Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-20
MY FIRST BEAR.

the nuts which the fearless SchOOlbOY tenders,
but real, roaring, unclaimed wild bear.
The one is very different from the other. Be-
fore knew what wild bear really was |
had great contempt for the tribe, and often
dreamed of the slaughter | would work if |
could only come across a few good
specimens. L got the chance one day
when / least expected it. 1t was in
September, 1885, in Manitoba, toward
the close of the Riel rebellion. | had
been sent from Battleford with a detach-
ment of mounted police to scour the country
as far as Stony Lake in search of several
half breeds and Indians who were wanted
for completely In the murders of the white
settlers at Frog Lake. 1t was on the home
ward journey that / met my bear. We had
left Frog Lake in the gray dawn of the morn
ing, and had ridden steadily along all the hot
day, pausing only for an hour by an alkaline
marsh pond to water the horses and eat
meal The police were riding easy" with
unbuttoned jackets, and pipes in their
mouths; and the prisoners, wrapped in their
gaudy blankets, were huddled together in the
wagons, asleep for the most part, quite in
different TO the jolting of their carriages and
the blistering heat. had ridden myself so
long that my horse Dragon, magnif-
broncho, showed signs of fatigue: and l had
eased him for few miles by tying him to the
tail end of a blackboard into which | Jumped
for little rest. Ny companions were two
Indian prisoners, young fellows, and both en-
PERTAINING and interesting TO the last degree.
Pas-qui-ac, the elder, was tall and strong,
uagnificently built, and accounted the best
long distance runner of his tribe. More than
ho 10 fC,.
any horse in my little troop, an invitation
which l was obliged to decline. Mass-ega-
wap, the younger, was a mere lad, fine in
limb and feature, and with large, melting,
coal black eyes, which would have made
fortune to any Belgravia belle Pas-qui-ao
was tried for arson on my return to Battle
ford, but although acquitted by the jury,
was held on another charge of horse
stealing, and sent back TO Edmon-
ton by the police. Mass ega wap
was found guilty of manslaughter,
and sentenced to twenty years imprisonment
in the Wood Mountain penitentiary at Win
nipeg, from which he was subsequently dis
charged, on account of the general amnesty
granted by her majesty the queen)
Shortly before shutdown the sharp eyes of
Pas-qui-ac described small black object al
most on the horizon line, and as we neared it
his excitement knew no bounds, for he de-
cared it to be an antelope. Mass-ega-wap,
not long behind his dusky brother in the dis
covery was also certain that it was large
head of game; and it was amusing to see the
frantic geSticulations and hear the cultural
chatter of these native hunters as they grew
more and more excited. When we came to
within 500 yards of the place where it lay,
apparently asleep l fancied l could discern
an animal, but to my Impractical eyes it
seemed no larger than dog, for this extraor-
binary discrepancy between the real and
the imagined size of objects is well known on
the prairie At any rate it was now certain
that a wild animal of some sort was before
me, and SO far unheedful of my presence. To
seize my Winchester and ram a few shells
into my pocket took but a moment, and the
next saw me out of the blackboard and into
the saddle again With the reins hanging
on his neck and guiding Dragon with my
knees, / loaded as | rode, and managed to
get within 800 yards of my victim, when, to
my surprise, he rose, and standing high on his
hind legs, proclaimed himself to be a bear. The
sight of the galloping horse must have dis
concerted him somewhat, for he dropped at
once on sll fours and turned tail. 1t was
with difficulty | gave nim a snap shot as he
ran, for he was far to my right; but / could
Just hear his scream of defiance as Dragon
threw up his heels and bolted. l had never
fired a shot from his back, and had taken it
for granted that he would stand the
racket"
After circuitous gallop, during which l
bewailed my i'll luck, and wondered if 1
should get within range again, l managed to
pull up in the neighborhood, indicated by
two little shrubs, of where l had fred my
shot. | tried in vain TO track by blood or
footmark the retreating quarry for the hard
sandy soil refused TO give a sign, and there
was nothing for it but 10 ride ahead and hope.
] had not far TO so, for, after a canter up g
steepiSh bit OF slope, not 200 yards away was
my bear, standing on his hind legs, roaring
with fury and full of fight Then followed
brief but Intellectual fight with my horse.
Neither voice nor spur awaited to
force him another inch nearer the
paving adversary; and fearful of los
ing the game, but without a thought
as to the reckleSsneSS of the proceeding, l
Jumped from his back and saw him flying
away while | advanced alone. 1t Will be for
given me, / trust, if l acknowledge that
during these moments | was excited; ! know
it was not the correct thing to do, and most
hunters are 50 cool and collected on paper
are they notl
l walked on quickly till was about hun
dred yards from Master Bruin, and determin-
ing 10 make a sure shot, l kncltsnd aimed at
him He did net look very big, and all my
nervousness had disappeared as pulled the
trigger For second | was blinded
by the smoke; but / heard the thud
of the bullet; and before l could rise,
the bear was coming at me, stumbling along
with a broken shoulder and screaming with
fury. If be had looked insignificant a mo-
ment before, he seemed big enough nowi
How loud his scream was how fast his gall
Top. how sharp and white his teeth! Retreat
was impossible / was only fifty yards from
him now, and Co run meant s.-1ply to be old
overtaken and killed: so l knelt again with
strange calmneSs could not understand l
remember that | heard the twitter of a bird
recr by, and noticed the sky growing red
with the sinking sun as | raised my rifle.
How near he was! What q long aim took,
straight at his head. As l fired he stopped
an instant, turned right round and ran away
from me!
found afterward that had hit him right
In the throat fancy he must have been de-
tirious, if bears ever arrive ar such = stage,
and imagined, after he turned and ran, that
he was still making for me. was in no
hurry to follow him ar too close distance,
and let him run until marked him into
Ihicset of trees half mile away. Then L
followed slowly. tracking him easily step by
step by his heavy blood trail. As | entered
the thicket however, the trail was lost: and
reored ahnnt hsra and Tiara ion1inG tn