Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-04-24
A Three-Cornerea Combat,

mon tHTrr Mountains Two small creeks,
m"ttln9 at the north end Of the noun
taina, form The Salmon .ut it is not
murh OF stream "n'l it receives Wild
'"'1 h't'4 sweet and other creeks down
'"">!r@ ah' Bitter Root Mountains.
L''Nh J"urnrycd to the forks of the
<fpcr Salmon with band Of hunters
ana 'raPPcr', and, while they had spent
inc winter IN trapping for fury and belts,
IA" d"v"'"p"d the fact thai coal mica,
S'a''' marble, "copper" and other minerals
were % bc had Tor the asking in the
mountains, Owing to TIA" 'iepth Of snow
'nd severity Of the weather, had not fin
'>hedoI my work 81 prospecting when spring
came while the trappcrs were ready to
"pahd9. the exhausted Geld and move
'"S' INTO the foothills Of the Bitter Root.
On the tr>t day Of May was left alone
ia" Il horse two pack mules, rife,
t"o rcT"'Frrs, and plenty of food and
''m"'enIton. AS soon as the men left
IN" pulled up stakes and moved around
10 the east sd" of the mountain, where
there was less wind and more sunshine
''''"ofh 'he foothills and the, mountain
was along, narrow, winding valley, vary
ing IN with from ten to fifty feet The
snow WAS just leaving this valley, and
the grass OF last season had been preserved
IN ralatabi" shape for the horses
N"th"% Of special interest occurred
"nhc cooking breakfast monster
&rlz1lyp the hfSt one seen during the win
ter, suddenly appeared within 300 feet of
my camp lire, coming up the winding
valley from the south. was between
MN and the horses, but the latter were
so terrIhcd that had they not been stout
ly stakcd out they would have made
their escape.
The bear halted, as said, and as he
displayed no intention to come nearer
did not wish to provoke him bv any lct
Of hoSpiilty He was in lean condition,
with his shaggy coat in ANYTHING but
prcscntahlc shane. He stared at me with
curious eyes. >nitrcd the mir crew nnc,r>v
after n few minutes. and finally numbered
off down the valley on, of sinht. was
thoroughly clad to be rid of Bruin, hut
before had finished mv brc,kfa,t ne 70
turned and BROUGHT five other grizzlies
with him ALI full crown
Well armcd2aS was realized that
stood NO show ao,,iu,t tbr three The
horse was wild with trrror and tho n,nrcs
were 50 overcome that ,hcv law down
with weakness. niIcd ON the brush
and rs the fire blazcd and crackled the
bears took alarm and callopcd off. look
ing back as if to see if they were pur-
sued
The presence of these monsters annoyed
me more than can explain. | was more
uneasy than as if had discovered three
Indians prowline about. \ grizzly Bear
Is the natural foe.of everything that lives
He is without fear. His strength is
something astounding He will fight
twenty men aS soon rs one Fire all the
bullets from the chamber of Winch, :
Ter into him and not one may strike Il
vital spot. The sight of flame and smoke
had kept them. from attacking me- hut |
WAS 10y no means satisfied that they would
abandon the field.
Tho only plan to save the horses was TO
build another fire above them. In ono
spot the valley narrowed until it was MT
more than eight feet wide, and mere |
hr;It , solid fire Of heavy Emh>-o,c
which wonId last for iwhole dav. \
Quarter of 3. mile below the camp found