The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-07-01
HUNTING GRIZZLIES.
An Old-Time Califor7lian's Inter
esting Narrative.
The Exciting sport = Party of HUM -rs
Had with isruin-fIts wonderful Prov
css and Remarkable staying
Qualities.

William Thurman, who Owls and
runs i lumber mill on the Chowahiila
mountain, not far from the Mariposa
group Of big trees. to.d tilis plain, at4a-
dorncd tale of an old-fashioncd Erizzly
bear hunt.
He was moved thereto by inspection
of Winchester express rife, carrying
a half-inch ball. backed 10y one hundred
and ten grain. of powder, that was
shown to him by d hunter.
IF We had been armed with such ii
fles in early days. said Mr.. Thurman.
the grizzly wouldn't have achieved his
reputation for vitality and staying pow
ers in a fight. There IS no doubt that
lie Is very tough animal and =
game fighter, Int in the days when he
made terrible name for himself hc
had tD face no such weapons as that.
II assisted in killing in 1850 the
first grizzlies that We're brought into the
town Of Sonora. l had heard great deal
about the grizzly, and coming across
the plains | talked to my cOmrade.
Green, about what l should 90 if |
should get a chance at a bear l vas Il
pretty good shot and thought it would
be no trick at all to kill bear with
the Mississippi rifle that I brought
home from the Mexican war.
'-One day / went ont with a man
named Willis, who was good hunter.
and in the hills back Of Sonora we
found plenty Of bear signs. In fact we
could get through the thick brush and
chaparrcl only on the trails made by
bears, and we had to 90 carefully for
fear of running upon 4 grizzly at close
quarters. Although it was evident that
we were in a bear country, we hadn't
seen anything to shoot at when we
emerged from the brush into an open
space about fifty yards iu diameter.
Willis said he was sure that bears were
close around rs, IL we could only see
them. and proposed TO climb 81 tree on
the other side Of the clearing and get a
view Of the surrounding thiclzcts. If l
should see bears l was to make n noise
and Try TO scare them ont of their hid
ing places.
Il started across the opening, but be
fore ! reached the tree / saw a huge
grizzly coming toward me through the
brush. He looked much larger and
ug3ier than / had expected. and il struck
me that the proper thing for me was to
get into that tree before shooting. /
got 10 the tree all right enough, but
found that / couldn't climb it and take
my rifle with me. Willis saw my diff
Guilty and shouted TO me that ] couldn't
make il. and 20 / abandoned the at
tempt ana ran back toward him
The bear was following me. and
Willis started back into the brush. /
called To- him not To- do that, but to
stand in the open and wait for me. He
halted. and when | got alongside we
both turned and raised our rifles When
the bear SAT that we were standing our
ground, he stopped, looked 1T us a mo-
mcnt and then turned and shuffied back
into the brush. He was SO big and
looked so formidable that we concluded
TO let him go unmolested, rather re-
licvcd, in fact. that we We're let out Of
the scrape SO easily.
We made our way back to camp
with some caution and decided that we
would get up q crowd and 90 bear hunt
ing the next day. When we told our
adventure Green was very hilarious at
my expense and kept reminding me of
the brave things / had said coming
acrcss the plains. He was so everlast-
ingly ticllled with his joke that he sat
up all that night to guy me about my
running away from bear. l told him
l would show him all the bear he
wanted tn see the next day and give
him chance TO try his own nerves.
The next day five of us went TO hook
for bear, and we struck them thick be-
fore we got TO the place where Willis
and found so much sign. Willis and
| took dle upper side of patch of
brush, and Green and the other two
skirted the lower edge. An old grizzly
and two cubs, startled by some noise
made by the other fellows./iumped out
of the brush on our side and we fred at
them. MY bullet struck <one near the
shoulder, and Willis LIT the dam in the
belly. They all turned and ran down
through the brush toward the rest of
the crowd and got out of our range.
The noise made by them in running
through the brush stirred mp another
squad and when the shooting began
down below five bears came tearing
out on our side to get out of the way.
Willis raised his rifle and pulled the
trigger. but luckily the cap failed to
explode. The five turned as soon as
they saw rs and ran in another
direction. | was going to shoot one in
the rump, but Willis stopped me. saying
that we had our hands full without in
viting any more bears To join in the
scrimmage. Before those five bears
got out of sight three more broke cover
and Joined them, and for q moment
there were eleven grizzly bears, young