The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-16
DEATH THREE WAYS.
THE THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF a
PROSPECTOR-


days fighting Indians and bears single
handed, " says Colonel Burrows of Mon
tana, - but once I was cOrnered by a griz
ely, a centiped and Crow Indian, and get.
ting out of that corner had the closest
shave of my life, I guess. was prospect
ing along the foot Of the Rockies one sum
mer.
- One morning started to follow up q
small ravine that / had discovered the day
before, along the banks Of which were some
very scant outcroppings Of silver I got
so interested in examining specimens OF
rock that l pushed on, quite forgetful Of
time and distance, until a feeling Of empti-
ness warned me that it was noon.
1t was q hot day, and when had fin
ished my dinner I was sleepy. I lay down
in the shade Of a tree to take short nap,
knowing that I would wake up in less
than an hour, which would give me plenty
of time to get back to camp before dark.
took off my coat and put it under my
head, rolled up the sleeves Of my flannel
shirt and made myself as comfortable as
possible. / had been asleep possibly 5
minutes when "A peculiar tickling sensa-
ton on my right arm caused me to wake
suddenly Fortunately for me did not
spring up with a start.
Opening my eyes, I looked first at my
arm where had felt the tickling As !
did 50 my heart stopped beating for min
ute it seemed to me, and felt a cold
sweat starting out of every pore. Hall
ped crawling around on the bare flesh.
Il could see the venomous insect with
out even turning my eyeballs, and lay
perfectly still How I did 1t 1 don't know
1t seemed to me that there was a ton OF
weight on my chest holding me down,
and although it was a scorching hot day ]
was soon as cold as if 1 had been lying in
an icebOx. The centiped would crawl to
where my shirt sleeve was rolled up, then
crawl all around the arm, back to the
wrist and then back again. He must have
made the circuit 20 times, and the strain
on my nerves was telling on me fast
Suddenly a new danger appeared be-
fore my staring eyes. / heard a rustling Of
leaves, and moment later huge brown
bear gaunt and hungry looking, walked
out of the bushes and came straight to-
ward me.
'.Then I gave myself up for good, and
half closing my eyes / tried to think of
prayer to say. The bear walked straight
UP to me, and beginning at my feet began
to smell and push me with his nose. The
centiped saw the bear coming and crawl
ed around on the under side Of my arm
and stopped Every instant expected tO
feel the sharp sting of the insect, and I
was trying to nerve myself up tc let the
bear finish me in short order rather than
suffer the torture of the slower death.
But the bear looked me- over, pushed
my arms and legs bout and Hckeo my
face. Still the centiped did not move
it seemed to me, but at last appeared to
make up its mind that I was dead, and he
would leave me to the coyotes. Then he
turned and numbered OF in the same di-
rection from which he had come.
But the deadly centipad was still on
my arm, and by this time was 50 weak
az to be in danger of rolling over in utter
collapse Then a sudden warning Of a new
danger gave my nerves another shock.
THE bear had gone less than so feet
away when heard the sharp crack of
ri1c on the other side OF ms, heard the
hiss Of a bullet it Jew over me and saw
a bunch of fur fly from the side Of the
bear. The animal had been hit just back
Of the left shoulder, but the bullet did not
even knock him down. With a growI Of
rage, the big shaggy monster turned and
came toward me with a rush
s. was certain that the shot had been
fired. by an Indian, and If there was any
faint hope OF escape lin gering in my breast
before it rapidly vanished The centiped
lad been startled by the shot and was now
running down my bare arm.
~ quickly made up my mind that If
my time had come I had rather be shot by
an Indian or torn to pieces by the bear than
to be stung to death By the centiped.
With a bound I sprang to my feet, and
to my intense relief the centiped dropped
from my arm to the ground without sting
ing me. But I forgot to grab my gun
rose, and when I got to my feet the bear
and get it. In fact it was only by a quick
leap to ono side that escaped the clutch
of the grizzly as he rose to his hind feet
and made lunge at me with paws out
stretched and mouth wide open.
AS 1 leaped aside and faced about I
caught sight of N urderOus looking Crow
Indian, who stood, rife in hand, not less
than 80 yards away. The Indian was evil
IDENTIFY not aware Of my presence until I
jumped up from the ground, and had his
rifle raised for a second shot at the bear.
He was so startled by my sudden appear.
ance that he lowered his rife, and instead
of taking a shot at me ran away as fast as
he could 60.
But L was not yet out OF danger by
any means The pain of his wound made
the bear frantic Growing furiously, he
turned and made another rush at me- He
was now between me and my rife, and
my only weapon was a long hunting
knife, which carried IN my bIet. Glanc-
Ing back over my shoulder for a second, 1
discovered another and serious danger. I
was within 20 feet OF the bank of the
ravine which was directly behind me. "A
stumble or slip Of the foot would carry
me over the brink, which meant a tall Of
100 feet, to strike on the rocks below
AS lodged about to avoid the savage
rushes Of the animal I kept getting nearer
the brink Of the ravine. Finally stood
on the very edge of it, with the bear facing
me 20 feet away Again he rose on his
hind feet and came to me, with q vicious
growl- 1 stood until I could almost feel
his hot breath in my face. Then, duck
ing to avoid his outstretched fore legs, I
spraug quickly to one side.
4 My plan Of escape " as a success The
momentum Of the big brute was such
that he could not stop in time, and he
plunged headlong over the bank and tum-
bIed TO the bottom Of the ravine. I heard
halo