The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-08-08

IL.
saw two more bears. small one and
Dig chap, coming up.
As soon as the three at the camp
discovered these two later arrivals.
they ran out to meet them and arched
up their backs as if intending to fight,
but made peace after a few minutes.
and told them about me.
The big old gray fellow came close
up beneath the fir, and smelled me for
some time. He did not approve of me
at all but wrinkled his nose and
growled Then he returned to inves-
tgate the camp, and the whole party
had fine time paving things over.
by and by, still another bear-the
smallest one yet-came in sight and
stood listening. Then be sneaked up
to see what was going on. Pretty
soon one of the large bears saw him.
and made dash at him. The little
fellow covered and tried to conciliate
the other, but the big one knocked
him down and rolled him about for
coming univited, / suppose. Two or
three OF the others also came out and
took hand in the fun.
Finally they let him up, and told
bum to cast his eye into the fir where
l was roosting. At that the little chap
tried to show Off before the rest.
He strutted out toward the fir, and
arched his back at me- The others all
stood looking on, and l imagined that
they were winking at one another.
They then all sat down and ex-
tended their muzzles toward me. and
snuhed in concert would have given
a hundred dollars for one of our re-
peatlng carbines for just FIVE minutes! !
Suddenly they all turned and ran
for the fir woods below the camp,
where, for some moments, | heard a
frightful growing.
"Now's my time, )" thought, and be-
gan to Chamber down, being so cramped
by this time that l could scarcely
stir. But before my toes touched
the bowlder, | saw them coming back
as hard as they could race. There
was nothing for it but to climb again,
they were sure to get to the camp be-
fore could. Resuming my old perch
/ looked down, and instead of six saw
1.-The latest arrivals had to be intro
duced to me, and one of them made a
great show of growing and tearing
up the turf. A man was evidently a
novel creature to these remotely bred
bears, and they failed to see anything
in me save small, timorous looking
biped up in tree. Having acquitted
themselves duly in the matter of max
ing an impression on me, they turned
to other ways of entertaining them
selves - perhaps they intended the
show for my benefit as well.
"They were out for lark that day.
Their behavior reminded me of a par
Gel OF boys on a picnic. They ran
here and there examining everything
that attracted their attention. Two or
three of them would gather round one
of the larger bears as if to talk over
some choice piece of gossip; some
times, it seemed, to exchange some
sighting remarks about me. Into
this group waggish bear would in
trude, nosing the others aside and
starting an impromptu scuffle. After
giving and taking few good natur
ed but hearty cuffs with some feints
at biting, he would turn and lumber
clumsily away, pursued by the others.
Had my situation been less haz-
ardous and painful, | might have
been amused at the uncouth antics of
these creatures. At one time they
came together, and four of them exc
cuted walk around" in the presence
of the rest. The biggest bear acted as
leader, and in spite of my precarious
and unpleasant position. | could not
refrain from aughing outright, as the
great brutes shambled past each other
and turned to repass, as if to the
strains of some ursine breakdown
Il now lost all hope of the bears
leaving before my companions return
ed, and settled myself on the sticky
fir boughs, to pass the time as easily
as possible.
1.-The sun was getting low, and fog
was setting in. They would get back
to camp by nightfall, l supposed, on
account of the difficulties of the way.
1.-The bears had begun rummaging
about the camp again. l suppose they
were getting hungry.
ION sudden | heard noise in the
woods up to the north of my tree
crash on crash of the brush and sticks
It drew nearer momentarily.
Good graciousP thought, can
there be more bearsf
IAN instant later there burst out of
the frs into the little open a large elk
He was running at full spring, and
had scarcely emerged into view when
seven or eight gray creatures, which |
at first took to be wolves, came obund-
ing out at his heels.
I'm an instant the elk was close
upon the camp, when three or four of
the bears rushed to meet him with
loud roars. The poor animal, thus saw
agely headed off, wheeled about, and
in moment was In the clutches of
his gray coated pursuers.
They sprang upon him with eager
growls, and chung to him like leeches.
He bounded once or twice, tripped
and fell with the whole bioodthirsty
mob clinging to him and rending him
The elk had hardly fallen when the
entire gang of nine grizzlies bore
down upon him, making forest and
crag re-echo to their roars, and
brushed away the gray coated hun
ters as if they had been so many
squirrels
IA rapid scurry, and the latter
were dashing away in all directions,
growing, swapping and snarling in
their impotent rage at being thus pro-
vokingly dispossessed of their prey.
Three or four of them ran back into
the woods from which they had
emerged. One of them, chased by a
bear, bounded upon the roof of our
shanty, while another, to my surprise
and terror, made for my fir, kissing,
splitting and snarling, and at two