The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1896-01-23
BIG BUTTERFLY WHALE.

bIU BUTTERFLY WHALE.
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"Reminiscences of a Giant Strong
Man OF tho Sierres.
His Great Fcats Of strength Capturing
Cub and DispatchinE n Foro-
cious she Hear Death His
Only Conqueror.
A1ocrry Wills, says the Fresno (Cal)
EXp1sitor. has boon dead % dozen years, but
his phenomenal atrength, coupled with his
daring exploits In the Sierras, are fresh in
the minds OF pioneers. Asbcrry was born
In Maripcsa County, and at the age OF sew
entccn yours stood six feet and four inches
high 20 his stocking feet, and was at once
entitled TO and received tho sobriquet OF
tho "Bueorfy Nhaien Tho "Whalcn was
unusually fond OF explorations among the
rugged, snow clad peaks OF the jungled
mountains lie was n man OF fine physique,
proporlonatoly built, an eagle eye and "A
clcarcu American profile His hair and
beard wercOs bIackas the ravens beak, and
ho always wore q luxuriant growth OF both;
his beard, 40 twcnty-thrce, reached his
wcll-tlled hunting bolt and | have often
seen hul, says the CORES pondent, tie on
bis somlrero with his mustnche lie had a
npar.ao OF huuor about him, and his com
handing pew uu, bold, daring and aggres-
8ivc makeup made him general favorite
IN camp.
lie, like othor phenomenal men, had his
uCcuiarlUce. cod Hell-n-the. Brushn aud
"HesrtDccp' wcro over his companions in
camp aud on trmL Old-Hoi-in-the-Brush"
was magnificent London twist, rifle bore
gun which exactly Chamberod an ounce
bali H. was an uld-fasnionod muzzle- loader,
weighing eighteen pounds, but IL never
went buck en- itl credentials, as Indicated
by i,s name, when M tho banda OF the
Whale. 'uaagt Deep was tremendous
steel two-cdgod dirk Weighing eleven
POUNDS, which the Whale could WELD as
easily as J q pcu-luifo. These two weap-
cas witch h1 had thus grimly christened
were hIs conatant companions while travers-
iug the mountain ranges from Mineral
/ lng 10 Mount Lycll.
Many and thrilling were tho daring en-
counters which could be related OF him dur
/ l. g his twelve years OF mountaineer life in
/ j resno County.
On one occasion, while campcd at n
/ u ldlw on the south fork OF Kings river,
/ b. found DO necessary TO fence of IA pasture
] f.e his mustangs lie and his coln panion
I y 10 f3lug ugg. for that purpose when,
1 By some m.sc1l-9lauon, tree two feet in
[ d lme,cr lci pa.h his companion, crushing
| b. q to tho ca.,u. But the Whale wu3 equal
t. the emergency. Throwing his giant
I strength into his arms ho lifted the leaden
trunk from OH the pro5trate form Of his un-
fortunate friend. His friend died from tho
injury, but lis prompt action In removing
the tree allayed mucn Of his pain, and gave
a
his muscular strength, which won tho
plaudits and praise Of the people through
out the sparscly settled country.
The Whale lifting weight was nine times
his own, or 800 pounds. AT another time he
displayed even greater strength and won
derful presence OF mind. lie and Frank
Lewis were on the middle fork Of Kings
river prospecting for gold aud silver
Ono evening about dusk, when nearing
camp, the Whale espiod u cub bear fully six
months Old and weighing upward OF two
hundred pounds. The cub was asleep on
top OF a slauting bowldcr. Wills determined
ut once 10 capture the beautiful specimen
alive.
"Botter give him little lead morphine
and burn little saltpeter behind 1t" re
marked Frank, "to make him sleep sounder.'
But the Whale wouldn't listen 1T. Franl
got on tho pinnacle Of a neghboring tree
80, as he said, he could see just how win
caught hold OF the cub. Wills grabbed tn
animal by both hind feet, and, startled thu
from It's lair, the Whale was soon convince
that he had large and powerful brute :
contend with. The cub set up a hideou
yelling, aud, showing fight summoned IL
young strength perhaps for the first timo I,
copo with It's new-found foe. Tho bowldei
was slantlng aud slick, making footing un
sure, and down its declivitous side rolled
man and bear. A thick copse OF yerba
buena and fern received the mysterious
couple into its wild retreat When foot
| ing was reached Wills was on top, but the
desperate animal by its cries had warned
tho ferocIous mother Of its peril. Frank
| from his perch attempted TO pour hot lead
into the approaching beast, now not more
than atty yards away and nearing the spot
twenty feet ut a bound.
Tie Whale took in tho situation. II took
both hands To- overp0wer the cub; what was
no 10 dol There was no timo to theorize
| Swinging the cub as boy would a cat, he
struck tho mother fun in tho mouth with
the cubs head Tho bear fell stunned tC
earth aud tue cub pped from the W hale's
grasp bleeding and helpless. Quicker thar
you could even think the circumstance In
rehearsal, trusty heart deep had done his
work. The cub and mother had met the
enemy aud they were hls'u
Fraa.l cautiously descended from the upper
tier of the wild ainphitheater, and spent tn,
remainder Oh tho night IN trying TO find tn,
place In the animals anatomy that tho lead
Gu messenger from tho rife had penetrated
on ils mission of death but he found only
wide, doCp glah through winch clever
pounds oi aia.. olcying tho influence Of I
gau 81 muscle. u.d served notice Of eject
meut upon tAC c.diu If life
The Whall nae. with but one enemy L
whom he succUm0cd. in the spring Of n
mou tain fever seized hla powerful frame
his mind departed, and soon tho roape
/ wrapped hi5 thick, mysterious mantle o
eloraiiy about linn and the Whale was N
more. On the 700 bank Of the great King
river canyon 'uoltha few fcotol granite sol
and taa roirol1iag shade OF o widespread
ing juniper, wrapped 90 his hunting garh
unwept, uuc1Muea aud unsuag, lies tin
nero ID lIarposa, ava gDovo his grave
this simpIcirscrp'iou; "fhc Whale"