Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-02-20

w hat a Prospector Saw in
the Black Hills.
Dozens of Rattlesnakes Attack and Kill
Big Grizzly.

About year after the Custer mas
sacre | was prospecting in the Black
Hills. and | tell you that keeping |
lookout for indians, rattlesnakes, griz-
Zly bears, outlaws, and "indications''
MAS all the work one man should have
been loaded with. | was stark alone,
you remember, having been sent out
by certain spectators in Denver.
was "heeled" with all the weapons |
cared to lug, and as for grub, l was
expected to furnish myself.
Skipping several close shaves from
losing my scalp, and several accidents
which brought me face to face with
death. let me tell you of curious bat
tie which | had the good luck to wit
ness. | had been camping or lodging
in cave in one Of the ruggedest
mountains nature ever made. found
it by accident, and 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 their bullets
During the first two nights / wa3
undsturbed, but on the third l heard
the "woosh!' of a grizzly about bed
time. and the brute prowled about the
neighborhood half the night l 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 shifted and snutfed and
growled until | was in a cold sweat
He went away after time, but |
didn't sleep more than an hour all that
night. Next morning | was astir be-
| fore sunrise, and | soon got on the
tract 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. | followed it for about
half mile, and it then took a sudden
turn around ledge or mass Of rocks
about fifteen feet high. Believing
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 | 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 it, It's smell no
other reptile has, and it makes you
powerful sick, without any time wasted.
Well, 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 twentHfeet | got
down on hands and knees. and crept tc
the far edge and looked out from be
hind boulder 1t was we'll that
had been cautious. Below me, ant
not over thirty feet away, lay my OLE
grizzly fast asleep. He was on th'
broad of his back, legs up, and whel
my eyes fell upon his long. steel-lik
claws | no longer wondered how h
was able TO tear the carcass of dee
} into shreds at q few strokes
) had the old chap dead to rights
There was a good rest for my Win
chester. and even poor shot coul
put two bullets into his head befor
he could open his eyes. But l 7didn'
, shoot. While l was making ready L
full dozen rattlesnakes went glidin
, down the path toward the bear The
looked ugly and defiant but perhaT
. would have passed him w if he ha
remained quiet. He lay to one sid
of tie trail. and as the snakes neare
him he gave an uneasy roll and II
tered snore. Quicker than grease
T lightning every snake coilei and IA
tle.l, and one darted forward and struc
the old chap n the hind leg.
? Then q circus commenced. As Il