The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-15
It Was Battle to the Death and
There Were No Sur
vivors.
The Plucky Grizzly Killed Two
Buffalo Bulls Before His
Death.
An Exciting Tale of Adventure Told by an
Indian Guide to a Hunting
Party.

French half-breeds a good deal, had re-
ceived from them the French name of Bap-
tiste. He told us the story as we were hud-
died round camp fire in the dense forest
on the eastern side of Lake Winnipeg. from
which we and our dogs had been driven by
bitter, binding, blizzard storm, says the
New York Ledger.
Zone summer long ago was with large
party of Indians. We were making long
journey over the bounding prairies from
one place to another. That we might have
plenty of meat to eat two of us were APP
pointed to keep about two days journey
ahead of the company to hunt and kill all
the game we could.
1.-THE reason why we kept so far apart was
because we had dogs and babies and women
IA our party, and you know they will all
make much noise, SO that they would scare
the animals far away.
well, we two hunters kept we'll ahead.
Some days we had good luck and killed a
great deal, and then other days We did not
kill much. What we got we cached, so
that the party could easily find it by the
sign we gave them when they came
along. We always put it near the trail for
them. Then we would push on, looking for
more.
'In the rolling prairies the hills are like
the great waves of the sea. only some of the
hills are about a mile apart, with the val
legs between. When we were coming to
the top of one of these swells,y Or hills, we
would creep up very carefully in the long
grass and look over down in the valley on
game to shoot and often there was nothing
at all. When there was no sign of anything
worth stopping to shoot, as we were after
big game, having many mouths to feed,
we would hurry across to the next hill
top and carefully look over into the next
valley.
Zone day as we had passed several val
legs and had seen nothing that was worth
our stopping to shoot, we came to the top
of pretty large hill, and cautiously looked
over. There was sight that we shall never
forget.
Fright down before us, within gunshot,
faio bulls. Wei for ' US the wind was blow
ing from them to us. They were very
angry-looklng and were preparing for a big
fight. The buffaloes seemed to know that
the bear was an ugly customer, and he
looked as though he did not know how to
manage the two of them at once.
"For quite while they kept up what you
might call pretense of battle. The bulls
would paw the ground and keep up a con-
slant roaring. This only made the bear
the more angry, and if there had only been
one he would soon have got his big claws
upon him, but there being two made him
cautious.
After while both of the bulls suddenly
lowered their heads and together they
charged the bear. AS they rushed at him
he quickly arose up On his launches, and,
as they closed in upon him, he seized one
of them by the head and neck, and, with a
sudden jerk, SO quickly broke his neck that
he fell down as dead as stone.
"The older buffalo, which had charged at
the same time, gave the bear frightful
thrust with his sharp horns, one of which
pierced him between his ribs. causing an
ugly wound, from which the blood soon be-
other buffalo, tried to seize hold of this one
also, but he, having given the bear the ugly
wound, quickly sprang back out of his
reach. He ran off for little distance, but,
the bear not following him, he came back
again. There they stood looking at each
tious. As they kept moving round it seemed
to us as though the buffalo had so come
round on the windward side of the bear
that he caught the scent of the blood from
the wound. The smell of blood always ex-
cites to fury these animals, and so, lowering
his head. he furiously charged at his wound
ed yet still savage enemy. The bear rose
up on his hind quarters to receive him. and.
Selling him as he did the other, killed him
on the spot.
eve saw him go from one buffalo to an
other and smell them both, but he did not
offer to tear or eat either. We could see
that he was very badly wounded from the
the blood kept running. It was an ugly
wound, and he was very sick bear, and SO
he looked so cross we were not in hurry
to let him know anything about us.
Imagine, if you cam" said Baptiste.
while his eyes flashed at the recollection of
hot hon AL
we lay there in the long grass and watched
this great fight.
kill that wounded bear we will have plenty
Of meat for the whole camp for a good
while. But, although we had our guns, we
were none too anxious to begin the battle
with such bear as that one; 50 we crouched
low and watched him. It was very fortu-
nate the wind, which was quite q breeze.
blew as 1t did. He never seemed to suspect
that other foes were near.
After while he went off a little distance
and lay down in the long grass, which rose
see him. We waited long for him to Get
up, but as he did not, and we could not stay
with him. We put quar- knives lSt where bg ngRe
could instantly draw them, and care.
fully examined our guns to see that they
were all right. Then we began to crawl
down carefully through the grass toward
him.
my! how our hearts did beat! and how
every second we expected he would hear u.s.
and the fight would begin for life or death.
'We got very close to him, although not
near enough to see him. Then, as we heard
no sound, We made little noise to attract
his attention. And then we wanted him to
get up, SO we could have better chance to
shoot him. But he did not stir. So, with
our fingers on the triggers of our guns, We
called out: Mr.. Bear. here are enemies
ready for another battlen Still there was
no stir. and SO we got up and went to him
and found him as dead as the butfaloes So
without firing shot we had great guam
tlty of meat
The recital of this story had brought the
whole SO wildly before Baptiste that he had
become very much excited, and he finished
with: What would you not have given to
nave seen that battle? And what would l
not give to see another like it?''
Notice to Shippers.
A through refrigerator car on the Mani
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