, 1890-02-07
The cALIFonSlA GRIZZLY.
The Terrible Experiences which ssfsu {
Santa Clara valley Farmer.

me Isr1bls Experience which Gsfsu n
Santa Clara valley Farmer.
There were two Americans in the
Santa Clara valley at an early day
brothers-named Howard and Michael
Overacker. They owned large farms,
bad 4 wide acquaintance and were very
popular. They were also the best riho
shots and the most cool and successful
hunters in tho county. l have seen
Michael, at a turkey match, kill his
bird at 600 yards. They used to kill
wild geese, coyotes, mountain quail
and hare, on the run, with their Henry
rifles. Still, though they had shot
hundreds of deer, antelopes and elks,
they neVor went grizzly hunting. At
last, in 1883, in the San BenIs- noun
taius, Howard Ovoracker had his bear
adventure, and the details arc very
characteristic Of the habits of the rris-
sly.
The older Overscfer was then in the
primo of life, extremely strong, why,
lean and quick in his motions. His
brother and n man named Ferguson
formed the rest OF tho party. They
left camp and separated, taking nearly
parallel ravInes. Howard WAS slowly
working his way through the dense,
thorny bushes, called by Califomians
chaparral, when he suddenly came
upon a large and old grizzly at close
quarters. Tho animal was less than
twenty feet distant and at once, with
a roar OF rage, throw himself upon
Overacker.
Tho hunter, with that marvellous rs-
pidity which such men acquire, putt
bullet into his foe, throw out the shell.
and had pumped another cartridge into
the rifle whom the giant of the wilder
ness struck him Tho blow delivered
with tho right paw struck him on tho
face and mock, hurled the gun into
the bushes, and felled him 10 the
ground. Tho grizzly instantly caught
him in three plsce-one paw over tho
ribs, breaking two and tearing Thorn
loose tho other paw on tho ankles,
ripping and crushing the flesh; tho
teoth and jaws closed on tho thigh,
hanging tho flesh and tearing it from
tho bone. Ovoracker, though perfect
ly conscious, lay without y motion
through this terrific assault. Tho bear
suddenly let go his hold on the thigh.
and caught Overacker by tho shout
der, breaking and crushing the bones
together. From the time whom he
roso against tho man to tho time WHOM
he dropped him n bundle of broken
bones and TORI flesh, the grizzly had
seemingly put forth but one tromen-
dous effort. Overacker said afterwards
that he was no stronger in tho bears
grasp than a cat would be in his own.
Tho bear left him amomont, walked
about in a circle, returned suddenly and
bit pieces of flesh as largo rs a marble
from various parts Of Oycrbacker's
body, and then took his final dopsrt
ure.
Overscker, a few minutes Later,
soized the branches overhead and
struggled to his feet, but, to use his
own phrase, AL turned black" and
his companions found him half an
hour later. For weeks he WAS not OK
Pocted to live, but his wife's nurzinS
and his magnificent constitution pulled
him through. Two o later Over
soker returned TO the ssme region xnd
shot two large griszlies without any
assistance. Ono Of them received sight
Henry rife bullets before he rro-
oumbod. This little sacrifice 70 his
vanity being accomplished, BIO hunts
no o bears, and even discouraces
the light minded smecr at the Califor-
MIA grizzly. l asked tho veteran
whsthor no would have used a bowie
II he had had 1t whlio In tho grip Of the
forest king. Oyoracker smiled grim
ly: TT was = very large boar,
as largo as an OK. II John Sul-
livsn had been in my plsoe, and
had driven a bowie through the bears
heart, he would have been killed in
the death struggle. As fora revolver,
it would have been suicide 70 have
tried it. But if the bear had been fifty
feet of when l saw him, instead u
twenty, I could have kept out Of tbs
way long enough to kill him.
Charles Il Shinn in Now York Ps~.