New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
BRITISH COLUMBIA BEARS.
THEY OUTcLAss THE GRIZZLIES OF CAL
IFORNIA AND OREGON.
From The San Francisco Chronicle.


IFoRNIA AND OREGON.
From The San Francisco Chronicle.
John Houston. who is spending few weeks ~
Pae Coast as veteran OF bear hunters and S
the subject OF newspaper items and sketches be-
Rocky Mountains and the sierras in every town in
which he spends any time. He has slain over 20
twenty and afd his caTrsd his
hands and the great wounds on his arms and cness
had with the bear family in his wild mountain Lfe.
crd. used Sc to think said Mr. n wns here
the other evening, that there was nothing IN the
Northern California @ as and ' Oregon and stuck to It
that for size and ugliness none OF that tribe any
Ing up in British Columbia have changed my
mind You wouldn't believe IT. but the grizzlies IN
are simply mammoth by the side OF the mem-
bers of the family in the States. have never
over lloo or 200 pounds and measured eight feet
from nose to the tip OF the tall The majority Sd
pounds. and their length from tip 10 tip Is about
I'm British Columbia and over in Manitoba there
are any quantity of these great hulking critters
ppeS Tese e @ bssm for
cutting up The bears up there frequently measure
have measured several carcasses that were little
over nine feet ia full length.
MEETING MONSTER.
~ don't know how to account for such diner.
ence in size between members OF u e same iamiy
Of beasts in this country and across the line IN
Queen Nc.s realm but its So You % may Lima dmag1ne
canyon or Ia some forest. miles away from any
human being, suddenly sees advancing upon MIN =
Raunches. some. nine or ten feet in length with
forepaws extended. showing an open' Diooo.reu
flashing anger and his roars expressing MS rage:
You may have some idea that Il takes the coolest
stand his ground and wait for such monster TO ad-
vance so near to MIN as 70 present the peor a1
Judgment at such time must not be aliowea
for It be Is'd5 deah w TO tns aea n
the hunter. But 4 is just such excitement ,.c sHca
for months every year when could have comfort
and plenty by living tame. humdrum iie IN
How many grizzlies do think there are IN Bit.
ish Columbia? Why. there are thousands OF tnem
over twenty years the number OF black and gr1zzy
bears slain annually has been reported at Eictora
and Vancouver be from 800 to LOO twenty
years ago there times as many bears, ana
in one season the Hudson Bay Company bought et
Winnipeg and at Victoria over iVv bear SKINS tcr
same way that the buffalo has gene, and the moose s
is fast going doubt II the beasts Will ever reaIiy
become extinct for they are 80 hard to trap ,1a an1
Human xs an 10 ah The best grizzly and
skins now easily bring sls among the fur buyers IN
pelts could have been bought by the wagon load for
dollar or two each That was or when es iuF ,bos
sands of buffalo to furnish skins for winter rooes
AN INDIAN HUNTER
You want to hear some OF my experiences n
them. and Could fiji a book with tales of the
citing times have had in ner the pg IL oiovns ns
a grizzly was in the summer OF 1879. when was
to bear hunns was out w5h berea regen
north ntGth Of Dakota in the Manitoba country. We
ine when % We suddenly came upon the largest
grizzly-indeed the largest bearIl had ever sect seen:
My Indian companion was Of about thirty years
of age, a perfect type OF muscular and
nVy He d dd mot kpGw Nv ,S ha5 fs:
of maddened grizzly. as one would be at a dying
besitation Of all good hunters in attack
ing a grizzly. and once looked for every point
be compelled TO ccme to close quarters with the
bear our appearance In the opening had n oeen en- !,
ing with its great front claws hollow log to
pieces in search Sf SQUIRREL M rors N. h..,
lowered aloft on its hind feet and relieved Itself
Comfort 1t threw its forepaws straigh! above is
head and for an an instant stood as about ,D Ie
tention. but as Il stood erect a Vulnerable and
vital part exposed-of which parts there are few
and quiet aim and sent ball into the vtals Of the
huge bear. which gave two or three powerful blows
panying them with It's we-known roar or howl
and fell dead without moving out Of its tracks.
SURPRISE.
The bear had hardly touched the ground. the
Indians rifle being still raised In readiness to Pou;
had not proved sufficient when there came a loud
ss Of s %a 'as for
saw my half-breed guide raised clear from his
had Killed second grizzly had heard the cries
ing the allegations made by most writer's on the
habits Of the animal that one Of them will not not
spot and had not waited TO look into the cause Of
The bear paid no attention whatever TO me. but
followed up his attack on my companion The
what he had on hand and he was on his feet
again with amazing quickness; The blow from
cheek and side Of his head. and it hung in strips
down on his neck The Snud gun had frd ben
head and face In streams. He quickly drew his
and awaited the charge W Of the bear, Which was
fully as big as the one that lay dead on the
have borne down half a dozen stawart men, and
consequently my strong and muscular companion
He went down and the grizzly stood over him and
glared and growled as II enjoying the hunters
"OUT OF THE PAW OF THE BEAR"
These incidents had all occurred with such rapid.
but when the Indian lying at the mercy Of the
great brute that would crush him to death at the
sp on ms sss s
% ne ear the ha sars al sa
gloatng over his victim. pulled both triggers No
forced the top OF his great head OF like the lid Of
a kettle. The huge brute, although he must have
died almost instantly, actually remained standing
for at least a minute. he had stood when fired.
hs his at @ the side
Of the Indian with the foreleg thrown across the
was unconscious and remained so for several min
utes. His left side had been crushed by the bears
second charge, and the poor Fellow was bruised
and torn shockingly In other places. / got him
safely quarters. and II was a month before
he got around again He terribly disfgured.
the one side of his face being CHASTITY scar. but
he recovered his former strength. and the last
ever heard OF him he still hunting grizzlies,
and many had fallen under his deadly aim since
his close call in the poplar woods. when my timely
shot saved his life.
FRIGHTENING A GRIZZLY.
while / believe that grizzly bear Will In .
ma jority OF cases wait for fight with a man and