The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-05-26

honor piece, extending entirely around
the animal and including the dorsal fin,
is the property of him whose lucky
harpoon was the first to strike the whale.
For many days feasts, songs, and small
potlaches celebrate their lucky capture.
and the village finally assumes its nor
nal condition Seattle nv. r. Chroni-
Gle.
ssWhOop-E e!''---HOw 1 Frightened the
Bears.
Years ago, when Indians and bears
were plentiful in California and white
men were not, on my way to San Fran
cisco was riding through what were
known as the tuie marshes. bordering
the San Joaquin River near its mouth.
Those were days before railroads, steam
boats, or even ordinary sailing vessels,
when journeys of four or five hundred
miles were made on horseback
ming streams when you came to them.
or 'scanoeing" them when they were
very. wide. and leading your horse from
the stern of the ssdug-out."
/ was to cross the San Joaquin in this
latter fashion, and was approaching
the point from which travellers shouted
to the Indian ferryman on the opposite
shore, and called him over in his cranky
craft.
The sun of brilliant summers day
was setting behind me, and his dazzling
rays, already nearly level with the tops
of the bushes that sprang up by the
horse path, lit up the tall, sturdy trunks
of the forest trees that stretched far to
nv right. | was about breaking the
silence of the vast solitudes by shouting
with all my might, 'sWh0op-ee!' which
was the ferry-call, and had just turned
my horses head toward the river-bank,
when two bears, which had come down
from the woods for their evening drink,
and had been concealed from my view
by the bend in the road and the tall
bushes, suddenly appeared not twenty
PAGES in front, scratching for roots in
the middle of the road. Now. horses
love bears about as much as do little
children who have heard nurses stories
of them; so, no sooner had the beast or
which was riding caught a glimpse Of
the great, shaggy intruders than he
gave q snort of surprise and whirled SO
suddenly in his tracks that went over
his side, saving myself from tumble
only by clutcl1ing the high pommel of
my California saddle and holding on
for dear life. Back up the road scam
pered my flying steed, while chung
like Comanche to his TANKS. Righting
myself in the saddle, however, brought
the heavy Spanish bit to bear, and soon
refined in the frightened animal. had
much difficulty in making him face
about, but the great jingling spurs
which we wore in those days were very
persuasive, and, though with fear and
! trembling, the poor horse, putting like
,, locomotive, began to retrace his steps.
We had gone back only few yards
when we saw the bears again, and,
despite my own and the horses nerv.
BUSINESS, burst out laughing at thciI
comical appearance. They had beer
|, as much frightened, probably, as we
! but seeing our cowardly flight, had
; taken courage and trotted up the road
after Us, until they came into the fsil
I glare of the sun; and there they bctf
, stood, motionless, on their hind legs
5 side by side, each shading his eyes witt
his right paw and apparently transfixet
with wonder and amazement. Horses
they were familiar with, because thu
8 plains of the San Joaquin were covered
, with rowing bands of wild horses; Indi
ans they had occasionally seen and pu
4 to flight; but what that whitehead OBJ
ject, with the blue shirt and dolores
5 handkerchief around his neck, was
!, must have been to them, just then, tn
one absorbing inquiry of the bear intel
lect, for they were certainly taking thei
) first look at white man. The lief
paw of each hung by his side, limp ant
!. nerveless; and, under the paw, which
2 deity and with most ludicrous effec
shaded their vision, the little, wide
0 open, piggish eyes were, in their puz
e zled expression, irresistibly comical.
+ had no gun with me, and l don
= think should have used it if ha'
u had one; but / bethought me of tn
g ferry-call, and yelled. ssWhoop-eer' a
+ the top of my lungs. That broke tn
e spell and interrupted their gaze at tn
n same moment, and two more frightene
U bears never got down from their hin
P legs and took to the woods.
u The Indian ferry-man across tn
q river gave me the answering shout
s "Hy-yar!'' and l shouted ''Whoop-ee!
e again. / heard the bushes clash an
IS snap and break, as those two utterl
e astonished bears burst madly throug
: them in their fight. did not call thel
} back. W. Kcmpie, in 81. Nick0la1
e Sunday night Mr. Jesse A. Beart
n of this city dreamed that his brothel
~ Z n