Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-09-22

her own way. having read how Nm
rods have been treated when they
played 'possum- In \ moment she
stood over me. her head about over my
shoulder. She growled little and
then very delicately took hold Of my
shOulder-blade, turning me over on my
back. Then she walked round me and
took hold of my left leg at the hip
joint. fortunately taking the contents of
my pocket Consisting Of ten sharp me-
tallic cartridges and my glasses for ex-
amining stone) in her mouth, which
made her a good mouthful; neverthe-
less her four tusks went into my flesh.
one cutting cash an inch and half
long and directly across the femoral
artery, but not deep enough to sever
it. She then left me for a few mo-
ments and returned with redoub-
led energy; catching me by the
right thigh, she sat back on her haunch-
es and shook me terribly. II was then
! first saw her cubs; they came whin-
ing around. not seeming to enjoy the
sport. She would go to them a second
and return to me and give me another
shake. Thus she caught my right
thigh three'times, once just below the
knee, taking the entire leg in her mouth
back of her tusks, shaking me as one
would dishcloth. In this last bite she
broke the skin in but one place. leaving
marks, however. of the other three
tusks. and pressing so hard that the
flesh was started from the bone, so that
the doctor thought at one time the
wound would have to be opened, and
from this suffered most. Again she
returned to her cubs. and thinking she
mad gotten through with me got upon
my feet, but had no sooner done so than
she came at me again. / was then near
large tree. and having thoroughly
tested the 'possum tactics without sue
cess, determined to abandon them. l
lodged round the tree. She made
fearful plunge at me, but, like the priest
and the Leyite. ''went by on the other
side" Thus eluded her several times,
but from exhaustion. my right leg torn
to pieces. and faint from loss of blood, /
stumbled and fell. Again she was
upon me; L moved my left hand
toward my small sheath knife; she
caught my arm just above the wrist,
fracturing the bone. This seemed
to satisfy her; the cubs were fright
ened by our performance around the
tree, and to her young doubtless owe
her withdrawal and perhaps my life.
At last / got upon my feet; the bear
was not to be seen. l took few steps
to try my strength, and after a hurried
inventory of my condition found nv
right arm uninjured and nv left leg
comparatively so. l could bear my
weight upon my right leg. but had lit
tie use Of it, and the slightest turn of
the foot or unevenness OF the ground
rendered it entirely useless. The camp
had been moved that morning, and /
supposed it to be near the mouth of
the creek where first met the bear.
so struck out diagonally toward the
creek. My progress was very slow,
the ground being covered with brush
and fallen timber. l had to rest on
every log came to, then throw my
well foot over and lift the injured over
with my hands. This exertion caused
the blood to flow more freely. l tied
my suspenders round nv leg. but was
too weak to draw them tight enough 70
stop the blood from flowing. could
go only a few steps at q time; my shoes
were full of blood. my trousers
thoroughly saturated. At last reached
the creek, but few hundred yards
from where l started. hoped to find
an easy descent TO the water; here
the bank was too high, SO I trudged
on. A burning thirst came upon me,
but as yet no place to get down the
banks. My progress becoming slower.
my wounds beginning to be terribly
sore. i could not stand nor crawl. so l
rolled down the bank. Where ! lay
the banks were high. As neared the
bottom I discovered a perpendicular
drop of six feet. | could not get back,
and must 90 on. so let 90. The shock