St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-10-25
Terrible Fight with Grizzly Bear.
CALIFORNIA HUNTERS UNEXPECTED
ENCOUNTER.

CALIFORNIA HUNTERS UNEXPECTED
ENCOUNTER.
On Thursday of last week Mr.. Nathan
Rogers, who lives upon ranch in the
mountain above West Point, had the
most terrific encounter with Il grizzly
we ever heard of. Gray squirrels ale
quite plenty there this season, and after
dinner MI. Rogers went out for an at
ternoon's sport. He was armed with a
light rifle, and fortunately had large
knife, which he occasionally carries.
Grizzlies are no strangers in the vicini
ty, and Rogers had frequently seen
their tracks while hunting his stock
but as it is yet too early for ravenOus
beasts to be driven out of the higher
mountain ranges by the snow, he felt
no apprehension from that source.
In leaving a timbered ridge upon
which he had been shooting, Rogers
had to cross patch of comparatively
open country. He had gone but short
distance when, in descending into a
little blind ravine, he came upon huge
grizzly feeding on the carcass of sheep.
The. bear was not over twenty feet dis
tant-a space that Rogers had not the
remotest desire to diminish. Man and
beast discovered each others presence
at the same instant. Rogers is a reso-
lutte man, a splendid marksman, and
well Injured to the dangers of back
woods life; but, with full knowledge
of the characteristics of the ferocious
animal facing him, hope died away in
run but his better judgment told him
that if he did so, and should be pursued
by the grizzly, escape would be impos-
sible. There was a chance that the
grizzly might net attack him if be re-
tained bold attitude, but this was dis
PEELED by the bear giving low growl,
dropping his mutton and advancing
toward him. When the grizzly had got
within about fifteen steps of him, Rog-
ers threw his rifle to his shoulder, and
with a steady aim planted bullet in
the bears breast, just inside the point
of the right shoulder.
The animal was hit hard, but no
sixty to- the-pound bullet ever stopped
grizzly. With growl, SO ferocious
that it resembled roar, the infuriated
animal rushed forward to the attack
Throwing aside the now useless rifle,
and drawing his knife, Rogers braced
himself for the death struggle. As the
shaggy monster reared upon its haunch-
es, its great, black, convex head tower
ing two feet above Rogers, the latter
involuntary threw up his left arm like
pugilist on guard. The bear seized
the arm in its mouth and, throwing its
great paws over the shoulders of the
hunter, hugged him in an embrace sc
| thot or ,,.t.,
their sockets, and the blood gushed
from his nostrils. Rogers right arm
was free, and he drove the blade of his
knife to the hilt in the side of the griz
ely close to the shoulder. The blade
reached vital point, but its immedi
ate effect was only to increase the girls
zly's ferocity. 1t hugged Rogers the
closer, its long, sharp, chisel-pointet
claws tearing gaping wounds in the un
fortunate mans back, while the bone'
of his left arm were ground to powder
in the viselike jaws of his terrible an.
tagonist. Rogers piled his knife will
the energy of desperation, driving i
again and again in the vitals of the
bear, literally carving it alive, while
the latter, with claws and teeth, lacerat
ed its human foe in the most frightfu
manner. The terrible wounds of the
grizzly were commencing to tell upol
its vitality. Rogers senses were not S,
dulled but that he could distinguish
that the grizzly was gradually relaxing
its hold, and the ray of hope the knowl
edge afforded stimulated him to re
newed exertions with his knife. Tht
bear endeavored to support itself, de
spite its cruel wounds, wavered for al
instant, and then, with low moan
the huge monster toppled over, drag
ging the man with it, the latter falling
partly underneath. SummOning all hi
remaining strength, Rogers plunged hi,
knife into the grizzly's abdomen, til,
hot life blood and viscera spouting full
in his face. The bear relinquished it,
hold, and Rogers, torn, lacerated ant
bleeding, crawled far enough away t.
escape being rent to pieces by the ter
rible death struggle of the grizzly.
Although victorious, Rogers condi
ton was critical in the extreme. H,
was mile and half from home, s,
weak and faint he could scarcely stand
and in danger of bleeding to death be
fore he could reach help. Consciou
that he must soon have help or perish
he summoned all his resolution an,
staggered along in the direction o
home, more dead than alive, trail O
blood marking his footsteps. He man
aged to reach a spring in sight of hi