Connecticut western news., 1885-11-25
A BEAR AGAINST SNAKES. What a Prospector Saw in
 the Black Hills. Dozens of Rattlesnakes Attack and Kill
 Big Grizzly.

dlllS, ana l tell you lndC keeplnS lookout for Indians, rattlesnakes, griz- zly bears, outlaws, and "indications" was all the work one man should have been loaded with. I was stark alone, you remember, having been sent out by certain spectators in Denver. I was "heeled" with all the weapons I cared to lug, and as for grub, was expected to furnish myself.
 Skipping several close slaves from losing my scalp, and several accidents which brought me face to face with death, let me tell you of a curious bat tie which I had the good luck to wit ness. had been camping or lodging in a cave in one of the ruggedest mountains nature ever made. found it by accident, and I turned it into lodging house, because it offered me secure retreat from the Indians. There were plenty of the red around, and I moved about in constant dread of feel Ing tnelr DulleCS.
 During the first two nights was undisturbed, but on the third l heard the "woosh!'' of grizzly about bed time, and the brute prowled about the neighborhood half the night. reck- on he could get my scent, but was un- able to locate me. Once he approached within twenty feet of the mouth of my den and stood there for ten min utes and sniffed and snuffed and growled until was in a cold sweat. He went away after a time, but I didn't sleep more than an hour all that night. Next morning was astir be- fore sunrise, and I soon got on the tract of Old Ugly. He had gone to the west, and had not followed his trail over 500 feet when I found a beaten path leading up and down. It was doubtless the old gentleman's private roadway, and had seemingly been used for months. I followed it for about half mile, and it then took sudden turn around ledge or mass of rocks about fifteen feet high. Believing I was pretty near "home," and not wish ing to walk in on anybody without warning, climbed the ledge instead of keeping the path. l had scarcely reached the top when I heard an r-r-r-r! and at the same instant got the scent of rattlesnakes. You just get that green cucumber scent once, and you'll never forget itl 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 1 advanced ,and I saw them disappear on the other side of the ledge. was on rocky shelf jutting out of the mountain. The distance across was about twenty feet. I got down on hands and knees. and crept to the far edge and looked out from be- hind boulder. It was well that I had been cautious. Below me, and not over thirty feet away, 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 no longer wondered how lie was able to tear the carcass of a deer | into shreds at few strokes.
 l had the old chap dead to rights. There was a good rest for my Win chester, and even a poor shot could put two bullets into his head before he could open his eyes. But I didn't shoot. While l was making ready to, a full dozen rattlesnakes went gliding down the path toward the bear. They looked ugly 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 ut tered snore. Quicker than greased lightning every snake coiled and rat tied, and one darted forward and struck the old chap in the hind leg.
 Then circus commenced. As the bear sprang up with a fierce growl, the snakes divided and about half of them passed him. This put him be- tween two fires. He seemed dazed for moment, but soon began striking out with bis claws and uttering such growls as sent chills up and down my spine. He woke up bad party in those rattlers. They were spelling for fight, and went in to kill. The fight was scarcely begun before anoth- CT dozen snakes wriggled out of crev- ices and hurried down as reenforce- ments
 The bear at up on end and struck right and left, disabling several of the serpents inside of two minutes, but il was plain that he had no heart for the fight. The poison of the first bite wa: probably taking the courage out ot him.
 The battle lasted about five min. utes, at the end of which time Old Ugly began to whine like three-ye old boy. He wanted to get away, ant he ceased to strike. When he did fin ally bolt down the path, half a dozer rattlers were clinging to him, and ht was the worst whipped bear in tht great and glorious West.
 Waiting about half an hour, I de scended from my perch and followed the path. At the end of a quarter oI mile I found him lying dead, ant