUhcs. lie didn't want any |
more grizzly IN hi.'n neither 90
SO the story goes on,a7 easily as the smoke |
rises upward und lr't- away across tho face |
of the moon GIunl, he conrr is well |
Drowned, tho pipes mr out, the campfire |
sinks into "nl,r, mud then INTO ashes. |
Darkness aud stiffness rrigu in the noun |
tuins, and each story teller and story listen !
er is only n Fray mound of blankets and iur |
ELSEsr INGTEsuII
,,,,..l...,..... ..i..-i, NJ