The Iola register., 1891-08-07
PURSUED BY A GRIZZLY.
The strstagrm Employed by an Iudlan
g. Sv. His Life.

hOwlings, which then and other times
reminded me of Niagara's roar when
under the sheet of water on the Can
ada side, says a writer in the n. Y.
Ledger.
Vaiuly we hoped that it would at
least so abate that we could venture
on. As there seemed no present pros
pect of this it was decided that we
must have another story.
Now, Sammo. it is your turn to
tell us something about grizzlies" 1
said, as we turned 10 au Indian who
had come down from the North Sas-
katchewan river country the previous
summer, and was now of our party.
Who he was and what was his his
tory none of us knew. He was very
reserved and non-communicative when
any one tried to find out his past rec
ord. There was even an uncertainty
as TO the tribe to which he belonged
although he had let slim the fact that
he had been much with the Biackfeet
and had hunted grizzlies with.them in
the mouuiaiuS. He talked Cree fluent
". and it WAS in that language we
heard him on this occasion.
Like all western Indians in whose
hunting grounds the grizzlies are
found, he considered a fair battle with
grizzly equal to a stand-up fight with
an armed warrior of another tribe and
a necklace of grizzlies claws thus won
is considered equal in value to the
scalp of an enemy, and gives him a
place of equal honor in the tribe.
"A queer animal is the grizzly"
said Sammo, by way of introduction.
Although he can pull down the big
gest buffalo or horse if he can once get
his paws upon him, he is ever looking
after small food, like worms, and
grubs, and berries. To get the slugs
and worms he will turn over rocks and
old trunks of trees so large and heavy
that you would think it would have re-
Quired double team of horses to have
Gune it. He sometimes breaks off his
claws among the rocks when at this
work and if he is getting old they do
not always grow out again.
Once" said he. Il was out shoot
ing antelope. They were scarce and
shy. did not have very good sue
cess. aud so | went on farther and far
ther from the camp until | got in
among the foothills of the Rockies.
Il had with me n red cloth which l
would fix upon my ramrod or over
some sagebruSh, to attract the ante
lope near, while l hid myself as well
rs | could so as 10 shoot them if they
came within range. These animals
have a great deal of curiosity. and are
especially attracted by anything red.
So, if the scent of the hunter is not
caught BY them, the shy creatures win
often come up very near. After
awhile | saw a couple of them in the
distance and so. as soon as l had
found out how the wind blew. to keep
them from scenting me, i quietly set
up my red cloth and hid myself near
it. / had to crouch down in such a
poor place that when they came in
range and i fired / only succeeded in
breaking the leg of one of them. He
limped off with his comrade ct great
rate and after him. 1t surprised me
how he got over the ground. and so he
led me a long chase before | got an
other shot at him, which brought him
down.
As it was near night now and was
a long way from camp, l very quickly
pieces of the meat, made pack and
started back for the camp. / was
among the hills. and saw it would be
best TO keep my eyes open, and ears,
too. for this seemed to me to be a fine
place for wild animals like grizzlies or
cinnamon bears.
Il gripped hard my gun and hurried
on. and soon | was about half way
through the hills, when heard snort
and a growl that made me feel almost
as cold that hot day as it is here in this
cold. miserable camp.
With a jump | was off, for | well
knew II was n grizzly, although | did
not at first see him. Although had
bali in my gun, had not much fight
in my heart just then, and" be added,
with little dry humor. you know
those at the camp wanted the meal
had on nv back for supper.
We'll, | ran as fast as could, but
was in bad fix. Grizzlies can run
faster than men, and there was no tree
near that could climb. II there had
been ! would have been all right. for
black bears do.
EoOOO COulu uedE ulIll Dtilluu tuc
! was afraid TO turn and fire for fear l
would only wound him. and that would
make him worse. l hated to give up
my meat as that meant going without
my supper But felt he was gaining
on me. and something must be done.
So with one hand l loosened the pack
and dropped a piece Of the meat. l
was very much more frightened when
found he had passed il. and was still
coming on. So l dropped another
piece, and that did not suit him. l
bad to think very fast then. and it
come to me that perhaps the red cloth
would stop him. So wrapped piece
of meat in it while | was running and
dropped it with the antelope skin.
There was, fortunately for me. still
light enough for him to see the bright
color, and it seemed to astonish him.
Anyway. it caused him to stop, aud
reached the campwith one small piece
which had fastened to my belt when
the rest had to 90. 1t made but a
small supper for us.
We got ready to fight the old fel-
low If he should come on. But whether
II was the fire, or that he thought it
best to be satisfied with what there