The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-10-28
IN THE GRIP =.
%. OF A GRIZZLY.
The Unpleasant Experience Of a
California Sheep Herder.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

The Unpleasant Experience Of S
g California Sheep Herder. S
I'M W that you've all told your stor-
IN les about the meanness and cuss-
edness of the coyote" said Johnson
Blocker, a mountain herder in the San
Bernardino mountains of California, in a
company of ranchmen at the store
over at Warmers Springs the other even
ing, II have little on that subject to
say myself. I owe my life to pack of
coyotes up in Kern county, and from
all that can learn they are the same
as all others of the coyote family. In
1878 was teaching district school in
San Diego county, and was all run down
in health and spirits. When the long
summer vacation came on, 1 had an in
vjtation from my brother Ned to come
and spend the summer at his ranch in
the mountains; in Kern county. I ac-
cepted, and went there on mule back.
because there were no railroads in
southern California then.
THE second day was at my brothers
ranch. We went out for week of hunt
Ing in the mountains. We were armed
with the best rifles, and our horses car
ried big lot of ammunition and camp
stores. Ned soon tired of hunting, and
after we had tumbled over two Wild
cats and several antelope he wanted to
get back to his horse, sheep and vine
yards. He told me that the upper noun
tain canyons were full of big game.
and that he knew from the loss of sew
eral calves and pigs that summer there
were bears in the heavy timber. That
was enough to excite my best endeav-
ors with rifle, and stayed in the
mountains while Brother Ned went
down to his ranch. For week more
got nothing more than deer, sew
eral antelopes, and for the sake of get
ting rid of the mean varmints, I shot a
dozen or so coyotes.
II spent one night in a camp of few
miners, who were washing gold in q
canyon, and the next morning when /
rode away one of them advised me to
keep near to their camp, for they had
seen the day before grizzly bear tracks
in the mud about the springs two miles
away. laughingly assured the miners
that took pride in my craftsmanship,
and was naturally cautious and cool, so
thought no harm could come to me.
Along about noon that day I shot a
buck some 200 yards from me, and as
1o ~pNrr1o1 orSroo1 ho,,rlol -,
heavy chaparral, drove my spurs in
my mustang and gave chase. 1t was
easy to follow the buck, because it left
q trail of blood stains on the ground,
and in the brush as it bounded along.
The deer ran down the mountain slope
for perhaps quarter of mile, and
then suddenly struck down the noun
tain. And so, following it, came at
last to the edge of the canyon, with
its large timber and heavy under
growth. Just as I entered this can
yon I came upon the overturned trunk
of an enormous tree, which had appar.
emily fallen several months before,
turning out huge mound of clay with
it's roots. The trail of blood showed
that the deer had leaped over the trunk,
but my horse was no jumper, and 1
began hastily circling around the tree.
AS turned the angle of the clay mound
at it's root, with Il vicious snort an enor-
nous grizzly sprang up erect out of the
shadows and faced me with jaws open.
This apparition and the sudden squat.
ting of my horse occupied one second.
Before the next second was over my
horse had jumped about IS feet, I should
think. had gone over his back in a
curve, turning somersaults before 1
struck the ground. My gun had gone
clear over the grizzly's head and lay on
the other side of him, and there 1 was
with my leg broken above the knee.
"Isn't it queer what funny things
you will think of in some awful mo-
ment of sorrow OF suspense? I lay
there, trying to imagine whether Ned
would find enough of my bones to &C.
cord me decent burial when he came
tosearch for me. was absolutely feel
ing in my pocket little dizzily for a
pencil and paper, SO that could write
. few words, when the grizzly came,
smelled me over two or three times, and
atlast took hold of my left shoulder and
began to drag me. Then the pain in
my broken leg and my tortured Shout
der overcame me and I went off into
blissful Inconsistencies. When I
began to find myself again the
loud bowling, deep growing and
screams. of rage startled me back
into the world. I found the griz-
zly, standing over me, while all
around, not more than 20 yards away.
were great gaunt, hungry coyotes.
They had gathered in great numbers,
and saw in moment what had saved
nv life thus far. They were afraid to
venture upon the bear while he held his
prey, and he could not begin ripping up
his captive while they stood around,
strong in numbers and embold ened by
famine. Whenever the grizzly sput his
head down to take hold Of me, the
coyotes instantly began to crowd near