Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1894-12-01
A GOOD BEAR STORY.
A TRANSFERS QUEER ADVENTURE
IN INDIAN TERRITORY.
Knocked Over by Silver Tip Dam and
Buried In the Snow-When She Came
Back For . Feast, the Larder Was Empty.
and the Situation Was Reversed.

and the Situation Was Reversed.
Early in the fall of 1880 our regiment
was ordered into the field against hos
tile Indians, and about the beginning of
October we were encamped on Poplar
creek, tributary emptying into the
Missouri from the north, about 60 miles
distant from Fort Buford.
Our instructions required us to re-
main here until further orders should be
received, and during these few days that
we lay idle in camp the men amused
themselves in various ways, but princi-
pally by organizing short hunting expe-
ditions into the surrounding country;
Our chief of teamsters was Henry
Morgan, a good all round shot and one
who had more than once brought down
big game by his skill. He started off
alone one morning just as mild bliz-
zard began to fly and openly declared
that when he returned he would bring
an antelope or a deer back with him,
and perhaps both.
We saw him disappear in the direc-
ton of Mill creek with his rife over
his shoulder, but the narrative of his
subsequent movements is best told by
himself:
II had gone perhaps three miles up
the creek, and had as yet seen no signs
Of any wild animal, when all at once
from behind cottonwood log near a
thick bunch Of underbrush long cared
cottontail rabbit leaped nimbly into
sight, and the next moment my shot
laid him low.
II hurried over to the spot and was
leaning over to examine the animal
when 1 felt a crash as if the whole can
yon had exploded, and as / tumbled
over in the snow my fast departing
senses recognized "a huge silver tip bear,
whose powerful paw had been the au-
thor of my mischief
II lay there half stunned and badly
bruised, with just enough conscious
ness left to observe what was going on
around me.
1.-The old bear nosed and rolled me
about, and finally succeeded in pushing
and dragging me about 20 feet; then she
pushed me down into washout of the
creek bottom and paved away until she
had me almost covered with snow,
brush and other trash. / had now re-
covered my senses, but as could easily
breathe through the loose pile that GOV.
cred me thought it safest to lie still
and await the outcome.
Completing my funeral arrange
ments, the bear walked about and shifted
few times suspiciously at the spot;
then by the sound of her satisfied snarls
and growls growing fainter and less
distinct / knew that she was moving
off.
when i considered she was far
enough away, scrambled out Of the
hole, shook myself clear of the trash
and then looked around for my gun.
lit was lying safe and little damaged
near the log where / killed the cotton
tail, but was somewhat scratched and
ohoked with snow.
II first cleaned the piece out, placed
it in good order and then went back to
my involuntary grave, where l found
the tracks made by bruin to be quiet
u1SblllSt anu " luCly PoAntSh, SLo"lhS
that the beast had gone off down stream
somewhat in hurry. l suspected the
old monster would be back sooner or
later; so, rearranging the cavity and re-
storing the brush and trash as naturally |
az possible, retired to safe position |
behind the cottonwood log, which had
been the scene of my first disaster, and |
sat down to wait
perhaps three -quarterso of an hour had |
passed when far down the open l saw
the old mother with her cubs trotting |
merrily at her heels making all haste
up stream toward my place of conceal |
ment. kept as still as death and scarce
ly breathed, but got my rife into posi-
tion and nervously waited until the trio
should come within easy range.
"On she came, rolling from side to
side, and then ! saw that her object
was the hole in which l had been so un-
tremendously buried.
"She hurried to the spot, growled |
something at the cubs; then all three,
cubs and dam, began paving and scratch
ing the brush and trash aside and send
ing it in perfect shower behind them.
Finally the hole was scooped ont clean,
and then the old one. evidently compre-
bending that the promised dinner had
escaped, lay back her head and howled
her woes to heaven.
"This was my first opportunity, and
fred with careful aim, the lead striking
her in the lower part Of the neck and
causing her to pitch heavily forward.
By the time had placed bullet in the
4o.o shonldar Of the larnaSt nnh tho