Mower County transcript., 1889-10-16
ON AN Elk'S EACn.
The Extra ordinary Adventure OF Jim
Johnson. of Montana

The Extra ordinary Adventure OF jim
Johnson- of Montana.
There was one individual who rode
treal wild elk without saddle o. bride,
ana probably only one The feat. how
sver' was not performed for the pur-
pose OF gaining applause or notoriety,
,ut happened through considerable un-
Willingness on the part of the rider.
1t was one of the most singular ad-
7entures that has ever happened in all
The experiences o. Western nimrods.
some time during the year 1868 party
,t hunters who had been camping on
'he Missouri river, in what is now
Known as Montana, meeting with poor
success, concluded they would change
heir tactics and move to better
stamping ground"
So they proceeded up the Jefferson
-iver, and for a fortnight met with
most excellent success, all kinds of
game peculiar to the region falling be-
ore the unerring aim of their rifles.
Six and deer were plenty, and the
Aunters did not need to so far from the
camp to find them.
Que day while the party was out in
he brush and separateds from each
other a considerable distance they sur
orised quite large herd Of elk, and
he animals ran at Il tremendous rate
Of speed down grade toward deep
'alley, aiming to cross over to the
mountain opposite.
The firing of the hunters guns ut
he animals Immediately became so
rapid and sharp, aud the hailooing
and shouting so loud, that they were
SO badly frightened to take no notice
If an enemy in front. and bounded
over rocks, brush and small trees with
startling rapidlty in their wild efforts
@ escape.
One Of the nimrods, James johnson.
who was considerably in advance Of
he remainder of the party, caught a
glimpse of the elk approaching and
IAN up hill to secrete himself behind
locks and bushes, and thus not only
shot as we'll.
He gained a choice position and
waited long enough, as he supposed,
or the elk to approach him. but as
hey did not come he concluded they
lad gone in another direction. So
With gun in hand he pushed ahead
tnxiously expecting to get capital
hot
just as he was emerging from among
rags and dwarish evergreens the
whole band OF elk, not knowing his
presence and 3ithout warning, swept
iown and all around him, and he found
himself right in the midst of the herd.
Indeed, so suddenly and unexpected
y had they dashed around him that
% use his gun was quite impossible.
md it was knocked from his hand be-
7ond his reach. In tact. he became
Eedged between two elks and was
ifted bodily, and tossed or thrown in
UGH a manner that he fell headlong
over declivity and dropped plump
1pon the back Of a big buck. lighting
,straddle.
Quickly grasping the elk by the
lorns, he held on with all his strength
While the animal plunged and reared
AID snorted in the most violent man
Ter, closely initiating the bucking of a
Cayute pony.
The other elk were considerably af-
:ected with curiosity at the strange
antics, stopped moment and eyed the
suspicious movements of their COM
,ade, and when they discovered one of
heir well-known enemies astraddle Of
;he leaders back they almost jumped
out of their skins 20 get away.
Then it was that Jim's wild steed
,oo!z still greater alarm, and made a
terrific dash for clump of thick pine
pushes to free him of his unnatural
appendage. :;ud as jim didn't care to
aold on any longer, but preferred to
excuse himself, he let go all hold and
vent flying through space and into the
:hicket at almost bullet speed.
When his companions came up they
found him quite senseless and covered
with bruises, but in due time he recov-
sred.
He has, however, made a solemn
VOW that he will never again UNDER
take to ''back'' wild mountain elk,
aAd is under the impression that if he
had been fastened to a cannon ball he
could not have been hurled through
The air at much faster rate of speed
For long time afterward johnson
was known among his companions by
the appellation of "Elk Jim. Mon
tara Cor. Chicago Inter-Ocean.