The Osceola times., 1884-09-27
A COMBAT ABOVE THE CLOUDS.
How Two Prospestors Fous ht Fierce Foes
Far Up on the Roof OF the World.
Salt Lake Tribune

SAT- Lake Tribune.
Charles +. Black burn, famous pros
pector, who, incidentally in bis travels
among the Rockies, has killed forty
three full.grown bears, furnishes the
Tribune with the following narrative:
We were on prospecting tour Ran
ger Hank" Hank Wormwocd), a Texas
ranger, and myselfleft camp one NOM
ing just at daybreak. We were out 10
examine the country for quartz lodes
above timber line. 1t was during Au-
gust We reached the snow by 10
o'clock. We were bound for that ia
nous peak known as the Russian
Crown The Crown is the highest
mountain between Clark's Fork and the
Yellowstone river. We reached the
summit at o'clock. 1t was a tiresome
journey; still, we never regret climbing
such mountains. The Russian Crown
is nearly l4,00O feet high. will not
attempt description of the scenery, but
tell about the bear.
While looking carefully over the snow
fields We discovered eighteen full-grown
bears and ten cubs. Leveling the tele-
scope on them we could see the monsters
in all their glory, lying lazily around
in the snow, some asleep, some playing
and some feeding on grasshoppers; these
insects flying over the range get chilled
when near the snow and those that fall
on the snow fields never get away All
of the bears except two were several
miles from us. Nearly mile down the
slope, on the mountain that we were on,
we observed two large bears and resolv-
ed on attacking them. Looking at them
through the glass we soon found that
they had no knowledge of our presence.
We came within hundred yards of
them and then standing, we both shout
ed to rouse the bears. The grizzly OBJ
served US first (the other was cinna-
namon.) Immediately after seeing us
the grizzly jumped up from the snow
and came charging-growling at every
step.
Hank had Sharp's rifle and a good
shooter had Winchester and a
full belt OF cartridges. We let the bear
come within fifty PAGES; he commenced
snorting and began to show his teeth;
his long shaggy hair began to stand up,
and he was mad grizzly. We felt safe
and kept cool; having good breech-load-
ers, we were brave. Bruin was brave,
too; he came right along, evidently bent
on having square meal from an indiv-
idual of the genus homo. We let Mr..
Grizzly come within thirty PAGES and
now he began TO loom up like Mississ-
ippi steamboat. Hank says "Let Inc
crease him?" / said: "Give it to himl"
Hank shot bruin through the top of the
neck, he was not hut, but he growled
loud with rage. We both opened fire
and the bear would fall at every shot.
Seeing that the other bear had started
for us took careful aim at the griz1ly's
head and fred, killing him instantly,
he went rolling down the snowy slope
and did not stop until he had rolled out
on the ice of frozen lake 1000 feet be-
low.
As the dead grizzly rolled away the
live cinnamon moved bravely up. When
within hundred yards we commenced
on HIM. We could not shoot fast
enough. The bear was soon between us
and it was dangerous to shoot at all. In
less than two seconds the bear made for
Ranger Hank, knocking him down and
instantly jumping on him. Hank lost
his rifle, but made good use of his revolt
yer, shooting the bear in the mouth and
brain, killing bruin instantly. The bear
dropped and, being squarely over Hank
mashed him deep in the snow. 1t was
not long until rolled the bear of Ran
ger Hank, and Mr.. Bear went tumbling
down the snowy slope, landing along
side the grizzly on the frozen lake.
Hank and concluded to kill no more
bears that day.