The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-09-24
PURSUED BY a GRIZZLY.
The Stratsgem Employed by an Indian
to Save His Life.

TO save HIS Li10'
We shivered around the miserable
fire and listened to the billiards. fierce
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. 7.
Ledger.
Vainly 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. l
said, as we turned to an 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 slip the fact that
he had been much with the Blackfeet
and had hunted grizzlies with them in
the mountains. He talked Cree fluent
ly, 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 fair battle with
a grizzly equal to 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 a double team of horses to have
done 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, and so | went on farther and far
Their from the camp until ! got in
among the foothills of the Rockies.
Il had with me red cloth which l
would fix Upon my ramrod or over
some sagebrush, to attract the ante
lope near. while l hid myself as we'll
as could so rs to shoot them if they
came within range. These animals
have a great deal of curiosity, and ere
especially attracted by anything red.
So, if The scent Of the hunter is not
caught by them, the shy creatures will
often come up very near. After
awhile saw couple of them in the
distance, and so, as soon as L had
found out how the wind blew, to keep
them from seeming me, quietly set
up nv red cloth and hid myself near
it. | had 10 crouch down in such a
poor place that when they came in
range aud I fired / only succeeded in
breaking the leg of one Of them. He
limped off with his comrade at a 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.
LAS it was near night now and was
long way from camp. very quickly
skinned him and. cutting out the best
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 Il 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 a snort
and growl that made me feel almost
as cold that hot day as it Is here in this
cold. miserable camp.
with jump | was off, for l we'll
knew it was grizzly, although | did
not at first see him. Although had a
ball in my gun. had not much fgHt
in my heart just then. and" he added,
with little dry humor. you know
those at the camp wanted the meal
had on my back for supper.
We'll. 1 ran as fast rs j could. but
was in bad fix. Grizzlies can run
faster than men, and there was no tree
near that could climb. If there had
been | would have been all right, for
these bears do not climb trees like the
black bears do.
Soon could hear him behind me.
/ was afraid to turn and fire for fear
would only wound him, and that would
make him worse. / hated to give up
my meat as that meant going without
my supper. But l felt he was gaining
on me and something must be done
So with one hand loosened the pack
and dropped piece of the meat.
was very much more frightened when
] found he had passed it. and was still
coming on. So / dropped another
piece, and that did not suit him.
had to think very fast then, and il
come to me that perhaps the red cloth