Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-06-30
GABE AND THE GRIZZLY.
THRILLING STORY OF AN IDAHO
HUNTERS BEAR FIGHT.
Man and Bear in Close Embrace
Bru'n Blinded wi'h Bullet aud
Knife Thrust

Man and Bear in a Close Embrace
Bruin Blinded Wiah Bullet aud
Knife Thrust
A ie" days ago Gabe Lucker went m
IN the Wahsatch range of mAuntains to
Kill some game. says Black foot tIdaho)
letter TO the Cincinnati En4nirer. After
bringing down large elk he dressed it.
cut of some of the choicest pieces, and
covered the remainder so that it would
not be disturbed by wild animals. in
tending to return and secure the rest
He then shouldered the steak. and was
walking along the side of the mountain
few yards distant from where the elk
had been slain. when suddenly out
rushed huge grizzly from Il thicke,
near by, and made toward Gahe in .
twinkllng 1t was not the first time
Gabc faced a grizzly, for he had killed
many bear and knew no such term as
coward in their presence. SO he threw
down his load quickly but ,oolly. aud
hauled up his Winchester and fired
Gabe had intended TO break the bear
neck. but the closeness of the animal
and the necessary haste in shootln.
caused the bullet to 90 wide of its aim.
bit It tore out the bears right eye and
deprived the brute of half its power Of
vision. The shot scarcely checked the
mad beast, for it rose on its feet. and be
fore Gabe could fire second time tho
bear struck his gun from his hands and
It went spinning rods away, while tho
force of the blow made Gabe whirl
around for moment as if he were top
IN the hands of il school boy. He fell
some distance from-thc bear vet he was
on his feet in twinkling and braced
himself for a grapple.
Ittering horrid growl, that fairly
frozc the blood Of his antagonist, the
bear followed up his stroke. and. with
outstretched arms, both hunter and bear
clnched in hand-to paw contest and
fell to the ground, rolling and tumblinc
over and over and down the steep,
craggy sides Of the mountain the ear
believing and roaring with Pain and
rage. while the hunter, who had drawn
his sharp knife from its sheath in his
hunting belt, was viciously plunging it
to the hllt at every stroke into the
sides OF the animal Blood quickly
followed, besmearing both combatants.
The embraces of the bear though at a
disadvantage, were terrific, and Gabe
nearly lost his breath during the fright
full hugs, but it only made him the more
desperate, as he began to think his time
had about come and he must get in hJs
work quickly. BY lucky stab and
slash Of the knife on the bears head
Gabe cut the left eyeball of the animal
in two and completely destroyed the
brutc's vision As the eyeball streamed
from its socket the bear became doublv
enraged, and, catching the left side Of
Gabe 5 head in his mouth he tore of an
ear and part of the hunters scalp. In a
moment more both Gabe and the bear,
tight in each others embrace and fight
ing desperately, had reached a fifty foot
rsecipicc Down they went, whirlng
rocks below The bear, being hca Vi
est, struck first, and Gabe was thus
saved from instant death. The hard
shock caused both to loosen their
holds and bound several feet apart from
each other.
The bear was evidently stunned by the
conclusion, and tiabe was on his feet
first and out Of the formers reach The
griz<ly's wrath in endeavoring to find
his enemy was terrible He ran in var
ous direciions. tore the ground. and
wreakcd his vengeance on the bushes by
/ pulling and tearing them into shrcds
! Keeping out Of reach of the infuriated
monster GATE endeavored to find the
knife which he droppcd from his grasp
/ in the fall At las. he discovered the
missing weapon, and. grasping the han
I die firmly. he approached the grizzly and
/ plunged the blade info the lattcr's body
with all the strength he could summon
/ The bear whftled III twinkling and
Gahe made narrow escape, leaving the
knife still sticking in the animais body.
! The bear now plunged around among
the rocks and brush IN the maddcst
agony
| Remembering hi- Winchester and re.
/ yolver, t;ahe made long Diet our 10 get
above the top oi the preciplce 10 Sc urs
them on nearing the place he tainted
and fell sensel",~ with exhau,tion
How long he remained IN that ccndi-
tron he does not know Int thinks II
must have been at lca-t an hour Or
coming to lie was 80 weak from loss 81
blood that he could only crawl tn IN
The bear stroke had broken the gun :,
that it Wa useless
Resting awbIlc and recoveriRd HI
strength he returned tclcw the prAc pic
and found the hear sitting up and rub
~bng for his eyes IN q vain etioF; 10 see
: tab. open 4 fire, aud NJ each sho, th'
lear wonld charge N the direction o
the sound hut. l.efn- aighttcss aud tn
ground unesen. iie would fall aud 'um
ILL, around IN the most reckless manner
Ten shots 'lni>hed hun, anil 1abe wen
horne and secured be r, ani when b.
wa, hauled 10 the hunters's cabin b
VA found IL weigh twelve hundreo
pounds
Tie los II AZ ear api part n hi
scalp. lss.sirz ls-in- Iacefa1ei III variou
other place. d,d Mt .tfc sah~,. cour
az. anal when seen ~ your orre-lsond
ent he lee AIRED tha, nc j. stllf q natcl
.or any -rlzzly that ever walked,