Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-30
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A Close shave.
A NIGHT IN NARROW CLEFT WITH AN
CRY GRIZZLIES ON GUARD.

81 was prospecting in the Hot Greek
mountains, Nevada. we'll toward the
southern end" said Gus Frisbee, an old
miner and prospecter, ''when | had the
closest shave of nv life. One afternoon.
when about half way up the side of the
range, came to spot where some con-
vulson OF nature had split an immense
rock into many pieces. The original rock
was solid mass. about 100 feet square.
The cracks started at a common centre
and branched off like the legs of spider.
At the centre these cracks and assures
were three feet wide; 80 feet away they
narrowed to six or eight inches. stood
there that afternoon, inspecting and Won
dering, when suddenly smelt grizzly. |
mean Just what | say. | got strong
sniff of bear odor, and looked up to find
myself coopered. There was grizzly
coming up the path which had followed.
and there was another on the path which
must take to get away. Above this split
rock I have been telling you of was a
cliff up which a squirrel could hardly
have made his way. don't say that the
bears had planned to get me between
them. There was probably den above
me on the path The one had been off
ioraging and was returning. and the other
had scented me and come out. Neither
one was so feet away when looked up.
| was well armed of course. and you may
set it down that man who cuts loose
from civilization for six months at time,
and takes his life in his hand has some lit
tie nerve | had bagged four or five griz-
lilies in the previous year, and was posted
as to their cunning, strength and ferocity.
l had couple Of minutes to think.
The bears sat up and peered and shifted
and growled. had a repeating rifle and
two revolvers, and you may wonder that
didn't open fire on them. First, the first
shot would have brought them both in on
me; secondly, | was ratified. could just
as well tell you that stood there and
popped both grizzlies over, and then went
my way with cool Indifference. but that
wasn't the way OF it. The shock came so
suddenly that was upset, and my nerves
were in such state that | couldn't have
hit an elephant 100 feet away. felt just
like running. and had there been any show
for it | would have taken to my heels. AS
| said, there was couple of minutes
grace, but they passed before | had any
plan to extricate myself. l did wilt en-
tirely. loosened my revolvers with the
intention of using them at the pinch, but
the way the affair turned out was laugha-
BILE. AS the bears dropped down on all
tours to charge me | took a jump forward
into the largest fissure, and down | went
for nine or ten feet, or until | stuck fast.
1t seemed as if someone took possession
of fhorn q
bears were looking over the edge of the
fissurs and dropping their saliva on my
upturned face. My rifle had come down
with me, but had gone out of sight down
the assure. | was standing straight up,
stuck fast as high up as the knees, and the
first move made was to pull revolver
and open fire on the beasts raising row
about me. AS they were leaping back
and forth across the assure had no trouble
in putting lead into them. The SIX
bullets in the first revolver were about
evenly divided, but bv that time old Bruin
had got a flea in his ear. He kept back
out Of sight; but of all the growing, roar
ing and riotpg you ever heard, the fuss
the pair kicked up was the worst. The
bullets had stung them to fury, and the
scratching of their claws on the rocks
sounded like iron rakes being drawn over
stones by human hands. The row contln-
ued tor about ten minutes, and then died
away. 1t seemed to me that | had the
better of the situation, though there were
some drawbacks. My position soon be-
came painful, and when made an effort
to change it was compelled to leave my
boots behind. It being such a narrow
tsSo IL
upward, and by and by began the move
ment, hoping that the bears had been
killed or driven away. My head was
within three feet of the surface when
couple of growls warned me to stay right
there They had retired out of range of
my bullets. but were on hand to receive
me if came up. had to brace with my
shoulders and feet to maintain my posi-
ton, and soon got tired and had to 90
further down. Getting anything like an
easy place was impossible. and in less than
an hour | made up my mind that the
bears had the call on me. 1t was about ,
O'Clock in the afternoon when | went
down, and by 5 | was sore, thirsty. and
desperate. | went up again. and one of
the bears came so near getting my scalp
that his claws carried off my fur cap. [
went down the crack feeling that was in
for an afternoons job. thought the
bears might possibly leave at dark. but
they did not. Indeed, from what could
make out, they were Joined by IA third and
perhaps a fourth. | want YOU to under
stand that that night was the longest one
which ever blessed America. 1t would
have been positive relief to me to
have been hung head downward from the
limb OF tree for half an hour to vary the
monotony. had to keep my arms up,
and toward midnight they were so be-
numbed that they scarcely had feeling.
Nv legs and back were racked with pains.
and long enough before daylight came
had made up my mind that some desper-
ate chances must be taken. 1t did not
seem that could pass the day down there
and live. 1t was simply choice between
deaths, and as morning came began to
work upward. 1t was literally inch by
inch. for was thoroughly benumbed
However. the exertion soon set my blood
in motion. and as drew near the top
got ready to do some shooting. There
were two bears on watch. and they began
row. braced myself and fired a stray
shot and yelled and screamed at them, and
directly head came into view and fired
a bullet into it. The bear staggered
around for a minute and then tumbled in
to the crevasse to the right of me. stick
ing fast at three or four feet from the sur
face. | then played for the other, but as
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