The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1893-06-17

Pushing down the rbrooklet we had
gone no more than two hundred Yards
oeSore we burst into o fine meadow, with
several springs and in the center lake
lev Il W. glorious camping ground.
and al bailsd old Jerry Hawk as an
Oyacles
II hain't hunted bar for muffin desc
mon twenty year." said the old man
sssee de vile clober round yere, an de vile
cabbitch!"
There was indeed luxuriant growth
vi wild clover and wild kale, with mint
ana watercress about the springs. the
meadow was surrounded with dense
growth OF tanarack Oarch) and young
f1r trees. Hail we scare he'd the noun
fains for days we could ne have found
q better camping place than this to
which Jerry Hawks bear tracks and
mountain lore had led us.
We were prospecting party from the
California camps of Campo Seco and San
Andreas. We We're now headed for rich
placer mines just discovered 1850 near
Meono lake, on the eastern side of the
Sierras. We were trying to follow O
trail over which not dozen persons all
told had preceded US through the noun
tain wilds. All day we had been in the
highest Of the high Sierras, passing along
the north side of the Yosemite valley.
high above all the falls and noted peaks.
From several points we had been able
to look down into the valley itself. So
deep was it that groves of pine and
larch seemed patches of meadow, and
the falls-such as we were able to make
out-were SO foreshortened as to be
hardly discernible, except by their
sparkle and the occasional flashes of
light thrown out.
The month was August, and all was
green, blooming and delightful = the
springtime Of these grand mountain
heights. Our camp was on brook that
lower down was probably tributary of
Indian canyon. We judged so, as from
hill we in the morning saw about OPP
posite us-away on the south side of the
Yosemite valley-points where flashed
and sparkled the Vernal, nlilouette and
Nevada falls. -
1t was superstition among miners in
the early days that colored man or
woman in q mining claim or pro-
specting party brought good luck. For
this reason and because he was q good
cook, an experienced mountain man and
tireless prOspector we had enlisted
with us Jerry Hawk. Leaving the super
stition to take care of itself, old Jerry
was desirable and valuable acquisition
to such an expedition as that upon which
we were engaged. He was over six feet
in his stockings, handsomely featured.
black as coal and a perfect Hercules in
strength. Jerry was good natured and |
the life of the campfire. His stories of
life in Virginia in the old slave days
were racy and apparently inexhaustible.
After supper, when pipes had been pro-
duced and all were reclining at ease
around the campfire, Fred Towne, after |
eying Jerry for some time to study his
hulnor, ventured to say to the old black
mountaineer: 'Uncle Jerry, this even
ing when wanted to go and shoot the
bear you said you could tell of a fight
with a cinnamon bear that would make
my hair getup on end. Suppose you give
us that story; my hair feels pretty lively"
"Oh. pshaw, boy, on'y wanted to skeer
you outen goin up de gulch an gittin hurt
wifi de BARI
But, Uncle jerry" persisted the
young man, ''you must just then have
had in mind one of your old time bear
fights, for you said it was an old she
bear and it might be we'll for me to
hear what cinnamon bear can do"
Eyes, an den yer see dat yer go'n ter
do jis' as yer please arter all and git
yerse'f chawed up. Sides, boy, dis yere
scrape wat had in mind don't mount
ter much arter all-dat is on de side OBJ
de bar. sCome ter look it ober, rze rad
der shame of dat cinnamon. De crit
ter oughter done BETTER" said the old
man with sigh as he slyly watched
Ben Arle ont Of corner Of his eye.
Come, jerry" said Ben kindly. "let
US have the bear story"
This invitation from the leader Of our
party was just what Jerry had been
skirmishing for.
"Sartin. Cap'n Arle, but Pze feerd yen
De disappointed. sab. De bar didn't do
herself justice. Tze done tole you boys
bout oil de biggest an best OBJ my bar
fights"
"Well, never mind that, Jerry" said
Uncle Bob Temple; ''let us have tho
story"
"Mistah Temple, de bar didn't have q
fair show, an maybe she didn't git fair
play; still, sab, de skrimmage was a
little curious an RAIDER outer de reQlar
E,o