, 1884-12-25
LASsOING A GRIZZLY.
CATCHING THE BIG BEAR OF SANTA
ROSA.
Waiting for the Monster by M~oouIIght-A
Charge Like That of the Famous
Light Brigade--Tho Tug
OF War.


Forrest and stream.l
Tho catching OF the big bear OF
Santa Rosa, some years ago in San Diego
county, was probably the greatest perform
ance OF the kind ever seen In California.
This bear was pronounced by several who
had seen old Sampson" and other great
beais, far larger than any of them. His
hide was on exhibition for months at Los
Angeles, and was the wonder Of all old bear
hunters. His head was more than the
strongest man in the party could lift clear Of
the ground, and his weight was estimated at
1000 to 1000 pounds.
But ono evening no caught a yearling
heifer just outside the edge of the great sea
of chapparal that covers miles Of the north
ern part OF San Diego county and tho south
ern part Los Angeles county, and forms the
rancho of Santa Rosa. A vaquero saw him,
and as be rode within sight the bear left the
heifer and went into the bush Word
was sent at once to Temeculn and
by 8 o'clock six men ON six of the
best horses in the country, each man
with an extra RATA tied behind the saddle,
were on tho ground. Half a dozen more men
as spectators rodA along in the rear. For
tunately the moon was nearly full About
$50 yards away, Upon tho Toward side Of the
dead COW, the party halted and tied their
borses, while some OF the men went ahead on
foot TO reconnoiter. Behind a little knoll,
100 yards or so from the bait, they stopped.
Over the dead animal half a dozen coyotes
were marling and feeding, but no bear was
there.
Nearly two hours passed away, when
there was a sudden lull in tho noise of the
coyotes, and they began to sneak away from
the bait The crack of brush, too, was
heard in the chapparal, and In a minute
a huge mas OF shaggy blackness emerged,
walked around to the leeward side of the
heifer and stopped upon the little knoll so
close to the men that they could hear its
breathing, and in the cool night breeze that
doated toward them could plainly smell the
strong odor of the mighty brute. Hour
after hour passed, yet the bear still kept his
place AT nearly 2 O'Clock in the morning
the bear finally decided to cat, and started
toward the carcass, and soon the cracking of
bones was heard.
Quickly the men went back for the horses.
The horses knew as well as their masters
what was coming, and each one frembled
like a leaf as the great horsehair girth was
"cinched" as tightly as the long running
strap could draw it. Don Francisco Ma
chado. one Of the owners of the ranch, was
selected to make tho first throw. They
rode up quietly to within about 100 yards
and then, like a flight of arrows, the six
horses shot forward beneath the impulse OF
the spurs. II such a charge be not linto the
jaws of he'll, " 1t is very much like It, Ger
tain 1t is that more men can be found to lead
a charge like that Of the Light brigade than
to lead one as Don Francisco did.
At the chatter of the hoofs the bear rose
with a savage growl from his supper. Right
up to within fifteen feet of the brute rode
Don Francisco with his brother, Don Juau
Machado, and a friend close behind him. An.
other brother, Don Jose Machado. and two
other horsemen split off and passed upon the
other side Of the victim. Wheeeoo, wheeeoo
went the moose twice around the riders head
as he approached the bear; whizz went the
moose as it fpw from his hand. With a faint
zip 1t fell over the BEARS head, and in a
twinkling the other end Of the rope wa.
wound around the horn Of the saddle and the
moose drawn tight with a sudden jerk. The
bear, instead Of being pulled off his feet OF
trying to loosen the RATA, made a rush fol
Dor Francisco, but the quick horst
he rode sprang forward fast enough
to keep the riata tight, and in a moment
another moose, from the hand of Dor
Jose, dropped over the bears head from be
hind; but 1t also went under one foot, makins
the moose catch over the shoulder. Vainly
the horse set himself back upon his launches
No horse could hold such a hold as that, ant
Oon Joae nau 70 drop MS riata.
Don Francisco now tried to jerk the bea,
sidewise 50 as to get him off his feet or gei
him to raise his feet SO that they could b,
easily noosed by his companions. Noos,
after moose aimed for the brute's legs whizzet
through the air; but he would not keep {
foot clear OF the ground long enough for {
successful throw, and his movements were s,
Irregular that it was impossible to base cal
culattons upon them SO as to cast the loop in
side But in a moment more zip came another
loop over the bears head, and fell full
around hts neck. As it frightened he ros,
upon his feet while both loops were pulling
I'm opposite directions In a twinklinr hi
paws were beneath them; in a moment b,
had them both in his mouth Such strength
surprised and alarmed his prosecutors. m,
air was filed with Spanish CALCULATIONS, ant
the worst Of it was that both fore paws wer,
now so protected that neither one could b,
lassoed. Amid the carrajos and carrambai
and que diablo es esle, one of the riatas
frayed and cut half in two by teeth and
claws, parted beneath the strain, and befor,
another cast could be made the second on.
gave way.
But the bear was free for but an instant
The very incarnation Of fury, he made Z
rush at Don Jose, whose horse wheeled will
q whirl that would have landed an ordinary
@@N N~C 49, - AAAo 1L1LANa OubI I'M ut
rushed upon him, op~en-mouthed and raging
another moose came with q sudden snaI
around his head, catching In his mouth and
tightening on the instant bahind his teett
and behind his ears As he reared upon hi,
feet another one fell over his head upon tor
of the first one, and by the two he was jerked
over backward, and then there was a WILD
confusion OF horses and men and ropes and
bear and Spanish interjeotions and cries OF
@Agarra un pie, p" @Pronto," aDe veras Is q
diablo,n etc Before one Of his feet could b.
secured he had SO cut the second RATA around
his neck with his claws that 1t gave way,
and had turned himself over and wai
again Upon his feet. The moose In his mouth
still held, and as he raised one paw TO gel
that loose, ZIP landed another loop right ovei
the paw. In a twinkling that paw was out
stretched, pulling the bear SO that he raised
the hind foot upon the other side. Quicker
han it can be told that foot was caught M
by a dexterous fling from Don Francisco and
outstretched- The prize was now quite SO
cure, but the work WINS anything but done
Every foot must be secured with a moose
but two of them were upon tho ground. and
as only opposite feet had been caught 1t wa,
not so easy to turn him over. Another riat1
Was cast over his head, and by the aid Of
the riatas on his feet he was swung around
A horseman stood in front and another
behind, each with RATA In short coil and
with a small moose ready to pick up the two
loose feet The front ono was snapped In,
first time he raised II clear enough from the
ground for the moose to pass under. and a,
this paw was outstretched and the bear feI
upon his belly the last foot was taken in 1
twinkling. and the monster lay spread oui