The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-09
MANGLED BY A BEAR.
Trooper Barrett's Mortal Hurts
Under Aim of Forty Rifles.

''1n 1876 | was in the service as a scout
on the Big Horn expedition. We were on
Rush Creek, branch of the Big Horn, in
Wyoming, and the scouts were riding ahead
keeping a lookout for Indian signs. In the
advance were Bill Cody, old California Joe,
Barrett the trooper and myself. Just be-
hind US was N troop of the Third Cavalry
Seeing something move in the sagebrush
about 800 yards away, l called the attention
Ct the others to 1t. In moment Cody said:
It's bear; give it to him, Billyp and /
banged away. The bear broke cover and
ran TO the creek, and all of us fired at him.
Some Of the bullets hit him, but he didn't
stop. lie tumb!ed down the high bank and
crossed the creek on beaver dam. Bar
rett dismoLnted, slid down the bank and
followed the bear across the beaver dam.
There was large pool above the dam,
and between the pool and the opposite bluff
was rank growth of tules, into which the
bear had gone out of sight. California Joe
shouted to Barrett not to 60 into the tules.
That bars hurt said Joe, and he'll fight
in that brush All Of US told Barrett to be
careful, but that only made him mad.
Think | never hunted bar before? he
grOwled, and paying no attention to our
warning he began making his way into the
tules.
in moment the tues closed behind him
and the next instant his carbine came whirl-
lLi5 III 0h5A t4AC anu iC4i LllbO lAlF HOOls
Then came the most awful shrek | ever
heard. l can hear it now. The tules
Swayed and cracked and out came Barrett
, and the bear, locked together and wrestling
for life. Barretfs back was toward us and
he was struggling with all his strength to
drag the bear across the narrow strip of
open ground to the water.
Forty carbines and three long rifles were
cooked and leyeled in an instant, but Bar
rett was between US and the bear and we
narpl n ira Don't In araf
the bead said old Joe to me. 'Watcn for
an opening and let 60 And there we stood
more than forty men, on the top of the
bluff and not more than fifty yards away,
watching that death struggle on the narrow
strip Of sand, the muzzle OF every gun fol-
lowing the motions of the man and bear,
and every finger aching to press trigger.
Three men OF the plains and whole troop
OF veterans stood there with every nerve
strained, and not a shot could be fired.
But while we old frontiersmen stood
there sighting our rifles to no purpose, one
of the troopers, raw recruit named George
Pennyroyal, from Pennsylvania, slid down
the bank, crossed the beaver dam, and ran
up. to where Barrett and the bear were
fighting. STOPPING down beside them the
trooper poked the muZzle of his carbine in to
the bears mouth and pulled the trigger, and
tie whole top of that bears head went up
in the air.
.'Old California Joe looked at the bow in
admiration. and, turning to Cody he said
Bill. we've let a tenderfoot come along and
show US how to tackle bar He's got more
sense than the whole Of u.s.
Barrett was fearfully hurt. A great
piece OF flesh was torn from his breast and
the muscles and cords of his left arm were
all laid bare. Pm worth dozen dead men
yet said Barrett No bar can get away
with me- and then he swooned. Toward
shutdown Barretfs face began to turn ashy
gray, and l knew he could not last mucn
longer. The first chill of the night breeze
came. and | saw little tremor in Barretts
frame. | put spoonful of brandy to his
lips and he opened his eyes and looked at
me- blankly for moment Then he recog-
nized me.
Didn't I tell you, Bill. that no bar
could kill" and his chin dropped upon
his breast and his eyes turned upward un-
der the Mide-Onan lids.n-N- Y Advertiser