Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-09-23
OZSOLA.


Some years ago, writes Henry Howe,
the historian OF the Western pioneers,
party OF trappers were on their way
to the mountains, led, we believe, by
old Sublette, a well-known captain OF
such expeditions Among them was
John Glass, who had Eecn all his life
among the mountains, and seen num-
berlesS exciting adventures and hair
breadth escapes. On the present eX-
pedition he and companion were
one day passing through a cherry
thicket In the Black Hills when Glass
deserted large grizzly feeding on pig
nuts. He at once gave the ala m,
and both men crept cautiously to the
skirt OF the thicket. They took care
full aim and tlred their guns at the
same moment.
Both balls took effect, but not fatal
ly. The bear, growing with pain
and fury, charged upon his foes.
Run for it, Bill, shouted Glass, cor
We'll be made meat Of sure as
shoOtin'!"
Both men bolted through the
thicket, but the heavy brush OBJ
StruCted their progress, while the
weight and strength OF the grizzly
bore him on, and he was soon upon
the men. They managed to get
through the thiCket, however, and
were hurrying across little opening
toward bluff when Glass trippcd
and fell. Before he could rise the
bear was upon him!
Glass did not lose his presence OF
mind, but discharged his pistol in
the brutes face. The next moment
the bear. blood streaming from his
nose and mouth, struck the pistol
from his enemy's hand, and, flxiug his
claws deep into the poor mans flesh,
rolled with him to the ground. The
hunter struggled manfully, drew his
knife and plunged II several times in
to the body Of the furious animal,
which was tearing his face and body,
bearing the bone in many places.
Glass, weak from the loss OF blood, at
length dropped his knife and fell over
in faint.
Bill, who had watched the conflict
up to this moment too badly daZcd
and tcrror-StriCkcn to do anything,
now thought Glass was dead, and ran
to the camp with the awful tale.
The captain sent man back to the
spot with Bill. They found the bear
dead and stiff, lying on the body Of
the unfortunate hunter, whom they
likewise called dead. His body was
torn and lacerated in shocking
manner; and the bear, besides the
three bullets in his body, bore the
marks OF twenty knife-stabs, showing
how desperately Glass had fought.
The two men collected their late
comrades arms, removed his hunting
shirt and mOccasins, and left him be-
side the carcass Of the grizzly. They
reported at the camp that they had
buried him.
In few days the hunters moved
on, and soon the fate Of poor Glass
was in measure forgotten. Months
elapsed, the hunt was over, and the
trappers were returning with their
pelts to the trading fort. On their
last evening out, just as they were
making ready tonssmp, a horseman
was diScerned cdffng toward them,
and when he drew near the hunters
saw lank, cadaversus form, with q
face so Scared and distlgured that
scarcely feature was normal.
Bill, my boy" called the stranger,
as he rode up, "yOu thought | was
gone under that time, did you? Hand
over my horse and gun. | amt dead
yet by a long shot"
What was the astonishment Of the
party to hear the well-known voice
Of John Glass, whom they had sup
posed dead and buried. The two
men who had left him for dead, and
thus made their report, were, hor-
ritied.
Glass, it appeared, after the lapse
OF he knew not how long a time,
gradually recovered consciousness.
He lived upon the carcass of the bear
for several days, until he had re-
gained sufficient strength to crawl,
when, tearing off as much OF the
meat as he could carry, he crept down
the river toward the fort. He had
suffered much, but had reached the
fort, eighty miles distant, alive, and
concluded his story by declaring'
I'm as slick as 4 peeled onion"