The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-07-23
A FRIGHTFUL ENCOUNTER.
BY T. NJ.


exposed frontier, he was trained to horse
manship and hunting from his earliest youth
and his parents felt no concern in allowing
him to wander over the prairie or mountain,
even though he incurred the additional risk
of falling in with the aborigines, who were
always roaming over the country.
Upon this occasion, Alfredo had been
hunting for deer. He haG succeeded in
wounding several, but on every occasion the
habeas corpus act failed. Once he saw his
game stagger and fall, while ascending the
mountain side, and with high hopes OF ''bag-
ging' his prize he spurred his mustang for
ward but the sight of several dusky horse.
men who came to view from a grove Of tim
Der between him and the deer, caused a
change in his purpose, and he wheeled about
and gallOped homeward.
The red men did not seem to think him
worth following, and when he looked back
after gallop of several miles, he saw moth
ing of them.
The afternoon was about half gone and
the day was a clear, bracino one in autumn.
His course led him along the dry bed of
stream which he had frequently Travelled be-
fore, and which was so familiar to both him
no thought to the direction he was pursuing
He had ridden about a mile in this direc-
ton, when his intelligent mustang threw up
his head and gave a sharp neigh, haltiug alb
ruptly at the same time, and showing by his
action that he had scented danger.
There was no trouble in learning what it
was that had alarmed the animal for, at a
distance of several hundred yards, in the
centre of what was dry canon, he saw a
small campfire burning, the thin smoke of
which could be plainly distinguished as it
slowly rose in the clear atmosphere
Still no person could be seen anywhere
near the fre-a fact that was suspicious it.
self
lie carefully scanned the ground, and
then, very prudently. concluded to wheel
about and retreat, and start homeward over
the open prairie, where there was no danger
of running into an ambush like this
But at this juncture the proprietor of the
campfire stepped forth TO view, in the shape
of a large hunter, who called out to him in
Spanish, telling him he had nothing to fear
and inviting him to come on.
Reassured by the discovery that the hunter
was one of his own people, the boy rode un-
hesitatingly forward, and, a moment later,
his delicate palm was grasped by the horny
palm of the honest old Mexican, who invited
him to join him in the dinner that he was just
then preparing.
Alfredo was very glad to do so, and the two
sat down to a haunch of venison, crisp, juicy
and as palatable as the choicest meal ever
prepared by.a professional caterer, ''hunger''
being the sauce, " which gave it the luscious
flavor that nothing else could have equaled.
The name Of the Mexican hunter was Ar
madOr Sanchez, and, at this time, there was
no man on the Western border more celebra-
ted than he. Alfredo had frequently heard
of HIM, but had never met him, and he was
now quite delighted to find himself ''vis-a-
vis'' with the famed trapper.
The latter announced that he was on his
way to the river Gila, and that he had left
his horse securely concealed in the dense
timber several miles distant, while lie had
gone off on tramp in search of game.
After familiar chat of half hour or so
Alfredo bade his friend goodbye, and re-
mounted his mustang. The day was quite
advanced and, as a dozen miles still remain
ed between him and home, he was rather
anxious to be on the move.
Striking his horse into an easy gallon the
boy started down the ravine, and was going
at an easy swinging, gait, when, with a sud
den neigh of alarm, he SHE'D so violently to
one side that Alfredo was unseated, and fell
to The ground upon his hands and knees,
while the affrighted beast plunged on down
the ravine, wild with terror.
Alfredo knew that some terrible peril was
upon him, and sprang to his feet. Less than
a dozen yards distant, he discerned a very
large grizzly bear numbering rapidly toward
him. He then instantly wheeled about and
started at his greatest speed in the direction
taken by his fleeing horse.
But large and ungainly as was the bear,
he greatly surpassed the youth in speed {:
and, after a chase of n few rods his immense
paws clasped him in an irresistible embrace
As poor Alfredo cit himself sink into the
power of the monster, he gave one terrifi ed
shrek, and called out the name of Sanchez
The hunter heard that agonizing cry for help,
and at once flew to his relief.
When sSanchez arrived on the ground the
bear had the boy embraced in such manner
that there was danger of shooting the latter
if he attempted 30 lodge shot in any vital
part of the brute; but without waiting for so
desirable an opportunity, he fired his rifle
and pistol into his launches and back, but
without any perceptibIe result
Sanchez, after hastily reoading, planted
bullet after bullet into his immense body, in
the hope of attracting attention to himself );
but the colossal fury chung to the boy, rend-
ing him in a fearful manner.
All this time the poor little fellow was i'm
a. 4
all he could, until, finding that such means
would not separate the two, he grew furious
himself; and, dropping his gun and pistol,
drew his sheath h-knife and slung-shOt.
Sanchez now wound his blanket round his
left arm to protect it from the claws of the
enemy. He then delivered a blow of his
slung-shot upon the busheI-like head of the
grizzly with such force that it must have
been like the discharge of a small cannon
ball
The next instant lie had whipped out his
keen hunting-knife, and sheathed it in the
shaggy monster These two compliments
had the desired effect, and the bear released
the boy and turned upon Sanchez.
''Just what / wanted muttered the lat
ter, as he coolly awaited the assault
The hunter was remarkably active, and he
easily eluded the hug of the OutStretched
paws, and the .crunch of the cavernous mouth
thai threatened to terminate his career.
As the brute vainly clawed the air, Sanchez
delivered several effective Ithrusts. and being
an ambdexter, he was able to use the slung-