The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-06-28
SURPRISED A GRIZZLY.
A Reckless Montana Hunter's Dan
gerOuS Mistake.
He Attacked the Bear and II Required
the Utmost ENcrtIons of tIle whole
Family, Including the Dog,
TO Save Him.

TO Save Him
Not moro than twenty-five miles
from Gallatin City, VI. T., near the
Missouri river, and IN one OF the
most sequestered localities TO be found
IN the whole county, 1 accidentally
ran across an .'old-timer' named
Clark, who went there some time
away back in the sixties, and there he
has stayed and raised a family Of a
half-doZcn or more sons and daugh-
tors, who are so large that they really
seem to belong to some giant tribe.
for not a single one Of them weighs
less than two hundred pounds, and
they look every inch as healthy as
their weight indicates. This pioneer
and his family have been so long shut
OF from civilization that they have
acquired q sort of mOuntaineer dialect
peculiar to themselves, and when
they first gaze upon you you almost
imagine that their fierceness of looks
somewhat resembles in aspect that
very much dreaded monster of the
Western wilds-the grizzly. -.
On closer acquaintance, however,
you soon discovered that the fierceness
OF looks soon gave way to the warm
est kindness, for their very heart
strings freely go out to make the
stranger who may chance to be their
guest comfortable and happy, and
with the wearing away OF the back
wardness and modesty they seem to
be among the cleverest people on the
globe
Around their homo IS yet to be
found plenty OF game, and hunting is
favorite pastime with the CIarks, as
one readily observes the walls of their
rustic dwelling covered with the skins
Of the bear, mountain lion, deer and
many other animals.
In fact, these Nimrods obtain quite
a revenue from the sale or furs, and in
general don't mind attacking any kind
OF ''varmint' that comes in their
way. This, of course, has caused
them to have many ferocious and
hand-tO-hand encounters. As likewise
they have had many OF the narrowest
escapes from death by the rage of ami
mails on record ~.
One would naturally suppose that
these hunters, having destroyed so
many wild animals. could scarcely be
expected to feel any way timid at tho
presence of beasts, but on questioning
the old pioneerI l found him exceeding
" afraid Of grizzlies. Them are
pesky critters; fite and fife 10 beat all
natur," exclaimed he. Il wud a soon
bo chucked 'moug = hull passel OF
nt-nlrHtl 81 nd n
as 10 tackle a mad grizzly 'thout
thinkin' o gettin' chawed mp. Arter
tha ar shot to pieces thar is more ite
in one 10 the squar inch than in ali the
wolves on airth piled together.
did not so much wonder at his expires
sions aftcrward, for at the very time
we were cOnversiug there lay his sec
Ond son in a bedroom near by, badly
mangled in an encounter with one of
the grizzlies only two days previous.
1t was one Of the most exciting ad-
ventures with Il bear we ever heard of.
and happened in this wise: The son
had taken his firearms and was scout
ing along on tho side Of the table-land
adjoining the premises, when suddenly
he heard his dog give tongue in very
peculiar manner only few rods in
front OF him. Thinking that it might
De nothing more than some small ami
NAL he endeavored to coax the dog
away, believing that the barking Of
the latter would frighten away game
OF more importance. The dog. how
ever, stuck TO the bushes, and the son
was induced to attempt an exploration.
Looking from the outside the bushes
were of such dense growth as toentire-
Iy conceal every thing within, so Clark
noticing a sort Of pathway leading
into the interior, with his gun in hand,
stopped down and began to crawl to-
ward the center of the thicket. Scarce
" had he entered the bushes
before an ugly snort, followed
by a terrific growl, and then a
huge grizzly came tearing toward
Clark, mad with rage, because he had
been disturbed in his winter retreat.
Clark had Just time TO hurriedly
crawfish out of the thicket and half
raise his gun to his shoulder before
the bear sprung from the thicket and
stood erect in front of the hunter, so
close to the latter that, although he
fired, it was without taking aim, and
the bullet only slightly wounded the
animal in the jaw. The next moment
a blow from the grizzly's huge paw
knocked Clark, gun and all, over
steep bank at least fifteen feet distant,
among some shrubs and gravel. With
open jaws, the grizzly sprang after
him, as if intending to finish up his
Zoe, should the latter still exhibit anv
signs OF lie As Clark lay almost un-
conscious, the huge beast grabbed him
by the side, and. after giving him a
good shaking, threw him down and
stood over his body growing savage
ly- AT this spectacle Clark's dog be-
came enraged, ana rushed to the res
cue OF his master. swapping at the
bear furiously.