The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-12-24
GRIZZLY'S FIGHT.
Dozens of Rattiesnakes Swarm Around q
Big Bear and Kill Him.

Big Bear and Kill Him.
About a years after the Custer mas
sacre l was prospecting in the Black
Hills, and l tell you that keeping Il
lookout for Indians, rattlesnakes.
grizzly bears, outlaws. and '.indica-
tions' was all tho work one man
should have been loaded with. was
stark alone. you remember. having
been sent out by certain spectators in
Denver. l was 'heeled" with all the
weapons that l cared to lug. and as for
grub, | was expected to furnish my
self
Skipping several close shaves from
losing my scalp. and several accidents
which brought me face to face with
death, let me tell you of q curious
battle which 1 had the good luck to
witness. l had been camping or lodg
ing in caVein Que OF the ruygedest
mountains nature ever made. | found
it by accident, anu turned it into
lodging-house. because 1t offered NE
secure retreat from the Indians, There
were plenty OF the red devils around.
and moved about in constant. dread
of feeling their bullets.
During the first two nights ] was un-
disturbed. but on the third l heard the
"woosh!H of grizzly about bedtime,
and the internal brute prowled about
the neighborhood half the night. l
reckon he could get my scent, but was
unable to locate me. Once he ap-
preached within twenty feet of the
mouth of my deu and stood there for
ten minutes and shifted and snuffed
and growled until | was in a cold
sweat He went away after lime,
but | didn't sleep more than an hour
all that night Next morning | was
astir before sunrise, and l soon got on
the track OF Old Ugly. He had gone
to the west, and had not followed his
trail over 500 feet when | found
beaten path leading up and down. 1t
was doubtless the old gentleman's
private roadway, and had seemingly
been used for months. l followed it
for about half mile, and then took
a sudden turn around ledge or mass
of rocks about fifteen feet high. Be-
ieying was pretty near home. " and
not wishing TO walk in on any body
without warning, l climbed the ledge
instead OF keeping the path. had
scarcely reached the top when | heard
the scent of rattlesnakes. You just get
that green cucumber scent once aud
you'll never forget it! It's smell no
other reptile has, and it makes you
powerful sick, without any time
wasted.
Well, a dozen or more great rattlers
crawled away as advanced, and | saw
them disappear on the other side of the
ledge. was on a rocky shelf jutting
out of the mountain. The distance
across was about twenty feet. l got
down on my hands and knees and
crept 10 the far edge and looked out
from behind bowlder. 1t was well
that had been cautious. Below me,
and not thirty feet way, lay my old
grizzly, fast asleep. He was on the
broad of his back. legs up. and when
my eyes fell upon his long, steel-like
claws l no longer wondered how he
was able to tear the carcass of a deer
into shreads at few strokes.
had the old chap dead to rights.
There was Il good rest for my Winches-
ter, and even Il poor shot could put
two bullets into his head before he
could open his eyes. But L didn't
shoot. While was making ready to a
full dozen ratllesnakcs went gliding
down the path toward the bear. They
looked usIy and defiant, but perhaps
would have passed him by if he had
remained quiet. He lay to one side OF
the trail. and as the snakes neared him
he gave an uneasy roll and uttered Il
snorc. Quicker tn.,n creased lightning 9
every snake cuiied and ratified, and one
darled forward and struck the old chap
in The hmd leg.
Then IL circus commenced. As the
bear sprang up v iih fierce growi. the
snakes divided and about halt of them
passed him. 1his put him between
Two fires He seemed dazed for mo-
meEi. but soon began striking ont
with his claws and nttering such
growis as sent chills up ami down my
spine. IL. woke up bad party in
those ratllers. They were spelling for
fight, aud went in to kill. The fight
was scarcely begun before another
dozen snakes wriggled out OF crevices
and hurried down as re-enforcements.
The hear sat up on end and struck
right and lett, disabling several of the
serpents inside OF two minutes, but It
was plain that he had no heart for the
fight. The poison of the first bite was
probably taking the courage out OF
him.
The battle lasted about tiye minutes,
at the end OF which time O!d Ugly be-
gan to whine like 3-year-old boy. He
wanted TO get away, and he ceased to
strike. When he did finally bolt down
the path half dozen rattlers were
chnging to him. and he was the worst
whipped bear in the great and glorious
West.
Waiting about half an hour, l de-
scended from my perch and followed
the path. At the end OF Il quarter OF a
mile l found him lying deat. and the
body was SO pulled mp tAkt it could
not have been crowded into the largest
hogshead. A dozen serpents still sur
rounded it. rafting away in great ex-
citement, and at the sound OF my feet
on the rocky path they turned upon
me SO menacingly that beat a hasty
rt.treat IA T. S3lU