The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-26
FIGHTING A GRIZZLY.

Call this lonesome? Why, gents, you
can't 20 ten miles one way or t'other with
out runnin' acrost settlers cabin, an
there's that big ranch started up in Dee D
Valley. an the minin' camp acrost the
divide.
reckon. though, you'd be lonesome
enough if You got into such fix as did a
matter of Four years ago comm this fall
A good eighty miles away from the nearest
settlement. an laid out on my back for five
weeks from gettin' into too close quarters
with a grizzly.
You see, party of US had been pros
pectin' up on branch of the Yellowstone !;
but L saw more money In beaver an otter,
to say nothin' of foxes an bigger game
than ever L could get glimpse Of through
the pick an the spade.
When they broke for winter quarters, the
boys thought mine was foolish notion an
tried to laugh me out of it. betting I'd be
after them before the snow fell but I'd had
the huntn' idee before we started on the
trip an was fixed to stay.
1t did seem lonesome when they'd all
gone; but l had three dogs, two Of 'em as
faithful creatures as you'd ever want to see,
an the other foolish cur, that tried my
patience a dozen times day. 1t got so /
tied him up every time l went Oil hunt,
or on round OF the traps. and lucky as |
did, you'll see.
Game was plenty, and was kept busy.
Till one day grizzly came on me sudden,
sort OF Ike surprise. an L got the worst of
the battle. Not only did / suffer, but my
two dogs, coming bravely to the rescue, fell
victims TO his fury.
You don't know what the grip Of grizzly
is, do you, more than by hearsay? Well
sirs, that's all you need want to know of it.
Take look at these scars, an you'll get an
idea that there's no fun about the business.
l came on the beast unawares as / broke
through thicket to head off a mountain
ram which the dogs had started up. Frat
thing l knew, there was old Eph rising up
in my path, an before l could stop my rush
or get shot. one stroke of his sent the gun
out Of my grasp and brought me to tho
ground, with the flesh torn open from the
shoulder to the wrist. where his claws had
scraped.
gave one yell that brought the dogs. but
the next instant all the breath was squeezed
out OF NE, an l felt the bones crunch as the
brute scooped me up in his big arms an
sunk his claws into my back an side.
IL would have been all up with me inside
OF TWO minutes, only the dogs worried his
TANKS till he dropped me an turned upon
them.
l don't know what followed, for it all
turned to black swim around me; an
when l got my head again, there lay the
dogs, dreadfully torn, cold an stiff, an the
bear was nowhere to be seen.
The sun, which had been overhead, was
low down in the west, 80 / reckoned that
the grizzly had left me for dead and gone off
about his business, satisfied that he was
boss in the scrmmage.
had over mile To go to get to the cabin,
an hadn't crawled twenty rods before l
knew I'd never make IL. One leg was
crushed an useless; from head to foot l
was one mass of wounds an bruises.
went into another faint from the efforts
I'd made, and things were black in earnest
when woke out OF It.
The stars shOne above, an the rustic of
creepln' things came from the weeds around.
A twig cracked, an the breath Of some
animal swept across my face.
l hadn't the strength to lift my hand or
to scream out with the fright which took
hold of me-: but the next instant warm
tongue was licking my face, an the eur
Ajax WAS crouchiDg an whining by my
side.
He had gnawed his string an followed on
my track till he found me, an I'll never be
able TO tell how it braced me up to know
that | had friend near, even in the shape
of that dumb brute.
was ready TO lie still and die before he
came; that braced me to make another try
for life. At daybreak l started once more
more 10 crawl toward the cabin.
1t was the hardest journey l ever made in
my life, an 1t took ME two days to reach 1t !;
stand it all.
He made a dozen trips to the shanty and
back, bringing something every time-now
a half-gnawed bone, now crust of bread,
then blanket he dragged from my bunk !;
all but the one thing l was suffering flor
water; for by this time / was on fire with
the fever from my hurts.
Finally. just at nlghtfall, Ajax rushed
away and came back with his coat dripping
NO matter II he was muddy as we'll as wet.
never was moisture more grateful to dry
and cracking lips. He leaped and bounced
about as If to show his jay at having found
what wanted; then was off again, an this
time came back with a basket between his
teeth. which showed the marks Of having
been dragged through the stream.
IL was the only tn ing he had found which
his dog-ssnse told him might suit the pur-
pose. and it would not hold water, but after
| reached the cabin there was no trouble in
teaching him to bring 1t in little pail,
which l made out of an empty fruit-can
and SO the one want was supplied which
kept life in me.
I'd have died if that dog had not tended
me faithful as a human being.
Winter had set in for good by the time l
was first able to hobble. The weather was
down below zero, and there was snow on
the ground. l thought of my traps, but
found that could not get around to attend
to them. So one night / scattered bits of
meat, well seasoned with strychnine. In the
edge of the woods. and reaped a harvest in
foxes, some silver and blue ones among
them. 1t was an easy way to trap my
game, but. gents, I'd have given every pelt
/ took that year, when Ajax turned up
missln' week or two later, If il would
have brought him back.
believe he reasoned out that grub was
gettiD' scarce in the cabin, or maybe It was
the old foolshness come on him; anyways,
he got hold OF some of that strychnined
meat, and found him stretched out on the
snow. dead as the varmnts we'd hunted.
Talk Of feelin' l0nesomel There was
the miles an miles Of white mountain tops,
an the blue sky above them; not creature
to be seen. not a sound but the cracking of
the frost and tie rafting Of the branches.
stood ii while / could, then got on my
snowshoes an managed to reach the settle
ments. When spring set In three of us
went back for the pelts I'd left there. The
boys figured that I'd have been a thousand
dollars better off IL I'd stayed the winter
through and my luck had lasted, but I'd
had enough of the solitude OF the noun
tains.
Notmuch OF story, gents, but what there
Is you're welcome TO. Look over there
through that gap in the range. Yeu see the
smoke from my next neighbours chimney.
never have that feeling OF being all alone
in the world while l can see that rise, but
I'm afraid people are crowdIng in too thick
here. You are the third party of travellers
who have crossed the range within two
months. Huntln', arc your l thought
maybe you meant to settle. Well. good
luckI