Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-16
GRIZZLY AND BIsoNs FIGHT.
II Was a Battle to the Death and There
Was No Survivor.

among the French half-breedS a good
deal. had received from them the French
name of Baptiste. He said:
"One summer, long ago. l was with
large party of Indians. We were max
ing a long journey over the roiiing
prairies, from one place to another.
That we might have plenty of meat 10
eat. two of us were appointed to Keep
about two days journey ahead OF the
company to hunt and to kill all the
game we could.
"The reason why we kept so far apart
was because we had dogs and babies and
women in our party, and you know they
will all make much noise, SO they wouiu
scare the animals far avn.
well, we two hunters kept well ahead.
Some DAYS we had good luck and kiilei
great deal. and then other days we did
not kill much. What we got wecached,
SO that the party could easily find 1t by
the sign we gave them when they came
along. We always put IL near The traii
for them Then We would push on
looking for more
I'm the rolling prairies the hills are
like the great waves Of the sea, only
some of tie hills are about mile apart,
with the valleys between. When we
were coming to the top of one of these
swells, or hills, we would creep up very
carefully in the long grass and look over
down in the valley On the other SIDE.
Sometimes we would see 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
hilltop and carefully look over into the
next valley.
One day as we had passed several val
leys and had seen nothing that was worth
our stopping 10 shoot, we came to the
top of pretty large hill, and cautiously
looked over. There was sight that
we shall never forget
Right down before us. within gun
shot, was very large grizzly bear and
two big buffalo bulls. Well for us the
wind was blowing from them to us.
They were very angry-looking and were
preparing for big fight. The buifaloes
seemed to know that the bar was an
ugly customer, and he looked as if 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 constant 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 n while both of the bulls sud
denly lowered their heads and charged
the bear. AS they rushed at him
he quickly arose upon his launches,
and. as they closed in upon him, he
seized one of them by the head and
neck, and, with sudden jerk, SO quickly
broke his neck that he fell down as dead
as a stone.
The older buffalo, which had charged
at the same time, gave the bear a fear
full thrust with his sharp horns. one of
which pierced him between the ribs,
causing an ugly wound from VIII CHI the
blood soon began to flow. The bear,
having killed the other buffalo, tried TO
sieze hold Of this one also, but he, hav-
ing given the bear the ugly wound
quickly sprang back out of his reach.
He ran off for little distance, but, as
the bear did not follow him, he came
back again. There they stood looking at
each other, 10th very angry, but both
very cautious. AS they kept moving
around il seemed to us as though the buf-
falo had so come round TO the windward
side of the bear that he caught the scent of
the blood from the wound. The smell of
blood always excites TO fury these
animals, and SO, lowering his heal, he
furiously charged at his wounded yet
still savage enemy. The bear rose upon
his hind quarters to receive him, aud,
Selling him "a he did the other, killed
him OH the spot
I'VE saw HIM go from one buffalo 10
another 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 way he kept twitching his side. from
which the blood kept running. 1t was
an ugly wound and lie was a very sick
bear, and so as he looked so cross we
were not in hurry 10 let him know any
thing about us.
Imagine, if you can, )" said Baptiste,
while his eyes flashed ut the recollection
of this royal battle, "how excited we
were as we lay there in the long grass
and watched this great fight.
"Then we thought: Now if wo can
only 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 a bear as that ons
so we crouched low and watched him.
1t was very fortunate that the wind.
which was quite a breeze, blew as it 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 up 70 high around him that
we could not see him. We waited long
for him to get up, but as he dill not. and
we could not stay there all day, we pre-.
pared for big fight with him. We put
our knives where we could instantly