The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-01-25

"One day two of my men and boy had
gone out to look for some steers that had
strayed away. Their route led them through
rough foot-hill country, and took them far
ther from camp than usual. The boy, who was q
little chap only about 12 years DID, was the son oil
q friend and had been brought into the mount
aims for his health. He was riding on mule
and was little distance ahead of the men
when he suddenly ran on to big grizzly
among the scrub-oak. The instant the mule
sighted the bear he bolted down the slope to the
left throwing the boy off, and the animal
started for him. The men had come up by
this time, and while one opened fire on him
with six-shooter the other rushed in, and,
STOPPING over, caught the boy up in front OF
him; none too soon, either, for the bear was
within 10 feet of the boy.
." When ! heard of it that night said
would have that bear if it took month, but
as we were busy at that time ! did not get
started for nearly a week. l travelled through
the foothills fully IL miles, entirely past the
place where the boy had fallen of, without
seeing the sign of a bear. As / had gone
along slowly it was noon by that time, so /
picketed my horse to graze ate my lunch and,
after an hours rest started back for camp.
The afternoon had turned cloudy, with the air
chilly and damp-just the time for bear, as
such an afternoon would likely bring them
down TO the lower ridges to feed on acorns, of
which there was large crop. The bear is
very fond of acorns, and will wander long
way from his sleeping place to feed on them.
The little spurs foothills that jutted out
from the range were covered with heavy
growth of this brush, and l felt pretty sure
that l would find something on my way
home
81 had travelled nearly half the distance On
my return trip, when, on starting down the
further slope of the spur, / saw down a little
grade four bears feeding in the brush. They
were so busy thrashng around among the oaks
gathering the nuts that they had not seen me.
My horse was an old hunter, steady as rock
and 1 knew there was no danger of his leav-
ing me. Two large old fellows were feeding
close together. Slipping gently from my horse,
/ let drive at one OF them, aiming for the butt
of his ear. ranging back. All this was, of
eonrse, in less time than | can tell it.
When the bear received my shot, which
was unfortunately, too low, striking him in the
shoulder, he evidently thought for a moment
that the other bear had struck him, for he
hauled off and gave it most terrific blow
knocking it some 20 or 80 feet. stroke from
q full-grown griZzly's paw, let me tell you, is
no joke, either, grizzly eau crush horses
skull at single sweep of his paw. The bear
scrambled to his feet in an instant and l let
him have it again as he rose, breaking his
neck.
"The other, which was an old she bear,
started for me and opened On her. My rifle
is 40-60, with chilled ball. With reloaded
shells, as mine were used 65 grains of powder;
but | let her have it three times in the throat
and once in the mouth without stopping her,
and she was within 40 feet of me when heard
a noise to my left. Glancing out of the corner
of my eye | saw that one of the other bears
was coming for me from that side. There
was no time for thought; what was to be done
must be done instantly.
"At dismOuntng / had dropped old Charles
rein. In instant had gathered it up and
slipped into my saddle. Old Charlie must have
made about 20 feet at the first lunge. / gath
cred myself together and as the horse circled
around the last one put three bullets into him
Mt short range, but did not knock him down.
The old she bear was following me up grunting
like an enraged boar; took another shot at
her, putting bullet right through her heart,
but she still came on, with the bloody foam
flying out of her mouth and the blood squirting
in a stream from her last wound at every
step.
"She followed me fully 200 yards, growing
visibly weaker ut every shamhle. l had, in the
meantime, taken couple of shots at her over
the horses tail. At last she stopped and lay
down too sick to 60 further, but ready to fight
still if the way she looked toward me was any
Indication.
Seeing it was all up with her began to
look around for the second one / had shot. He
had dragged himself up the slope, leaving
broad trail behind him. | soon overlook him
and shot behind the foreeg settled his case.
The first lay where he dropped quite dead.
when / examined the old she bear / found
more than dozen old bullet wounds on her.
1t was doubtless the one my men had met and
that had been the terror of the country. The
fourth one did not sec after the first shot it
having, in all probability, struck up into the
thick timber of the raupe.'