The Portland daily press., 1895-12-31
GRIZZLY FIGHTS TWO LIONS.
The Mountain Monarchs Overestimated
Their Proves on the Field.

We had descended the Judith mountain
on the south side until 100 feet more
would have taken us to its actual base,
when we sat down on a rock to rest We
had just sat down when a grizzly bear
burst out of a cedar thicket to the east
and lounged across the open to pine
tree, says the Detroit Free Press. He
was male and full grown, and his bulk
astonished us. His very gait proved that
he was in i'll humor, and he had no SOON
er reached the tree than he reared up and
began clawing it.
keep quiet-thar's fun ahead" whis-
pered the guide, and we laid our unlight-
ed pipes aside aud gave the scene our
whole attention.
After couple of minutes, during
which old Ephraim continued to work
up his temper. mountain lion leaped
out of the thicket into the open at the
southwest corner. Ten seconds later a
second lion leaped out at the southeast
angle, and the three beasts stood grow
ling and glaring and making ready for
battle. The lions were male and female
and the female was the more aggressive
of the two. AS they stood for moment,
switching the grass with their tails and
aoh having paw raised, they were about
thirty feet from each other and about
forty from the bear.
keep quiet and youth see the purtiest
little fout man ever sot down to-" said
the guide. as he removed his hat and
plncked up small bush growing in
front of him.
The bear was expecting his enemies.
Perhaps he had found and destroyed the
cubs of the lioness and knew the parents
were after him. He moved away from
the tree to have clear space around him,
and defed them to attack The lions
We're too prudent to make a rush. After
working up their fury one moved to the
east and the other to the west, keeping
close to the edge of the thlckets The
grizzly could not keep both of them un-
der mis- eye and, seeming to think the
lioness the most dangerous of the TWO,
he gave her his whole attention. While
he faced her the lion moved past him to
the rear and then crouched down. We
thought his action cowardly, but tine pair
had evidently planned the whole affair
and he was following the programme.
4 AS he crouched down the lioness began
to advance, but she moved at an angle
and Only foot by foot. She kept up a
low growing all the time, and, though
it was as sunshiny day, her eyes glittered
like Goals of fire. The growls of the bear
were deeper and louder, and he stock
still and waited for her.
He knew that she was creeping UP for
a spring, but he did not make the first
move When she had approached within
about fifteen feet she uttered cry and
tho lion made his leap. He had full
| twenty feet to go, and he covered it at
a bound. He rose from the ground like a
bird, and his movements were So rapi6
that We did not realize his action unit
he landed on top of the bear. Two SEQ
onds later the lioness reached the same
spot. and then the three were rolling ovel
and over on the ground like great ball.
Soldiers as we were, and at safe dis
tance, and with trusty weapons at hand,
the sounds of conflict fairly frightened
US. There was chorus of yelps, growls
roars and screams, and the ball continued
rolling for about sixty seconds. Then ii
suddenly dissolved into two lions and 6
bear, and the lions sprung away to dis
lance of tn yards. The grizzly had GO
the best of the fight. We could SEQ tina
he had been severely clawed and bit.
ten, but the lions were worse off. TIL,
lion limped and seemed to have lost tn,
use of one hind leg, and his right side
was laid open from shoulder to hip, ant
the lioness was SO badly hurt that sh,
lay painting and whining like dog.
s'That isn't this end of it--they'll try i
againP' whispered the guide, as we won
dered if it was over. sole Eph knows
his gait, and this is his fght.''
There was a rest IF five minCtes Their
the lioness began growing and switch
ing her tail and her courage returned
She moved over to the lion as if she
meant to attack him, and with an angry
snarl be leaped away and skulked to the
rear of the bearS again. When he hat
reached it the lioness began to advance
and now she was picture of fury.
''They'll do exactly rs before,"> sale
the guide, land that's proof that they
hain't got no sense in thar heads. If
thar wasn't but one of 'em old Epi
would stand up to it like a boxer, bu1
bein' thar g two his game is to fight or
his back Hes willin' the lion should
light down on him, bekase he'll flop him
underside at the fust move. This we're
bout will end the row, and one O. them
lions will be left dead on the ground"
! The lioness moved slowly, evidently
waiting for an opening, and this time she
was barely ten feet from the bear when
she made her leap. There was no signal
to her mate, but he was hardly second
behind her. 1t was the same as before-s
great hairy ball rolling about, chorus
of growls and yelps and roars to make
the hair stand up. When the ball ceased
rolling about only the bear and the lion
were on their feet. Strictly speaking
the latter was not on his feet. He baG