The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-07
THE PRESS.
FRIDAY MORNING, AUG. Z.
rSan Francisco Postl
JACK HARcRAVE'S STORY.
A Night 'Twixt Life and
Death.
BY MORT WOOD

friend, Jack Hargrave Of Portland, Oregon.
who had come down from the Webfoot State
to complete our party of four happy-go-eaSy
fellows, who, having thrown away the cares
of business, had turned our backs on the end
less struggle of city life to have good time,
and slaughter game If it could be found. At
the date OF the opening of this story we were
seated around campfire not far from the
foot Of Mount Shasta, after having put away
very palatable supper of veniSon, fish, flap
Jacks and black coffee, and were only too
anxious to near Jacks story. He had al
ways been rather reluctant to tell of his adj
venture but having been urged time and
time again, finally consented to give it to US
some evening as an after-dinner relish.
He proceeded to fill his pipe, Lit it. and
then fixing himself comfortably on pile of
blankets, with saddle tree for pillow
gazing dreamily off toward the great white,
peak of old Shasta, which stood out in bold
relief against the somber gray of the sky,
glistening like FURNISHED silver in the moon
light, told through the clouds of tobacco
smoke that half hid his face from view, the
following story, which is given in his own
language;
'|It is an experience Inever like to call up"
said he, "fOr the reason that when | do | al
ways feel afterwards as though | had passed
througha terrible nightmare. You see, am
but thirty years old, and yet my hair is as
snowy white as that Of man of eighty; and
yet it all came from the agony of mind en-
dured in a single night / have always been
what might be called crank on hunting and
fishing, and have enjoyed the reputation of
being one OF the most successful sportsmen
in the states Of Oregon or California.
In the fall of 1877 lived in San Francisco,
and, as was my annual custom, organized
just such a hunting party as this to go on
big hunt in the foothills of the Sierra, in
Fresno county, proposing to deal death and
destruction particularly among the bear and
dear, and with hopes of meeting California
lion, or cougar as they are called in Oregon
No Jollier or happier party ever made camp
than was ours when we settled ourselves in
the great Dinkie meadow, ninety miles east
of the town of Fresno, near the junction Of
Dinkie and Bear creeks. Surrounded with
most luxurious pasture for cur horses, with
great stretches Of unexplored hunting-ground
to beat for game, we were indeed happy.
For few days we hunted in pairs but
the experiment was not sufficiently success
full TO suit me, and one morning announced,
that was going to try my luck alone that
day, at the same time Offering to wager that
| would bring home the largest lot Of game
for the days work. The others adopted my
plan each taking different direction in his
quest OF game. CntoTtunatey-or / might
say fortunately Tor me-lny hunting dog had
on tue previous day SO injured his foot that
he could not accompanying, and had to be left
tied UP in camp, OF perhaps would not have
had to tell You This story Tonight
The course | selected led me up Bear Creek
most t.eaelerOuS and turbulent stream,
which flows through some of the toughest
country | ever saw. Ii is one series Of falls
and cascades, and goes rolling and tumbliGg
down over huge powders ana granite cliffs
forming most romantic scenery to those who
have proper appreciation OF the grand ana
beautiful lii nature. The course OF the stream
Is through great canyon, the precipices Of
when form III many places deep and forbid
ding gQrges, While III Others they fail away
IN gentle, sloping hillsdes, thiekiy covered
with magnificent pine timber. Al short III
teryais the canyon Is intersected BY small,
ROCKY ravlnes, which put Into 1t from either
side, making travel along It's course very dii-
dcair.
The day was quite warm, and about noon,
having found cool, sparkling spring anu
grateful shade on the tableland above the
creek, L sat down and enjoyed my lunch OF
bread and Tried bacon. Up to that time
had not seen anything in the shape of game
larger tnan JackTaDDet and / was begin
ming to think That my boast was rather pre-
mature; but after finishing nay hunters re-
past, anu IlSnCnS my pipe Tor smoke, my
eyes were giaudened by the sight OF nothing
less than a splendid four-p0lnt buck, stand
ing about htJy yards away, apparently sizing
NE UP to see WHAT Kind OF an animal l was.
