Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-03-01
AN UNEXPECTED ESCAPE.

rory OF mort years dSo' III A''N
days when California was only poor,
far-off Mexican California and moth.
ing more, and | was veryyoung Of
ficer in Uncle Sans little army, |
once found myself stationed at GER
tain inland town--if a collection OF
abode or mud huts deserved the
name-situated about sixty miles
distant from the then scarcely larger
village of Yerba Buena the now
mighty city OF San Francisco.
We were doing garrison duty-a
signal company, under old Capt.
Jack b, an easy goingcommand-
er, who gave us little to do and plen.
~ of time to do it in.
So, as the hours hang somewhat
heavily upon our hands Capt. Jack
and 1.-The only officers at the post
took to hunting and shooting, with
now and then Il little fishing by way
OF change, to vary the monotony OF
our soldier lite. Countless tlocks OF
wild geese. brant and lesser water
FOWL came by thousands To banquet
upon the wild oatfields and make
their reedy homes among the wide
marshes which separate the irmer
land about Sonoma from the spread
ing bays that terminate in the Gold.
en- Gate
We had goose for dinner, brant for
breakfast. and cold duck for supper
and lunch, till old Jack declared his
belief that he should quaek il we ate
any more such fare.
One morning had been very sue.
cesslul ut duck shooting, and when
tired OF the sport | proceeded to
shoulder my piece and secure my
game for the homeward tramp of
three or four miles.
As | lost sigh: Of the shooting
ground, and began to enter the live
oak groves scattered here and there
along the higher ridges bordering
the marshy edges Of the bay, found
myself suddenly enveloped in one OF
those dense mists which sweep up mt
certain seasons from the sen, like the
ocean yapors Of n Newport summer
afternoon.
As had no special path, and was
travelling only by miIinrlandmarks
now rendered indistinct by the hoary
haze, | was obliged to move moro
slowly, and soon felt satisfied that I
had missed my way.
Reaching at length space-opep
upon three sides, the fourth being
thinly wooded, but without a particle
OF underground II paused far
q moment to survey. so for
as my limited horizon would
permit, tract of country which was
new to me; moreover, / hoped to
hear the sound of runniny water
which, as knew the general direc.
ton OF the streams, would serve ~
guide me in taking what sailor cali n
fresh departure.
While listening intensely, | heard
from the wooded side OF NV narrow
visible world sort of ponnding ~
y some man with large boots and no
corns had found his feet unpleasant,
ly cold, and was endeavorinp ~
warm them by stamping in n manner
which betokened an utter disragard
for shoe leather. -"
Then came q wheeze like TINT "a j.,
gruff, giant troubled with the nstb,na
and finally mixed compound ~
crunchini. and mumbling ,ns II = buon
hog were eating hard corn. Mvntto1
ton being now thoroughly aronsod
by SO remarkable o combinatin,, ~
sounds, peered into the gloom ,,ntii
! tancied ! could perceive the vam,,a
misty form OF some creature stirrinG
up the fog within twenty feet If ~
spot on which had halted '"'
ut is--no, it can't be--yes br4it;.
o grizzly! Don't / wish | WINS ~
homep' ""9 az
That's what / thought, Yor Ca
| hndn't come bear hunting I ~ ,
duck shooting, and had no eonvo',
fences for carrying home a bear even
u ! should kill one; and the more 81
looked ut Mr.. Grizzly, the better 90,
lstied l was that he had every cor.
venience Tor killing and CARRYING mo,
All ! had ever heard or read of hi liz
ugly. hateful ways seemed to rush N.
to my mind. -" w