Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-06-27
SURPRISED A GRIZZLY.
A Reckless Montana Hunters DAN
gerous Mistake.

A Reckless Montana Hunters Dam
gerous Mistake.
He Attacked the Bear and 1t Required
the Utmost ExertiOns of the Whole
Family, Including the Dog,
to save Him.
Not more than twenty-five miles
from Gallatin City, M. T., near the
Missouri river, and in one OF the
most sequestered localities to be found
in the whole country, | 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
half-dozen 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
off from civilization that they have
acquired sort OF mountaineer dialect
peculiar to themselves, and when
they first gaze upon you you almost
imagine that their fierccness of looks
somewhat resembles in aspect that
very much dreaded monster of the
Western wilds-the grizzly.
On a 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 home is yet to be
found plenty of game, and hunting is
a favorite pastime with the Clarks, 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
revenue from the sale of furs, and in
general don't mind attacking any kind
of warmth that comes in their
way. This, of course, has caused
them to have many ferocious ani
hand-to-hand encounters. As likewise
they have had many of the narrowes
escapes from death by the rage of ami
mails on record.
One would naturally suppose tha
these hunters, having destroyed 81
many wild animals, could scarcely b
expected to feel any way timid at thu
presence of beasts, but on questioning
the old pioneer found him exceeding
ly afraid of grizzlies. Them ar,
pesky critters; tite and fite to beat al
natur," exclaimed he. II wud a sool
be chucked 'mong a hull passel o
wolves and expect to wallop my wa.
as to tackle mad grizzly thou
thinkin o. gettin' chawed up. Arte
tha ar shot to pieces thar is more fit,
in one TO the squar inch than in all tn,
wolves on airth piled together. "
did not so much wonder at his expires
sions afterward, for at the very tim
we were conversing there lay his sec
ond son in bedroom near by, badl,
mangled in an encounter with one o
the grizzlies only two days previous.
1t was one of the most exciting ad
ventures with a bear we ever heard oil
and happened in this wise: The so
had taken his firearms and was scout
ing along on the side of the table-lan
adjoining the premises, when suddenl
he heard his dog give tongue in YER
peculiar manner only few rods i
front of him. Thinking that it nigh
be nothing more than some small ami
NAL he endeavored to coax the do,
away, believing that the barking Q
the latter would frighten away gam
of more Importance. The dog. how
ever, stuck to the bushes, and the so
was induced to attempt an exploration
Looking from the outside the bushe
were OF such dense growth as to entire
ly conceal every thing within, so CLARK
noticing sort of pathway leadin
into the isterior, with his gun in hant
stopped down and began to crawl t,
ward the center of the thicket Scare,
ly had he entered the busht
before an ugly snort, followe
by a terrific growl, and then
huge grizzly came tearing towaI
Clark, mad with rage, because he ha
been disturbed in his winter retrea
Clark had Just time to hurriedl
crawfish out of the thicket and ha
raise his gun to his shoulder befol
the bear sprung from the thicket ar
stood erect in front of the hunter.
close to the latter that, although I
fired. it was without taking aim. al
the bullet only slightly wounded Il
animal in the jaw. The next momel
bloy from the grizzly's huge pa
knocked Clark, gun and all. over
steep bank at least fifteen feet distan
among some shrubs and gravel Wit
open jaws. the grizzly sprang aft,
him, Is Il intending TO finish up b