Stlll leaning against the roots OF large pine
tree, and without moving from my position,
/ silently lifted my rifle and put a bullet
through him just back of his shoulders. He
threw up his head, sprang into the air, and
went bounding away, down across one of
those small canyons, sometimes covering
twenty-five feet at one jump, and at others
stumbling and rolling heels over head.
tailed to give nm another shot, but knew
that he was fatally hit, and you may be sure
was not long iii taking his track, and fol-
lowing 1t down the steep side of the rayine,
across the little brook, and up the rocky ac-
cliyity on the other side. | mad plain trail
to follow, tor every few feet found splashes
OF blood, and at one place big pool of it,
where the wounded animal had stopped, as
II 1alterlng and about to fall. On reaching
the top OF the hill picked my way slowly
along the edge OF Bear Creek canyon, which
law M Ioff ayIaa
upon my prey. hwas not disappointed; for
soon found him stretched out dead, i'll
little opening only few feet from the edge
OF the Cliff, where there was an almost per
pendlcular fall OF two hundred and fifty feet
to the roaring torrent below After chuck
ing at my good luck, and admirlng the beau
tlfui proportions of the noble game, | began
preparing it to be carried to camp.
don't think 1 had been thus engaged
more than i've minutes before l began to ex-
perlence very uncomfortable sensation, as
though L were in close proximity TO some
deadly enemy. could not account for the
feeling, but on raising my eyes, and looking
TO the right, away from the canyon, L saw
what was making me feel so queer. 1t was
nothing less than large California lion,
representative OF the animal kingdom had
long been anxious to meet, although l would
have preferred to have the meeting take
place under circumstances more favorable
TO myself. lie was standing about ten feet
from me, with his body partially hidden in
the underbrush, and certainly was bad
looking customer.
To say that was startled would not ex-
press my feelings, and l sneryously reached
for my gun in hopes of serving my new visi-
tor as had the buck. But reckoned with
out my host, for the moment | moved the
beast, made wild by the scent of the blood of
the deer. stepped toward me, his red lips
rolled back and his terrible teeth glistening,
at the same time uttering fierce gr0wl that
caused the cold chillS to run down my back
a ar "a lion hod axri
IDENTIFY warned me not to make another move
unless wanted trouble. Twas not long in
concluding that | must take some desperate
chances in order to save myself, so / made
quick grab for my gun and bringing it to
my shoulder fired snap shot, just as l
would have done at quail on the wing.
AT the crack of the rifle he gave piercing
screech bounded into the air, and the next
instant | was struck by his great, hairy
paws 1t was as though l had been stricken
with a thunderb0lt ana was thrown bodily
through the air to the edge of the cliff, where
wavered Tor moment and toppied over.
10 this day L believe the scream 1 uttered as
realized that was going down the preci-
pice could nave been heard two miles away.
1T ceenS to Inc that L thought of ali the sins
ever committed as L teit myself going
down, down into the awful depths, and |
think that / tried to evolve a mental prayer,
but very soon stopped mat when my hands
touched something substantial. | eagerly
clutcned 1t. and by exertin9 every atom OF my
There was situation Tor YOU. | was
hanging, as the saying Is, between life ana
death, my body sWayIng back and forth
against preclplce, vain GEAR fail vi over
20 leet to contemplate. / mad caught mold
Of a pine root, which found scanty hold in
the cfevlce OF the rock, and as looked Where
my gun had gone crashing Oh the rocks be-
low, my soul siekened Within me.
Tie prospect above was not much better.
for, although mad fallen but twelve feet, the
face OF the Cliff was almost perpendicular
and too smooth for me 10 Climb. Ii il had
not been, the prospect would nave appeared
equally bad, Ior there at the top OF the Cliff
his terrible eyes blazing lGrid red, was the
wounded non, trying u Ina some way to get
as me. i secuIeu good hold, and summon
Ing VI my strength, managed " drag myself
up TIL L could place my leet GA the root,
which ran along the face OF the rock abou6a
yafd. then ieaned back against TIE cliff, and
was SAY Ell tor the time beng
The afternoon passed slowly away, with
out any signs vi assistance coming to me.
and soon the shades OF evening began to dim
tue outlines OF Che mountain tops. and make