Rock Island Argus., 1893-12-02
1T WAS ALUCKY SHOT
II SAVED a ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIN.
Tens LIFE eVs TiMcs.

a group OF mcn were sitting on the
ho'ei ro-ch swapping yarns. Some
people 90 rot believe in luck, .-e!l. | do.
ana Iii tell yoa why" said the traveller
rs hc paused and deliberately put his
right Ic;; across the knee of his left and
glanced pensivoly down tho street. The
Nsr":r p.ica.d rP their -cers. Tor tho
Traveller was . faIaous story teller. and
AL rightly judged that his rcmar,, wos
tus the prelude 10 the recital of ono of
his adventures.
when was so.nc Is years younger
than an row." continued tic traveller.
Il w"S exceedingly foad Of hunting.
One "a! ny lose Of this spor; Lei me to
'aso hhnrins Tip in The Rocky noun.
tains. Twas ambitious ami wanted to
sdd grizzly bear skin and few elk
heads TO Isy collection Of tror,;es. and
incidentally, /. j: might be. to lc. day.
!. .hssht ;..o3sh IA in..i:.a or two.
!" c!!. FOR two weeks hunted with
ont getting s.s.it OF hair or track os elk.
bear or l.d!:in. anl tie thing was be.
ginning To get riorotoroas. when one
AFTERNOON !"unG iie traycrsins the boz
tom o! q Cecp caayca. | was alone, my
guide having remained in camp on ac-
coan' of = spraincd ankle. The bed of
tie canyon WAS rent with deep fissrres
ami covered with great rocks. ana its
sides were scanned a;!d cracked. \ few
stuntrti shrubs and trees. OF the kind the
elk ~ fond of feeding upon. -rey: along
the sides and bottom Of tine canvou. and
hoped 20 find some of the animals here
croppir.s the tender twigs. At last. lust
as rounded 4 high point OF rocks,
caught sight ct IN elk. & noble fellow,
standing some 10 rods MP the can-c..
with his face toward me. lie was nos
ins the air srsric:ousiy. aaa | feared
that would not got sio; at Lin unless
was quick about IL. hc-u-t!:...-ly
throw ny rife :, iny shoulder. and TAX
irg hasty attn IL Tie oruad. FL. forehead
Esd.
Il was totally rnp-c,arcd for the
startling eject of that shot. Almost III
the instant ily finssr pressed the trigger
there caiHC pun Of white srlo.sc from
bc iInd rock some - rods M on the
opposite side os TIE canyon. and saw ~,
Indian leap Il his fec; oaly to fall bic,..
dead. while s.t the same moment n pierre
ing sc-carn. acc,n;Egly coming; from di-
rcctiy oyer my head. caused me 70 lool,
quickly up. In the mi.air. with great
paws n;.istretche;, and lcr-,. sharp rails
extended. bchC!d . i..o.ni,.ia loa ar-
parcntly about to drop cn my head. !
bounded To- oac size. - | d:d go nv
blood almost fruzc with horror. for !
had jumped directly over "a -.:t;icsnal;e.
which uow l5y not two fee: from lne.
with his head reared ready TO s;ri,:r.
Before | Co;.li make movement to
defend myself from this new di;iscr
down upon the snikc ieli tic body o. t.Ic
lion. crushing oat is life. The iin,,
rgllcd over Ulce ar twice and then. 10
my surprise. lag s;iii. had rot ha,l
;ime 90 rccoycr troIa tie terror and as
:onisl.nei.t c.jusei by incsu s:ar:l:a. IN
cidcfts when iuy cg-, were greeted with
q terrific believing. and loo.:i.i.- Up tl.s
caryon q! saw the c.S chJr.,ia.. down
upon Inc. | w.iiricd about. ia, i.ng 10
see: safety in fight. w.icn. to r!y ut.cI.
confusion. not y dozen feet awa- uIl CI-
rpctly ia the path ! must pursue Il / coz
iiuued my High: :. monster .,r:::..z!.- beer
reared himself ~ on his hind les and
with wide oi)gh inOs;th rushed Tor Inc.
| vas in III awful situation. could see
no possible way of escaping. On the
right hand WAS the perpendicular wall
o. the canyon and on tine left Il deep
cliasm. Before was the grizzly l,ea- and
behind tie rushing elk. Dcath faced me
whatever Wa ty;-ncd. trdst may
never feel the horror Of tfat moment
again. hr.,riz.ly bear sp:a1.; forward
to seize and crush out my lie with lis
strong arms. and the c,!: gave {. mighty
bound. his huge ho-ns lowered ready 70
transiiS my body.
at ti..,. moment my hear, seemed 10
sink Into my boots. AID io,l fat upon
tl,c ground Wiki II crash like thai of
the collision of two locomotives. the ami
mails met over my prostrate form. the
terrific ,nomcntum Of the elk bore HIM
self and tine bear o-cr Ey body. For
about five seconds there was trcn.ea-
tous struggle: tieg both beasts fell.
locked together. tu tine ground. and III {;
r.oment mere had expired. One of the
sharp ;rcngs of the horns u! the ell; had
r.erc,d the heart of the grizzly. anu the
clk's acc.; had been broken by the bear
In his death struggle. bounded to- my
feet. not knowing whether to run or
stand still, so sudden. so terrible and so
,I,auv lad been the dangers which had
threatened mc. But everything was
quiet. and I'll n.y foes were dead.
"Oa investigation ! foI;.d t'Iat my
rife i;,li had struck the elk 4; the tasc
of the horus. where the bone Is thick
and har,l. and after partially stunning
l..m had glanced iiasou':'iy across the
canyon and pierced the brain of the In
dian. who. concealed behind q rock. WAS
asoy,t to fire upon rrc. The sl:oc.; of the
i,a,I had been sufficient to defect the
aim of the Indian cnou-h TO cause him
20 miss me and to pierce the heart of the
mountain lion just at tie moment he
svsang upcn me frc:n {: cleft in the rocks