New-York tribune., 1880-02-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
AMERICAN WILD BEASTS.


forests are described In this volume from personal
ohse,vation and adventure, In a style of familiar
ponular illustration which to majority OF readers
will proys more attractive than toothand-nall
eonBict with the ferocicus animals In thelr native
lair. OF these native Americans. the grizzly bear
easily takes the palm, for erceness and courage as
well as for size and strength. They sometimes at
tain a length of nearly nine feet and weight OF
thirteen hundred pounds, but these are exceptional
cases. The author has seen them seven ieet III
length aud over nine hundred pounds ID welght
when in good condition, and these were thonght 10
be rather large In the Rocky Mountains, although
when found in warmer climates, such as Southern
California, Arizona and other places they are not
only larger, but also fercer than Their Northern
kindred. The grizzly bear inhsblts nearly all tie
States and Territories west OF the Rocky MOUNTAINS
but il not met with to the north of the fOry-second
parallel on the Cascade Range, or about inc June
flou of Oregon and California. 1t roams to British
America however, in another direction, and Is no
less abundant In some parts of that country than
in the region further SOUTH
II hibernates during the Winter in the northern
regions vet it is not unusual 10 see an od maze ou
In search of food during the coolest geatheI ou1
doubt if one ever saw cubs or gravId 1emaies. 10
encounter the animal during these expeditions ia mim
search of pabulum is dangerous matter as IL VIII
not hesitate a moment to attack anything living
from man to a mouse and the one Is OF ABOUT rs
much consequence TO it the other Tor II can crush
the former at with blow from Its powerful
paw or the pressure of its massive jaws III VIII, III
ordinary cases, avoid encounter with man, m
less startled suddenly or cornered put when ~ Is
hungry, angry, or suffering from petuance curing
the rutting season, IL seems TO lose ITS rear OF
everything and to be ready to hght WITHOUT the
least provocaton. When surprised, it rises with a
deep grutf, bass-drum-like hui, hu1, that recalls
the giants of the fairy tales and when it commen-
ees an attack IL charges vigorously NOTWITHSTANDING
ing its clumsy FORM it can run rapidly, owing To its
enormous strength. and woe betlde the man VINO
rannot then find tree convenient, for that is bis
only refuge, if he Is alone, as the grizzly cannot
climb owing. according 70 the assertions OF the IN
lians, to the form oflts claws IL can cNinD tIees
when young however; SO it's great weight may nave
something to do with its inability to accomplish
eucb feat at adult age. Should man seek safety
even in tree he is liable to be made prisoner for
several hours for the bear will not, 1t said by
hunters, leave until night sets III OF IL becomes
Should person meet 1t suddenly, when he IS
alone he should not unless he could do so with
assurance OF success, for IL is almost sure 10
pursue If 1t IS at all within convenent distance
The best thing in that would be to try the Ell
feet of few screams, for, great and power
afraid of the human voice, and often fees
from it. 1t has been known to turn tan
and run. even when preparing TO ATTACK, on
hearing the terrified screams OF man ana hearu
of a woman in Siskiyou County, Cal ifornia who
caused a female grizzly and her two cubs TO beat
rapid retreat by shouting Justify at mem wren 'e
former began to show signs of beng dangerous An
unusual noise of any kind is liable TO alarm H. II IL
liz not hungry but such means OF driving III away
cannot be relied upon, and the Only eihcaclous
mode of circumventng it is to avoid an encounter
or TO give ii the contents of heavy llne. Even
with the latter one Is not always sure Oh Vie'1ly ~
world to kill. have known il TO carry away sew
eral ounces OF lead and then outrun its pqrSueTs ;
and knew to be hit with ten heavy bullets Pc
fore relinQuishng its spirit. This ,euacty OF lie
is accounted for by ITS great strength, thickness OF
hide, powerful and strongly resistant muscles ana
the form of the skull which affords good protection
TO the brain. . E..
Its strength may be inferred from the fact that it
has been known to kill two conbatlye buna.oes IN
Montana, in about as many minutes by strokes OF
Its huge fOrepaws, and subsequently to drag heavy
bull, which must have weighed at least Lou
pounds q distance of several hundred yards, ana
bury il in hole which it excavated with its claws.
IL can kill man with one fair blow and can crush
hlm it would an sgg-snei, snOnIo ne ever eve gGs
off the thck-skinned buffalo with sweep OF Its
cimeter-like claws.
have heard old hunters say that the most ehec
tive way of killing this Western monarch Is to sheot
Ii in the chest when it rises on Its hnd-egs TO sur
vey an adversary previous to ADVANCING TO the asi
saul as one is then almost of reaching vital
part at least of crippling 1t so much as to pre-
vent it from running rapidly. shot IN the lungs
is certainly sickenlng If not paTaiyZng' ana Is ha-
BILE TO produce internal hemorrhaee. A person
could not attack the animal with IMMUNITY, now
ever unless he is i'll company with Others, ana is
well armed, for 1t is as fierce as the lion when
aroused. and is far dangerous as 1t VIII pur-
sue "A hunter vigorously, If 1t can run, should he
wound it, whereas the other is content with
bound, and, if IT misses its object, TO wait ana
crouch for another
Tire number of persons who have lost their lives
through their foolhardness in attacking the glzzly
ct a disadvantage or with poor weapons, Is Dy no
means small and were it not for the tact that
others sought safety in convenient trees wncn pur
yled il would be much greater. man IN Northern
California who attacked the animal single-handed'
and at close quarters, was supposed TO nave Oeeh
killed by it with a single blow OF its paw for
when found by his friends few days after. he
was scarcely recognizable, as the flesh was
torn of the scalp, face. and chest, the rlDs were
hal, nj = nd oh WI
The author relates numerous anecdotes of rencoun-
ters with the grizzly bear i'll some of which he took
part in person, and others occurred in the expert
ence of famous hunters of the West. From one Of
the former class we take the following specimen:-
One Of the pleasanest chases after grizzlies that
ever euioyed came off in Southern California. The
party myself excepted. was composed OF GreaseIs'
or native Cafornians, and two Mexican Spaniards.
AS the hunt was ORGANIZED for the special purpose
of driving the bears out OF section OF country
where they were committing sad havoc among
sheep, we selected the best and most experienced
mustangs to be fOund in large area, ana, alinlng
ourselves with rifles aud revolyers, we started Tor
fhe foothills from our rendezvous AT p. H.. ana
eucamped that light under the shade of some oak
trees. having built rousing fire to Keep away all
quadfupedal intruders. After supTer, we dovoted
ourselves assiduousy up to midnight to puiflng c1-
carettes, singing songs. and relating hunting eX-
periences. The last story " was told by swarthy
old veteran, and according to that ne had Killed
q bear single-han1ed, with only huntlng-knl1e, by
simply ovadng blow of its paw, and then cutting
ifsiugular vine before it could meet hls attack.
Having slept soundly, we awoke promptly at a.
M and, after partdking of a light breakfast we
loaded our rifles aud TevOvleTs. and saddled our
steedS and were in motion III less than an hour:
Depioying i'll skirmishng order. and in the form
of q crescent, we advanced toward copplce OF
oaks half mile i'm front which grizzlies were known
10 frequent. We were accompanied by dozen
mongrel dogs of many breeds and they were taken
by one of the party to the top of hill, so that they
MIGHT drive the quarry toward He took
the precauton to keep TO the leeward OF
the copse for if even the daring. grizzly
caught the odor OF humanity, it would
sometimes think il the better part OF valor to beat
rapid retreat The captain of the skirnisii-line
gave us orders how TO move by the wave OF ms K1nd