Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-06-20
'Whoop-ss!' How / Frightened the Bears.

Years ago. when Indians and bears
we're plentiful in California and white
men were not. on my way to San Fran
cisco ! was riding through what were
known as the tstle 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 swim
ming streams when you came 10 them.
0r .scanoeings' them when they were
very wide, and leading Your horse from
the stern Ut tho s.,lng-out.'
was to cross the San Joaquin in this
latter fashion, and was approaching the
point from which travellers shouted to
the lndinu fcrryman on the opposite
MORE, and called Him over in his cranky
cgsH..
TsS,sun Of brilliant summers day
was sh,tsng behind me. and his dazzling
rays, aifeNdy nearly level with the tops
Of the busl.s that sprang up by the
horse-patt. ka+sp the tall, sturdy trunks
0f the forest tfess. that stretched far to
my right. ! WAS about breaking the
silence OF the vast sos:;.udcs BY shouting
with all my might, "NAQop-ee!" which
was the ferry-call, and hSS Just turned
my horses head toward tLs~rivefhank,
when two bears, which had cssNse down
from the woods for their evening drink,
and had been concealed from my view
By the bend Of the road and the MI
bushes. suddenly appeared not twenty
PAGES In front, scratching for roots in
the middle Of the road. Now, horses
love bears about as much rs do little
children phu have heard nurses stories
Of them; so. no sooner had the beast on
which was riding caught glimpse Of
the great. shaggy intruders, than he gave
q snort Of surprise, and whirled 80 sud-
denly IN his tracks that / went over his
side, saving myself from q tumble only
By clutching Che high pommel Of my
California saddle and holding on for dear
life. Back up tho road scampercd my
flying stced, while chung like u Cam
anche to his tanks. Rigiting myself in
tho saddle. however. brought my heavy
Spanish bit to bear, and soon refined in
the frightened animal. l had much diff
ficulty in making him face about. but
the great. jingling spurs which we wore
in those tlays..werc very persuasive, and,
though with fear aud trembling, the poor
horse pulling like = locomotive, began to
retrace his steps.
We had gone back only n few yards
when we saw bears again. and, despite
my own and the horses nervousness,
burst out laughing at their comical APP
pearancc They had been rs much fright.
cued, probably, rs VIC. but seeing our
cowarlly flight, had taken courage and
trottcd up the road after MS, until they
came into the full glare Of the sun; and
there they both stood. motionless, on their
hind legs, side BY side, each shading his
eyes with his right paw and apparently
transtixed with wonder and amazeM ent.
Horses they were familiar with, because
the plains Of San Joaquin were covered
with rowing bands Of wild horses; In
,li:lns They had occasionally seen and put
to fight; but what that white-faced OBJ
iect, with the blue shirt and colored
handkerchief around his neck, was, must
have been to them. just then. m alb.
sorbing inquiry OF tho bear intellect, for
they were certainly taking their first
look at white man. The left paw o.
each hung By his side, limp and nerve.
less; and, under the paw, which deity
and with most ludicrous effect shaded
their vision, the little, wide-open. piggisl
eyes were, in their puzzled expression
irresistibly comical.
had no gun with ME, and / dom
think I should have used it il had one
but bethought me Of The ferry call, ane
yelled, .Whoop-ce!" at the top Of m.
lungs That broke the spell and inter
rupted their gaze at the same moment
and two more frightened bears never 60
down from their hind legs and took t.
the woods.
The Indian ferry-man across the rive
gave me the answering shout. "Hy-yyar!'
and shouted "Whoop-ee!'' again.
heard the bushes clash and snap AM
break. as those two utterly astonishet
bears burst madly through them in thei
fight. ] did not call them back.-E
W. Esniplc IN 81. Nicholas.